Baby Talk - Learning To Communicate

We were talking earlier this week (well, technically the mummies were talking while we babies had lunch) about speech and words and language, and our capabilities.  One yummy mummy had read that by 18 months, we should have at least discernable six words that we can use in context.

I’m getting there with my speaking, but whilst I think I’m pretty good, it seems that not all my words are technically English, so I thought it would be quite fun to record them now.  Well, Mummy thought. Some might well be absorbed into our family lexicon, but Mummy didn’t want to risk losing the others with her forgetfulness.

So, everyone have a laugh at the baby:

Bit – loosely, a biscuit but can be used for any other treaty-type thing

Dildo – next door’s cat (he’s registered at the vet as Dylan)

Knob-knob – a man.  Something I heard Daddy say and repeated; Mummy laughed so I’ve said it again

Muck – a white drink, preferably served warm

Peace – good manners, as in, “Muck. Peace,” rather than, “Muck” on its own, or, “Muck. Now!”

Poo – a universal word for any nappy bi-products

Sick – banging tunes on Daddy’s iPod, sometimes on the radio – for dancing to

Tattoo – conveys gratitude on receipt of a bit, muck, or anything else I’ve asked for

Tit – this is the command I give Hairy Dog when I’d like him to put his bottom on the ground

I have more conventional words like Mummy and Daddy, cat, bat, bird, car, all the regular animal sounds etc, but as they actually sound like the English word they’re supposed to, I guess they’re not at all funny.

CB x

Encouraging Baby To Talk

It’s been a pretty noisy weekend at our house.  I’m in full swing making all sorts of noise, desperate for someone to understand, and Mummy, bless her, really wants to comprehend my babbles.  I suppose it has all been a bit one-sided up until now, but that hasn’t discouraged Mummy, however unintelligible my mutterings sound to the untrained ear.

I understand a lot more than I can speak but I must admit that I don’t always have the faintest idea what she’s chuntering on about.  On and on, blah, blah, blah.  Chatter, chatter, chatter.

Mummy’s been very persistent with her questions.  She knows that one day I’ll answer in words and not just the gestures I go for now.  “Would you like to wear the blue trousers or the red trousers?”  “Would you like an apple or a banana?”  I’m able to point and grab now and it won’t be long till I can answer, “I’d like an apple please, Mummy.”  At least I’m gesturing now – she spent months talking to herself!

Communication is a big thing for Mummy. It’s what she does for a day job and it’s something she always enjoyed. We did baby signing classes for a while. Daddy thought is was all mumbo jumbo and wouldn’t make any difference, and if Mummy’s honest, it probably hasn’t.  It seems probable that I would have started pointing and waving anyway as part of normal development of communication.  I don’t think it’s helped me all that much that I know the sign for cat or Father Christmas but it’s been entertaining watching Mummy tell me with words and signs that she’s going to change my nappy (she looks like she’s doing the Macarena!) or run my bath (like the Wallace & Gromit energy ad.)  Still, we had a good time.

I can now accompany my wave with a jovial “Bah-bahy” and I can point and laugh at “Da-dee”.  Still no sign of the word “Mummy,” not even close, much to her annoyance and Daddy’s delight.  I’ll add more and more words to my repertoire as the weeks go by. It might be fun to keep Mummy waiting just a little bit longer though, chatting away to herself!

CB