Monday, April 8, 2013

Gordon Lee: Mr. Jabber Walky

Gordon Lee is 21 months old today. He is growing and developing so quickly that I can't even list some of the things he has learned to do.  Every day, there is something new.  Sometimes, he really shocks us with the things he can do/say. I am not sure if his speech is typical for a child his age or not.  I am thinking he is probably right where he is supposed to be.  But he seems very interested in examining language and finding the best way to communicate.

He understands the difference between singular and plural language.
He calls diapers "doctors" for some reason. However, when he sees only one, he will say, "A doctor." When he sees more than one, he says "doctors"
He calls one car "a car." When he sees several he says "cars."
The one word that confuses him right now is bus because the singular form ends in an "s." So because he doesn't know what to do, he will just say "bus and bus and bus" or "bus bus bus" when he sees several. Most of the time, he will try to say it for each one he sees.

For example, if he says something and we don't respond in the way he expects, he tries different approaches.  First, he will attempt to say it more than once just to make sure we hear him.  If we continue to not respond, he will try to say it again in a different way.  Still, if that doesn't "work" in his mind, he will then try to physically show us what he wants. He has really been enjoying going for bike rides, and he frequently asks to go.  Since his seat is attached to his daddy's bike right now, he will say, "bike seat, Dada?" asking to get in the seat for a ride.  He will then instruct his Daddy to get on the bike saying, "Sit Dada" and pointing to the seat. Directly after returning from a bike ride yesterday, Gordon Lee decided that he was not done and wanted to go back out.  So, this is how he chose to communicate.
Attempt 1: "Up Mama" "Up Dada" "Bike Seat"
Response from Daddy: "We just went for a bike ride.  We will go for another one tomorrow."
Attempt 2: He walks to the door, puts his hands on the door leaning into it and says, "bike seat bike seat"
Response from  Daddy: Same as before "We just went for a bike ride. We will go for another one tomorrow."
Attempt 3: Still standing at the door, he calls out "Bicycle! Bicycle!" in the plainest, clearest English he can produce.
Finally, after the same answer that we would not be going back out, he resorted to throwing a tantrum...which still didn't get him his way
But he DID get another bike ride the next day as promised.

Gordon Lee is CONSTANTLY jabbering away. And he is frequently asking questions. Some of his language is indiscernible, but you can tell that he is really saying something and trying to communicate based on his tone. And some things, I actually don't understand unless I happen to catch them on camera and play them back. However, there are times in the midst of his chattering where some very clear sentences and statements come out. 
Here are some of the things he has said in the clearest, plainest English.
-Coming into the driveway, he points and says, "That's Daddy's car!"
-This morning in particular he wanted to go see his daddy. When I told him daddy had already left, he said, "Where did Daddy go?" I answered "He went to get the car fixed." I showed him my missing vehicle in the driveway; however, upon seeing that his daddy's car was still sitting there, he determined I must be incorrect. So, he answered, "See Daddy's car. Where Daddy?"
So, then I took him upstairs to show him that his daddy was, in fact, gone. At this point, he responded, "But where Daddy go?" Oh my!
-Every now and then, we have a conversation that doesn't end up so cyclical. A few days ago, he told me he wanted some "nanas" for lunch.  I told him they were all gone.  He went to the kitchen counter pointing up as if they were simply out of sight. I lifted him up to show him that the bananas were all gone saying, "See, the bananas are all gone." He responded, "Oh nanas all gone."

He really shocked us on Easter Sunday when he heard a gun go off in the distance and yelled out "Gun shot!" We have no clue where he got that from.

Sometimes, I have a hard time proving that he does talk like this at times because Gordon Lee is selective about when he talks and what he says.  He is pretty shy, actually, and he usually doesn't talk around people that he doesn't see too often. He has also become very aware of when I am recording him and starts to "turn it off" when he sees me holding the phone up at him.  

Either way, at some point, he will be talking enough for everybody to hear and probably wont "turn it off" when we want him to!

I wonder if he is starting to take after his mommy in his interest and examination of the English language. Only time will tell!