Verbal Clapping Turns to Slapping

Evan’s moved from “ma” to “da” now. Everything is “da, da, da, da, da.” So if “ma” was mom, “da” becomes dad. Of course, Evan doesn’t know any of this. But I seem to be determined to assign meaning to his lyrical nonsense. He says “da” when we’re playing, “da” when he’s eating, and there’s the crying “da” when I’m trying to get him to sleep. I don’t know what’s worse, having my child cry for me and not go to him, or trying to comfort my child and have him cry for someone else as I stand there rocking him to the tune of his “da, da, da, da, da.” I know, I know, it’s just verbal clapping…