When I mentioned that my son said his first word 'biddle' in more than a year in this post, I probably should've added that he actually meant 'squirrel'. It was a shock to me at that time. A pleasant one, however, and one for which I and his mom had been waiting for some time. I'm sure many first-time parents feel this way. Even with all the modern ideas on letting kids be themselves and not weighing them down with your expectations, it is a bit disconcerting when you hear that a similar-aged nephew is addressing all his near relatives by their titles, and here is the little chip off the old block refusing to utter! We had eagerly followed all the well-known milestones - eye contact, eye movement , rolling over, sitting up, crawling. He seemed to be doing ok, except for this strange reticence.
Anyway, one day we - the chip and I - were taking our customary post-lunch walk round the park when he suddenly turned around in my arms pointing animatedly at a squirrel that was moving around in fits and bursts as those animals normally do. And then he said it. His first word since being born, a bit over a year prior to that day. I would never have guessed what he meant of course if I had not seen the little striped creature. This lack of precision is common in the initial stages I believe, as this bible states. And what a relief too!
But why 'squirrel', when the popular notion is that the first words are: amma/ma/papa/pa? After all, we figured much more in his life than the tiny little animal. The reason is passion I suppose. At that stage of his life he was still pretty much intrigued by things that moved around on the ground and trees and in the air. Non-human things basically. And squirrels were pretty rare and he had seen them only from a bit far off. That day, it was quite close and I suppose that really stirred him.
So, as is commonly said, you cannot achieve anything without a passion for it. Amen.
Anyway, one day we - the chip and I - were taking our customary post-lunch walk round the park when he suddenly turned around in my arms pointing animatedly at a squirrel that was moving around in fits and bursts as those animals normally do. And then he said it. His first word since being born, a bit over a year prior to that day. I would never have guessed what he meant of course if I had not seen the little striped creature. This lack of precision is common in the initial stages I believe, as this bible states. And what a relief too!
But why 'squirrel', when the popular notion is that the first words are: amma/ma/papa/pa? After all, we figured much more in his life than the tiny little animal. The reason is passion I suppose. At that stage of his life he was still pretty much intrigued by things that moved around on the ground and trees and in the air. Non-human things basically. And squirrels were pretty rare and he had seen them only from a bit far off. That day, it was quite close and I suppose that really stirred him.
So, as is commonly said, you cannot achieve anything without a passion for it. Amen.
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