Coffee?

My husband loves to drink coffee.  His mornings begin by grinding coffee beans and then setting up the coffee maker.  Son #2 has gotten used to the morning coffee routine.  When my youngest son hears my husband reach for the coffee, Son #2 runs to the kitchen as fast as his legs will carry him.  As soon as he bounds into the kitchen, he stretches his chubby arms upward.  My husband gently picks him up and leans him over the grinder so he can smell the coffee grounds.  Son #2 sniffs deeply and sighs with satisfaction.  "Coffee."  He says with finality.

When I get home from work, Son #2 greets me with a hug and usually asks for a "Ba".  (Translation:  "Ba" is his favorite mug filled with soy milk.  Son #2 is allergic to dairy products hence the soy milk.)  Sometimes, Son #2 is feeling adventurous and asks for coffee.  Today just happens to be one of those days.

This afternoon, my husband poured himself a steaming cup of hot coffee and a tasty creamer.  He meandered to his recliner and settled down to sip his drink.  Son #2 eyed the hot mug then ran into the kitchen.  He tugged on my pant leg and declared.  "Coffee?  Coffee!"

I tried to brush off the request.  "You don't need coffee.  Do you want some water?"

Son #2 pouted and demanded again.  "No.  Coffee!"

"You're too little for coffee."  I said.

Son #2 ran to the refrigerator door and begged.  "Coffee?  Mama.  I want coffee."

I opened the refrigerator.  "There's no coffee in here."

Son #2 stood on his tiptoes.  He reached up toward a top shelf on the door and pointed.  "Coffee.  Mama, coffee."  Son #2 was pointing to the coffee creamer.  

Heh.  Silly boy.

 I grinned, rolled my eyes, and grabbed the creamer from the refrigerator door.  Then, I brought out his mug from the cabinet.  After handing him the mug, I bent down to ask.  "Is this the coffee?"

My baby boy giggled.  "Yeah.  Coffee."

Son #2 held out his mug as I poured a smidgen of "coffee" into it.  He smiled from ear to ear and then said.  "Oh.  Thank you."  After investigating his drink, my youngest son toddled into the living room to sit by his dad and drink "coffee".

I smiled to myself as I took in the little scene before me.  Apparently, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Dadi's Ba

The other evening, we ran out of soy milk for Son #2's sippy cup.  Son #2 was devastated and immediately requested that we get more in his own little language.  "My ba.  Want ba.  Ba ba."  (Translation:  Son #2 currently uses the word "ba" for milk.  Previously, he used the word "ba" for bottle.)

I explained to Son #2.  "Baby, we need to go to the store and get more milk for your sippy cup.  I'm so sorry.  Let's get ready to go bye bye."

I had the boys scurry to get their socks and shoes.  Son #2 needed to use the potty before leaving the house.  Son #1 dawdled around in the living room instead of putting on his socks and shoes.  We had decided to take the whole gang to the grocery store.  Evidently, it was going to take us the usual thirty minutes to get out of the house.

While all this was going on, my husband decided to set up the coffee maker.  We were also out of creamer so now we had two important items to procure at the store.  Son #2 heard the familiar sounds of the coffee maker and ran into the kitchen.  His eyes grew wide as he watched the preparations.  Then, his little hands reached for the air as he announced his intentions.  "Up?  Want up?"

My husband commented.  "Pick him up.  He likes to watch me make coffee.  I let him watch all the time."

"Alright."  I said nonchalantly.

I reached down and lifted my little baby up into my arms.  Son #2 leaned hard to investigate the coffee maker and its contents.  His face showed a mixture of interest and awe.  Making coffee can be so fun.  After assessing the coffee maker and ground coffee, Son #2 straightened up and stated in a matter-of-fact tone.  "Dadi's ba."

I smiled at my husband mischievously.  My husband suppressed his laughter.  I giggled quietly and then agreed with Son #2's statement.  "You're right.  That is your Daddy's ba."