Dear Gatito,
Today you are 13 months old. It is truly amazing to me how much you continue to change. This time last year, you were just a cozy little thing who couldn’t do anything except eat and cry, and now you’re a real boy!
After several months of very gradual change, this month saw some real breakthroughs. You learned to clap, to turn around and crawl down the stairs (or slip off the bed) backwards, and to stand without props, though you don’t enjoy this at all. You can walk pushing something steady, like a chair or a toy, and real walking seems tantalizingly close! Will you walk in 2006? The pediatrician said some kids walk as soon as they can, even if they do it badly, and others wait until they’re ready to do it right. You, with your analytical personality, seem to fall into the latter category.
Still no spoken words, but I can practically see your comprehension growing on a daily basis. You point at everything, and we name it for you. It just feels like you’re storing up words like a squirrel stores nuts, and that once you start talking, it’s going to be huge! You are also suddenly ready for sign language, and you’ve picked up (although not completely reliably) the signs for food, milk, water, more, bird, and all done.
After four months of no new teeth, #7 made an appearance this month. Your hair grows, bit by bit, and there is now no question that it is going to be curly. It’s very hard to tame, but it’s incredibly cute all the same!
You and Crazy seem to have made your peace with each other. He isn’t
afraid of you anymore and will even sometimes approach you for a sniff.
In turn, you are basically gentle in your pats. Hippo, on the other
hand, remains more wary, but he always merits a squeal and a grin from
you!
I love you, kiddo. I’m very lucky indeed to have you in my life.
Love,
Mommy
I’m curious. How did you introduce signs to him? I was totally against this…thinking that it would delay Gideon’s ability to talk, but at this point I have said f*ck it because ANY communication would be better than NO communication, which is where we currently are.
Chalk this up to “things you never thought you’d do as a mother”…right up there with letting him eat goldish off the floor.
I’m curious. How did you introduce signs to him? I was totally against this…thinking that it would delay Gideon’s ability to talk, but at this point I have said f*ck it because ANY communication would be better than NO communication, which is where we currently are.
Chalk this up to “things you never thought you’d do as a mother”…right up there with letting him eat goldish off the floor.
It is a common myth that signs delay speech. In fact, by introducing the concept of language, it is supposed to aid speech. We have a book, Sign with Your Baby by Joseph Garcia, that explains the concept and is also basically a dictionary of signs. We also recently bought a Signing Times DVD. It’s actually the only TV Gatito watches, but it was worth it– it’s so exciting to be able to communicate!
It is a common myth that signs delay speech. In fact, by introducing the concept of language, it is supposed to aid speech. We have a book, Sign with Your Baby by Joseph Garcia, that explains the concept and is also basically a dictionary of signs. We also recently bought a Signing Times DVD. It’s actually the only TV Gatito watches, but it was worth it– it’s so exciting to be able to communicate!
Red AND curly? You’d better start ordering bars for your windows girl. That is one cute kid you have there. And your post made me all AWWW.
Signing is all good – everything I have read or been taught was that it enhances communication skills.
Happy thirteenth! He is seriously cute : 0 )
And I love the chair too. They go well together : )
Aw. A did that too with the pointing and asking for things to be named, and then her speech just exploded. So look out!
For anyone who wants to sign, get the Signing Time DVDs or see if you can find it on your local PBS station. We had enormous success with these (at one point A knew at least 50 signs although they’ve faded quite a bit now that she talks) and I liked watching them too.
Aw. A did that too with the pointing and asking for things to be named, and then her speech just exploded. So look out!
For anyone who wants to sign, get the Signing Time DVDs or see if you can find it on your local PBS station. We had enormous success with these (at one point A knew at least 50 signs although they’ve faded quite a bit now that she talks) and I liked watching them too.
Aw. A did that too with the pointing and asking for things to be named, and then her speech just exploded. So look out!
For anyone who wants to sign, get the Signing Time DVDs or see if you can find it on your local PBS station. We had enormous success with these (at one point A knew at least 50 signs although they’ve faded quite a bit now that she talks) and I liked watching them too.
For what it’s worth, Brody didn’t walk until he was 17 months. Yes, that’s right, SEVENTEEN MONTHS!
Of course, once he took those first tentative steps, it was only a matter of hours before he was running like a wildabeast.