Oh no. I've just realized my children are starting to sound just like me!
I am a Southern girl through and through. I have lived in the South all my life. My parents both grew up on farms and some of my best childhood memories are playing on my grandparents' farm in the summers. I think every child should be able to have that experience...walking through cotton fields, riding a four-wheeler down to the bayou, eating a Southern fried meal prepared by Minnie (my grandmother and the best cook I know by far), getting stuck in a cotton trailer and having your sister tease and laugh at you endlessly on the other side because you can't figure out a way to get out of the doggon thing. I loved it, and I'm so thankful for those memories!
Even though I didn't grow up on a farm and in the suburbs, I was still reared by a Southern Bell (Derek laughed hysterically at me the first time I said we were "going to town"). My mom taught us the values you would expect from a girl brought up in the South. She taught us to love Jesus and took us to church (with perfectly curled hair and puffy dresses that were often made by her). She taught us to always write thank you notes. She taught us to always be kind and never make fun of anyone else. She taught us to always wear pantyhose with a dress and sit ladylike. She taught us how to make sweet tea. All the things you would expect that are Southern...well, that's me, including perfectly drawn out words.
Not too long ago, I put a video on my blog of Ella Grace counting to ten and me excitedly praising her at the end. My sweet blog friend, Megan, commented on how she loved our "country accents." It never occurred to me when I posted that entry how we sounded. I'm just so used to it. I listened to it again, and thought "Oh my goodness. Ella Grace IS country. And, I am, too!" I do vividly remember going to Disney World with my BFF in junior high school and the attendant on Space Mountain imitating the way I said, "Eight," when he asked me how many were in our party, and I do remember at one point in college wanting a dialect coach, but I haven't thought much about it since. Then, last week, Derek and I were standing around the kitchen, just talking and the conversation turns to something about people sounding Southern, and he says, "I know someone else who is going to talk "Southern." "Who," I asked surprised. He points to Ella Grace. I said, "You think?" He said, "Oh my gosh. Yes! She already sounds that way!"
Isn't it funny that it has never really registered to me that my children talk that way. I guess it's because they sound JUST like me! Most one syllable words have two! My initial thought was, "How do I stop it?" I even asked my mom and she simply told me I could not. I was quick to point out to my mom that it was her fault because my sisters and I sound just like her and NOW my children sound like her, too! We both laughed about it.
You know what though? I wouldn't want them to sound any other way. It's actually pretty cute to hear those little "country" voices!
Funny timing...as I finished this post, I heard a Southern "Momma," calling me to get her from her nap. I love it!
I am a Southern girl through and through. I have lived in the South all my life. My parents both grew up on farms and some of my best childhood memories are playing on my grandparents' farm in the summers. I think every child should be able to have that experience...walking through cotton fields, riding a four-wheeler down to the bayou, eating a Southern fried meal prepared by Minnie (my grandmother and the best cook I know by far), getting stuck in a cotton trailer and having your sister tease and laugh at you endlessly on the other side because you can't figure out a way to get out of the doggon thing. I loved it, and I'm so thankful for those memories!
Even though I didn't grow up on a farm and in the suburbs, I was still reared by a Southern Bell (Derek laughed hysterically at me the first time I said we were "going to town"). My mom taught us the values you would expect from a girl brought up in the South. She taught us to love Jesus and took us to church (with perfectly curled hair and puffy dresses that were often made by her). She taught us to always write thank you notes. She taught us to always be kind and never make fun of anyone else. She taught us to always wear pantyhose with a dress and sit ladylike. She taught us how to make sweet tea. All the things you would expect that are Southern...well, that's me, including perfectly drawn out words.
Not too long ago, I put a video on my blog of Ella Grace counting to ten and me excitedly praising her at the end. My sweet blog friend, Megan, commented on how she loved our "country accents." It never occurred to me when I posted that entry how we sounded. I'm just so used to it. I listened to it again, and thought "Oh my goodness. Ella Grace IS country. And, I am, too!" I do vividly remember going to Disney World with my BFF in junior high school and the attendant on Space Mountain imitating the way I said, "Eight," when he asked me how many were in our party, and I do remember at one point in college wanting a dialect coach, but I haven't thought much about it since. Then, last week, Derek and I were standing around the kitchen, just talking and the conversation turns to something about people sounding Southern, and he says, "I know someone else who is going to talk "Southern." "Who," I asked surprised. He points to Ella Grace. I said, "You think?" He said, "Oh my gosh. Yes! She already sounds that way!"
Isn't it funny that it has never really registered to me that my children talk that way. I guess it's because they sound JUST like me! Most one syllable words have two! My initial thought was, "How do I stop it?" I even asked my mom and she simply told me I could not. I was quick to point out to my mom that it was her fault because my sisters and I sound just like her and NOW my children sound like her, too! We both laughed about it.
You know what though? I wouldn't want them to sound any other way. It's actually pretty cute to hear those little "country" voices!
Funny timing...as I finished this post, I heard a Southern "Momma," calling me to get her from her nap. I love it!
10 comments:
Okay, I can not figure out how to edit and so I had to delete my comment! I was just saying that I love a good southern draw! I think every little girl should have one. :) You know you couldnt change it if you tried! All words should be two syllables! Love the post! :) Have a good night!!!
Leigh Ann, I just had dinner this week with a girl that grew up here and now lives in California. She commented that she didn't remember me sounding so country. I had to inform her that I wasn't the one who had changed. :) Whenever we travel outside of the state, people will say things like, "Is it Georgia or Alabama?" as they try to figure out where I'm from. I have a new friend at work from New Jersey and she said I was a true Southern belle and I was so excited! Such a huge compliment for me. I love being Southern and I could relate to so many of those things you were talking about. One funny word that Eric used to make fun of me about was "ham". We would order sandwiches and he would always laugh when I would make a 3 letter word two syllables. Ha!
Hi Leigh Ann!
Thanks for visiting my blog! You have a beautiful family! I now know 3 girls named Ella Grace! :)
My kids have picked up the Southern accent too... but not from me, from their teachers! haha
It's funny that I didn't notice your accent on the video! Probably because I talk just like ya'll. I have a friend that lives here now, but she is from CA and she can't stand for us to say ya'll. So, we always make sure to say it a lot around her! Ha! :)
Too funny. I have a pretty strong southern accent regardless, but I notice that when I'm around people that really have a strong drawl I started extending my "y'all"! It's contagious or something
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
I know it is because I am Southern but I LOVE having this accent and passing it on to my kids. I have a friend who makes fun of me for saying
"y'all" all the time but she is from California...so what do you expect :).
I love listening to and analyzing people's accents! Can't imagine why?! ;)
I love that I was raised in the South. Southern pleasantries make life much softer around the edges. Certain northern accents hurt my ears. (Sorry northerners!)
In school we were told that if any of us wanted to practice up north, WE would most likely have to have speech tx first! We would need to attain that "accent-free" talk, like many newscasters and automated voices have. I think most of us SLPs can do it when we have to, but who wants to sound like an automated voice??? :)
P.S.--Jon tells me that I become more southern the more tired I am. (I jes cayunt 'magine what that boy is talkin' 'bout. Bless his lil ol' heart.)
There is nothing better than farm living. Web calls Vance "bubba" all of the time =)
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