Wait, what did you just say?
He understands more than we know.
For months Bean has been saying ‘Mama’, ‘Dada’ and ‘nana’, with the occasional grunt thrown in for good measure. He’d point and say ‘Dada’ when he wanted something, or ‘nana’ if he was hungry. We got along just fine with those few words, intentions noted, needs (wants) met. He tried other words, but they were really only loose interpretations. Lately, though, there has been something new happening, something, well, damn amazing to witness.
Randomly, and I do mean unprompted, unexpectedly, un-something-else-ness, he just blurts it out. He said up
climbing the steps to the back door one day; he said egg
when I opened the ‘fridge to get things out to make breakfast. Simple words really, to be expected.
He had a few more days of working out that befuddled tongue; and then came Ernie. Yes, Ernie, that rubber duck lovin’ resident of Sesame Street. He looked me, pointed to his coloring book Gramma had brought him and clear as day said Ernie
. Apparently, he and Gramma had been coloring the day before and had discussed the finer points of Sesame Street, most notably Ernie. What did I do? I stood there, staring at him. What was I supposed to do, the kid just used a word referring to something I didn’t know he knew. And that’s when I said, Wait, what did you just say?
He gave me a look that I’m sure I’ll get more often when he’s in his teens, something along the lines of ‘Sure old man, I’ll repeat myself, but next time couldya pay a little more attention. Thanks, that’ll be great.’ And then he repeated himself. I was sure he was razzing me now, because the second time it came a little louder, and he seemed to really throw out those syllables.
Errr-nieee!
Um, yes sir, let me get that for you.
And more words have followed. So what do I do now? First, stop swearing around The Bean. Second, explain to him that The Count and Oscar are really the more complex characters. Third, listen. Listen, and be amazed every time he says something new. Fourth, cheer him on, name everything he points to, and when he gets that look in his eye that tells me he understands, swell with pride. Now, if only I knew what he already knows.
He’ll tell me soon enough.