A/N: So sorry about the very long wait. I've been terribly busy at school. But *gasp!* Isaac is four already. Is this how real parents feel like? He's growing up fast and so is Cass. Thank you reviewers!
Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory.
Parenthood: The Final Frontier
Or Snapshots of the first five years of Isaac Cooper's life
Chapter Thirty-seven: Speech
Cassie's first word was Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
In retrospect, that should have not surprise Penny too much. Sheldon, after all, had this habit of reading science journals to their children, Cassie in particular, as some sort of bedtime stories.
It happened during the double birthday bash she and Sheldon threw in celebration of her first birthday and Isaac's fourth. The backyard was filled with people. Isaac's friends from school and their parents, together with longtime friends. Cassie, who was very wary of strangers, had spent most of her time either hiding behind her parents legs or following Isaac around, like a duckling to its mother. The older boy of course was very thrilled with that. He held her hand, matched his longer strides to her stumbling ones and introduced her to his classmates, a very proud "this is Cassie, she's my sister."
Everything had been progressing normally and soon enough the cake was brought out. It was a massive thing. About four dozen red velvet cupcakes, the way Isaac liked them, that were mounted on a spiral stand. Penny was carrying Cassie comfortably on her hip while she put finishing touches to it when the little girl suddenly pointed at it and said in a very sweet, high voice;
"Deoxyribonucleic Acid."
Now Penny had been together with Sheldon for years. She knew about deoxyribonucleic acid the same way she knew about the God-particle and she remembered how it took her more than a few tries to say it without twisting her tongue. She looked at her daughter with wide green eyes.
"Did you say something, sweetie?"
Cassie gave her a smile and repeated her statement. " Deoxyribonucleic Acid."
Penny had almost busted her vocal cords calling for her husband.
Then it was like the dam broke. Cassie was a curious little thing. It was "Wat dat?" and "Wat dis?" all the time. She wanted to know everything and the whole family was more than willing to obliged her. Especially Isaac, whom she had deemed to be the best source of information. Penny watched as her son handled his sister's inquisitiveness with grace that went beyond his four years. She watched as he patiently explained the contents of his study tables to her. Watched as Cassie wiggled between him and the story book he was reading and introduced her to the magical world of dragons and unicorns.
Cassie was like a sponge in her absorption of new knowledge and was like an airtight container in her retention. She never pointed at the same thing twice. Penny had been extra careful with her words these days. No curses or anything remotely bad sounding so it surprised her when one day, Mid-April, the little girl came up to her and asked, "Mommy, what's a crap?"
Penny's eye narrowed. "Where did you hear that, princess?"
"Unca Len." She replied in her adorable tone. "He dropped da salad."
That little Homunculus! Penny thought venomously. He and Stephanie babysat the kids the night before. She looked down at Cassie's curious face. "Well baby, that's a word... a word we don't say."
"Why not?"
"Because it's a bad word."
Cassie paused for a moment processing the information. "Is Unca Len bad? Acause he said a bad word."
"Yes. He was especially bad for saying it in front of you."
"Cassie don't wanna be bad." She said with a little shake of her head.
Penny smiled and lifted her daughter up. "As long as you listen to Mommy and Daddy you won't bad, princess. Okay?"
"Okay."
She gave her a wet smack on her chubby cheek. "Off you go then, sweetie. Play with your brother."
Penny watched as Cassie crossed the room to the playpen at one corner. Isaac was there, busy with his coloring book. She grinned as she heard the familiar "Wat dat?" fill the air. She sat back and grabbed her mobile phone. Time to go Junior Rodeo on one particular Homunculus' ass.