It's proven to be quite handy to have a bus stop outside our front door. Initially, it was handy for taking the bus. Then, it was handy because Tavish liked to stare out the window and point at buses. Now, it sets the stage for a celebration that signals the end of a long Daddy-less day ...
MOMENT: A Shout-out from the Inside - Out
Tom's arrival home from work garners great excitement from Tavish. For Tom, he always sees the silent version from outside the window. I decided to add some sound perspective to his homecoming as heard from the inside. It's a moment worth embracing for.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
ABCs
Tavish knows his ABCs. Well, his wooden alphabet puzzle anyway. He'll pour the pieces onto the floor, pick up an arbitrary letter, make it's sound and put it into it's correct spot. He's obviously a quick study because we haven't intentionally taught it to him. Tonight Tavish showed us that his alphabet knowledge goes beyond just those puzzle pieces.
MOMENT: "Same - Same"
Tavish and I were playing around on the floor, doing some drawing/colouring and using the magnetic board. He was identifying anything I would draw including: oveh (oven), frij (fridge), foohn (phone), canule (candle) - which he'd 'blow out' and I'd erase it (chuckle), teeh (tree), teeh tahr taugh (tree star top) - yeah, it's impressive. Then I glanced over to the disheveled pieces of alphabet heaped on the floor and started to write letters on the board. He'd collect the wooden letter to match the one I'd drawn, hold the puzzle piece to the magnetic board and proudly announce "same - same!". Here's a demo that will leave you asking: what the "f"?!? Um, guess it's time to really start watching our 'p's and 'q's.
FLASHBACK: Oval Only
This video was taken just over a month ago. It occured to me to look for it because of the puzzle theme of this post. The reason it's a 'flashback' is because he has changed so much verbally in this short time. Our Tavish is now a talker - he says all of the shapes without prompting and colours too. Granted, it is seldom the correct colour unless something is 'boo' (blue) or 'leloo' (yellow), but he has the words for them now. It sure is hard to puzzle together how colourful his vocabulary is these days! haha.
MOMENT: "Same - Same"
Tavish and I were playing around on the floor, doing some drawing/colouring and using the magnetic board. He was identifying anything I would draw including: oveh (oven), frij (fridge), foohn (phone), canule (candle) - which he'd 'blow out' and I'd erase it (chuckle), teeh (tree), teeh tahr taugh (tree star top) - yeah, it's impressive. Then I glanced over to the disheveled pieces of alphabet heaped on the floor and started to write letters on the board. He'd collect the wooden letter to match the one I'd drawn, hold the puzzle piece to the magnetic board and proudly announce "same - same!". Here's a demo that will leave you asking: what the "f"?!? Um, guess it's time to really start watching our 'p's and 'q's.
FLASHBACK: Oval Only
This video was taken just over a month ago. It occured to me to look for it because of the puzzle theme of this post. The reason it's a 'flashback' is because he has changed so much verbally in this short time. Our Tavish is now a talker - he says all of the shapes without prompting and colours too. Granted, it is seldom the correct colour unless something is 'boo' (blue) or 'leloo' (yellow), but he has the words for them now. It sure is hard to puzzle together how colourful his vocabulary is these days! haha.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Ups and Downs
There is so much to this sentiment during a toddler-filled day. There are the emotional ups and downs (heehee, waaaaah); the necessary ups and downs (awake, asleep); the physical ups and downs (pick up, put down); and the best ones - the exploratory ups and downs ...
MOMENT: What Goes Up Must Come Down
What a phenomenon! And one that Tavish likes to experience over and over and over again. The best part? He narrates while he's doing it. Fun.
MOMENT: What Goes Up Must Come Down
What a phenomenon! And one that Tavish likes to experience over and over and over again. The best part? He narrates while he's doing it. Fun.
One of These Things is Not Like the Other
Tavish's language has really taken off. Every day is a showcase of new words. He is even linking words: "moe. pa-tah. peease." (more pasta please). Really, it's unbelievable - we had no idea he knew so many words. I'm sure I'll get a video on here at some point to demonstrate the clarity of his speech, but this post is to commemorate the words that are a little less clear, but spoken with conviction.
MOMENT: The "Wahs" and the "Fahs"
Sometimes Tavish uses creative licence and artistic authority to communicate with us. It requires experience, context, and some patience (for him and us) to get the message clearly. Without the perfect balance of these things, you're putting on Tavish's shoes for a walk while he wails for more wrap (and is miffed that you don't get it). Consider this a helpful guide for Tavish-talk.
It occured to me that this would make an excellent post when Tom and I had this conversation:
Tom: hey that sounded like "muffin" when Tavish says it.
Kath: you mean "fuh-fuh"?
Tom: yeah, which kinda sounds like his "Chomper" too.
Kath: no, that's "fuh-fur"
Tom: oh
Kath: not to be confused with "fih-fih" which is "Sophie"
So, was I right? Good blog post?
MOMENT: The "Wahs" and the "Fahs"
Sometimes Tavish uses creative licence and artistic authority to communicate with us. It requires experience, context, and some patience (for him and us) to get the message clearly. Without the perfect balance of these things, you're putting on Tavish's shoes for a walk while he wails for more wrap (and is miffed that you don't get it). Consider this a helpful guide for Tavish-talk.
It occured to me that this would make an excellent post when Tom and I had this conversation:
Tom: hey that sounded like "muffin" when Tavish says it.
Kath: you mean "fuh-fuh"?
Tom: yeah, which kinda sounds like his "Chomper" too.
Kath: no, that's "fuh-fur"
Tom: oh
Kath: not to be confused with "fih-fih" which is "Sophie"
So, was I right? Good blog post?
Monday, December 13, 2010
Feeling Festive
It's true, the season comes to life even more with a toddler in the house. We picked up our wee-tree this weekend and it's been a hit ever since. There has been Santa hat wearing, ornament hanging (mostly near the front at the bottom), seasonal song singing and of course, photo taking by a proud parent ...
MOMENT: Everyone is a Photographer
The natural light in the diningroom is perfect, and the price of a few old white sheets is right. So, Mommy went to town - seasons greetings from our festive little fella!
A "Noooo" Musical Meal
Tavish has finally discovered "NO"! Yay! I know we should be careful what we wish for, but it was frustrating for him to only be able to communicate 'yes'. True, it was nice to have a 'yes' child while it lasted, but he's getting the hang of how and when to use 'no'. For awhile there, he had it backwards:
T: "milk?" (sign language)
ME: "you'd like some milk?"
T: "noooo? noooo?" (vehiment head shaking)
ME: "okay, Mommy will put the milk back in the fridge"
T: "Waahhh" (stomp, stomp, 'milk')
So yeah, he's come along way from 'no' being a blank stare, to head shaking for no reason, to 'nooooo? nooooo?' when he meant yes, and finally to appropriately using 'no' when he actually means it. Ahh, communication is key.
MOMENT: Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock
He has also really taken to singing lately. He jumps up from my lap to do actions during storytime at the Library and makes requests including: Row, Row, Row your boat, Old MacDonald and Tick, Tock - Here we are Together as enjoyed at the table in this video with a touch of an authentic (and appropriate) 'nooo' thrown in for good measure:
T: "milk?" (sign language)
ME: "you'd like some milk?"
T: "noooo? noooo?" (vehiment head shaking)
ME: "okay, Mommy will put the milk back in the fridge"
T: "Waahhh" (stomp, stomp, 'milk')
So yeah, he's come along way from 'no' being a blank stare, to head shaking for no reason, to 'nooooo? nooooo?' when he meant yes, and finally to appropriately using 'no' when he actually means it. Ahh, communication is key.
MOMENT: Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock
He has also really taken to singing lately. He jumps up from my lap to do actions during storytime at the Library and makes requests including: Row, Row, Row your boat, Old MacDonald and Tick, Tock - Here we are Together as enjoyed at the table in this video with a touch of an authentic (and appropriate) 'nooo' thrown in for good measure:
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Giving a Hand
This was a Sunday of giving for Tavish - a helping hand for his digging Daddy and a standing ovation for "Hey Buster", a neighbourhood children's band ...
MOMENT: Helping Hand
"We" took on the big project of moving a tree from the backyard to the front this weekend. I think that "we" appreciated the break and 'help' from Tavish as much as Tavish appreciated helping. I was pooped just watching ...
MOMENT: Musical Appreciation
We hustled to a cd release party post-nap and arrived to much hustling about from the large under 3 feet crowd in attendance. It was overwhelming, but Tavish was a trooper. We secured a safe spot on the floor to watch the band. Tavish watched intently and stood instinctively at the end of each song to applaud. When they took a break, he repeatedly said "thank you" (sign language) to the band members from across the room. He would tap his head emphatically (hat) and point to one of the singers - guess he was most thankful to the one wearing a hat. I think "Hey Buster" found a new fan to add to their list of toddling groupies.
MOMENT: Helping Hand
"We" took on the big project of moving a tree from the backyard to the front this weekend. I think that "we" appreciated the break and 'help' from Tavish as much as Tavish appreciated helping. I was pooped just watching ...
MOMENT: Musical Appreciation
We hustled to a cd release party post-nap and arrived to much hustling about from the large under 3 feet crowd in attendance. It was overwhelming, but Tavish was a trooper. We secured a safe spot on the floor to watch the band. Tavish watched intently and stood instinctively at the end of each song to applaud. When they took a break, he repeatedly said "thank you" (sign language) to the band members from across the room. He would tap his head emphatically (hat) and point to one of the singers - guess he was most thankful to the one wearing a hat. I think "Hey Buster" found a new fan to add to their list of toddling groupies.
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