Feliz Cumpleaños Leilani!

Thursday was Leilani's birthday, and today after class we're having a big birthday party for her where all her family will be there.  Spanish and English will both be spoken liberally and my wife's family will expect the birthday girl (she's 3) to be able answer, but most of her family also speaks English and will understand if she answers in English.  I don't like this, so sometimes I tell a little white lie...

I will say they don't speak English.  Yeah I know it's cheating, and oftentimes Leilani is too smart for me and will know they actually do, but sometimes she plays along.  Probably for dada's benefit.

More Practice


I know I've been beating a drum here, but in my opinion home practice is the only way Leilani will eventually become a truly bi-lingual speaker.  Taking the opportunity to have her speak only Spanish to her family, well the family that speaks it anyway, is a vital part of her training.  She understands everything they say, but if she doesn't repeat back I believe she'll end up losing a lot of that knowledge.

Happy Birthday to You in Español


Speaking of practice I need to practice my Spanish "Happy Birthday" song in time for today's party.  Here's how we sing it:

Cumpleaños Feliz
Te deseamos a ti
Cumpleaños Felices
Te deseamos a ti


Of course this is from memory so all errors are my own.  Oftentimes that's followed by an extremely important song:

Queremos que partan la torta
Queremos que partan la torta
Queremos que partan la torta
Si No Nos Vamos De Aqui


Which means something like, "We want to cut the cake, we want to cut the cake, we want to cut the cake, or we are leaving from here."  It's sung to the tune of "For he's a jolly good fellow."  Now if you'll excuse me I have a cake to pickup.