Saturday, August 1, 2009

speak!

Why is it I'm the only one NOT hearing my children say words. My mother in law, husband, nannies, and apparently everyone else are convinced they've heard words come out of my childrens' mouths and all I can think is...."wishful thinking." I hear a close approximation of a syllable that may or may not be them imitating what's coming out of your mouth but I wouldn't call it a word folks. You say 'shoe' A says 'so' or 'sho' and you call that saying 'shoe?' Hmm.

Am I just too hardline? Should I accept a marginal syllable as a word? I mean we are getting pretty desperate here with almost a year and a half gone by and not a word to be found. Other than the usual 'mama' and 'dada' which can be used for at least half a dozen different things other than mom and dad. Sure, triplets take their time and it's quite clear that they understand one another and follow directions and know the parts of their bodies, so I know they aren't 'slow.' But this lack of words is starting to drive me nuts. I keep counting down to their 18 month dr appointment saying we have to get some words by then or we're going to look bad!

I do not want to need intervention, my kids are clearly smart, but perhaps we're just so good at interpreting what they need without words that they have little need to try them. Sigh. Is it time to whip out the flash cards? I am so not a high pressure mom and our pediatrician is just the same and always makes me stop worrying but come on kids! I need a word! Not just 'ba' for ball, I need a complete word like 'up' or 'baby.'

Speak dammit! Speak!

5 comments:

  1. ditto, LOL. But my three know about a dozen signs and consistently use about half of that so pedi says they don't feel the need to talk because they have other ways to make themselves understood. She said it in a way that I interpreted as "Stop teaching them signs!" I think not. Until they started the "diaper change" sign, I had to rely on the ole peak-n-sniff move. So not returning to that!

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  2. At my house "ba" does count as "ball". As does "nana" for "banana" and "mo" for "more". I'll take what I can get! By the way, love your labels--my favorite being "mellow out" :)

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  3. You have finally stirred a reaction out of me!
    You know I truly believe that they are saying words.

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  4. okay, I'm trying to remember because my kids are 20/23. But it seems to be that they knew words and perhaps didn't speak them clearly but they knew dog, cat, mama, dada, juice, etc. but they didn't really start talking until they were around 20-22 months old. In fact now that I remember, my son was 2 years and 2 months old when it started clicking because I remember it was in May (his birthday is March) and I remember getting a headache because both of them were talking at the same time. Before when he would babble I didn't have to concentrate on it, but when he started actually saying words, then I listened, along with his sister; and I remember I had to teach him to wait his turn to talk. Its good to ask the doctor at their checkup, but if they babble and understand things, I would think they are making good progress. (BTW my son was born 6 weeks early)

    and when yours start speaking, you'll be like "why did I wish this" LOL

    betty

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  5. Mine only say momma and dadda too at 13 months. But ba does count as ball, G does do that. So I think it counts!! =)

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