Look Who’s Talking Now!

I have said for months now that I didn’t think my little man was going to speak until at least his third birthday. Although he is an excellent communicator, his only consistent word thus far has been “Mama.” He uses “Mama” for everything – to call me, to call his sister, to call various family members and friends, to ask for milk, to direct us where to take him, to ask to be picked up…it has been a multi-purpose word. This week, however, things started to change.

I noticed over last weekend that he had begun to consistently put sounds together. On Sunday, he told me he wanted to go “nigh-nigh” while pointing upstairs. So I took him upstairs for a nap…and he was happy. On Wednesday, he called Miss Carrie “Mom.” She said “I’m not your Mom. I’m Miss Carrie. Can you say Carrie?” He said “Caca.” (He apparently thinks she is the shit!) Instead of signing “please” like I have been trying to teach him, he’s been saying “puh” when I tell him to say please. But the best verbal request happened earlier today.

When Rosie woke up from her nap she requested cuddle time with a movie. So I dropped what I was doing and we put on Shrek and snuggled under a blanket. About 30 minutes into the movie, we hear RJ. I bring him downstairs and he is excited to see his sister – but he also clapped his hands that Shrek was on TV. We watched for a few more minutes before leaving the house to get Miss Kimmie.

Upon our arrival at home, I plopped RJ down on the ottoman in front of the TV. He looked at me, made the sign for “more,” pointed at the TV and very clearly sad “Shre!” So I said to him, “you want to watch Shrek?” And he very loudly shouted “Shre!” again. So, we watched Shrek.
Later on, upon coming home from a Target run, he met me at the door and was very excited. He took me up the hand and led me over to the refrigerator. He lifted his arms for me to pick him up – so I did – and he pointed at his birth announcement on the fridge and said “be be.” My goodness – that certainly is a baby! Just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke, I made him say it another 25 times to both me and his Dad. Verdict – he not only knows what a baby is…but he knows how to say it!