Wilde Words.

Maybe it’s because he’s my baby.

Or maybe it’s because he’s legitimately adorable.

(That’s the one I’m going with.)

But lately it seems that Otto has become the golden child at our house or something.

There isn’t a human being residing under this green-shingled roof that is not completely in love with the two-year-old who stomps up the steps in hand-me-down black cowboy boots while wearing plaid leg warmers on his arms.

Remember how he was pretty much a completely non-verbal family member?  (The only one of his kind, as a matter of fact.)

And remember how I decided to not be worried because I knew it would all work itself out eventually?  Well, I can’t always say this so I’ll say it when I can – I was right.

Maybe two weeks ago, maybe three – the dam burst wide open.

It wasn’t slow.  It was sudden.  And hilarious.

And it began with names.

(Now remember, this was a little man who said hardly anything. Every sibling was named “baa-baa.”)

One evening he looked around at us all standing in the kitchen together.

And then he spoke.

Addressing each family member by name and a solid look in their eyes, he walked around the kitchen, “Rye-yee. Non-den. Mo-Town. Haaak-guy. Pah-puh.”

We all became like drug addicts.

We couldn’t hear him say those names enough.  We asked him dozens of times to repeat himself.  He was probably sad that he had revealed his ability to talk to people who were just going to exploit his talents.

Thankfully, he didn’t stop speaking.

His words are so funny and sweet.  He calls our friend Hannah “Steve” and he calls our friend Shelby “Hannah”.

He says “weigh-ah-men-nit” when he needs a few extra seconds to finish a task.  He still uses sign language to say “please” and “I’m sorry”.  And, oddly enough, animal names are still expressed through their sounds.  In his world, his lion roar is not actually an impersonation – it’s the roar of a real lion.

His facial expressions are classic and his timing of them is magical.

He finishes every beverage left within his reach.  (Which has lead to his ingesting coffee, several days old milkshakes and a fourth of a glass of wine.)

It makes my heart mush when he walks to my side, rubs my back and says, “I love you too – right Mama?”

He loves affirmation.  A majority of his statements end with the question “right?”

Most frequently he says to me, with arms outstretched, “Cay me Mama?”.  (I do. But he’s getting terribly heavy.)

I couldn’t resist trying to share a bit of the cuteness with you, even though my video skills are usually lacking.

And ….. wait for it ….. wait for it.

I’m feeling squirrely today.

So I have a second video.

Otto loves to wear his buff like a ninja.

And I love the way he says “ninja”.