The evolution of a sentence

Baby girl said her first three meaningful words this week and they were the most precious three words I have ever heard! Before I share this sweet little sentence I have to take a moment to remember how we got here. I’d love to step inside Ava’s thoughts for just a minute. I find such joy in watching her process everything she is taking in around her. Ava’s first words were DaDa and Ball or “Baw.” She doesn’t miss a chance to point out anything that looks like a “Baw.” She often lifts her shirt up, pats her chubby belly and exclaims “BAW!” What a discovery! Word one, check.

On to the first mini-sentence. I feel like I learn what things are important in Ava’s world by what she chooses to acknowledge, and this next experience was pretty important to her. A few weeks ago Ava went to Fulshear to visit the Rowe family. K-Bob was out in the yard with Ava and Manna (Manna is the Rowe parents miniature poodle). K-Bob heard Ava say “Manna poopie!” Sure enough Ava was telling it how it was. Two words, check!

And now the sweetest three words to my ears….“I LOVE MAMA.” That totally melted my heart! The first time she said it she was with Greg but she said it again for me a few minutes later. She soon realized that she could say “I LOVE --- fill in the blank.” We’ve had a fun three days of “I love DaDa, I love Ditty, I love Boo, I love YOU, I love fish.. you name it she loves it. The best part is she will be busy playing in her own little world and say I love mama or daddy unprompted. Every morning as soon as I pick her up from her crib she usually questions “Boo Go?” or says when she first sees Baylor “Hi Boo.” But yesterday the first three words out of her mouth were “I love mama!” Finally I’m up there with the dog in her thoughts!

I also LOVE teaching Ava her Bible verses. Each month we have a new verse at church for the little ones. Last month’s verse was “Love each other as I have loved you” or as Ava repeats one word at a time “Love eaioeioea as I ha Loved YOU!” She knows that the YOU is coming and shouts it at the end and usually a few times in the middle of the verse as well. April’s verse is “A friend loves at all times.” Proverbs 17:17. When I asked Ava to repeat Proverbs she looked at me like “are you serious mom?”

Along with her sweet little words and repeating her bible verses is another favorite word, “NO!” Oh the days of no’s, sigh. I say a lot of “uh oh’s” or calm but stern “no ma’ams” to Ava and I couldn’t figure out why Ava was yelling NO with such vigor. Greg kindly pointed out to me that I yell NO at Baylor numerous times a day. I love Baylor more than humans should love an animal, but boy is she a mischievous lab. I know a lot of this no stuff is Ava realizing her autonomy and testing her limits with me – she is 18 months. Is there is pre-toddler like there is a pre-teen? I’m standing firm despite the “no’s” by the way. What fun learning to obey mommy. I will make it a point to watch my words and yelling at Baylor, hopefully that will help a bit.

Wow, talk about words, this is a novel. I don’t want to forget this week though. I hope the newness of her “I love you’s” never wears off and I feel that same warmth when we exchange I love you’s in twenty years! Oh and I couldn’t end this post in anyway other but to tell my mom something… I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!