speech and memory

ah, the linguistic adventures of a two-year old.  ice cream is "icing cweam," said always with a hopeful lilt and bright eyes. a bathing suit is a "baby suit."  lately, and i have no idea where she gets this (1952?) she's been saying "goody gosh!" about everything.  yesterday after she sneezed, she said, "bless you, me."  when she eats ribs with my dad (polishing off every possible edible portion, then gnawing on the bone) she says every time without fail, "ooh la la!"

last night neesy and i took sho to an outdoor concert at kindleberger park in the next town over.  (sho quickly removed her dress and shoes and got down to the business of shaking her booty.)  it's this magical, sprawling, super-hilly park that i used to live right across the street from when i was sho's age, so it holds a special place in my heart.  my first memories take place in that park, and the crazy slides that were built in to the massive hills.  it was the height of bravery to hurtle down those suckers, which have since been removed (which shows you just how cool they really were).

neesy and i keep wondering whether sho's first memory has happened yet, or will soon.  i'm conscious that it might be happening soon, so i'm extra on top of my mama game.  when she smashed a bug with a rock the other day, i scolded, "sho, you just killed that bug.  it's dead now."  she looked so stricken, i quickly said, "it's okay though kiddo, it's okay."  god forbid her first memory be her mother accusing her of murder!

this is my favorite chapter of her life so far.  a few months ago, she actually read a couple words for the first time, and is now identifying letters from time to time.  (not that she's a genius or anything.  all colors but PINK stymie her, and she continues to stand in the dog's water bowl far more often than necessary.)

what a remarkable honor it is, to be present at the dawning of a person's speech and memory.  i wouldn't trade it for anything.