A/N: Just another little Regal Believer drabble where Regina is trying to get Henry to say his first words. Very cute and fluffy. As always. Don't forget; if you liked it please review!
Hearing a frantic knocking, Dr. Archie Hopper quickly rose from his desk and walked over to open the door. "Madam Mayor?" He questioned curiously towards the woman standing in the doorway with a small baby carrier in her right hand and a large bag draped over her shoulder. "What can I do for you?"
"I need your help," she said simply with no other explanation.
The man shook his head, trying to rid of the confusion and quickly replied, "Why, yes, of course. Come in." He watched as she set down the carrier on his coffee table and then sat down on the couch right in front of it. He moved to sit in his usual seat while asking her, "What exactly is the problem?"
"It's Henry," she said as she took the 5-month-old baby boy out of the carrier and rested him on her right shoulder as she patted and rubbed his back to keep him calm.
"He seems perfect hap-" He was quickly cut off as the woman continued to explain.
"He hasn't said his first words yet. He hasn't said anything yet." She glanced down at the infant whose hand gripped her collar firmly as he sucked on his little pacifier. She continued, "All of the books I've read have said that he is supposed to be developing at least his basic syllables by now and he has said nothing."
"Regina, not all infants develop the same way or at the same time. It's possible that Henry might just take a little longer to speak than your books recommend."
"But what if there is something wrong with him?" The expression in her eyes was filled with concern and fear.
"He's a perfectly happy and healthy baby boy. You are raising him well. There is nothing wrong with him."
"If I am raising him correctly then why hasn't he started speaking like he's supposed to?" Regina was persistent not to know the answer to why Henry wasn't currently speaking, but to how she could get him to speak. Dr. Hopper could see that.
"Well," he sighed, "have you tried to teach him? If he listens to you repeating a certain syllable or word, it's possible he'll repeat it. That's how most infants' first words are spoken." He turned his attention to the little boy who started humming and making noised while his head rested on his mother's shoulder. "Perhaps try getting him to say da da. It's usually the most common thing for infants to say first because the d is very easy for them. Maybe just while you are playing with him, repeat it a few times and see how he reacts."
She contemplated for a moment before asking, "Do you really think it'll work?"
Archie nodded, "I think it will." He gestured to the baby who had started to wiggle in his mother's arms when she spoke, "He responds to your voice very often. I believe if you speak to him, he'll eventually understand." He moved to his feet as Regina placed Henry into his carrier and bundled him up tightly.
"Thank you," she said as she stood as walked to the door.
"And Regina," he called to her down the hall, "don't worry so much if he doesn't say anything for a while. Like I said, some infants are just different."
He watched as the very determined woman nodded her head before continuing down the hallways and out of the office building.
0-0-0
She sat in the middle of the living room. A cartoon quietly played to sooth the baby lying in front of her on the floor. He giggled loudly and kicked his feet in the air as she tickled his little tummy and she laughed with him.
"Alright, Henry," she said softly while taking the infant's hands and gently caressing his soft skin with her thumbs. He gripped on her fingers and smiled at the sound her voice. She continued, "Let's try what Dr. Hopper said, okay?"
She started to made the syllable sounds da da to the little boy. She continued a few times and watched as Henry would giggle or respond with loud squeal or noise, but nothing remotely close to what she wanted. She kept trying. She repeated it over and over again, receiving no reaction from her son.
"Honey, please," Regina begged as Henry eventually lost interest, let go of her hands, and brought his focus towards one of the toys lying beside him. She shook her head, worried that there truly was something wrong with her son not wanting to talk. She watched as the baby took a hold of a small blue rattle and began to shake it. He looked up to his mother with that innocent grin of his. Regina placed her hand on his stomach and rubbed it gently, "Henry, please. Just say something. Anything." She slipped her finger into his empty hand and let him grip onto it again. "Say something for Mama."
She looked into her son's dark eyes as he began to hum. He hummed for a short while before letting out an ah sound. Regina's eyes began to widen. He did it once more. "Ma" the a sound dragged out for a while until the baby boy screamed out happily.
Regina found herself laughing joyfully in the moment. Unable to contain her happiness, she leaned forward and kissed the giggling boy's cheek. He said something. But it wasn't just something; it was her name⦠almost. She was his first word. Mama.
There really wasn't anything wrong with him. He was perfectly healthy and extremely happy just as Dr. Hopper had said. And there was truly no need to worry. He was happy. They both were.
"Thank you, Henry."
