Oliver’s going through one of those spurts - one of those times where it seems like he’s learning about 20 new things everyday. It’s so amazing to watch. In the past month he’s gone from following directions to babbling more to FINALLY trying to talk. A few weeks ago he started saying Dada... very quietly and only when prompted. I would say: “Say Dada” and he would say Dada. When I would say: “Say Mama,” he would say “Baba.” Close enough for me. But last week he finally found his M’s and started to say Mama when prompted. On Wednesday, our friend Liz came over and Oliver said her name when asked to (it came out Diz but whatever). On Friday morning we had a major breakthrough. Oliver woke up early and Brian went in to get him and play with him while I slept in a little. Twenty minutes after he got up he ran to our bedroom door, started banging on the door and cried: “Mama! Mama! Mama!” It was the most amazing wake up call ever. On Friday afternoon Brian brought Oliver into the bookstore before he started his shift. He hung out in my office with both of us for awhile but then it was time for Brian to get to work. He left the office and Oliver spent a good 15 minutes walking around the offices calling for Dada. It was a little heartbreaking but also kinda cool. He finally knows our names and how to call us! Too cool!
Since then he’s been trying out more and more words. He even managed to say Grandmama to my mother yesterday (I’m pretty sure she would buy him a car right now if he could figure out how to ask she was so excited). Today he picked up the word “No-no” so that will be fun. It’s just been amazing to watch and listen to him this week - he’s finally mimicking us and trying to talk. Such a relief. Hopefully the pediatrician will think it’s good progress when we go in for his 18 month check up next week.
Oliver’s still great at his receptive language skills. He follows directions (when he wants to) and is starting to understand the concept of “one more time” or “one more bite” or “one more minute.” When we go to the park he is obsessed with the slide - the long twisty slide from this video:
He runs up the stairs and flies down that slide over and over again. It’s impressive. It can get a little hairy when it’s time to go, however, since he loves the slide. The past two times I’ve taken him I’ve told him that he can go down “one more time” and he has held up his index finger, run up the stairs, gone down the slide and started off to the car. At dinner I can get him to drink milk (cow’s milk!) by asking him to take one sip between bites. Granted, he’s got to be in the mood to follow these directions but it’s been nice to have some moments where we can “bargain” with him or reduce the stress when we change activities.
In other news, we are finally moving forward on an attempt at full weaning. The past two nights I have put Oliver to bed at night without nursing him, which means that for the first time in his life he’s gone days without breast milk without me having to leave town. It’s bittersweet but it is definitely time (and, admittedly it’s been easier so far than I had imagined). The last two nights he didn’t even cry when I refused to nurse him. I just changed our routine a little bit by reciting a different story and he laid his head on my chest and let me rock him before putting him down.
So, that’s a taste of what’s been up with us. Once again, I apologize for the radio silence.
No comments:
Post a Comment