"and bersides, I love lello"

Laina is growing up. There's no two ways about it. She's just growing up on me. Every day I see little changes and know she has evolved from a baby to a toddler to a preschooler and is now approaching school age. One major area that Laina has changed in is her language. I recently found in my "mommy medical notebook" a list of all of Laina's words when she first started talking. At the time I was so concerned that she hit all her little language milestones that I would write down every new word as it came out of her mouth. Some words she would say clear as day and other words only Joe or I could decipher because we're her mama and papa. I look back on that list of emerging vocabulary and its almost difficult to remember a time when Laina didn't talk up a storm. Her language has grown and grown and for the most part she says all of her words just perfectly but there are still a few lingering words that she doesn't pronounce quite right and I JUST LOVE THEM. I will hold on to these words and cherish them and tear up every day when I hear them because I know that some day very very soon they will fade away. I have two current favorites right now that come to mind. Laina is big on the phrase "and besides" but for Laina it comes out "and bersides" and I just melt when she says it. I almost try to manufacture situations where I think she'll spew out a beloved "and bersides Mommy...that's what I was going to do anyway". The other current favorite is "lello"....otherwise known as yellow. I hope she never ever ever says yellow and that she's 25 years old and telling her friends she just bought a new "lello" shirt. A mama can dream, right....