2 years, 1 month.

Dear Holly,

It’s so great that you are now able to begin repeating and remembering words. Your speech abilities are getting better and better everyday. I love that even if you can’t express certain things to me, you are usually able to understand the general message I am trying to convey to you.

It definitely makes life a bit easier when you are able to communicate your wants and needs, so I don’t have to learn by instant trial and error.

But… you do have an older brother, who happens to be 7 and a half, who happens to like teaching you some of his own favorite words. And he likes to use words that I don’t use with you.

So more than once now, I have walked into the room, sensing that your brother was teaching you something sneaky. And each time, my senses have been correct.

This past weekend, after the two of you got buckled up in my car, I had to run back in the house real quick to take care of something.

When I returned to the car, it was as if your brother had prepared you for you to do a presentation:

You looked up at me with a proud look on your face, and you announced to me, “Daddy sarted!”

At that point your brother immediately began chuckling, giving away that he had coached you on what to say.

It was difficult not to laugh, but with a straight face, I reminded your brother, “We use the word pop, instead.”

I suppose if it truly bothered me that you were using your brother’s default word for passing gas, I’d stop it. But really, it’s pretty adorable to hear a little innocent 2 year-old girl mispronounce such a stinky word!

And you’re just so proud to say it; not necessarily knowing what it means, just knowing your brother thinks it’s funny.

I’m just waiting for you to say, “Daddy sarted!” in public. Because even though you are randomly saying it, unconnected to any action of mine, who are they going to believe?

Probably the cute little girl. Not her Daddy.

Love,

Daddy