Words

I don't have any new photos to add to this post (sorry) but I wanted to write it down before I forgot. Tonight at the dinner table our conversation was so hilarious! Sterling and I had been chatting earlier about Will's language. He says words that sound very much like the actual word, but he says it with his mouth closed and from the back of his throat. It comes out sounding like the 'wah, wah, wah' noise. But we have listened to it long enough that his speech is almost perfectly intelligible.  Haha. Tonight, though, we were trying to get him to actually SAY the word for real.

"Say 'ball' Will."
"uh-uh" (from the back of his throat)
"Please, Will say 'ball'."
Ruthie: "Will, I'll say 'ball'. Ball. Now you say it Will."
Will: "Bah"
*lots of cheering and clapping, and Ruth (this is my favorite) would say "Good job saying 'ball' Will, good job!"

"Say 'mama' Will."
"uh-huh" (several times)
Finally, "MA-ma" (it comes out very sing-songy)
*more cheering and clapping and commendations from Ruthie

This continued for the words 'uh-oh' and 'go' and 'down'. The words 'bye' and 'hi' got a LOT of intense waving, over and over again, until he finally did say 'bye'. Then we tried for a long time to get him to say 'please' which led to a LOT of intense signing, especially since he really did want another brownie, but he never did say it. As an after thought I asked him to say 'truck' and he said 'GUh' with gusto, which is pretty much the same exact thing, right? Haha.

So, he officially has seven words that actually come out of his mouth when it is OPEN. Then he has an entire language from the back of his throat. I kind of don't want his language to go away, it's the best. Along with his flat feet padding along our tile/wood floors and his sly kisses and hugs that he thinks he can give to get away with anything and everything. The other day I even said that he was still in trouble even if he gave me a kiss, so he peered at my face and then starting patting my hair. What do you do with that? Man, I melted on the spot. Also his deep-throated giggle. It sounds so boyish and so babyish all at the same time and I'm pretty sure it's the best sound anyone has ever heard in their lives. Another thing he does right now that I really love is sing songs. Ruth sings constantly (that's not an exaggeration, I promise...she gets it from both of us) and so when Will isn't yelling in annoyance at her, he's picking up on it. He can sing "up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky" with the exact pitches and sounds that you know EXACTLY what he is singing, even though he doesn't have the precise words. Oh, and I just remembered, he still falls asleep in his high chair when we swim all morning--I die every time! His head starts bobbing and then his eyes get half-lidded and he gets this dorky smile on his face right before he falls asleep. It's the best.

Oh I love that little man. As much as I'd love a little better communication, I can't help but hope that he'll stay this way forever!

PS I am always trying to remember Ruth's pronunciations because they are adorable, so here is one. She says 'tomorrow' as 'two-mar-yo' and it is the cutest.

PPS A while ago our bishop's wife told me that she bribes her daughter to stay in bed at night. They'll give her a whole popsicle if she doesn't come into their bed. I thought to myself, GENIUS! Ruth had, out of nowhere, started crying when we put her to bed at nights. Not just little sniffles but screaming like she was getting beaten to death and was on the verge of hysteria screams. Forever. Not fun. Especially since our neighbors can hear. (Side note, they have a three month old and about three times last night and twice today I went running upstairs thinking my baby was crying, only to realize it was coming from their apartment, haha.) So I started telling Ruth she can have a glass of chocolate milk if she doesn't cry when we put her to bed at night. Guess what?!?! It totally works! To think that one little glass of milk can do what hours of stroking, singing, laying beside her, soothing, and lets be honest, threatening and reprimanding could not. We've still had a couple of nights, but even those have been way better. Tonight as we sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (always the last song on the growing list of songs) she says "Mom, I will stay in bed and sing songs to Will so he doesn't cry so we can have chocolate milk." Awww, so sweet! (Not that Will cries, but it's the thought that counts.) So yeah, I guess that just goes to show that I am not above bribery. She's happy and I'm happy and everyone goes to sleep happily around here once again.