For The First Time

As I stood at the kitchen counter, cleaning up after dinner he came over and stood beside me, pulling at my pant leg.

"Uppy"

He wanted up on the counter.

To look at the colourful and delightful smelling things in my spice and baking cupboard.

This is his thing.

Just like when you're reading him a book, he loves to point and ask, "Wutsat?"

"That's cinnaman...would you like to smell it?"

"Yahhh"  he responds in his high, soft voice.

I take the lid off the spice jar and place under his nose.

He leans in and sniffs.

"Mmmm"...

I laugh as I twist the lid back on the cinnaman and place it back in the cupboard.

"Wutsat?"

"Those are raisins."  He calls them reeree's.  His brother called them renny's.

"Wutsat?"  he points to his favourite thing in the whole world...chocolate...more specifically a bag of unopened chocolate chips.  "Choco? Choco....nooo."  he says knowing I would say those words.

I look up at him as he stands turned halfway to me, halfway towards the cupboard, my head just at his chin, my hands on either side of his sock feet.

I ask him, "Keeee?"  It's his word for "kiss" and as parents, though we teach them to say things correctly, sometimes you simply let it be.

Because their interpretation and pronunciation of words are entirely much cuter than the proper pronunciation of....pretty much everything.

He looks down at me and says, "Nawwwo." This is how he says "No"...drawn out and always with a mischievous smile.

I pout...pretend to sad.  Knowing what it would bring.

He leans down and gives me a kiss.

And then he says...

"Loveeey".

His word for 'I love you.'

Impulsive.  Unprompted.

For the first time ever.


My body felt like it suddenly emanated tiny, colourful dancing hearts.

"I love you too Finny!"  I responded overflowing with enthusiasm and excitement, full of pride, overcome with love.

He looked down at me and giggled, having no idea how his words just impacted my heart.