Today, Sophia had her 15-months check-up (at almost 17-months that is). I kind of had to chuckle when our pediatrician asked if she says about 4-5 words. I said, more like 40-50. Maybe he thought I was exaggerating, but Sophia immediately showed off some of her vocab, and he actually was impressed, not only with how much she talked, but how clearly. I do think that those baby signing DVDs I've let her watch have definitely made a great impact, but I think she's just a talker regardless, and it's fun to see her explode with tons of signs and tons of words in English and German. And to top it all off, today, when I tried to carry her out of our bedroom so Henry could study, she leaned down to Papa, gave him a kiss, then blew him a kiss and then...said 'I love you'. She's said 'I love you' before, but not as much in a setting where I felt she really completely understood and communicated the meaning of it. Today, I'm sure this was the case. And I was jealous. Oh well. I'm sure my time will come - hopefully.
And, while this will be super boring for everyone else, or may seem like a show off, I just like to keep some sort of record of her current vocab. No wait. I just like lists. So there.
book/Buch
read
milk/Milch
cheese/Kaese
cracker
cookie
more/mehr
sleep/schlafen
bike
doggie
Hase
birdie
Grandma/Grandpa/Oma/Opa
Meike
Martin
Tobi
Mama
Papa
Kari
Darcie
Bailey
Amelie
Joe
Avery
Massachusetts/Boston
Alaska
bread/Brot
yellow
thank you
tomato
please/bitte
horsie
shoe/Schuhe
socks
coat/Jacke
bath/baden
Baer
Katze/meow
eat/essen
Sophia
beten
Amen
Jesus
apple
banana
Reis
Mais
guys
cool
alright!!
Nase
Auge
mouth
Tiger
Nackedei
Brille
no!!!!!!/nein
Wasser/water
bottle/Flasche
I love you
high five
bye-bye
Tschuess
Hallo
night-night
Spange
Haare
potty
hug
Kuss
Schneemann
Zaehne
wash/waschen
dirty
Auto
cereal
Himbeer
Erdbeer
happy
I like
hungry
Ente/duck
all gone
mouse/Maus
Wow, this is a hundred words or something, and that's not counting the words she signs but doesn't say. That's crazy. I'd say we definitely fulfilled the 4-5 word criteria. I guess we have either a little over achiever or those baby signing time DVDs are really awesome. Actually, I do think they are really awesome. Sophia definitely totally loves them, and has picked up tons of words from those. And I love just being able to communicate so much with her. What a fun age.
Oh yeah...I also forgot balloon, ball and probably 20 other words. It is so fun to watch them grow. This also makes me wonder how much of a difference it makes when you spend time with your kids versus dumping them in day care. Sophia's vocabulary may be unusually large, but I know that a lot of other kids here her age, also have quite a few words already. But, in day care, I remember that most kids this age very literally had no words to 4-5 words. To me it just seems to confirm again that when you put your baby in day care, you don't do them a favor, no matter how much day cares are trying to sell it as an 'educational' experience. It's not.
I'm sure she's much better off than in day care but its probably as much to do with her own personality as anything else (for example, I noticed she knows a lot of names which indicates she is a very people oriented and social person). Thaddeus is only a month younger than she is and probably barely has 5 spoken words (and a dozen or so additional signs) and they aren't even that understandable. He is at home with the attention of 2 grown ups and older siblings speaking to him all day and a 3rd grown up when Abe gets home from work. My other children all spoke much more and sooner but all were raised in the same home environment. I think he is just a more introverted child and not as interested in communicating. You have to be careful with taking all the credit :-)--you'll find as you have more children that so much of it is just individual talents and strengths. My first child was potty trained at 17 months and I was so proud of myself and thought I had it all figured out. And then my 2nd child wasn't out of diapers until he was 3 years old and had to keep wearing pull-ups at night for awhile after because he sleeps like a log and kept wetting the bed. Same mom--same techniques--different kid, and it just didn't work the same way. But you do have a wonderfully sweet and smart girl that you can be proud of and that you are raising the best that you know how.
well, I definitely don't think that I as a mom have much to do with Sophia's vocab. And, I'm sure her personality plays a big part here. You're right, every kid is different and so this may not mean much. But, there are other things as well that just make me wonder how much day care environment may set kids back instead of helping them learn. Maybe this isn't the best example, but I still think day care is bad, and doesn't promote learning. :) Also, Thaddeus is a boy, and as a introverted boy with lots of older siblings (which I've heard slows speech while oldest kids usually learn faster) and at 16-months he still has 4-5 words. Most of my day-care kids that age couldn't say anything, even the girls. The most talkative girl (and the one I know got the most attention at home) had maybe 5-10 words, the rest said nothing or maybe 2-3 words if that much. It just seems suspicious to me.
With that said, anything awesome my daughter does, probably has never/rarely anything to do with me. I think that my views of myself are far too poorly to ever think anything good is because of me. I actually think it's the signing DVDs mixed with Sophia's personality. And Daddy's superior genes. ;)
A gal from Germany, a guy from California, another BYU love story, 1 bunny named Killer, 2 little girls, 3 degrees, 4 bikes, books in every corner, drawings on the wall, music and dancing, vegetable garden on the balcony, chocolate and prosciutto, pitched tents in the living rooms, cloth diapers in the bathroom, laundry piles in the bedroom, unvaccumed stair way, unironed clothes, lots of hugs, a bunch of tears, some heart ache, some fights, some disappointments, much joy, lots of traveling, nightmares and night cuddles, trips to the ER - swearing included, diarrhea disasters in public bathrooms, marathons, bike rides, prayers, faith, hope and hopefully some charity. Happiness.
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8 comments:
You forgot nice. It is so fun to watch them grow. Good job Sophia.
Oh yeah...I also forgot balloon, ball and probably 20 other words. It is so fun to watch them grow. This also makes me wonder how much of a difference it makes when you spend time with your kids versus dumping them in day care. Sophia's vocabulary may be unusually large, but I know that a lot of other kids here her age, also have quite a few words already. But, in day care, I remember that most kids this age very literally had no words to 4-5 words. To me it just seems to confirm again that when you put your baby in day care, you don't do them a favor, no matter how much day cares are trying to sell it as an 'educational' experience. It's not.
that IS a lot of words, especially for a bilingual child! :)
Wow, I think the only English words our twins spoke before they started nursery were No and Aliza (can I count my name as an English word?).
I'm sure she's much better off than in day care but its probably as much to do with her own personality as anything else (for example, I noticed she knows a lot of names which indicates she is a very people oriented and social person). Thaddeus is only a month younger than she is and probably barely has 5 spoken words (and a dozen or so additional signs) and they aren't even that understandable. He is at home with the attention of 2 grown ups and older siblings speaking to him all day and a 3rd grown up when Abe gets home from work. My other children all spoke much more and sooner but all were raised in the same home environment. I think he is just a more introverted child and not as interested in communicating. You have to be careful with taking all the credit :-)--you'll find as you have more children that so much of it is just individual talents and strengths. My first child was potty trained at 17 months and I was so proud of myself and thought I had it all figured out. And then my 2nd child wasn't out of diapers until he was 3 years old and had to keep wearing pull-ups at night for awhile after because he sleeps like a log and kept wetting the bed. Same mom--same techniques--different kid, and it just didn't work the same way. But you do have a wonderfully sweet and smart girl that you can be proud of and that you are raising the best that you know how.
well, I definitely don't think that I as a mom have much to do with Sophia's vocab. And, I'm sure her personality plays a big part here. You're right, every kid is different and so this may not mean much. But, there are other things as well that just make me wonder how much day care environment may set kids back instead of helping them learn. Maybe this isn't the best example, but I still think day care is bad, and doesn't promote learning. :) Also, Thaddeus is a boy, and as a introverted boy with lots of older siblings (which I've heard slows speech while oldest kids usually learn faster) and at 16-months he still has 4-5 words. Most of my day-care kids that age couldn't say anything, even the girls. The most talkative girl (and the one I know got the most attention at home) had maybe 5-10 words, the rest said nothing or maybe 2-3 words if that much. It just seems suspicious to me.
With that said, anything awesome my daughter does, probably has never/rarely anything to do with me. I think that my views of myself are far too poorly to ever think anything good is because of me. I actually think it's the signing DVDs mixed with Sophia's personality. And Daddy's superior genes. ;)
Oh, and welcome back to commenting on my blog. :)
It has everything to do with me. I'm with her at least 1.5 hours a day. :)
Henry
No, it is all from her grandma.
Wow! I love that you even remembered them.
I have about 7 I need her to teach me. Erdbeer is the only one I can remember.
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