It’s starting

The moment he was able to say “mommy” as a single word (read: no pause between syllables), it started --- the “talking.” It is not quite like blabbering anymore, but not yet as clear as we speak it. However, we who are with him most of the time know exactly what he means. It’s amazing how he communicates with us; if a few months ago he would take our hand to lead us to where he wants to go or what he wants to do, now he can just “say” it to us and we would understand him.

I am simply amazed at this milestone. For the past weeks, he cannot stop “talking!” (I still keep the quotation marks because it is still not the talking as we know it, so let us not get confused here…) It is such a joy to communicate with him because I know in my heart that he understands me, and he replies or answers back. And it is not a “made-up” answer… it is a real reply, as in logical and reality-based!

To first time parents who have yet to experience this, let me share what I have learned so far:
-Do not underestimate your child’s ability to understand you. Even as early as weeks old, talk to him like you would to a normal adult. Narrate the day’s events to him. Even if he does not so much grunt or coo, just go on talking.
-When he gets a little older and starts to blabber, engage him in conversation, meaning ask him something and give him time to respond. Maintain eye contact, and sometimes, you can even exaggerate your movements and tone of voice. In time, he will get to learn to finish your sentences, as long as you give him response time. Never mind if they are just unintelligible sounds! This simply means your child is expressing his desire to communicate with you.
-When he learns to point, he will become more expressive. If you have picture books, point to him each picture and say the name. Sometimes, he will point and look at you to say the name of the picture. In time, he will point AND say the name, even if it is just the last syllable or just sounds like the real word.
-Make it a point to introduce new people by name. Bonus point for people who visit your child regularly or whom your child regularly sees or has contact with. In time, he will be calling them by the last syllable of their name, or something that sounds like. Tip: in the presence of your child, call the person how you want your child to call the person, e.g., Tatay, Lolo, Tita Gigi, etc.

Right now, Aren is in the last-syllable or sounds-like stage. Offhand, some of his one syllable words lately are dilk (milk hahah this is the cutest!), tay (tatay rands), bye, dit (pancit).

Some of his two syllable words aside from mommy are Iya (Ate Ria), Didi (Tita Gigi), rara (dog, my current project is to correct this!), bi-truh (big truck or other form of transpo), ba-uhm (bathroom), ee-ee (wee-wee).

Yes, he has three syllables, but these are just contracted forms: ba-ba-bus (bbye bus), boo-rara (peekaboo dog), mommy-tay (mommy and tatay), ya-ya-dig (yah yah tigidig-tigidig when playing horse with mommy or tatay).

I am amazed by the fact that I actually understand him even if his words may not mean anything to other people. If he “speaks” a new word, I ask him to point to it, or if it cannot be pointed to, I ask him to repeat it and I wrack my brains for what it may mean. Then most of the time, I get it. Then I smile… it means we have a connection… I understand him.