What Publix Taught My Child

My youngest, Ezra, doesn't speak very much. He doesn't really need to. Between older siblings, mama and daddy at his beck and call, and his amazingly articulate gesturing, the kid may never speak. But he has deigned to learn a few basics, you know, the important words: mama, daddy, Dara, yes, ball, boat, and please. This last word was learned at the Publix bakery counter.

We go to Publix a lot. Like, a lot. It's right down the street and with so many people in the family, we are constantly running out of something. You'd think we'd be able to get our act together and coordinate a list, but that's yet to be conquered. For the boys, the highlight of going to Publix is the bakery. The ladies there know them and already have the preferred chocolate chip cookies ready when we roll up. (This is probably in part because you can hear my kids from the entrance. What's an inside voice?)

 One of the bakery ladies always waits until she hears the 'magic word' before she hands over the loot. When Ez was a few months younger, he used to just make a noise and hold out his hand. That gets him what he wants at home, for the most part. But the lady just looked at him and repeated her request to hear the word, 'please'. This happened a couple of times and Ez started to get frustrated. Cayden said please and started munching away on his cookie, waving it in his brother's face- as a gesture of encouragement, I'm sure.

Then it happened. 'Eese'. Ez reached out and said 'eese'. The Publix lady clapped and smiled. I cheered and smiled. Ezra shoved the cookie in his mouth and smiled. For a moment there was peace on earth.

Now I wish I could tell you that he's started using even more polite words, but we're still working on that. He does make a specific sound and firmly nods his head when told to say 'thanks', but he's still stubbornly using his own language. I'm not sure at what point to be worried about his speech development, but for now I'll let him speak to us in his own little unique way.

With Love,
Susanne