Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Progress

Ben is days away from being 2 and a half years old. While we were waiting at Leah's dance class, another little boy was there. This boy, G, was about Ben's size and seemed to be speaking in at least phrases. I asked his mom how old he was: 22 months. Yep, at 8 months younger than Ben, he is at least 6 months ahead of him in his language. Ben is still using individual words caveman-style to get his ideas across - at the most, he'll maybe put two words together.

We did have Ben in speech therapy for about 6 months, but stopped around the time we moved...because we are lazy, cheap parents whose lives were in the midst of a minor upheaval. And also, he seemed to be progressing in his talking the same rate that he was during therapy.

He still seems to do pretty well if given two choices: Do you want to sleep or read a book? "Book!"

Here is a list of words he has been saying recently, in addition to these and these:

please (pease)
cheese
choo-choo
girl
boy
"mooo" although it is kind of high-pitched for a cow....
buckle (as in the one in the bike or shopping cart - comes out clear as day)
blue
orange
all done - much more clearly than previously
hello (he-whoa) - it's so cute!
crocs - his shoes
church

ps - also "walk" and "I want"...classic, huh?
pps- "one" and holds up one finger
ppss- oh, and "truck", "duckie", and "mine", of course

We got a catalog in the mail the other from Toys R Us, featuring the Imaginarium train sets. Ben spent no less than 20 minutes poring over the thing, slightly obsessively. Finally, I said, "Maybe you'll get a train for Christmas," since I had been thinking about it anyway. Good thing I was already on board, cause anytime Ben hears the word "Christmas", he immediately starts repeating "choo-choo? choo-choo?" until you reassure him that yes, he might get a train for Christmas. By the way, he WON'T be getting that huge set that I linked to above...he'll be getting this one.

And just so you know that Leah is still saying amazingly clever things, at dinner she has had these comments to share:

"What is that completely delicious smell?"

"Those yellow carrots look like parsnips. Locally-grown parsnips." Apparently Curious George went to a farm and bought some. She also added, "Parsnips taste like potatoes but they are a little bit sweeter."

3 comments:

Our8angels said...

I didn't think Chance would ever start talking well...everyone seem to be ahead of him as well. But now he never shuts his mouth and loves to talk back....he can also spell his sisters name (Grace) and can almost spell his own. I guess Grace's name is more fun to spell!!! Don't worry he'll start everything when he's ready!!!

Noel said...

Do we ever escape the challenge of language?

Monday I had an insight into the pronouns in the dative case for German with the new set of language CDs I have on my current road trip.

Tuesday night I spent an hour on cell phone and instant messenger trying to explain the rules of algebraic expression simplification (a type of language and grammar) to a daughter.

-- Philosophic in Waterloo

. said...

Every time I drink i lose my vocabulary. perhaps ben is hitting the bottle as well. Birthday stealer.

And way to go on incorporating those veggies, Liz!

What a random, unexplainable post! Too much sugar.