"DA-DDY!"

"DA-DDY!"

It was a brief, but satisfying, visit to our two out-of-state grandsons. The 4 year old continues to amaze with his warmth and readiness to chat, as if at least a month hadn’t elapsed since our last meeting. We jump right into two-way conversations about all sorts of stuff -- firemen, dogs, day camp, and his baby brother’s “youthful world view.”

The 15 month old is delightful too (of course!) and especially attached to Daddy. He can say "Mama" as well as Daddy and some version of his big brother’s name; but his single term of endearment for anyone he is delighted to find before him is “DA-DDY!” (It’s important to get the tone change -- the joy in a higher first syllable!). If Mommy peeks into his room after a nap, he greets her arrival with a welcoming, “DA-DDY!”

Big brother bouncing by often earns the same greeting. Here’s a typical response: “I’m not Daddy, silly; Daddy is the man. He’s much bigger than me. See? The man is Daddy and the lady is Mommy; understand?”

When their car pulled up to the curb where Grandpa and I were waiting, I rushed to poke my head into the open window of the back seat, where the two adorable ones were strapped into their car seats, holding stuffed animals. I got one enormous smile from the preschooler who told me he now goes to “big boy camp.” AND I got a tender look accompanying a loud and clear, “DA-DDY!” from his younger brother. What rapture! How worth it was the series of car and train rides and dusty stations! And think of it: the real “DA-DDY!” just happens to be my son!

June 25, 2008