STANLEY SAYS...

An offshoot if you like from the original Stanley Style posts. It is mainly for me I guess to remember the funny little things he says. there has been so many already, I'm worried I'll forget them so here on my blog is always a good place to put them. He is forming complete sentences now, some as long as 7 or 10 words, which is just so sweet to hear. Just this morning he told me "go in the kitchen make a cup of tea mummy!" I can sense him practising now when he speaks, almost realising what word to put with what. He often corrects himself too, if at first in his sentence he is not happy with a word he'll say it again but try something else. It certainly makes my life easier (and his), to understand him and have no frustration with him not being able to tell me what he wants. Tantrums in that department are certainly few. It is funny really he seems to have enjoyed getting his language into shape, whereas physical he is not as able as some other toddlers when we go to the park. He is cautious with activities and running etc. He never wants to go down a slide or be particularly daring on climbing frames. He still calls out for me to help him step down the smallest of steps I'm sure he could manage. It is funny isn't it the way children develop, what they get good at first, it varies so much from one to the next! Please share with me if you want to any little things your little ones are saying, I'm finding it so fun, plus they may come in handy for me creating future stories!!

CATCHPHRASE

My little mister is a chatterbox, a parrot, a babbler, a windbag, a copycat and very talkative. He is definitely communicative, stringing together all sorts of words he knows to make up various short sentences. He's getting pretty vocal indeed and pretty good at communicating what he wants from life! (Read bossy boots!)

Favourite phrases are:
I do that || I like that || this way || that way || cup of tea || mummy shower || mummy cup of tea || mummy do that // mummy big yuddle // yuddle Mr.Moo Mummy (his cuddly cow toy) || that one on // that one back // bye bye bin men || that one daddy's/mummy's/stanley's || NO betty || it in mouth (when he's finished eating) // I wuv you // daddy bicycle, vroom vroom (Ben goes to the train station to work on a bike!) || I like "....." and then a various amount of things he likes, the most popular being 'cake' 'biscuits' and 'homebase' which for those of you not living in the UK is a DIY store??!!!

"1,3,8" is his method of counting. Everything. He seems really against the number 2. And no matter how matter times I say 1, 2, 3. He will always reply with 1, 3, 8?!

He repeats almost everything I or anyone says to him. We are having to be so careful round the house with what we say and what language we use! (I've always been a keen swearer I'm afraid!) He's pretty good at "please" and "thank you" now which is nice. In fact just recently he's been saying 'thank you Mummy' really clearly if I set down a treat, or a snack, or help him with something. Completely unpromted to do so - it's so heart warming! He struggles to pronounce his 'c's and his 'k's' which I guess is pretty normal. So some words like cuddle come out as "yuddle". And milk is pronounced more like "malt"! I find most of these developmental stages fascinating, but this language for me has been the most interesting. I can almost see and sense him practising words and short phrases. No wonder it is a good idea to teach children another language at an early age as they have no fear about failing and are happy to go round chanting little things until they get it absolutely right. I'm just a bit miffed I can't teach him a second language!

Between 18 months and 2 years they are supposed to be constructing 2-3 word sentences, and that is certainly what Stanley is up too. They are supposed to understand as many as 200 words, many of which are nouns, and learn up to 10 new words a day! It makes me wonder if I should try and expand my volcabulary a bit. In stead of just saying, "yes what a big truck". Should I perhaps say what an enmoromous truck. What do think, do any of you with little ones try and be more inventive with how you describe things. I am in my day job quite creative with language (and of course imagery) but I feel like I almost should be teaching him a wee bit more now. Perhaps I need to read up on some pre-school teachings. Maybe some Montessori style activities and learnings. Do any of you have any good recommendations? I certainly don't want to go down something tedious and stern (for him or me) but I would like to improve his language and skills in a fun way, especially as he seems to enjoy it too.

WORDS

i'm not a big one on worrying much on development levels at certain ages. on when stanley can do something. like recently - well in the last week or so, he's only learnt to walk. i know there is no 'normal' as such and i'm really not a competitive mumma. i am however enjoying his language development though. i find it interesting on seeing what he picks up, what he remembers to the next day, and how he says things in his own little way. here's a little list of how we are doing so far. so lovely to be able to communicate a bit with him!

eeow - whenever he sees our cat or anything related to the cat.
bettesh - betty the cat
ome - home. he says this now when we get home, or even near. and he also says it when we go round my parents house or my in laws house. very sweet.
teesch - teeth
dadee - daddy
mumma - me!
up - for things that are up, or when he wants something to go back in it's correct place. this was his first word, and other than meow his favourite!
all - ball
oof oof - woof woof for all dog spotting
apple - apple. weirdly this is the one thing he's says 'properly'. and yet it's not really something i go round saying a lot?!!!

then of course there is all sorts of general screaming etc to get anything else he might want ;) but i'm enjoying working all these things out. it is sweet and nice to teach him new things.