What Can I Say?

I thought it was fitting at this point to figure out how many words Joshua is saying. When asked, my usual answer is "Uh, I don't know. Maybe about 10".

So, here is the official list:

Dada - his first word and still his favorite word. I was the one who carried him like a beach ball in my belly, yet this is his first word.

Mama

Phone - probably his first word other than Mama and Dada. (Are we in trouble?)

Hi - Usually only said when he puts the phone to his ear or an object to pretend to be the phone.

Dog

Car

Ball

Up

Down - although, I haven't heard this in awhile. Can he forget that he knows a word.

Go

No - his new favorite word. It is usually said while pointing a finger and repeated many times. "No, no, no, no no".

This

That

Go

Duck

Run

Elmo

Ut Oh - his newest word. He likes to drop his sippy cup off the highchair and say this word.

Cheerios

Banana

Some of these words, you wouldn't know it was what he was saying unless you were Keith or I.


There is back and forth with signing to a baby with the thought of it is a good way to communicate with the baby before he can speak or signing inhibits language development. Joshua does a little signing and speaks, so I think it is helpful for us. He knows the sign for more. (I think he abuses this sign as everything is more - more food, more drink, more tickles, more song, etc..), drink (he puts his finger to his mouth), milk (making the milking a cow gesture, all done (looks like "safe" in baseball. Yet, throwing his food on the floor is an even more prominent sign), and cheerios (makes an "o" with his fingers).


He also makes some animal sounds. "Moo" for cow was his first sound. He now says "woof woof woof" for a dog and will make the sound if he sees a dog in a book, on the street or if we ask. The woof woof woof sounds more like wow wow wow, so we are not sure if that is how he hears it or if that is how our Spanish-speaking nanny says it. Joshua says meow for a cat and neigh for a horse too. Basically, I sing a made up animal sound song to him, and he has picked some of the animal sounds up. I wonder if I start singing math equations to him if he will turn into a math genius?