5-2 little buddy

When Ezra was developmentally supposed to be saying simple words and sounds, he was doing ok. It didn't seem off, maybe a little delay, but nothing crazy. Then it all stopped.

I remember we were signing a lot and I was teaching him what I knew. In no way was I or am I fluent in ASL and I will never claim to be, I did know enough from one of my old acquaintances' daughters (who was deaf) to teach Ezra some basic words. We worked up to over 30 words in his little vocabulary.

After, what felt like forever, Ezra started making sounds, then making noises that sounded like words and the signing fell off a little.

One night we were laying in bed, I had the TV on and we were just laying there and I was listening to him babble on about...who knows what, but it was everything. And I said "Hey Ezzie?" and he says "huh?" and I go "baby, can you say 'I love you'?" and he just stared at me.

I thought to myself if this kid is going to start talking, I dont know how long it's going to stick and the one thing I would love to hear would be his little voice say "momma" and "I love you".

I tried again. "Ezra? Can you say I?"

He's staring into my soul with his crystal blue, ocean eyes. "I"

"Can you say love?"

"Wuff" -- PERFECT!

"Can you say you?"

"Oooooooh." -Golden

"Now, can you say I love you?"

"5-2?"

Abso-freaking-lutely. "5-2 forever little buddy. 5-2"

Up until just recently, if we didn't say "5-2" and someone told Ezra "I love you" he would only respond with "5-2" or "5-2, mom".

Literally literary GOLD.

Just recently (and I mean in the last couple of weeks), when we say "I love you" or even "5-2" he will get this sarcastic smile on his face, look at you side eyed and draw it out "ffiiiiiiiiiive....." long pause "ONE!" and just cackle. He has the most hilarious sense of human. Again, biased. But I don't even care.

So from us to you, and us to the world. 5-2 everyone!