The scene: Tyler and I are hanging out. It’s a real scorcher outside, and Tyler is sitting on the floor with a cup of ice water. Presently, he is putting his hand into the cup, pulling out a piece of ice, and eating it. It’s getting close to dinner time, so I decide to ask Tyler about it.

Me: Do you want pizza?

It suddenly strikes me to cook the pizza outside on the grill. Now, I’m more excited than normal for the prospect of eating pizza. Tyler’s also a big fan of pizza, so this should be a guaranteed win for me.

Tyler: No, I drinking ice.

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The scene: Tyler and I are playing in the house. Tyler got wrapped up in his barn animals and farm toys, and soon forgot that I was even there. Bored, I played a drum solo with my hands on the carpeted floor.

Me: *thump, thumb, bang bang bang thumpthumpthump*

Tyler: “Daddy, no say that daddy please.”

Me: *correcting Tyler’s grammar* “Daddy, please don’t do that.”

Tyler: “No no won’t no don’t no do that please daddy.”

Close enough, I guess.

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The scene: Currently, the only time Tyler is allowed to have his pacifier is when he is napping. He doesn’t have it during the day, and he doesn’t have it while sleeping at night. I’ve set a hard line of him being completely done with the pacifier by his second birthday, so I’ve been telling him that pacifiers are for babies, and that Tyler isn’t a baby anymore.

I also have to introduce you to another character in the house. Abby Dabba is a stuffed dog that Tyler and I made at the Build-A-Bear store for Mother’s Day. When you squeeze his hand, he says – in Tyler’s recorded voice – “Happy Mommy’s Day, LUH-LOO!” Luh-loo is how Tyler said “I Love You” back when we made it. The dog’s name started as Abba Dabba, but Tyler soon changed it to Abby Dabba.

Abby Dabba is sitting on the top of the couch. Tyler spotted a pacifier lying around and tried putting it in his mouth. I promptly reminded him that he wasn’t a baby, and he wasn’t taking a nap. He then climbed onto the couch with it.

Tyler: “Abby Dabba have paci. Go sleep.”

Me: “You’re going to give Abby Dabba a paci so he can take a nap?”

After a few short moments of fiddling with the pacifier and with Abby Dabba, Tyler drops the pacifier onto the floor.

Tyler: “Abby Dabba no have a mouth.”

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