No-It-All
No. It happens often. Lately, conversations with Adalyn tend to go a little like this: Parent: Addie-Boo, want some grapes with lunch? Adalyn: No. Parent: Adalyn, let’s get ready for the market. Adalyn: No. Parent: Adalyn, tell Wallie it’s time for a walk. Adalyn: No [while retrieving leash and high-tailing it to the door]. Whether or not she actually means it, no must be the first response. It’s a bit funny given that she is only pronouncing bits and pieces of other words, but this… this word is whole, distinct, and undeviating (all two letters of it). Of course, there are numerous ways and tones in which she gives this answer, variations that suggest a specification on what exactly she means by the word no. For example: “Nope” – said quickly and dismissively when parents offer something about which they should know better (i.e. peas, spinach, and other things that would be Really Good for her). “No-ooo” – pronounced as though we live in W...