Loud and Clear...

The art of speaking clearly. Something that many of us aim to achieve but just end up saying a whole lot without really saying much at all. Too bad we can't just take a lesson or two from young children. They have no problem at all telling you EXACTLY what they think at any given time. Even if the time isn't quite so appropriate.

Enter Devin Michael...my firstborn and boy child. He is a precocious and very physical boy that looks like the spitting image of his father. (Neither of my kids look a thing like me although I do swear I had something to do with it.) I can however see a small bit of myself in my son through his temperament and personality. Sensitive, thoughtful...a "talker". Ahhh, a talker. Yes, this is where the fun begins.

A recent trip to the pediatrician's office was definitely one to remember. We were there for Sienna who was recovering from a small bout of pneumonia and was getting her lungs checked. Due to the fact that my husband was at work, Devin got to accompany us to the doctor's office. Mind you, this was not my first choice...in my eyes going anywhere "important" with two kids under 4 in tow is NEVER good idea.

Now is a perfect time to mention that my almost 4 year old son cannot say some of his sounds yet. L's and W's get mixed up...and he really has a tough time with saying blends. "ST" usually comes out as the "D" sound..."SP" usually comes out as an "F" sound and so on. We really work with him but I've been told that muscles have to develop and blah blah blah...in a nutshell--it will come.

Ahh, but not soon enough.

So we find ourselves in the exam room with the young doctor when all the fun begins.

Devin: (said in one HUGE breath) "My name is Devin Michael and I am almost 4 and this is my sister Sienna and I am her big brother and my job is to keep her safe my daddy is at work and sometimes he plays tag with me and I have a dog named Kula and this is my mommy and..."
*insert a GIANT intake of breath
Devin: "...we go on walks and ride bikes and Sienna is a "dinker" (stinker) but Mommy still wuvs her and is she going to get an owie shot?
Doctor: "Well hello Devin...no I don't think she will get an owie shot. Wow, it is so nice to meet you...you like to do a lot of things. Let's look at your sister...
Devin: "I do like to do a wot of things...I like to walk with daddy and...and I have two sticks.
*insert awkward silent moment because although my son MEANT to say sticks...he did in fact NOT say sticks. Being unable to say "ST" he instead inserted a "D" sound at the beginning of that word. Ahh...yes you get it now...
Doctor: "Wow...hmmm...okay, Sienna come over here...
Devin: "I do...I have two sticks (insert other word mentioned above)...I use them to walk with...they are VERY big...
*insert a longer and even MORE awkward pause..

At this point I had to jump in and rescue the poor doctor as she was looking back and forth from my son to me like "my god woman...what is WRONG with your child???" I quickly explained what he meant to say instead and instantly you could see relief flooding her face. "Whew," she said, "I thought maybe we'd be examining two kids today instead of one!"

This was not the last time Devin told unsuspecting folk about his "sticks". On a recent walk to the mailbox we ran into some new neighbors who were out retrieving their mail as well. The young husband was completely speechless when Devin introduced himself and immediately told him as well that he had two "sticks". It would seem that Devin likes to tell anyone he meets about his "sticks"...the cashier at the grocery store, the elderly librarian--who I might add looked like she might keel over after hearing Devin's announcement, mothers at the park, my parents...it's truly endless.

As his mother, I am thankful that my son feels confident enough to socialize and introduce himself to new people while explaining interesting things about himself.

I also secretly love to see the horrified looks on their faces when he tells them all about his two "sticks"...

We'll be working on those blends...don't you worry. Till then, if you meet Devin you might want to steer clear of conversations involving "sticks".