Dear Michael Jackson...this is not like ABC, 123, Do Re Mi. This is me trying to teach a 16 month old how to speak. This is tough stuff. I try to put myself in her position and imagine someone speaking to me in some foreign language and expecting me to respond...for the most part she is doing really well.
As a mother, I try to devote a lot of time to doing activities with my child, especially since I am at home with her and she isn't around other children learning every day. We do shapes, words, colors, sing songs and read.
She is doing really well so far and she can say the following words:
Momma and Mommy (which is used for me and Sean, and for when she wants something)
Daddy
Bubble
Bye-bye
Night-Night
Baby (which is her blanket)
Shoes
Star
pee-pee
She can also identify her: belly, feet, hands, eyes, mouth, tongue, ears, nose and boobie :)
Of course, I don't have any other children to compare her to, but I think she is doing well for her age. Her favorite songs are "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".
Here's the challenge: Although I am at home with her, finding time to get her absolute attention is all but impossible. Between the laundry, dishes, trips to the store, runs to see Sean, naps, cooking and the precious and to far in-between shower...learning time is having to be scheduled just like everything else. So, here is a look at our conversation today:
Mom: Shelbia, did you go pee-pee? Do you need a diaper change:
SD: Pee-pee?
Mom: Yes, pee-pee! We have to change your diaper so you can go night-night.
SD: Pulls out the diaper.
Mom: Can you say Diaper?
SD: ba-boop
Mom: Diaper
SD: Pa-po
Mom: Di-a-per
SD: Me-moow
Mom: No, D-I-A-P-E-R
SD: pop-peeeee, then points to the fan and says, Gaaa-boo
I put her to sleep. Our conversations remind me a lot of this:
Honestly, I think I'll be pretty sad when she learns how to talk, because then she can talk back to me and tell me all the things I have done wrong...I can surely wait on that.
