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CHAPTER 6: The First Word
Sophie is now four months old. She had began sitting up by herself a few weeks prior, so both parents began coaxing her to begin talking. Both wanted to be the first one to get her to say her first word, but so far neither was succeeding. She just giggled every time they tried. Kirsten was out getting groceries and Sandy was alone with Sophie. The father/daughter combo was in the living room playing when Sandy decided to try again to get Sophie to talk.
"Come on baby girl. Talk for your dada. Come on dada." Sandy kept repeating while holding her on his lap facing him.
Sophie just swatted at his nose.
"Thanks sweetie. Ok let's try this.. mama. Can you say mama?"
Sophie giggled.
"Yeah I know daddy is funny."
Sophie giggled again.
"You seem to laugh pretty easily, why can't I get you to talk?"
He decided to give it a break… for a little while at least. He was determined to get her to say her first word before Kirsten got back. He took Sophie into the kitchen and sat her in her high chair. After making himself some lunch he preceded to get Sophie's cereal ready. They both ate together.
After getting Sophie all cleaned up from her lunch and changing her diaper he took her back into the living room ready for round two.
"Ok here little tike, your mom and I have a bet going that we're going to be the first one to get you to talk. Now daddy has to win this. Otherwise your mommy won't let me live it down." Sandy said as he talked seriously to his 4 month old.
Sophie looked at him intently.
"Let's try this. Who's more fun mama or dada? Come on mama or dada."
Still he got nothing.
"Come on Sophie work with me here."
Sophie just looked at him.
"Ok, I give up." Sandy said as he sat her down on her blanket.
Sandy got up off of the floor and started walking into the kitchen to clean up their lunch dishes before Kirsten got home when he heard something that he hadn't heard for close to 20 years. A soft voice say "dada".
He turned around so fast he was surprised that he didn't get whiplash. There was his little girl sitting so innocently on her pink blanket with her little index finger pointed up at him.
"Dada" she said again.
Sandy couldn't believe it. He ran over and grabbed Sophie hugging her.
"Ooh my goodness. What did you just say?" Sandy was ecstatic. He got his little one to talk.
"Dada," Sophie said as she threw her little finger into her dad's face, "Dada".
With that Kirsten walked in the door, "Sandy there's groceries."
"You'll never guess what Sophie just did," Sandy said running over to greet Kirsten with a kiss.
"What? What did I miss?"
"She just said her first word."
"What?" Kirsten exclaimed.
"She said her first word."
"Well, what was it?"
"Dada."
"She said dada?" Kirsten grabbed her daughter and kissed her on the cheek, "Good job sweetie."
"Dada." Sophie pointed at Sandy.
"That's great." Kirsten handed Sophie back to Sandy and went back out to get more groceries.
Later that night after putting Sophie to bed Sandy walked into the master bathroom where Kirsten was washing her face.
"Is everything okay?" Sandy asked as he undressed out of his jeans and sweater.
"Yeah, everything's fine. Why do you ask?"
"Ever since you got home, you've been a little off." Sandy said as he got on his pajamas.
"No, I'm fine." Kirsten responded as she dried off her face and walked out of the bathroom.
"Don't lie to me. I know something's wrong."
"It's just that Sophie said dada."
"Yeah, isn't that great?"
"It is, don't get me wrong. But, that was Seth's first word too."
"I don't get what you're getting at," Sandy paused as he watched as Kirsten curled up in a chair in the corner of their bedroom, "Ooh, I get it, you're jealous."
"No, I'm not jealous. Ok fine so I'm a little jealous." Kirsten said after being silent for awhile.
Sandy walked over and sat on the edge of the chair. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tucked Kirsten into his side, "Sweetie, you have nothing to be jealous about."
Kirsten laid her head on Sandy's chest, "I know."
"Sophie is crazy about you."
"Yeah, but she's daddy's little girl."
"I promise you. Sophie is a total replica of you. So what if she's daddy's little girl. Give it a little while, she'll want to be around you all the time and won't think twice about it."
"You're right."
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right." Sandy said as he continuously ran his hand up and down Kirsten's arm.
"Don't get cocky." She leaned up to give him a kiss.
"Let's go to bed. You're exhausting me." Sandy joked.
Kirsten got up and followed Sandy to bed. She just hoped that he was right.