Funny things people say

I seem to be a magnet for people to say funny things to. These are my interpretations of what I think random people have said to me this month on the street, in the post office, and on the bus. They may or may not have lost something in the translation.

-          Is you sister alive? (about Lydia in the carrier-once to Micah, once to me: twice I was asked if my daughter was living!) Two interpretations given by locals: a joke because she is so sweet looking. iow – is she real? and secondly, she is so still, is she a baby doll?

-        Are you watching them? Are their parents Turkish? At the park I was mistaken for being the  nanny. My tutor claims it is because I look so young. I wonder if it’s because no moms are in the park with their kids…it is only grandmas and nannies. Where are all the moms?

-       So sweet! May God protect him from evil. How old is he?  This is often the chorus when strangers come upon children. When I turned around to look, I was surprised to see two dog owners having the conversation!

-         (regarding my kids) What brand? Upon many bewildered looks and much asking for clarification, I learned this woman was asking what country we were from!

-          Don’t even try! (to tell me your child is 10 months old. She has teeth! And she’s so active/attentive…her eyes are following the conversation. Whoever is talking, she is looking at them.) When do their kids get teeth?? 

-         He, Lydia, must be a boy. She has no hair. Is this a joke or are they serious? When I tried responding with the smiling comment, “yes she is growing teeth, but she’s not growing hair” I didn’t get any laughs. I guess I need to still work on my bilingual sense of humor.