eighteen months is all it takes

The wait is officially over.
Sssuh-sam-me
He said it.
Clear as a, well
a toddler who wants more than
anything to honor his older brother
by speaking his
name-
has wrapped it up
in fine multi-syllabic
phraseology.



Ssssssuh-sea-sam-me!
he screached the second time
when he heard us
with our
approving lit up smiles
announce;
You did it Cell, you said Sammy!

Best part of all-
Sammy walking over to him
and hugging him
all gently while saying;

I knew you could do it-
I always knew it.

Now can you say
dessert?

Indeed.

(an old photo of a pre-verbal Marcel
to remind us of the distance we have traveled)