I WIN!

Sunday was my first Father's Day. It started as any other Sunday-- you know, me being the best husband and father on the face of the planet despite it being MY day. I got out of bed to get up with Aidan around 5. Now, to her credit my wife did offer to get up with him, but that would have been two days in a row she did, so I said no. Not because it's fair, but because I didn't want her having any ammo the next time I screw something up. But I digress.

I got up with the boy and we went downstairs to play. And he proceeded to hit me with the baby equivalent of a nuke-- he said his first word right to my face. And that word is "Da-da". Honestly, I was amazed but skeptical. He's been accidentally making words for awhile now, but he's got no idea how to do it again. So I tried to get him to say it again. And lo and behold, he did! I had to fight the urge to run upstairs and jump on my still sleeping wife, to poke her in the chest and yell "I win". She's lucky I love her.

Anyway, from that point on, he's a da-da machine. Until she gets up. Then he clams up and won't say a thing. So of course I don't want to say anythign because I want her to hear it and be surprised, but it's KILLING me. So everytime she turns her back I whisper to my son to get him to do it. Of course, no dice. Finally I cave and tell her, and of course he immedietly breaks into peals of "da-da!". Now everything is da-da...the cats are da-da, his book is da-da, that particularly fetching piece of lint on the carpet is da-da. Some might think that takes away from my thrill, but they'd be wrong. It was the best Father's Day present I could have asked for.

Well, that and the iPod he got me. That thing is pretty sweet too.