Two precious words

I've been a little concerned about my little man.

Now, before I fully explain, let me assure you that I constantly remind myself that children develop at their own rates and slight delays in this or that area of development is not a big reason for concern.  I truly know and believe this.  But, what parent out there isn't a little concerned (hoping they won't eventually have to be very concerned) when one of their children is missing a development mile-marker?  You tell yourself it's okay, and deep down you know it is, but still, you sit there waiting for that marker to happen.

This has been the case with Simon.  At his one-year check-up I could go through and check with confidence almost all of the developmental markers they're looking for at that age.  After all, this kid was crawling just before six months and pulling up to stand a week after he'd mastered that.  "Behind" was never something I'd worried about.  Until the doctor asked how many words he was saying, besides "Mama" and "Dada".  Simon can say those two.  He rarely does; just like his sister at that age, he can but doesn't.  Anything beyond that?  There's been nothing.  Not a single word.  He toddles around the apartment giggling and babbling.  "Da" is the standard term when pointing.  I always wondering, "Does 'da' signify 'that'? Look?  Something far longer?"  All the language acquisition information I learned in my education courses comes rolling over me and I try to place exactly were Simon's at.  (I've learned that in raising small children, that class has been a blessing and a curse.)  Most of his communication thus far has been through non-verbal cues.  He knows to nod and shake his head to say "yes" or "no" to questions.  He can point expertly to anything he wants or wants us to notice.  But he doesn't use any words.  The doctor wasn't too fussed about it.  "Three words by fifteen months, four by eighteen," she said, so there is plenty of time for him to develop his vocabulary.

Still.  I've been waiting for words with almost-baited breath.

At last, they've come.  In ordinary circumstances, they're not that special.  But Simon now says "yeah" when he answers a question in the affirmative, always accompanied with a head nod.  And this morning, he delighted his mama's heart.  I found him playing in his high chair instead of eating his breakfast.  I asked him if he was "all done".  And he looked up at me with a very serious nod and said, "Ah-dah.  Yeah."  All done.  Yeah.  Never has "all done" sounded so good. 

I guess technically, those two words count as one, since he uses them together.  Still, to hear him say, "All done. Yeah," in answer to a direct question was like magic.  My baby is starting to communicate.  This is one proud and happy mama today!