Thursday, August 26, 2010

Jackspeak

Jack's vocabulary has multiplied this summer.  I just love his little voice and its highly entertaining to hear him spout off new words.  I started a list the other day of all the words he knows, since the doctor had suggested a certain amount by the time he turns two, and I eventually lost count.  So I think we're doing good on the whole language thing, even if it seems like all the little girls his age are having full conversations at this point. :)  Some of my favorites are:

truck - CHr-uck (major emphasis on the CH!)
car - cawr (NJ style)
shhh - sssss (make "O" with lips, curve finger and put against teeth)  This is usually when Jude is sleeping, but he does it so loudly it doesn't make much of a difference.
cow - mooo
baby - bee-bee
Jude - Jewww (the 'e' is in a high pitch)
poppa - bobba
hot - hoTTT (really pronounce that "T"!!)
cool - kewwwl (Jon thinks he says it just like me)
yes - yah or ee-yah (he just learned this one and says it all.the.time.  Oddly enough, he hasn't said "no" yet.)
fish - she? (as in fishy, but he always says it like he's asking a question)
cheese - chee
swing - swee
apple - ahh
train - tew-tew-woowoo
squirrel - girl
football - foof-baw (with plenty of spit from each "f")

I won't include the words he actually says "correctly" because they're not any fun. Mostly he just sticks to one word sentences, but I'm almost positive I heard him say "Where go?" this morning when we were looking for his shoes.  He gets very dramatic when something disappears - palms turn up, shoulders squeeze together, bottom lip goes down as eyes go up and then a double shrug of the shoulders.  It's adorable, gets me every time.  I also love his non-recognizable English babbling.  He just goes off chattering, bobbing his head, raising his eyebrows, waving his hands.  And I just pretend like I know exactly what he's talking about.  I've tried numerous times to get this on video but for some reason both my boys won't act for the camera.  Life is always at its best where there's no camera around to catch it!

Speaking of Jack (and his speaking) my almost-2-year-old is really growing up.  I don't get as sad about it anymore because it seems that things are starting to get slightly easier.  Besides, I have another baby on his heels that keeps my baby-love tank continuously full.  So I am fully enjoying this little guy who is trying so hard to be big.

He's a huge "helper."  I take advantage of this whenever possible.  I can't remember the last time I actually had to walk to the trash can to throw something away myself.  I simply hand it to Jack, say "trash" and he immediately disposes of the object.  He's quite handy.  Of course, he still likes to help sweep the floors, often cleaning up the very same mess he just made moments ago.  And he really likes to help water, er drown, the plants. I'm slowly learning that he needs to be kept busy.  Constantly.  When I'm out in the garden and I turn my back for a second, he's stepping on plants and picking green tomatoes.  But if pull weeds in between handing off rotten tomatoes one at a time to Jack and saying "trash", well I can almost get the job done.


But we're getting better.  Mommy's adjusting to life with an active, willful little boy and Jack's learning the proper way to exercise his opinion.  Sometimes I think toddlerhood took me by surprise.  But then again, so did babyhood, and motherhood as a whole.  I may have two kids, but with Jack I'll always be a first-time mom.  And sometimes the learning curve seems so steep.  Then I remember that this is how it's always been.  Two steps forward, one step back.  Progress is a spiral.  Some days I think we've finally made it, finally figured this whole thing out.  And then the next day starts off and I realize we're right back in familiar territory.  And yet somehow it's still progress.  As someone who thinks I could easily be a perpetual student, I think I've found my niche.  Mommyhood.  Where you never stop learning.

3 comments:

Meagan Duthie said...

You are so insightful. I was thinking of you the other day. My mom (who has successfully raised 6 kids to adulthood--4 boys, 2 girls) gave me a book and dvd series. The book is great, haven't watched the Dvd's yet but she loves. them. The book is called, Loving our kids on purpose. It has changed my view and aspect on parenting dramatically, it goes along with Love and Logic. Our school district offers the Love and Logic classes through the school.
One of my best friends has the Love and Logic book (not as prosaically Christian) and I have been talking to her about how to use the techniques and her handful of a 2 year old is doing much better!!!!
When I can stick to it, it works fairly well with our 13 year old too!

Unknown said...

offended. i don't say car like that.

J9 said...

Meagan - I know I've heard of that book before, I just can't think of where. I'll need to check it out, it sounds really good!

Elaine - I think he may have moved his accent further up north now. Last night he said "cah."

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