She didn't say a lot for a long time. Other children of the same age were loaded with words and kept spewing them out much to the 'pride' of their parents noted mostly in Facebook posts but our little lady bided her time and then, with a sudden gush, it seems there's no stopping her.
What never ceases to amaze me is how she acquires words. I've heard her repeating words I didn't even realise I used myself but I must and she absorbs them, digests them and uses them to melt my heart, stop me in my tracks and make me down right laugh out loud.
This week has obviously been present related with 'open more presents now please Daddy' often booming from below the tree where she's positioned herself and indeed we have had three solid days of present opening (or at least one of us has) but the highlight came this morning when she noted how big my pregnant wife's 'boodies' are..... when have I made reference to these in her ear shot? Did I call them boodies? Was it even me?
What really makes my knees wobble and my heart feel like it's about to explode with love is her use of an apology, 'sorry Daddy', even when she's not done anything wrong. As a gift, she received a play-doh cup cake maker which has led to a bug bare of mine 'mixing the colours' (#likefingernailsdowntheblackboard). It must have been from my awkward squirming or the twitch of my face that led her to look at me with her big blue eyes and say in her beautiful tone 'sor-ry Daddy'. Mix away my lovely; mix away as my heart flutters at her innocence.
Another heart warmer over the season has of course been her obsession with letting us know about every single example of 'pretty lights' that are sparkling as we drove the 20 or so mile round trip to my in laws but, I don't care, because I love the pretty lights as much as she does as it means I'm noticing the world and all that it has to offer - the meaning of which can be lost to a thirty something dad on a mission to get the daily chores complete quickly enough to make sure I'm giving as much time as I can to this sweetheart!
But of course, while she has all of these words, she also wants to know the whys and wherefores ... Why Daddy? Why? Why? Why? ... Ok. How many different ways can you explain things that you've never really considered the rationale of yourself before? If being a Daddy is teaching me anything, it's patience and perspective. The mind of a two year old is beautiful and ready to be filled with knowledge. I need to gen. up and get learning so I can indeed satiate our little enquirer and leave her with a thirst to go and explore more for herself!
So, although my lip has a tendency to curl at the proclamations of pride posts, I'm a proud mushy Daddy. I love you little lady and everything that you make me see afresh.