DAP.

In the past two weeks or so, I have learned exactly what it is to become a baby translator. I feel as though I could make a career out of it.



Lily can say:



-Mama

-Dada

-Bye bye

-Cat

-Clap



This may seem oh so impressive, (it is to me, anyway,) but the truth of the matter is that while she knows how to say those words, she often forgoes them for her very favorite word of all:

"DAP!"



It began probably three weeks ago, when I noticed that she would say a very sharp, very clear, very deliberate "DAP!" for almost everything. And while she will occasionally throw out one of the words listed above, she most often opts for "Dap." I was instantly on a mission to crack the code of DAP. I began studying her. Watching her every facial twitch. And, my friends, I became a master DAP translator.



Examples are as follows:



1) On the bed, watching TV. Lily points to her bottle and says, "DAP."

Translation: "Mother, would you mind filling that vessel with delicious liquid so that my belly may swell and my hunger be sated."



2) Lily sees Edmund or I drinking a soda, and points to the can. "DAP!"

Translation: "Bring that aluminum treaure to my mouth so that I may lick and suck on the side like a hungry suckerfish." (Yeah, for some reason she really REALLY enjoys licking the sides of soda cans. Particularly, Mountain Dew.)



3) Lily pets the Frodo bear all nice and gentle, then randomly grabs his tail. He meows and slaps her hand with his paw. She looks at me as if the world has shattered and softly asks, "Dap?"

Translation: "I never meant to harm the creature, Mother. I simply wished to cause him great joy."



4) Lily stands at the couch, with a wicked little smile on her face. The air suddenly smells like death. Poopy, poopy death. She shrugs and throws it out there, "Dap."

Translation: "Oh, Mother, I've made this one real special, just for you."



5) Lily plays with her little electric piano, that has little animals that play instruments and spin around if and only if you are hitting a key. Lily hits a key, then tries to grab the elephant playing a violin. Sadly, by the time her chubby little hand makes it there, the elephant has stopped playing. She gets pissed and tries to move it by force. When that doesn't work, she goes on a mini rampage and begins grabbing at all the poor little animals in the band- the tiger with the accordian, the monkey with the symbols, the lion with the drums, the chicken with the saxophone, and the dancing bear. Amongst her rage, she bumps the 'demo' button, in which the piano plays a song by itself and the band comes alive. She looks at me, triumphantly, and yells, "DAP."

Translation: "You see, Mother? I have owned these little bitches in the face, and they must now obey my every command. You see, Mother, I am the master and they are the servants. I COMMAND THEY OBEY."



6) Lily's favorite friends, Chelsea and Travis, have come over for video games and entertainment. Lily, the natural entertainer, stands at the coffee table, and begins talking in the most conversational tone: "Dap, dap. Dap dap dap. Daaap? DAP!"

Translation: "Have you two ever considered the Cyclical Universe theory? It is really quite fascinating. If it is correct, we have had this conversation before many times and we will have it again. Sometimes, we won't have it at all."



That pretty much sums up the average day around the house. Once in awhile, while Edmund is putting on his coat to run to the store, she'll wave and say "Buh-buh Dada." Like it ain't no thang. Sometimes, when I am playing with her and she snuggles her head into my shoulder, she'll say oh so affectionately, "Mama."



But, mostly, it's just "Dap."