Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Chipil

For this post I decided to do some word research online and this is what I found.
chipil * adj (Méx) sad, gloomy
Chipil Spanish English chipil ADJ MX gloomy ADJ
chipil ADJ MX down-trodden ADJ
chipil ADJ MX sad ADJ
Ya se puso chipil. MX Now he's pouting.
Looking the word up made me a little chipil because its what everyone keeps calling my daughter. But with this word and in our area of Mexico I think it means more than what I found in the dictionaries. Because except when I was pregnant I have never heard someone refer to a grumpy child this way. The impression my husband and I had before I looked it up is more like a child being needy due to the mom being pregnant. They say she can sense my hormones (which I believe) and the upcoming baby. When I was pregnant with Joslin (who is now one) Alana was two, and was only a few times refereed to as chipil. People said she wasn't bad because I was having a sister for her. I didn't really understand the term that time around. This time though I get it. Joslin is being the full extent of the term. Over the last few weeks it have been getting worse and worse, she wants nothing but to be on my lap or me to be carrying her. She asks for her papi all day long and when he shows up she is so happy and gets excited but still wants me only to hold her. I am typing part of this with her on my lap. It gets really bad anytime I try to do something that needs my full attention. For example cleaning or cooking or reading or typing... ok everything. If I just sit on the couch and stare at the wall she will walk off and play but even from the other room its like she can tell I picked up a book and will run in to sit on my lap. Not only does she sit on my lap but she puts her face directly into mine until Im focusing all my attention on her. My main breaks from this is when shes eating (thank goodness right now shes eating) or if I can get her playing outside with her sister but this one doesn't usually last long. The other day I was trying to chat with my sister on skype and my sister was like Oh my now I get it. Joslin was standing on my lap facing me and taking her hands on either side of my face and staring into my face, then she would just wallow me and squirm around like she just wanted to see if I would hang on to her or something. Seriously its crazy and seems to be getting worse. Im not sure what to do about it, I cant just carry her around all day and really I think that is a bad idea anyway considering as soon as the baby comes I wont be able to.
Here is me asking for similar stories or suggestions. ;)

6 comments:

  1. Joslin is the living description of the word "Chipil". And yes, it's also a word often mentioned during pregnancy. Most Mexicans believe that young kids can sense not only our hormones, but the unborn child as well.

    Some believe that if a child is acting especially "chipil", it's means the mom will be having a child of the same sex as the child who is "chipil". And others believe that the unborn child will be of the opposite sex. :P (Does that make sense? LOL!)

    I don't know if that is true, because my kids were never all that "chipil".

    But if you ever want to talk about "Mamitis", I'm an expert! :)

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  2. My son was very "chipil" when I was pregnant with Sophie so I believe ;) He got so bad when she was born that he even came down with a fever the whole time I was in the hospital.

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  3. I find this fascinating! The only time I witnessed something like this was when our nephew threw a tantrum when he was told that he was going to have a brother or sister (which wasn't true, they were teasing him b/c he said all the time he wants to be the only child.) It was so bizzare, he started acting like he was stabbing his mother's womb - where the baby would be. I was appalled at what I thought was extreme jealousy, or chipilismo! I learned from this post, thank you. :-)

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  4. Awwwwww I've only got one so I've not experienced this - BUT - Daisy is so damn Chiflada that at 7 months she STIIILLLL has to be held or AT LEAST stared at from no more than 1 foot away - at all times. If I get knocked up I guess she'll try to crawl back inside me, who knows. As of late she's going through the stage where she can be happy and fine with her Daddy (being held) but if I walk out of the room she screams.

    Ok, so I'm no help - but I can comiserate! :)

    Have you TOLD her that the baby's coming? I was reading in my What to Expect book about siblings and it mentioned a bunch of ways to help young ones cope if they know about it coming. Of course I'm at work right now and can't look it up - but I'll bring it to work tonight (cuz that's the only time I can get on a computer!) and give you some suggestions! :)

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  5. Ok, screw waiting for the book - check out this link, I liked some of the stuff! Good luck :)

    http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/newbaby.htm

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  6. Leslie- for sure mamitis, I only wish some of you lived a little closer so we could take a tea break and get a way for a min.
    Mama-That is crazy, I'm really hoping my mom makes it down before the baby is born so she can be here with Joslin and Alana, And I hope this helps Joslin cope while I'm in there.
    Leah-Kids express their feelings openly and honestly even when its scary sometimes.
    Gringa-I'm laughing so hard, all I can say is good luck. And I plan to check out that site as soon as Im done updating my blog. And before I read anyone elses because that always takes me to the end of my computer time. ;)

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