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!
the random ponderings of an ordinary person
Thursday 26 February 2015
Latest skills of the toddler
I've just experienced my first toddler-speaking-to-boob - I was jiggling them around immediately before bedtime to see which one to give him and I think he thought I was trying to find them, so when I got it out, he shouted "there!!" as in "there it is!" So very cute.
He's also signing heaps now and can ask for more, asks where things are or what things are, tells me he can hear birds, cars, a helicopter or aeroplane, or daddy coming home, plus a range of foods. He also does a load of different animals and, more usefully, pain. I am totally with the signing thing now as it has helped us understand one another massively.
He can also drag steps to where he wants to climb and has cleverly (if worryingly) figured out how to open the front door. He helps unload the dishwasher, putting cutlery in the drawer and other items where I tell him to put them. He also unloads and loads the washing machine with me, and tidies his toys away! My clever little boy.
Before having kids I never really understood the fascination with their development, but it is really interesting watching someone learn so much and so quickly.
Finally, he is beginning to eat - hurrah! Last night he had Thai red curry veggies (cauliflower, potato, chickpea and tomato) with cous cous and yoghurt (all separately and all fed by himself - though he insists on using a fork to eat yoghurt).
Anyway, that's all my tired brain can think of right now - clearly he has not yet learned to sleep through the night!
He's also signing heaps now and can ask for more, asks where things are or what things are, tells me he can hear birds, cars, a helicopter or aeroplane, or daddy coming home, plus a range of foods. He also does a load of different animals and, more usefully, pain. I am totally with the signing thing now as it has helped us understand one another massively.
He can also drag steps to where he wants to climb and has cleverly (if worryingly) figured out how to open the front door. He helps unload the dishwasher, putting cutlery in the drawer and other items where I tell him to put them. He also unloads and loads the washing machine with me, and tidies his toys away! My clever little boy.
Before having kids I never really understood the fascination with their development, but it is really interesting watching someone learn so much and so quickly.
Finally, he is beginning to eat - hurrah! Last night he had Thai red curry veggies (cauliflower, potato, chickpea and tomato) with cous cous and yoghurt (all separately and all fed by himself - though he insists on using a fork to eat yoghurt).
Anyway, that's all my tired brain can think of right now - clearly he has not yet learned to sleep through the night!
Wednesday 11 February 2015
Toddler ailments
Nothing worse than finding your toddler in bed with his face covered in blood. Thought it was a brain hemorrhage.
It turns out that it's very common when little people have stuffy noses and nasty colds; and it seems our little one has a very nasty 'cold' - tonsillitis and an ear infection. No wonder he's been extremely clingy, unhappy and not sleeping. Hopefully once the antibiotics kick in, we'll all get happier and start sleeping again.
I suspected as much last night when he signed 'pain' and I asked where the pain was and he kept hitting his right ear (the one with the infection in it). My clever boy. And my poor, poor, unhappy, hurty little boy.
All in all, it's been a pretty rough start to the year, with evil illness after evil illness, each one seemingly worse than the previous one. I'm ready for a good night's sleep, but I suspect it's not happening just yet, as our little person seems to have developed bed-avoidance, wailing every time he is taken near it.
Perhaps it'll be a case of dinner with a toddler on my lap, then bed for us all.
It turns out that it's very common when little people have stuffy noses and nasty colds; and it seems our little one has a very nasty 'cold' - tonsillitis and an ear infection. No wonder he's been extremely clingy, unhappy and not sleeping. Hopefully once the antibiotics kick in, we'll all get happier and start sleeping again.
I suspected as much last night when he signed 'pain' and I asked where the pain was and he kept hitting his right ear (the one with the infection in it). My clever boy. And my poor, poor, unhappy, hurty little boy.
All in all, it's been a pretty rough start to the year, with evil illness after evil illness, each one seemingly worse than the previous one. I'm ready for a good night's sleep, but I suspect it's not happening just yet, as our little person seems to have developed bed-avoidance, wailing every time he is taken near it.
Perhaps it'll be a case of dinner with a toddler on my lap, then bed for us all.