a bo de deeeeeeyeeeh

Owen is singing again. Just in the few weeks since school started back, Owen’s been singing the first verse of Puff the Magic Dragon like it’s nobody’s business.

When Owen was a little boy and just learning to talk, he used to happily repeat his favorite phrase over and over again, "a bo de deeeeeyeeeh." We couldn’t figure out what it meant, and although we asked Owen over and over again what he was saying he would just respond, “a bo de deeeeeyeeeh.” We couldn’t figure it out.

Errol is far stronger and healthier than he was before his surgery. He’s sitting up, using new sounds, “wuuuuuuhhh”, and running for city council.

He’s a champ.

In addition to his new sounds, he’s back to his favorite phrase, “uh oh!” The other night, after his five gallons of medicines, we got an earful of uh ohs. It was wonderful to hear the little man back in tip top verbal form, but just what in the world is this uh oh all about? Is uh oh, just uh oh, or is Errol making some incisive comment about heath care reform? Uh oh!

Who knows? Maybe not even Errol.

After a few seasons of “a bo de deeeeeyeeeh” we took young Owen to a birthday party. As we all joined in singing Happy Birthday, Owen joined right in with a perfectly sung “a bo de deeeeeyeeeh.” Happy Birthday to you!

After all those “a bo de deeeeeyeeeh," Cary and I could not figure out that Owen was saying one of the happiest things a child can say.

Maybe one day we’ll figure out uh oh. Maybe, if we sing enough with Errol, we’ll know the secret of uh oh. And maybe, if Errol keeps smiling while he says uh oh, it just won’t matter what it means.

Uh oh!