Let's work on Language Development

Parents as Teachers visited yesterday and pretty much told us what we already knew: Ben is a baby of few words.

PAT is a free program through local public school districts that makes home visits and evaluates children from birth to three years old. They check off reached milestones and suggest learning games and activities to get kids and families started on the right track. I always appreciate the suggestions and highly recommend the program.

There are four areas of evaluation: Motor, Intellectual, Social and Language and for kids 14-24 months Ben is doing great in every area... except language. His motor skills are on par with most two-year-olds. He shows great patients and intellect in problem solving, but he's still a baby of few words.

He currently says, "duh." for both dad and dog - and we should all admit it's a little ironic that he interchanges the same word for Chuck and Brandy. He says, "key," for kitty and that's about it for real words. He also says, "goya goya" and "githem" and "booya booya booya booya booya booya ish".

Most kids his age have a vocabulary of 20 or more words. Take Evie, she commentates on everything Ben does and she's six weeks younger. He was pointing to her eye - ok, trying to poke her eye - and she sat there patiently saying, "Eye. Eye. Eye."  As Ben slides down the stairs at lightning speed, she says, "Wow." this is especially funny because she uses a mom voice drawing out her vowels like she's really proud of him.

Despite Ben's short list of words, I'm not concerned. Ben seems to understand what's going on around him and he consistently signs "please." He even sweeps his hand across his chest when Brandy comes between him and a favorite toy. He sits down when I ask him to and he runs away when I say, "It's time to change your diaper."

I'm sure he's learning and knows more than I recognize. It's probably just a matter of time before he's asking me 400 questions a day and I'm longing for these days of sweet silence - or semi-silence. Until then, we'll keep practicing. Where's Duh?