“Just say appa! Ah-pa.” Kyung clutches your baby’s hand as she coos and tilts her head in confusion. Her wide doe eyes stare in wonder at her father as she gurgles and lets out a string of unrecognizable baby language. You giggle softly as Kyung groans in exasperation.

“See? This is umma. Um-ma. Say umma! Come on, if you can’t say appa at least say umma.” Your little daughter watches Kyung as if he was crazy before toddling off on unsteady steps towards her chest of toys. She retrieves a stuffed doll and jams a thumb between her rosebud lips, pouting at the two of you. You shake your head and laugh as Kyung pouts, mirroring your daughter.

“Um-ma! Ah-pa!” He tries again, only to fail miserably when she becomes interested in the toy once again.

“Don’t let it get to you, she’ll start talking soon enough. She’s still a little baby.” You rub Kyung’s back reassuringly and fight the urge to pinch his cheeks as he pouts. He looks even cuter than your little daughter. Okay, maybe not cuter. But your husband still looked pretty darn cute when he pouted.

“But I just want her to say appa. Even if that’s the only word she ever learns in her entire lifetime. Just that one word and I’ll be content.” You roll your eyes and nudge him playfully.

“You are too much,” you say, ignoring his coy grin as he nudges you back slightly.

“But I’m just enough for you,” he replies with a smirk. You slap his arm softly at the corny line and turn back to your daughter as she toddles toward you, giving you a gummy smile with scattered teeth growing in.

“Come here sweetheart,” you murmur, folding her into your arms and propping her up against your thighs. She chews at her thumb and clutches the little doll close to her, curling her tiny fingers around the fabric of the doll’s dress.

“Please just say appa,” Kyung says, leaning his head close to the curious little girl. opens and closes around her miniscule thumb.

“Come on honey, say appa so this fool will be quiet for once,” you tease. Kyung sticks his tongue out at you and you giggle softly, cowering low and pretending to hide behind your daughter. You hold her tiny arms in your long fingers and wave them around. “Protect me! Appa is going to get me!”

She gurgles softly before making a noise from the back of , almost sounding as if she had said no. “Ngh Amma. No!” You stare at her in wonder, trying to decode what she was saying in her special baby language.

“Did she just say appa? I heard the ah!” Kyung’s excitement nearly bubbles over as she continues to spew little “no’s” and half ummas, half appas.

“I…I think it was a little bit of both,” you say before laughing. She giggles along with you, her dark eyes lighting up as she smiles as if she shared a private joke with you. Kyung kisses her head lightly before resting his hand on your thigh and leaning against you.

“Say it again sweetheart? Just say appa. Ah-pa. I’m you’re appa, right? Say my name.” She gurgles out another “no” and Kyung frowns.

“Hey, at least she learned how to say something important. And it’s a good thing she knows just who to say it to already.” Kyung pouts at you and you giggle, brushing his hair out of his eyes softly. “I’m just joking, you pabo,” you say, kissing his cheek lightly.

“Umma!” Your daughters unsteady voice rings out as you watch her in disbelief for the second time.

“Our daughter really is something,” you say, wrapping her up in a hug as she coos. “That’s right, I am your umma sweetheart. Good job!” Kyung shakes his head in exasperation.

“I would’ve have been more impressed if she said appa,” he grumbles, and you can’t help but laugh again.