Thursday, January 3, 2008

Really Back to Normal and Language

Today, Mike had to go back to work! Ha!


That means it really is back to normal for us. Ché seemed fine with the idea and was quite excited to see Grandma walking up the driveway to the door.

I've been really amazed at the language development that we are seeing. Ché turned 2 on Nov. 18. He was talking before this, but just a words. He had a vocabulary of over 50 words, which has grown exponentially. I'm pretty sure it's over 150, and I probably should update the word list.

We keep a list on our refrigerator of the words he says and we add to it whenever we hear something new. Sometimes he only says things once and then we second guess ourselves on whether or not he actually said it. For example last Sunday we were putting together a light dinner with Ché grandparents, and his Aunt and Uncle and we were making salads. Aunt Emily reached and got an avocado. Ché had been pointing to them all evening and we had told him what it was and when Aunt Emily grabbed it he said "avocado."


I wouldn't have believed that he actually said it except that 4 other people heard it too. Of course, Ché wouldn't say it again, but we're pretty sure he really did spit that one out.

I've noticed among kids that there are different styles when it comes to speaking. There are kids that are Myna birds, repeating everything you say no matter if it comes out right or not, and there are kids that are mute and then all of a sudden come out with a whole sentence in correct pronunciation. Then there's Ché, who studies the way your mouth forms, practices it at night (when he thinks no one is listening), and comes out with words that are near to correct pronunciation.



I find it really interesting watching the development of language around or house. The now 2-3 word sentences when before everything was "dhis" (this).


Coincidentally this is still pronounced dhis.

How did your child start talking? Were they perfectionists? Blabberers? Late to the Game? Does your child whisper some words and shout others like Ché?


By the way, Ché does enjoy using this:



It was developed by special ed. teachers as a way for kids with speech impediments and hearing impairments to hear themselves talking. (I wouldn't recommend using this to listen to yourself sing, that can be SCARY!)
It lets you hear what you are really saying and the sounds that you are making instead of what you think you are saying.
Ché uses it like a telephone, and since he hears himself, things he's talking to someone. It's an amazingly simple piece of technology that started out as PVC pipes and has since been marketed. Check it out if you have little ones. They are great, and cheap. Ours was around $6 from a local teacher store.

2 comments:

AAWG said...

Nadja didn't say much until two. The Dr. said she was a little behind, but it was nothing to worry about until her 2nd birthday. Of course a friend of mine had a son Nadja's age who was like, "Dog! Froggie! Ball! More! Milk, Mommy Daddy.... etc. etc." And Nadja pretty much just said, "Moo."

Then, just like with walking, a month or so after her birthday, she went from "Moo" to little three word sentences within a week. And as you know, she hasn't shut up since and can spin a lengthly yarn peppered with little $5 words like "situation" and "croquet."

Anonymous said...

Interesting to know.