Mari & Ilna: What can I say? I'm enjoying this adventure every bit as much as I was on day one. Maybe more.
REAL Worlders-thanks for all the enthusiastic support. You guys are the best.
In Her Own Time (1/1)
"Tell mommy bye bye," Elizabeth encouraged Angie as Catherine stood in the doorway of the condo. She gently lifted her granddaughter's hand and waved it. "Say bye bye, mommy."
Catherine smiled and waved. "Bye bye, sweetie!"
Angie giggled and flailed her arms. "Aaah aah eee."
"Esther insists she's heard her say both 'mama' and 'dada' in the last week or so," Catherine told her mother, "but she hasn't said it in front of Steve or me. It always happens after we leave."
Elizabeth bounced Angie in her arms. "Go ahead, angel. Say mama."
"Baa daaa eee!"
"Apparently not," Catherine chuckled. "You have fun hiking with grandma and grandpa, sweetie. Daddy and I will see you later."
As Catherine pulled the door closed behind her Elizabeth and Angie headed for the kitchen to prepare some snacks for the afternoon. They planned on heading out as soon as Joseph returned from dropping Grandma Ang and several of her friends at a local event aimed at helping senior citizens stay active and engaged in the community.
As soon as Elizabeth placed Angie in her high chair the smiling baby turned her head back towards the front door of the condo. "Mama."
Elizabeth stopped in her tracks. "What did you say?" She knelt beside the high chair. "Say it again for grandma, angel. Say mama."
Angie's head turned towards the door. "Mama."
"Esther was right!" Elizabeth's excitement quickly spread to Angie who began to slap her hands happily against her chair's tray. "Say mama."
"Baab aaah eeee!" Angie squealed excitedly.
"Mama." Elizabeth repeated.
Angie reached out and grabbed a handful of her grandmother's shirt. "Eeeee iiii."
Elizabeth kissed the contented baby on the cheek. "We'll just have to keep working on it."
Joseph and Elizabeth sat at a picnic table enjoying the scenic overlook where the Sierra Club hiking group had stopped for a break. Angie had enjoyed her snack of smushed bananas and a bottle and was now carefully studying the screen of her grandmother's phone as Elizabeth scrolled through the morning's pictures.
As Angie babbled happily one of the hike's organizers, a man they had become friendly with on several earlier outings, approached.
"Joseph, Elizabeth, nice to see you again." He smiled warmly. "Glad you could make it. And of course, it's always a treat to see Angie."
At the sound of her name Angie's attention refocused on the man now standing in front of her. He made a silly face which caused her to giggle, resulting in smiles from all the adults.
Joseph stood and shook the man's hand. "Always a pleasure, Clyde. We love hiking with your group and this is a trail we've never tried before. We're definitely glad we came."
He looked at Elizabeth who nodded her agreement enthusiastically.
"Check your email over the next few days." Clyde moved his hand towards Angie who immediately grabbed his finger. "We have some more events rolling out next month at new locations. It should be fun."
"We'll look forward to it," Joseph said sincerely.
Several colorful honeycreepers landed on a branch a few feet away.
"Eeee iiii aaah!" Angie delighted in the brightly hued birds.
"You know I couldn't help but notice Angie on the way up the trail," Clyde said. "She's very engaged with the world around her. Curious without being fearful. How old is she now?"
"Eight months," Joseph replied.
He knew from previous conversations that Clyde Simmons was a retired pediatrician who had practiced on the island for more than forty years and still occasionally dropped in to lend a hand at the office of his daughter who had taken over his practice two years earlier.
Angie clapped her hands and tracked their movement as the honeycreepers, startled by the call of a larger bird, took to the air. She pointed excitedly as they flew over her head.
Clyde indicated the seat across from Elizabeth and Angie that Joseph had vacated. "May I?"
Joseph nodded. "Absolutely."
Clyde sat down and removed his paracord bracelet. He held it out towards Angie who instantly grabbed for it. After examining it for a few seconds she attempted unsuccessfully to put it on her own wrist. Clyde smiled as he took the bracelet back and redirected her attention to Joseph's backpack. The minute he moved it within her reach Angie grabbed for the zipper and managed to get it open several inches.
He tickled her tummy. "Just as I suspected." He adjusted his sunglasses. "She's running a little ahead when it comes to average eight-month-old cues and behaviors."
Joseph's chest puffed out almost involuntarily. "She's very smart."
"She also clearly gets a lot of stimulation in situations where she feels completely safe and supported," Clyde added. "That increases her curiosity and allows her to feel comfortable with unfamiliar things. She clearly embraces new adventures." He tickled her belly again causing her to giggle. "Your family is gonna have their hands full with you, for sure."
Elizabeth smiled. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Not at all."
"We've been working with her for a while now, trying to get her to say 'mama' and 'dada'," Elizabeth said, slightly sheepishly.
Clyde took note of the fact that, at the mention of her parents, Angie's eyes searched the immediate area.
"That's perfectly normal," he nodded.
"Don't let her fool you." Joseph chuckled as he took the seat beside his wife. "She wants Angie to master mommy and daddy so she can move on to saying grandma."
Elizabeth blushed slightly but couldn't disagree. "This morning I tried to get her to say mama when my daughter Catherine was leaving but she was having no parts of it. As soon as Catherine was out the door though she said it twice. I'd think I was just hearing things except Angie's nanny Esther has noticed the same thing. That she says the words, but only when her parents aren't around."
"Is that so?" Clyde asked in a sing-song voice as he scuttled his fingers across the table towards Angie's leg causing her to squeal with delight.
He looked at Joseph and Elizabeth. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's actually not all that unusual. Clearly, she's connecting the word to the person. When they're in the same place she is she feels confident in her ability to get their attention through crying or babbling, just like she always has. It's when she knows they've left she tries using the word to see if they reappear. She's beginning to make the connection between actions and reactions because ..." He booped her nose playfully, "She is a very smart little girl."
Joseph beamed. "She gets that from both her parents."
"And her grandparents." Clyde checked his watch. "It was great talking to you, but I think we better start back down the trail." He stood. "Hope to see you again soon. And listen, I can't make any guarantees but there was one trick that I used to suggest to parents who were really anxious to hear those magic words."
"We can be patient," Joseph said with a distinct lack of conviction in his voice.
"But just in case." Elizabeth's eyes sparkled. "What's the trick?"
Joseph and Steve retook their seats after clearing the dishes from the table while Elizabeth cut into a fresh fruit tart they'd picked up on their way home from the hike. She passed a plate to everyone except Grandma Ang who refused, insisting he'd had more than enough sweets at the morning event.
"Before we start dessert ... " Elizabeth glanced at Joseph who gave her a subtle but encouraging nod, "I want to try something."
"What?" Catherine asked as she took a sip of water.
"I need the two of you to go along without asking any questions." Elizabeth grimaced playfully. "I know that's not your usual MO, but can you do it for me, please?"
Steve and Catherine looked at each other, then at Joseph and Elizabeth, then back at each other.
Steve's forehead furrowed. "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine," Elizabeth assured them.
"Just go along." Grandma Ang smiled knowingly.
"Okay," Steve and Catherine agreed in unison. "What do you want us to do?"
"We're gonna play a game of peek-a-boo but I want you to leave your hands over your face instead of taking them away."
"Mom, what …?"
"Remember, Catherine." Elizabeth cut off her daughter's words. "No questions."
Catherine looked at Steve who shrugged and covered his face with his hands. She shook her head and followed suit.
Joseph and Ang placed their own hands over their eyes as Elizabeth helped Angie do the same.
"Peek-a-boo!"
Everyone pulled their hands away but Steve and Catherine.
Angie giggled happily and looked around the table.
Her eyes landed on her parents.
"Baaah eeee."
Their hands remained over their eyes.
Once again Elizabeth helped Angie cover her eyes as Joseph and Grandma Ang followed suit.
"Peek-a-boo!"
This time Angie's eyes went immediately to her parents.
"Baaah aaah." She slapped the table in front of her.
No movement.
Elizabeth repeated the motion, once again with an enthusiastic, "Peek-a-boo!"
Catherine and Steve's faces remained covered.
Angie scowled slightly and grunted.
Nothing.
"Mama! Dada!" she finally exclaimed in a frustrated tone.
Catherine and Steve removed their hands from their faces and beamed. "What did you say?" they asked in unison.
Angie squealed excitedly clearly having gotten the reaction she was looking for.
"Baah aaah eeee!"
"Say it again, sweetie," Catherine cajoled her daughter. "Say mama and dada."
"Eeeeee iiiii!" Angie giggled.
Elizabeth quickly recounted the conversation she and Joseph had with Clyde Simmons earlier. "So, the bottom line is she knows the words, she just picks and chooses when to use them."
"Amazing." Steve grinned proudly. "She's already showing signs of being a brilliant tactician."
"That's my girl." Catherine beamed. "But just once more, can you please say dada or mama?"
"Baaah ahhhh oooo."
"In her own time," Joseph smiled as he gave his granddaughter a taste of his fruit tart.
"Aaah eeee."
"She may not be ready to say it on front of him yet, but at least now I can tell Danny she says mama and dada too," Steve smirked.
Angie looked around the room expectantly. "Daaa nooo!"
Steve's chin dropped to his chest as Catherine reached over and rubbed his back. "I guess I pretty much asked for that."
THE END
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