The concept of friendship

I'm pretty sure, a few days ago, my (then almost) 17 month old signed that we should see more friends (having spent the best part of a month being ill indoors), but as he'd neither signed 'more' nor 'friends' before, I wasn't totally certain. I didn't think he knew what friends were, for starters!

Today, as my (now) 17 month old was lying on his changing mat, he pointed at the ceiling and made his sound for a 'fish'. I recalled that we'd been at a friend's house yesterday, where her little girl has planets hanging above the changing mat. I commented that she (using her name) had had balls floating above her mat and he agreed. He then did the fish sound again and I remembered they had an aquarium. He became excited about this confirmation of his attempts to communicate. I also reminded him of the cat they have and (for the first time) he miaowed! This was followed by a broad and very excited grin. He then signed 'friends' and my heart melted, because they are, indeed, friends, and this is the first time he has used a sign I have not yet used with him and a concept I have not explained.

It seems that the order of the week is relationships and being sociable. I must improve my diary planning efforts!