Baby Talk

Kara had been voicing some concerns about Clark being slow to talk, and so I decided to list all the words he knows, and at what level he knows them. I thought of three levels at which he has demonstrated proficiency: Some words he can say and understand, some words he can sign (baby sign language), and some words he can't say or sign - but he clearly understands.

For speaking: Momma, Dadda, baby, kitty, quack (when asked what a duck says - or when he sees a duck), bye-bye (sometimes meaning he wants to leave - other times to say good bye to someone who is leaving), wa-wa - meaning water (coupled with the sign - which he's modified to a covering of the mouth as he was wa-wa), baa (which is what a sheep says), na-na (meaning banana - I don't think I've ever heard him ask for a na-na - but if you ask him if he wants a banana - or sometimes if you show one to him - he'll start saying na-na), and more recently tickle and bubble. I think he's now saying puppy - but I'm not certain enough to put it on the list.

For signing only: more (his first sign - which is very common with baby sign), eat, help, potty, bath, brush teeth.

For understanding: ball, book, head, ear, tongue, stomp feet, bring me..., all done, door, dog, put in, take out, gentle, hug, no, shoes, clap, music, cherrio, high chair, binky, dance, coat, and....???? I suspect there's lots more that he understands - he keeps surprising us. It was a great day when he and I were in one room, and I started asking him to get me a ball, then a book, then a shoe, etc etc - and he kept leaving the room and returning with the object.

When I made the list, it made Kara (and myself, I'll admit) feel a lot better. He's got work to do on forming the words, but his understanding is great, and I suspect that since he got his teeth so late (and half are still coming in) that might have slowed him some on learning how to form the words.