"taleS froM the trencheS

National Guard wife blogging about her adventures with three sons and the unexpected joys of Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS)
....um, yes. They are tears of joy. Really.








Our Squad

Our Squad

Monday, April 26, 2010

Hey Daddy


“Hey Daddy! Hey Daddy! Hey Daddy!” The sing-song chorus was coming from the car seat behind me.
“What?” my husband, Charlie asked.
“Barney,” Garrett answered.
“Yes, Garrett.” Charlie sighed. “You can watch Barney when we get home.” Barney the Purple Dinosaur may be loved by children, but he causes quite a different emotion in parents.
“Hey Daddy!” We were so excited when our son spoke his first words. “Hey Daddy!” It did not take long for that excitement to wear off.
“What Garrett?” Charlie asked, again.
“Barney.” Our son had just started talking recently, so my husband was still very patient with this new game.
“Yes, Garrett. When we get home...” Charlie calmly replied. Charlie's temperament is a result of years spent worrying that Garrett's language would never develop. Charlie made countless trips through the stack of sign language flash cards, not to mention, actual trips to Children's Hospital Speech Clinic.
“Hey Daddy!” Garrett was almost two when he started speech therapy.
“Hey Daddy!” His third birthday came and went without so much as a sound.
“Hey Daddy!” Garrett's fourth birthday also passed without achieving this milestone.
“Garrett,” Charlie answered, yet again.
“Barney.” In this one quick trip to the grocery store, the miracle of speech is beginning to fade.
“I have already told you. Please, do not ask again.” Charlie has the patience of a saint.
“Hey Daddy!” As parents, the most challenging obstacle of our family's journey was learning that our firstborn had mental delays.
“Daddy!” We had dreamed of a collage scholarship, a law degree and even a term in the Oval Office.
“Hey Daddy!” My baby is not “smart”.
“Hey Daddy, hey Daddy, hey Daddy!” I am ashamed to admit how much that bothers me.
“Hey! Dad! Dee!”
“Garrett, enough!” Finally, Ward Cleaver's patience had run out. “When we get home, you can watch television. But, if you say 'Hey Daddy!' again, there will be no Barney today. Not at all!”
Ah! The peaceful sound of silence...anyway, as I was saying, my son is mentally dis-
“Hey Mommy!”

2 comments:

  1. Tina this is soo good! No-one waiting for there child to talk will understand the non-stop questions and repition of the same question til they get there! Love to all Hazel

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad I caught this link on Facebook - you are a wonderful storyteller - keep em coming:))

    ReplyDelete

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