How Green Becomes Wood

"I can do more, I choose not to," Dark replied, "I once reached 475, but I have a home gym so I try to avoid training with weights I may be unsuccessful with as there is nobody in my home who would be able to remove them." He wasn't sure why he felt the need to defend himself. The statement I expected more was irritating, he supposed.

"Close, it's Daizi," She corrected good-naturedly, "I suppose I should be fortunate I don't get more gym talk."
 
Kyle nodded, his expression clearly appreciative. "Nice thought! A wise idea, very safety-conscious." He turned to Daizi. "Sorry, Daizi. I'll try to rein myself in." He grinned again and then looked down at Ivy. "Maybe we should let little Ivy-Qua... Sorry, what was her name? Maybe we should let her out to stretch her legs."
 
"Ivy-Qadira," Dark corrected, leading Daizi closer to the wall so he could set the carrier down somewhere out of the way.

"I'm sure she'll be delighted to be out of it, she's only fifteen months old and she's already starting to be tall," Daizi said, leaning over to coo at Ivy while Dark freed her, which seemed to please Ivy immensely. Unlike Raymond, Ivy was all smiles, even though she was a bit nervous around so many new people.
 
"Ray here is fourteen months! Very close to her in age," Kyle said proudly. He hooked his thumb toward the loose circle of chairs that only a handful of people were sitting on. "Do you want to sit on the butt-numb-ers, or the floor?"
 
"Ivy was meant to only be fourteen months old, but she surprised us," Daizi said, tucking her hair behind her ear, "She'll probably be more comfortable if we're on the floor with her, but feel free to sit where you prefer. Don't make yourself uncomfortable on our account."
 
"She surprised you?" Kyle asked, confused. He plunked himself down and set Raymond down gently. "Come on, Ray! Come on, my boy! Stand for Daddy?" he coaxed, his voice at a high pitch than it was comfortable going.

Raymond looked at his father. And sat down with a plop on his diaper.

"Maybe now that you've got some mobile friends, that'll help you," Kyle said, clearly disappointed.
 
"She was born six weeks prematurely," Dark explained, sitting down on the floor and folding his long legs beneath him.

"Ivy is only very recently mobile," Daizi said, folding up her cane and tucking it into the diaper bag so she could find it later, "she found talking easier."
 
"Oh, a premie, eh? Such a big girl!" Kyle said with a smile. "Raymond here," he looked down at his son lovingly, "doesn't like to stand unless he's holding onto one of us, and he hasn't really walked yet." His expression fell. "Half of the people here, their little ones are at least standing on their own. Dinah says I just need to give him time."
 
"We had to use a fishing lure to convince her to stand without support," Daizi said, "and the first time she walked without us holding onto her, we tricked her by clipping a paperclip onto the back of her onesie. But I understand how demoralizing it is, with the exception of talking, all of Ivy's milestones within her first year were delayed by at least six weeks because she was premature, it can be really, really hard."
 
Kyle relaxed, his expression lightening when he saw someone understood his worries, even if they were unfounded. "She's a talker?" he asked. "How many words is she up to?"

Raymond scooted around to sit with his back to his father and stared at first Dark, then Daizi, and, finally, Ivy. He studied her for a moment and then stuffed his chubby fist in his mouth. He was a very round baby with the type of rolls woman usually cooed over.
 
Dark thought for a moment and answered, "Four, so far."

"Our names, the name of one of her brothers, and flower," Daizi told him.

Ivy looked over at Raymond and scooted closer to her parents, reaching out to Dark since he was closer to her. Leaning forward, he murmured to her in Arabic that it was okay and Mama and Baba were right there while gently rubbing her back.
 
"Four? That's impressive!" Kyle praised. "Ray's up to two and a half!"

Raymond continued to stare, his expression calm but serious. Now would have been the perfect cue for him to speak, but he showed no inclination to do so.
 
"What's his half word?" Daizi asked, amused by that description.

Ivy looked back at Raymond but didn't know how to respond to just staring at her. From the confused look on her face, though, she was really trying to figure it out.
 
"Nugmu," Kyle said proudly.

Raymond looked up at his father at the mention of the word, studying him suspiciously.

"I say it's a word because it's what he calls his favorite toy," Kyle explained. "Dinah says it's not a word at all and doesn't count. I say it's a word because it's what he's named his toy. She says I've trained him to it because I respond to it, so he does it because he knows I'll give him his favorite toy when he says it. It's been an ongoing thing."

Deciding there was no "Nugmu" in his immediate future, Raymond turned his attention to staring at Ivy again.
 
"I would say it counts," Dark said.

"It depends on your definition of a word, but if he says it for a specific thing, you know what it means, and when you say it he knows what it refers to... All words were once new." Daizi said, wondering if the linguists she knew would flay her for saying so.

Ivy gurgled at Raymond and turned again to her father, who continued to gently praise and support her.
 
Kyle made a small fist pump of triumph. "Ha! Every word was new once! That's exactly what I said!" He leaned over and told Raymond, "Three words, my boy! Three words!" He hesitated and then added, "But maybe we'll keep this to ourselves out of respect for your mother, alright?"

Raymond sighed and changed which fist he was chewing on.
 
"Is he your first?" Daizi asked, guessing the answer was undeniably yes.

Dark went into the diaper bag to hand Ivy one of her toys. She held the familiar object close for comfort, but then after a moment held it out to 'show' Raymond.
 
"Yes, he is," Kyle said happily. "First and probably only. I've always wanted kids, but my beloved did not want to give up her career for children. Not that I blame her. She is an amazing woman, my Dinah! But she agreed that if I was the main parent, we could have one. Maybe I can convince her for a second so Raymond can have a sibling, but even if that doesn't happen, he will aways be my pride and joy!" He leaned over and kissed Raymon on the top of the head. Then he looked between Dark and Daizi. "What about you two? You said Ivy-Quada... kadir..." He flushed, embarrassed, and tried to rush past his mistake. "Ivy has siblings, right?"

Raymond considered Ivy and her toy and leaned forward to see better. He reached out, trying to grab the toy. He was a little far away, and his chubby fingers missed.
 
"Qadira," Daizi corrected, knowing she'd have some critiques to make about a man talking about convincing his wife for a second baby, considering his wife had to do much more of that work... if she knew this man a little better and it wasn't her first time at this group. "We have two teenage sons, but she's our first baby."

Ivy watched him for a few moments and then reached her arm out further with the toy.
 
"Oh," Kyle said, looking a little confused by the statement. Before he could say anything, though, a woman walked over with her daughter.

"Hello, there. I hope Kyle isn't making a nuisance of himself?" she asked with a smile.

Kyle gasped and put a hand to his broad chest. "Never!"

She smiled at him and then crouched down to offer her hand. "Terri Micheals."

Raymond managed to grab the toy and held it up, staring at it with great curiosity and concentration. His little hands turned it over and over, as if he could not figure out what it was.
 
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