According to my super-fantastic beta, Jess/Hylen, this part is so fluffy and sweet that it made her teeth hurt, so proceed with caution.

Part 3
August 2012

"Come on, honey," Arizona coaxed, squatting to eye level with Sofia in her high chair. "Can you say 'Mommy' for me?" She held the spoon of yogurt a couple inches from Sofia's face, trying to bribe the baby with her breakfast.

"Buhhh!" Sofia cried, flailing forward and reaching for the spoon.

"Mom-my," Arizona repeated, exaggerating the movements of her mouth. She then drew the spoon toward Sofia's mouth, making spaceship noises. They never failed to make Sofia laugh. Arizona had discovered that a few months ago and had yet to tell Callie or make the noises while she was around. The spaceship was Arizona's gig.

"Buh?" Sofia asked, looking up at Arizona with those huge, wide eyes and making a grabbing motion with her hand.

"Sorry, hungry girl," Arizona said. "That's all we've got." She showed Sofia the empty yogurt container as proof.

"Hum."

"Hey, don't blame me. You're the one who's growing like a magic beanstalk."

"Veh? Fum. Bah."

"Exactly. I'm so glad we had this little talk." And really, she was. Regardless of the fact that Sofia was seventeen months old and had yet to say a single actual word, Arizona couldn't help but feel that Sofia was communicating with her. Maybe it was the way she looked right into Arizona's eyes when she said whatever it was she was saying, or maybe it was the way she grabbed onto Arizona's hand and babbled. Whatever it was, there was no doubt in Arizona's mind that Sofia's baby syllables made perfect sense to her, and when she said then, she knew what she was talking about. Arizona found it nothing short of adorable. It was like listening to a chirping bird describing, in its own language, all of the beautiful trees and flowers it was seeing.

Still, Arizona couldn't deny that there was a decent-sized part of her that wanted to hear her daughter say 'Mommy.' And if she said it before she said 'Daddy' or 'Mama'? Well, who would she be to complain?

"All right, little lady. Let's get cleaned up and then we're going for a walk. That's right, sweetie, you're going for a walk. With…" she paused to let Sofia fill in the blank. She gazed up at Arizona but didn't say anything. "With Mommy. Mommy. Mom-my." Sofia burped. "Well, maybe later."

Arizona pushed the stroller through the park as Sofia chattered animatedly, pointing at clouds, birds, and squirrels. In the distance, she saw Mark on his cell phone walking toward them. As he got closer, he spotted Arizona and Sofia. His eyes lit up and he ended his call, jogging the rest of the way toward them.

"Look, sweetheart!" Arizona cooed, leaning over the stroller to see Sofia's face. "There's Daddy!" Sofia giggled and clapped her hands. "Want to tell Daddy who you're with?"

"Mmm…buh!" Sofia said, cracking a huge smile.

"Hey, beautiful!" Mark lifted Sofia out of the stroller and bounced her, much to Sofia's delight. "How's my girl?"

"I'm trying to get her to start talking," Arizona told him over Sofia's laughter. "Don't tell Callie, but I really think it'll be any day now."

"What aren't we telling Callie?" Cristina asked. She and Meredith, obviously on their lunch break, strolled over to Arizona, Mark, and Sofia.

"If Callie thinks Sofia should be doing something, she'll worry and refuse to let it go until it happens," Mark explained.

Arizona nodded. "It's better not to encourage her."

"So what exactly aren't we encouraging?" Meredith asked.

"We think Sofia is going to start talking soon."

"Sofia," Cristina said, trying to meet the baby's gaze as she bounced in Mark's arms. "Can you say 'Cristina'? Cri-sti-na." Sofia regarded Cristina, grabbed her hair with one hand, and giggled. "No? How about 'arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy'?"

"Hmmm." Sofia turned away from Cristina to look at her father.

Cristina shrugged. "Probably for the best. Once you get her talking you'll never shut her up."

"What was Zola's first word, Meredith?" Arizona asked.

"'Yes,'" Meredith replied after thinking for a moment. "Derek asked her if she was hungry and she said 'yes.' Of course, three days later she learned 'no,' and she didn't say 'yes' again for a month."

"See?" Cristina said. "That's what I mean."

"Sofia, you'll never say no to me, will you?" Arizona cooed. "You'll always agree with everything I say."

Meredith snorted good-naturedly. "Good luck with that."

Mark lifted Sofia so she was sitting on his shoulders.

"Mark, be careful!" Arizona admonished.

"I've got her," Mark assured her. "Right, Sofia? I've got you. I've always got you." Sofia shrieked with laughter, eyes alight. Arizona stood close, one hand resting lightly on Sofia's back, but she trusted Mark to keep a strong grip. She knew he would always protect their daughter with everything he had. "Daddy's got you. Daddy's never letting go. Daddy loves you." He drew out the last 'Daddy' for Sofia's benefit, hoping she'd catch on and repeat the word.

"So does Mommy," Arizona added. "Mommy adores you. Mom-my."

"I didn't realize we were walking into a mushy love-fest," Cristina said, grimacing. "I feel queasy. We should go."

"I think it's sweet," Meredith countered. "Look how much love she has in her life. Between Arizona, Mark, and Callie, she'll be the happiest kid in the world."

Cristina pouted. "You're no fun anymore."

"Sofia, come on. Please?" Callie wrestled a shirt over Sofia's head as the baby sat on her changing table the next morning. "You can do it. Just say 'Mama.' That's me. You know me. Mama. Ma-ma."

"B-b-b-b."

"Sweetie, please? If you say it I'll…I'll give you chocolate. Yummy, yummy chocolate. From Mama. Ma-ma."

"Huhhh buh!"

Callie sighed and bit her lip, trying not to cry out in frustration. She repeated what Arizona kept telling her: she'll talk when she's ready. She'll talk when she's ready. Sofia had already defied so many odds in her short life. She was a happy, healthy seventeen-month-old. Her heart was in excellent condition. She processed all kinds of stimuli and was always aware of what was going on around her. She was loving and sweet, and in Callie's completely unbiased opinion, she was really, really cute. It was just this talking – well, and walking – thing. The more time went by without a word from Sofia, the more Callie worried that her daughter would never be like other children. What if she never spoke at all? What if she was never able to function in the world? Callie couldn't completely understand how Arizona and Mark could be so carefree about these kinds of things.

Of course Callie loved Sofia unconditionally. She'd love her if she lived the rest of her days mute and immobile. And because she loved her so much, Callie wanted the world for her daughter. She wished, so hard it sometimes made her heart ache, that Sofia would always be able to do and have everything she could ever want. She didn't want anything to hold her back. She knew Arizona and Mark wanted the same thing. They just both happened to possess the gift of patience, while Callie, with her fiery temper and let's-go-full-steam-ahead attitude, did not.

It was anybody's guess as to whose temperament Sofia would inherit.

Callie mustered a smile and finished putting on Sofia's sandals. (Not that she really needed them, since she wasn't walking, but they were pale blue jellies with a daisy pattern on them, and Arizona had been powerless against them.) "All right, baby. Ready to go see Mommy?" It was just about time for Callie and Arizona to play Baby Switch, wherein Callie dropped Sofia off with Arizona before starting her shift just as Arizona was finishing hers. They didn't do it every day, and their shifts didn't always line up that way, but Callie treasured any opportunity she could find to see Arizona. Plus, Sofia seemed to enjoy being amid all the activity and excitement of the hospital.

Sofia smiled and clapped her hands, which Callie took as a yes. As worried as she might be, it was hard to be unhappy in the presence of that smile. Arizona liked to tell Callie that it was the very same smile that had made her weak in the knees when the two of them had first met. Sofia lunged forward with her whole body and threw herself onto Callie, landing on her chest and hugging her to the best of her ability. "Buh-buh-buh!"

Callie laughed, which of course encouraged Sofia to do the same. "I love you too, baby!" She kissed Sofia's head, now covered in loose, black curls. "Mama's little boob girl. Guess that runs in the family, huh?"

"Hey!" Arizona chirped when she saw her wife and daughter approaching her at the nurses' station. Sofia rested comfortably on Callie's hip. "How are my favorite girls?"

"Ba ba ba ba!" Sofia called out.

"She still won't talk, Arizona," Callie whined, her worry back in full force. "How hard is it to say 'Mama'? Why can't she say it? What if there's something wrong with her? We were all worried about her heart, but what if she has brain damage? Why won't she talk?"

"Callie." Arizona laid a hand on Callie's shoulder. "She will talk. If not today, maybe tomorrow. But you need to stop worrying. Babies can tell when their parents are worried. Sofia will talk when she wants to. There's nothing wrong with her, honey. Okay?"

"I know," Callie sighed. "I know. It's just –"

At that moment, Sofia caught sight of Miranda Bailey and Mark walking toward her and her mothers, engrossed in conversation. Squealing happily, she extended her arms. She kicked her feet when they got close, narrowly avoiding kicking Callie in the ribs.

"Bailey!"

Callie stopped talking.

Mark halted his conversation with Bailey as his eyes widened.

Arizona blinked. "Did-did she just –"

Bailey cracked up laughing.

Sofia giggled, reaching her hands out and grabbing Miranda's face. "Bailey!" she said again. Wordlessly, Callie handed her over.

"You have got to be kidding me," Mark said, but he was smiling. "She has three parents and her first word is 'Bailey'?"

Bailey cuddled Sofia and nodded, a satisfied smirk firmly in place on her face. "My girl's got her priorities in order."

Callie couldn't seem to regain control of her mouth as she gaped in shock. "She just – how did – what – she really just –"

"She talked, Calliope," Arizona said reverently, tears springing to her eyes. "We heard our baby's voice. And it was beautiful."

"She talked," Callie repeated, pulling Arizona into a hug.

"See?" Arizona squeaked, trying not to cry. "I told you!"

"Good job, Sof." Mark grinned, grabbing Sofia's hand. His chest filled with pride.

"Mama is so proud of you, baby," Callie finally said, her own voice thick.

"Mommy too," Arizona added. "Bailey, stop hogging my baby."

Miranda laughed again and handed Sofia to her mommy.

"Watch out, Sofia," Arizona said conspiratorially. "I think I just saw the cuddle monster coming!" She kissed Sofia all over her face and tickled her with her free hand.

Sofia shrieked and laughed and craned her neck to look at Miranda. "Bailey!"

"Sorry, kid, you're on your own," Bailey laughed. "Bailey doesn't tangle with the cuddle monster."