Two days ago Elliot looked at me and put his little finger against his pursed lips and said, “Shhhhhhhhh.”
If your kid doesn’t have a speech delay, I can see how this would not seem like news. But for a word/sign/whatever to bust out of nowhere is kind of thrilling. It was clear as a bell! And, bizarrely, not anything I can recall any of us saying regularly much less trying to teach him.
He spent the next few hours shusshing all and sundry. And then… never did it again. Won’t do it.
He’s gaslighting me. (Yes, I am Ingrid Bergman in this scenario.)
A few months ago he spent a few hours calling me “Mamamama” (close enough). And never did it again.
He’s Charles Boyer, y’all.
Elliot does have a consistent and excellent roar. It’s multi-syllabic, contains lots of vowel combinations and changes in intonation. He uses it to indicate: dinosaurs, bears, dragons, all big cats, chameleons, lizards, spiders and the waitress we had last weekend with the huge, curly hair.
His speech therapist said today that his eye contact and response to his name is much better. He’s getting more comfortable with her. He’s also clearly getting more comfortable with the very kind therapy assistant because he was just full of “No” (verbal) and “Won’t” (implied) today. She was the picture of patience and did not put him upside down in a bucket, which was my inclination.
jaysaint 
Posted by Reminder: Appreciate It All | mamapundit on April 22, 2011 at 6:02 pm
[…] appreciated this gentle reminder (although I don’t actually think that was her intent) from one of my favorite bloggers […]
Posted by (ChickLit)LISA on April 22, 2011 at 11:20 pm
I’m curious. Has anyone mentioned Elliot might have Apraxia?
This might explain his expressive language delays and ability to say things one day-and not the next.
Posted by jaysaint on April 24, 2011 at 10:35 pm
I’m so glad you said that, thank you. Apraxia has been floating around in the back of my mind, and your comment helped pop it forward. I will ask his therapist on Thursday.