Yay!

My son, Gregory, is now 18 months old. He has so much energy. He can be a handful but he is so smart and full of joy. One thing that he has started to do recently, like for the last couple of weeks, which I love, he says yay.

His vocabulary is still very limited. He knows a few baby signs. He points at seemingly random
animals and says cow. And does the sign. It always flashes back memories from my previous
children. For some reason, for a toddler, the only proper way to sign and say the word cow is
with a serious and menacing face. He also says shoes and sock. Shoes have often been a
favorite for my children. They will be perfectly happy and see nothing wrong with wearing nothing
but a diaper as long as they also wear a stylish pair of shoes.

Gregory has been particular in his use of “mima.” Most of the children, thus far, have called me
mom or mommy. He started off with the usual mom or mommy but, for some reason, it has
transformed into “mima.”

Although he refers to me when he says “mima” it is apparently a word with no joy or whimsy
and is often chanted until he gets something particular that he wants.

But, now, my favorite word that he has learned is the word “yay” and is used in the following
applications.

Gregory: makes the sign for fish while looking at the goldfish crackers.

Me: Do you want some goldfish crackers?

Gregory: Yay!

Gregory: Does the sign for milk and pats the chair for me to sit down.

Me: Do you want to nurse.

Gregory: Yay!

Me: Gregory it is time to eat.

Gregory: Yay!

Me: Holding up the baby wrap/carrier.

Gregory: Yay!

With one little 3 letter word. He has brought so much joy to the house and he has inspired us and
reminded us to find joy in the little things. Which is really such an important lesson to remember.