Katie’s first word was “Mama.”

Bethy’s first statement was “Stop-it.” The girls were born fifteen months apart.

Brendan is twenty-eight months younger than Bethy, and by then, I had given up on my vision of having sugar-free kids. Brendan’s first declaration was “cookie.”

Brigid was born three years after Brendan. I have no idea what she first uttered.

Kevin was born forty-four months after Brigid. At two, Kevin sat in the child’s seat on the back of Tim’s bike, stretched out his arms with palms up toward Tim’s back and beckoned, “More candy, Tim.”

That boy didn’t even call Tim “daddy.” When Kevin would hear Tim’s car pull in the garage, he’d beeline though the kitchen with arms pumping and call out, “Tim’s home!”

It’s no mystery to figure out whose joy Kevin was expressing.