∞ No More Oppatoo

Published under Mango Paper, Jan 4, 2019

Allen Pike writes,

They are constantly picking up new endearing habits – little phrases and behaviors that melt your heart and give you joy. Just as quickly though, they are losing them. Before your eyes, she goes from not being able to say “octopus”, to delightfully squealing at the sight of an “oppatoo!”, to just saying “look dada, it’s an octopus.”

And it’s beautiful, and it’s great. But it also hurts your heart a little bit. No more oppatoo.

It is a strange feeling, that hurt. Why would it be sad when she starts to say “octopus”? Or “I want to do it myself”, or “No dada pick me up”? I mean, it’s certainly for the best. I can hardly be her lifelong transportation, caregiver, and translator as it pertains to 8-limbed mollusks.

Mine is only 5 month old, I can already start seeing this. She learned to blow a raspberry a month ago. Then she stopped doing that and it hurts a little. How time flies.

Thanks, Allen.