7.20.2008
Meeting us halfway
Kent is getting to an interesting stage in his development where he seems to be able to do a lot of things halfway.
If I'm holding his wrist or the end of the spoon, he can dip a spoon into a bowl of yogurt or other thick food with assistance, then bring it up to his mouth, but if he gets distracted or just plain too excited, the spoon and/or yogurt goes flying through the air.
He likes to turn the pages of most of the books we read with him, but he often gets impatient if it takes too long to read the words on a particular page and just keeps trucking on to the next page. It ends up being pretty funny if we decide to go with it and read really fast to keep up with his pace; more often, though, I just skip some of the words. He sometimes recognizes which words go on which pages, and he'll flip back to his favorite pages, like the page in Barnyard Dance that says "Scramble with the little chicks-- CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP!" That's probably because we like to say it in a silly voice. =)
He's just started waving at us or at his own reflection some of the time, flailing about in a very excited way. I love watching him wave to himself.
He's still doing the walking thing halfway as well, taking a few steps at a time but not trusting his own balance. Crawling is a much more efficient way for him to travel at this point, so he prefers it, which is fine with us. His teacher is very eager for him to walk, believing wholeheartedly that he'll be happier at school once he's walking around, so she practices with him a lot.
He's kind of started doing his first sign, which is "more". For now, he's just sort of clapping his hands together, but he never clapped before, so I know he's trying to sign, and he'll fine-tune the motion as he observes it more. This is definitely the word we sign most often, trying to discern whether he wants "more" food when we're at the table or whether he's all done. It occurs to me that we should be using it for "more" books, "more" playing, etc., but I haven't gotten into the habit yet. Such is the case with most signing, actually, but I know some of it is getting through, and he at least gets that our hands are doing something interesting that he should be watching.
Tonight, after I finished combing his hair during story time, he picked up the comb and put it flat against his head, then started moving it up and down his forehead. I cracked up. He knew what the comb was for, but he couldn't quite make it do what I do when I'm fixing his hair. Funny bunny.
He'll get all this coordination down soon enough, but for now, it's quite endearing to watch him try to be a big boy but not quite get there.
If I'm holding his wrist or the end of the spoon, he can dip a spoon into a bowl of yogurt or other thick food with assistance, then bring it up to his mouth, but if he gets distracted or just plain too excited, the spoon and/or yogurt goes flying through the air.
He likes to turn the pages of most of the books we read with him, but he often gets impatient if it takes too long to read the words on a particular page and just keeps trucking on to the next page. It ends up being pretty funny if we decide to go with it and read really fast to keep up with his pace; more often, though, I just skip some of the words. He sometimes recognizes which words go on which pages, and he'll flip back to his favorite pages, like the page in Barnyard Dance that says "Scramble with the little chicks-- CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP!" That's probably because we like to say it in a silly voice. =)
He's just started waving at us or at his own reflection some of the time, flailing about in a very excited way. I love watching him wave to himself.
He's still doing the walking thing halfway as well, taking a few steps at a time but not trusting his own balance. Crawling is a much more efficient way for him to travel at this point, so he prefers it, which is fine with us. His teacher is very eager for him to walk, believing wholeheartedly that he'll be happier at school once he's walking around, so she practices with him a lot.
He's kind of started doing his first sign, which is "more". For now, he's just sort of clapping his hands together, but he never clapped before, so I know he's trying to sign, and he'll fine-tune the motion as he observes it more. This is definitely the word we sign most often, trying to discern whether he wants "more" food when we're at the table or whether he's all done. It occurs to me that we should be using it for "more" books, "more" playing, etc., but I haven't gotten into the habit yet. Such is the case with most signing, actually, but I know some of it is getting through, and he at least gets that our hands are doing something interesting that he should be watching.
Tonight, after I finished combing his hair during story time, he picked up the comb and put it flat against his head, then started moving it up and down his forehead. I cracked up. He knew what the comb was for, but he couldn't quite make it do what I do when I'm fixing his hair. Funny bunny.
He'll get all this coordination down soon enough, but for now, it's quite endearing to watch him try to be a big boy but not quite get there.
Labels: Kent
- posted by erica 7/20/2008 08:04:00 PM
-
Comments:
CUTE!!!
Clapping is a fairly common way kids first sign "more". So you're definitely on the right track!! When E was about 15-18 mos (i think) the sign for "help" averted many an emotional outburst. "wait a minute, I don't have to cry, I can just ask for help" *phew*
Way to go Kent!! Isn't it fun to see them get into their world even more.
Clapping is a fairly common way kids first sign "more". So you're definitely on the right track!! When E was about 15-18 mos (i think) the sign for "help" averted many an emotional outburst. "wait a minute, I don't have to cry, I can just ask for help" *phew*
Way to go Kent!! Isn't it fun to see them get into their world even more.
All that sounds about normal. Even as adults we do stuff part way on the way to mastery, especially in the muscle memory activities. I see a second step is getting the parts of the movement out of order, and then, it just clicks.
Take that combing the hair task, I still haven't gotten that down. But I'll keep working on it.
Love you all.
Ron
Take that combing the hair task, I still haven't gotten that down. But I'll keep working on it.
Love you all.
Ron
So cute! I love the developmental updates. :-) It's great that he's signing. I bet you're going to see a language explosion soon, now that he's referring to things with symbols. Have fun!
Post a Comment
<< Home
