Booh Report
I need to panic more often. As soon as I hit panic mode about Abbie’s inability (or reluctance) to talk, she began communicating more. It’s a journalistic principle that as soon as you report on something it’s no longer true, like by the time every news outlet reported on Paris Hilton’s engagement it was already off.
Not that Abbie has taken any giant leaps forward into the realm of speaking unprovoked or even saying the most important words,* but I definitely hear some advancements. It’s much easier to make her speak from her limited repertoire of words now. When we sit down to eat (she eats, I coax “more” out of her), I can coerce her to say “more,” or as she puts it “mo,” before almost every bite. I say “almost” because yesterday morning she still suffered a total meltdown halfway through her banana when I wanted her to say “more” and she insisted on screaming “ahh.” She howled loud enough to wake mommy, who was enjoying a much-needed late morning after being on call the night before. Fortunately the dog was barking furiously at some suspicious looking leaves in the backyard, waking her up long before Abbie had a chance to do so.
Once Abbie melts down in the high chair, she’s pretty much gone. Bringing Abbie back from a meltdown to a mental state coherent enough for speech is more difficult than blowing a 24-6 lead late in the first half at home. Fortunately she’s never too upset to grab a spoonful of food, a maneuver I accept as communication, especially in an emergency. After several minutes of cajoling and crying I offered her the spoon, and she fought back the tears to ingest her banana, calming down just in time for her milk.
The other word I give her credit for is “book,” which comes out “booh.” Every time we sit on the floor with a book, I ask if she wants to read this book. She always answers “book,” and I take it and run. If she wants to read it again, I ask the question again and always hear “book” again. It’s amazing what I can force her to do when a beloved activity is involved. I could probably teach her “dog food” and “rock” right now too.
I’m trying hard to teach her “mama” and “dada” with no luck yet. I make sure she hears both words repeatedly every day. A good time to work them in is on the way to the mailbox. I will point to myself and say “dada.” I then ask her to repeat, and to her credit she tries to say something, but unfortunately that something is “buh.” “Buh” is her response to “dada” and “mama.” It’s also her response to “dog,” “cat,” “tree,” “outside,” “aluminum siding,” and almost everything that isn’t a book or more food.
She may just need to keep hearing “mama” and “dada” repeatedly. She recently developed a game where she will point at me repeatedly, then point to herself repeatedly, and I’ll narrate her pointing.** She may be learning speech, she may be playing a game, she may be developing a sense of self and others, or she may be paying me back for putting her to sleep by expressing her dominance over me.
I’ve tried teaching her a few signs for the past couple weeks, but the only one she’s picked up is “up.” This is not surprising since “up” is one of her favorite things alongside “book,” “more,” and “outside.” She signals “up” by thrusting one arm above her head with a clenched fist. I tried teaching her to point her finger as well, but she doesn’t do pointing.
Every time I pick her up I announce “up” and point. She picked it up fairly quickly, and will now give me the “up” sign when I ask what she wants. Sometimes she surprises me by signaling up when I literally have no idea what she wants. For example, the other night we were driving home (I drove, she rode) with a trunk full of Vital Supplies. I thought she was being incredibly silly holding her hand above her head for much of the ten-minute drive. Then I remembered that, oh yeah, she hates her car seat and wants out of it.
Other times I think she surprises herself when I pick her up. For example, the times I ask what she wants while holding a book, and she signals “up.” This communication thing is hard, especially when you start a little late.
* “Dada.”
** “Dada. Abbie. Abbie. Dada. Dada. Dada, dada, dada, dada dada dada dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadada…”
Not that Abbie has taken any giant leaps forward into the realm of speaking unprovoked or even saying the most important words,* but I definitely hear some advancements. It’s much easier to make her speak from her limited repertoire of words now. When we sit down to eat (she eats, I coax “more” out of her), I can coerce her to say “more,” or as she puts it “mo,” before almost every bite. I say “almost” because yesterday morning she still suffered a total meltdown halfway through her banana when I wanted her to say “more” and she insisted on screaming “ahh.” She howled loud enough to wake mommy, who was enjoying a much-needed late morning after being on call the night before. Fortunately the dog was barking furiously at some suspicious looking leaves in the backyard, waking her up long before Abbie had a chance to do so.
Once Abbie melts down in the high chair, she’s pretty much gone. Bringing Abbie back from a meltdown to a mental state coherent enough for speech is more difficult than blowing a 24-6 lead late in the first half at home. Fortunately she’s never too upset to grab a spoonful of food, a maneuver I accept as communication, especially in an emergency. After several minutes of cajoling and crying I offered her the spoon, and she fought back the tears to ingest her banana, calming down just in time for her milk.
The other word I give her credit for is “book,” which comes out “booh.” Every time we sit on the floor with a book, I ask if she wants to read this book. She always answers “book,” and I take it and run. If she wants to read it again, I ask the question again and always hear “book” again. It’s amazing what I can force her to do when a beloved activity is involved. I could probably teach her “dog food” and “rock” right now too.
I’m trying hard to teach her “mama” and “dada” with no luck yet. I make sure she hears both words repeatedly every day. A good time to work them in is on the way to the mailbox. I will point to myself and say “dada.” I then ask her to repeat, and to her credit she tries to say something, but unfortunately that something is “buh.” “Buh” is her response to “dada” and “mama.” It’s also her response to “dog,” “cat,” “tree,” “outside,” “aluminum siding,” and almost everything that isn’t a book or more food.
She may just need to keep hearing “mama” and “dada” repeatedly. She recently developed a game where she will point at me repeatedly, then point to herself repeatedly, and I’ll narrate her pointing.** She may be learning speech, she may be playing a game, she may be developing a sense of self and others, or she may be paying me back for putting her to sleep by expressing her dominance over me.
I’ve tried teaching her a few signs for the past couple weeks, but the only one she’s picked up is “up.” This is not surprising since “up” is one of her favorite things alongside “book,” “more,” and “outside.” She signals “up” by thrusting one arm above her head with a clenched fist. I tried teaching her to point her finger as well, but she doesn’t do pointing.
Every time I pick her up I announce “up” and point. She picked it up fairly quickly, and will now give me the “up” sign when I ask what she wants. Sometimes she surprises me by signaling up when I literally have no idea what she wants. For example, the other night we were driving home (I drove, she rode) with a trunk full of Vital Supplies. I thought she was being incredibly silly holding her hand above her head for much of the ten-minute drive. Then I remembered that, oh yeah, she hates her car seat and wants out of it.
Other times I think she surprises herself when I pick her up. For example, the times I ask what she wants while holding a book, and she signals “up.” This communication thing is hard, especially when you start a little late.
* “Dada.”
** “Dada. Abbie. Abbie. Dada. Dada. Dada, dada, dada, dada dada dada dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadada…”
posted by Matt at
10:13 PM
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