I used to be one of those people who believed if boys were not given toy guns to play with then they would not play guns. I now know differently now that I have experienced having a son. This did not prepare me for other elements of raising boys, though.
Forgive me a bit of naivete here. Please, understand that I have always had male friends, but I wasn't really around boys until I had one of my own. It pretty much goes without saying that males tend to have a one track mind. Perhaps you will think I am being sexist here, but there have been studies done that supposedly show that men think of sex an average of at least once a minute or once every thirty seconds or whatever. There's no naivete on my part yet. I know this exists...yadda yadda yadda. What I did not realize is that the character trait of only being able to focus on one thing until that one thing is carried out or fulfilled or whatever...I always assumed that started during puberty. I was unaware that it could also be applied to 4 year olds with video games!
I've seen my husband become incapable of conversation when playing computer games or those long strategy games like Acquire or Risk. He's told me he would stop playing a game in an hour and then finally stop about 3 hours later, completely unaware of how much time had elapsed. I actually think he only stopped because of hunger pangs or a bathroom break. I didn't know that young boys are capable of the same level of devotion to games and whatnot.
This is just strange to me. I've heard all of the research about ADHD and how boys are at least 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with it compared to girls. I've heard other mothers and teachers say that ADHD is over diagnosed and that people are just "diagnosing" something that is typical boy behavior....so, I was fully prepared for a boy who would stay with activities for shorter periods of time and lose focus easily. Instead, I have one who focuses too much on one activity. His every waking moment is dedicated to when he will get to play Lego Star Wars on the playstation. How is this typical boy behavior and also ADHD typical behavior? The two things are at odds with each other, unless....ADHD gets the blame in the school setting because the child does not focus on school subjects and is instead interested in other things that capture his attention.
The obsession with playstation is somewhat annoying at times, but it has also proved useful. We now have Nathan doing 4 activities each day in order to earn his Playstation time. He also asks if he has been good enough to earn the right to play his game. This would be super cute, except the other day, he woke up and then asked, "Mommy, was I good overnight? And can I play Lego Star Wars now?" Ok, it was still cute, but after hearing 20 such requests in one day, it gets old. I have heard this may also be a 4 year old thing.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
My Short Attention Span
Well, I got to thinking and talking about my habit of jam-packing every moment of a 50 minute class with some activity of some sort. I have come to the realization that I have a relatively short attention span (or more accurately attention tolerance span) and I like to have long spans of doing the exact same thing broken into smaller tasks or actvities or the ability to multi-task several things at once.
I do not know if this is because of my age, the fact that I am a mom of two young kids and am required to prioritize and multi-task or my reliance on technology that allows me to do these things. Anyway, I just know that it is so and I expect that my students feel the same way.
So that got me to wondering if my students ever feel like I am just rushing through things with no opportunity for reflection.
Today in the Learning Community class, I wrote down 5 activities would we try to get through in 50 minutes. I actually felt bad about these 5 things because they were something that I settled on the day of class instead of meticulously planning for in advance. One of the items was to allow students to share something from their journal assignment for the day. This is something that can seem like a throwaway 5-10 minutes that can be done or left out, but it really, really worked today. First, I think it shows students that their journal writing matters. Second, it made the discussion relevant to what mattered to them. Third, who wants me to regurgitate what they have read from the handbook (also assigned)? Anyway, we managed to cover that (the journal and handbook assignment--kind of) and then a handout about what things in writing that annoy me, a life list assignment and the writing assignment for their first paper. And though all of that was accomplished in just 50 minutes, it seemed to work out just fine...not too fast, not too lingering.
But perhaps I should check with the students to see how they felt about it...
That darned dreaded assessment thing. How to assess when students "get it" or feel as confident about the lessons as you did...??? If I ever answer that question, I will become a rich woman indeed.
Word of the week: perhaps. Why do I keep saying perhaps? Why do I keep making myself seem so much older than I really am?
I do not know if this is because of my age, the fact that I am a mom of two young kids and am required to prioritize and multi-task or my reliance on technology that allows me to do these things. Anyway, I just know that it is so and I expect that my students feel the same way.
So that got me to wondering if my students ever feel like I am just rushing through things with no opportunity for reflection.
Today in the Learning Community class, I wrote down 5 activities would we try to get through in 50 minutes. I actually felt bad about these 5 things because they were something that I settled on the day of class instead of meticulously planning for in advance. One of the items was to allow students to share something from their journal assignment for the day. This is something that can seem like a throwaway 5-10 minutes that can be done or left out, but it really, really worked today. First, I think it shows students that their journal writing matters. Second, it made the discussion relevant to what mattered to them. Third, who wants me to regurgitate what they have read from the handbook (also assigned)? Anyway, we managed to cover that (the journal and handbook assignment--kind of) and then a handout about what things in writing that annoy me, a life list assignment and the writing assignment for their first paper. And though all of that was accomplished in just 50 minutes, it seemed to work out just fine...not too fast, not too lingering.
But perhaps I should check with the students to see how they felt about it...
That darned dreaded assessment thing. How to assess when students "get it" or feel as confident about the lessons as you did...??? If I ever answer that question, I will become a rich woman indeed.
Word of the week: perhaps. Why do I keep saying perhaps? Why do I keep making myself seem so much older than I really am?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Oh, the little things that make me happy
Denise made my day today. At 11:15ish today, she informed me that there will be not one, but two episodes of Chuck on tomorrow night. Not only will there be episodes of Chuck, but they will be new episodes!
Now the great debate is do we watch both of them tomorrow or ration ourselves on Chuck? Do I spread my John Caseyisms out over a week or indulge in two hours of bizarre pop culture references and geeky behavior?
I may just have to dig out the tape from before the writer strike to locate the very last episode we watched and review it in preparation for the new Chuck episodes.
I'm beginning to think I belong on the Nerd Herd.
Ok, so quite seriously, I very may need to be on a Nerd Herd. I have had music on the brain lately because of the music themed 101 class. Yesterday, I was rereading the introduction to Leonard Bernstein's The Joy of Music while Nathan was (yet again) playing Lego Star Wars on the Playstation. So, here I am reading about music and how inexplicable it is when I happen to hear the familiar strains of Star Wars theme music. I had a complete flashback to two moments. If you are picturing this in real time in your brain, it wasn't a split-screen experience; it was more like two images overlapping in my mind. The one was of my childhood living room. My sister and I were laying on the floor on our stomachs, looking up at the t.v. while Dad was in the recliner-- all three of us watching Star Wars, me reading the text at the very beginning of the movie. Then, either fast-forward 20 years or play the image simultaneously...a movie theatre in Kankakee, IL. The rerelease of the Star Wars movie. When that familiar music played, I got goosebumps. I was a little ashamed...until I remembered that at least I didn't stand outside in the cold all night for tickets or come to the theatre in costume.
A friend of mine has had his students write papers about their own personal theme song. He refers to how we all have soundtracks to our lives. I believe this too. It's just sad how many of my songs on my soundtrack are also songs on real soundtracks. Are these songs taking me back to the movie moment or a real moment in my own life? For me, the Star Wars theme and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" are both songs from movies that I watched when I was younger, but they mean so much more than those movie moments. They mean bonding with my sister and my dad. They mean recreating the "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" moment from Top Gun for my mom, who was reading a book in her bedroom. The one song from Ghost (also by the Everly Brothers) brings up no memories of that movie for me but instantaneously takes me back to when my college roommate and I were driving to Julio's house singing the song as badly and loudly as possible. "Rebel Rouser" from Forrest Gump has no Forrest-like associations. Instead, when I hear it, I can remember summer days driving down Schwaegel Road (now Greenmount) in my Volkswagen Golf, going as fast as was safe (to feel the bumps on the edge of the "pavement" a little less), with the windows down because the air conditioner had run out of freon long ago, and actually getting along with my sister for the length of those 15 minute rides from our house to the Mielke's house to watch World Cup soccer.
Now the great debate is do we watch both of them tomorrow or ration ourselves on Chuck? Do I spread my John Caseyisms out over a week or indulge in two hours of bizarre pop culture references and geeky behavior?
I may just have to dig out the tape from before the writer strike to locate the very last episode we watched and review it in preparation for the new Chuck episodes.
I'm beginning to think I belong on the Nerd Herd.
Ok, so quite seriously, I very may need to be on a Nerd Herd. I have had music on the brain lately because of the music themed 101 class. Yesterday, I was rereading the introduction to Leonard Bernstein's The Joy of Music while Nathan was (yet again) playing Lego Star Wars on the Playstation. So, here I am reading about music and how inexplicable it is when I happen to hear the familiar strains of Star Wars theme music. I had a complete flashback to two moments. If you are picturing this in real time in your brain, it wasn't a split-screen experience; it was more like two images overlapping in my mind. The one was of my childhood living room. My sister and I were laying on the floor on our stomachs, looking up at the t.v. while Dad was in the recliner-- all three of us watching Star Wars, me reading the text at the very beginning of the movie. Then, either fast-forward 20 years or play the image simultaneously...a movie theatre in Kankakee, IL. The rerelease of the Star Wars movie. When that familiar music played, I got goosebumps. I was a little ashamed...until I remembered that at least I didn't stand outside in the cold all night for tickets or come to the theatre in costume.
A friend of mine has had his students write papers about their own personal theme song. He refers to how we all have soundtracks to our lives. I believe this too. It's just sad how many of my songs on my soundtrack are also songs on real soundtracks. Are these songs taking me back to the movie moment or a real moment in my own life? For me, the Star Wars theme and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" are both songs from movies that I watched when I was younger, but they mean so much more than those movie moments. They mean bonding with my sister and my dad. They mean recreating the "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" moment from Top Gun for my mom, who was reading a book in her bedroom. The one song from Ghost (also by the Everly Brothers) brings up no memories of that movie for me but instantaneously takes me back to when my college roommate and I were driving to Julio's house singing the song as badly and loudly as possible. "Rebel Rouser" from Forrest Gump has no Forrest-like associations. Instead, when I hear it, I can remember summer days driving down Schwaegel Road (now Greenmount) in my Volkswagen Golf, going as fast as was safe (to feel the bumps on the edge of the "pavement" a little less), with the windows down because the air conditioner had run out of freon long ago, and actually getting along with my sister for the length of those 15 minute rides from our house to the Mielke's house to watch World Cup soccer.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
My Top Ten List about Music for ENGL 101
I assigned the Music-themed 101 students to create a "top ten" list of songs or artists or albums or whatever to represent what music they like and why. In all fairness, I decided to take on this task as well. I know this will be easier for some people than others. And I'm not particular about what number anyone ends up with; the point is, after all, to just list what you like and why.
Nicole's Top Ten
The Beatles Early Beatles. Middle Beatles. Late Beatles. I like 'em all. And there is a time and a place for just about all Beatles music (excepting dreadful songs like "She's Leaving" from Sgt. Pepper's). Favorite songs of theirs at the moment: Norwegian Wood, Revolution, Something, In My Life, When I'm 64, Hey You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Come Together...the list could go on an on and on.
Dave Matthews Band This probably shows my age. DMB was my college rock. I've seen them in concert 3 times (and I am not a concert-goer). I like Under the Table and Dreaming for everyday moods and Live at Red Rock is great background music for when I am writing (especially "Seek Up"). Long long ago, my sister gave me a taped copy of "Long Black Veil" (DMB's cover of a great Johnny Cash song). I played that song on the way to work. When I got to a certain point in the song, I rewound it and played it again. That was the only part of the tape I listened to. Until a week ago, I didn't have a non-tape version of it. I found it on iTunes last week, and (not to be too overly dramatic about this), you would have thought I'd been reconnected with a long-lost friend. It was as welcome as a call from a college friend I haven't heard from in a year or two. (which coincidentally happened the same week that I refound LLV)
U2: Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum I can live without all of U2, but these two albums are ones I do not have to be in a certain mood to hear. I can listen to them whenever, wherever. "With or Without You," "All I Need is You," and "Bullet the Blue Sky" are particular favorites.
Eric Clapton from classic guitar rock like "Cocaine" to "Layla" to the beautiful "Wonderful Tonight" to the 80's-ish "It's in the Way that You Use It" to the great-to-blast-in-the-car "She's Waiting" to the bluesy songs on From the Cradle, I like 'em all. He doesn't have the best voice in the world, but he knows how to use it and use those fabulous guitar skills are pretty much beyond compare.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young When looking over my musical tastes, I can usually point to a certain time period where I was immersed in such and such or I can see where I've picked up my mom's musical affection for songs with a certain backbeat. CSNY is purely my dad's influence. My dad sings along (not always correctly) with various parts of CSNY's harmonies. For the longest time, I didn't know what the "do do do do doot" part of "Suite: Judy Blues Eyes" sounded like without my dad's voice in there too. Speaking of that song, I love how it feels like 5 songs in one. Just when you think one part of the song is closing, it moves into a different movement which is distinct on its own and yet belongs to the song at the same time. I also love, love, love "Southern Cross" and Stills' "If You Can Be With the One You Love, Love the One You're With" (which should possibly lead me to explain that some songs are loveable not for their main message but just because they are good music).
Paul Simon/ Simon and Garfunkel I firmly believe Paul Simon is the best song writer. What amazes me is that each album of his is a distinct creation, born of a new sound inspiration AND the lyrics are meaningful and cooperate with the sound in such a way that both the lyrics and the music are stronger for their partnering. Simon and Garfunkel faves: The Boxer, I am a Rock, America, Leaves That Are Green, Cecilia. Paul Simon solo faves: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Gone at Last, You Can Call Me Al, The Obvious Child.
The Who This spot on the list is really due to just two songs: Who Are You and Baba O'Riley (Teenage Wasteland). I really understand why Pete Townshend's hearing is so poor. When I play these songs in the car (when driving without the kids), I blast them and play the drums on the steering wheel.
The Black Crowes "Hard to Handle" "She Talks to Angels" and "Jealous Again"
Stevie Ray Vaughn "Mary Had a Little Lamb" "Voodoo Child" "Lovestruck Baby" "Tightrope." Sadly, I have noticed that all of the blues music that I listen to is by white guys. I think that's a bit backwards, but it is what it is.
Ok, I am now finding this harder to do. It's really difficult to choose between all kinds of artists to fill out 4 more spots, so I am going to cheat a little (as the 101 students are allowed to do as well) and leave the top ten format to just list a bunch of songs that tend to get repeated in multiple playlists on my iPod. I feel they need no justification if you are familiar with them, and if you are not, well, no explanation of mine will help.
Ain't No Sunshine Bill Withers
All Along the Watchtower (DMB version or Hendrix)
Are You Gonna Go My Way Lenny Kravitz
Baby I Love You Aretha Franklin
Beverly Hills Weezer
Blister in the Sun Violent Femmes
Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison
Bust a Move Young MC
Danny's Song Loggins and Messina
Drift Away Dobie Gray
Handle with Care Travelling Wilburies
Here It Goes Again Ok Go
Hey Hey What Can I Do Led Zepellin
Hurdy Gurdy Man Donovan
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) Proclaimers
I Can't Make You Love Me Bonnie Raitt
If I Had No Loot Tony Toni Tone
If I Needed You Emmylou Harris
In Your Room Bangles
Into the Mystic Van Morrison
Loser Beck
Morning Has Broken Cat Stevens
Never Tear Us Apart INXS
Only Happy When It Rains Garbage
Red House Jimi Hendrix
Roadhouse Blues The Doors
Seven Bridges Road The Eagles
She's Always a Woman Billy Joel
Should I Stay or Should I Go The Clash
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing Jack Johnson
Smoke on the Water Deep Purple
Solsbury Hill Peter Gabriel
Some Kind of Wonderful Grand Funk Railroad
Son of a Preacher Man Dusty Springfield
Soul Man Sam and Dave
Steal My Kisses Ben Harper
Sundown Gordon Lightfoot
Testing 1, 2, 3 Barenaked Ladies
The Joker Steve Miller Band
The Ring of Fire Johnny Cash
Up on Cripple Creek The Band
What Have I Done to Deserve This? Pet Shop Boys
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd
You Can't Always Get What You Want Rolling Stones
This list is rather incomplete. It also highlights what I've been listening to lately...which for some reason includes more '80's stuff than usual. You can credit the iTunes essentials lists for that. I've been trolling through a couple out of curiousity and then I can't help but add some to my "to purchase from iTunes list" which kept growing in anticipation of gift cards for Christmas.
This may be more than anyone cares to know about my music habits, but I tend to compartmentalize just about everything, so music is no exception. When I am buying music without a giftcard, I buy just the things that I really, really want. Then, when I get a gift card, I buy the songs I have wanted but just haven't yearned for because I figure the gift cards are like free money, so why not buy that song you've always wanted but have yet to purchase, you know? At the same time, if the gift card came from someone whose musical tastes I share or appreciate, I also try to buy songs I think they would be happy for me to have. Michelle, if you ever read this, your gift card purchased "Long Black Veil" and an Emmylou Harris song as well as "Piece of my Heart" by Janis Joplin.
That also reminds me that I have started creating playlists by names of people in my life. I haven't gotten very far, but so far my mom, dad, husband and son all have one. Only my son really listens to his, but I like having songs that remind me of certain people lumped together.
This post is much longer than intended and has strayed into just informal blathering, so let's end it!
Nicole's Top Ten
The Beatles Early Beatles. Middle Beatles. Late Beatles. I like 'em all. And there is a time and a place for just about all Beatles music (excepting dreadful songs like "She's Leaving" from Sgt. Pepper's). Favorite songs of theirs at the moment: Norwegian Wood, Revolution, Something, In My Life, When I'm 64, Hey You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Come Together...the list could go on an on and on.
Dave Matthews Band This probably shows my age. DMB was my college rock. I've seen them in concert 3 times (and I am not a concert-goer). I like Under the Table and Dreaming for everyday moods and Live at Red Rock is great background music for when I am writing (especially "Seek Up"). Long long ago, my sister gave me a taped copy of "Long Black Veil" (DMB's cover of a great Johnny Cash song). I played that song on the way to work. When I got to a certain point in the song, I rewound it and played it again. That was the only part of the tape I listened to. Until a week ago, I didn't have a non-tape version of it. I found it on iTunes last week, and (not to be too overly dramatic about this), you would have thought I'd been reconnected with a long-lost friend. It was as welcome as a call from a college friend I haven't heard from in a year or two. (which coincidentally happened the same week that I refound LLV)
U2: Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum I can live without all of U2, but these two albums are ones I do not have to be in a certain mood to hear. I can listen to them whenever, wherever. "With or Without You," "All I Need is You," and "Bullet the Blue Sky" are particular favorites.
Eric Clapton from classic guitar rock like "Cocaine" to "Layla" to the beautiful "Wonderful Tonight" to the 80's-ish "It's in the Way that You Use It" to the great-to-blast-in-the-car "She's Waiting" to the bluesy songs on From the Cradle, I like 'em all. He doesn't have the best voice in the world, but he knows how to use it and use those fabulous guitar skills are pretty much beyond compare.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young When looking over my musical tastes, I can usually point to a certain time period where I was immersed in such and such or I can see where I've picked up my mom's musical affection for songs with a certain backbeat. CSNY is purely my dad's influence. My dad sings along (not always correctly) with various parts of CSNY's harmonies. For the longest time, I didn't know what the "do do do do doot" part of "Suite: Judy Blues Eyes" sounded like without my dad's voice in there too. Speaking of that song, I love how it feels like 5 songs in one. Just when you think one part of the song is closing, it moves into a different movement which is distinct on its own and yet belongs to the song at the same time. I also love, love, love "Southern Cross" and Stills' "If You Can Be With the One You Love, Love the One You're With" (which should possibly lead me to explain that some songs are loveable not for their main message but just because they are good music).
Paul Simon/ Simon and Garfunkel I firmly believe Paul Simon is the best song writer. What amazes me is that each album of his is a distinct creation, born of a new sound inspiration AND the lyrics are meaningful and cooperate with the sound in such a way that both the lyrics and the music are stronger for their partnering. Simon and Garfunkel faves: The Boxer, I am a Rock, America, Leaves That Are Green, Cecilia. Paul Simon solo faves: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Gone at Last, You Can Call Me Al, The Obvious Child.
The Who This spot on the list is really due to just two songs: Who Are You and Baba O'Riley (Teenage Wasteland). I really understand why Pete Townshend's hearing is so poor. When I play these songs in the car (when driving without the kids), I blast them and play the drums on the steering wheel.
The Black Crowes "Hard to Handle" "She Talks to Angels" and "Jealous Again"
Stevie Ray Vaughn "Mary Had a Little Lamb" "Voodoo Child" "Lovestruck Baby" "Tightrope." Sadly, I have noticed that all of the blues music that I listen to is by white guys. I think that's a bit backwards, but it is what it is.
Ok, I am now finding this harder to do. It's really difficult to choose between all kinds of artists to fill out 4 more spots, so I am going to cheat a little (as the 101 students are allowed to do as well) and leave the top ten format to just list a bunch of songs that tend to get repeated in multiple playlists on my iPod. I feel they need no justification if you are familiar with them, and if you are not, well, no explanation of mine will help.
Ain't No Sunshine Bill Withers
All Along the Watchtower (DMB version or Hendrix)
Are You Gonna Go My Way Lenny Kravitz
Baby I Love You Aretha Franklin
Beverly Hills Weezer
Blister in the Sun Violent Femmes
Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison
Bust a Move Young MC
Danny's Song Loggins and Messina
Drift Away Dobie Gray
Handle with Care Travelling Wilburies
Here It Goes Again Ok Go
Hey Hey What Can I Do Led Zepellin
Hurdy Gurdy Man Donovan
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) Proclaimers
I Can't Make You Love Me Bonnie Raitt
If I Had No Loot Tony Toni Tone
If I Needed You Emmylou Harris
In Your Room Bangles
Into the Mystic Van Morrison
Loser Beck
Morning Has Broken Cat Stevens
Never Tear Us Apart INXS
Only Happy When It Rains Garbage
Red House Jimi Hendrix
Roadhouse Blues The Doors
Seven Bridges Road The Eagles
She's Always a Woman Billy Joel
Should I Stay or Should I Go The Clash
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing Jack Johnson
Smoke on the Water Deep Purple
Solsbury Hill Peter Gabriel
Some Kind of Wonderful Grand Funk Railroad
Son of a Preacher Man Dusty Springfield
Soul Man Sam and Dave
Steal My Kisses Ben Harper
Sundown Gordon Lightfoot
Testing 1, 2, 3 Barenaked Ladies
The Joker Steve Miller Band
The Ring of Fire Johnny Cash
Up on Cripple Creek The Band
What Have I Done to Deserve This? Pet Shop Boys
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd
You Can't Always Get What You Want Rolling Stones
This list is rather incomplete. It also highlights what I've been listening to lately...which for some reason includes more '80's stuff than usual. You can credit the iTunes essentials lists for that. I've been trolling through a couple out of curiousity and then I can't help but add some to my "to purchase from iTunes list" which kept growing in anticipation of gift cards for Christmas.
This may be more than anyone cares to know about my music habits, but I tend to compartmentalize just about everything, so music is no exception. When I am buying music without a giftcard, I buy just the things that I really, really want. Then, when I get a gift card, I buy the songs I have wanted but just haven't yearned for because I figure the gift cards are like free money, so why not buy that song you've always wanted but have yet to purchase, you know? At the same time, if the gift card came from someone whose musical tastes I share or appreciate, I also try to buy songs I think they would be happy for me to have. Michelle, if you ever read this, your gift card purchased "Long Black Veil" and an Emmylou Harris song as well as "Piece of my Heart" by Janis Joplin.
That also reminds me that I have started creating playlists by names of people in my life. I haven't gotten very far, but so far my mom, dad, husband and son all have one. Only my son really listens to his, but I like having songs that remind me of certain people lumped together.
This post is much longer than intended and has strayed into just informal blathering, so let's end it!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Language Acquisition
I've been meaning to return to posting thoughts in this blog, but I just kind of coasted over break instead.
One thing I've really enjoyed lately is my 19-month old daughter is going through a language explosion. She is learning and using so many more words right now than she did just 2 weeks ago. It's interesting to see which words she decides to learn and use. Now, I know she knows many more words than she actually says, but you have to wonder what goes through her head when she decides this is a word she should try out loud. One of her favorites right now is "scratch." She has a scratch or "ow-ie" on her hand right now, so I don't know if she just likes having a word for this mysterious thing that is on her hand or if she likes the sound of "scratch" or something else entirely.
I'm really pleased that Ellie has started saying "Thank you" now. Well, her version of it anyway. She says something that resembles "taaaaaaaaaaaaanks" with a barely perceptible "n" in it. She has also started singing the ABC song. I can recognize the A-B-C part as actual A's, B's and C's. The rest is a little hit or miss. It goes into jibber jabber for a little while and then returns at LMNO (which most kids see as one letter transaction, not 4 distinct letters), and then she gets into singing really high pitched at the QRS time (just as me and her brother Nathan do and which my husband thinks is just wrong).
It's also funny to see the differences between my two kids in language acquisition. My daughter is very deliberate about her words. She likes to point to things and get us to label them for her and then she eventually points and labels them on her own. My son would point to things and say, "zis?" with a cute little high-pitched i in it. "Zis" stood for "What's this?" But he was more interested in the question-asking than he was the answer. His early language use was really about sound. He used words he liked the sound of. Even after he learned the basic words of his everyday baby/toddler world, he just liked to repeat words that sounded cool. He went through a "nacho" phase. He was 22 months old and really enjoyed hearing Spanish words. He had no idea what an enchilada was, but if we said that or chimichanga or anything like that, we could have him in fits of giggles. Ellie isn't interested in word sounds the same way. She's like a girl on a mission. She wants to know what she can call things and be understood. So she knows the words that are most important to her, which include fairly standard things like: mama, milk, more, mine, etc. (As a first child, my son didn't learn "mine" until much later.) But she also knows words for her favorite things, which are unfortunately: baby, shoes, toothbrush.
Why oh why are my kids obsessed with toothbrushes? It could be much worse, I suppose. I just wish they weren't also attracted to my toothbrushes.
Their language acquisition fits their personalities. Nathan has always been very easy going. He would know what he preferred to do, but was easily swayed to go on to something else (and had a short attention span). Elizabeth wants what she wants when she wants it and she wants it right now and stubbornly insists upon doing it her way. Nathan's early inquisitiveness has not faded one bit. He loves asking questions. In fact, his grandpa taught him at an early age to say, "I'm inquisitive." He still likes sounds and has to have sound effects for every activity and also makes up songs to go along with his activities (which he gets from his mother). It makes me wonder what Elizabeth will be like in 2 years.
I'm really enjoying watching her develop as an 18-24 month old. Check back in a month to see if I'm still enjoying it. Everyone talks about the terrible twos. She went through part of that at 12-16 months with the "mine" and "I can't do it myself" and "I want that" attitudes appearing early. I'm hoping that means I am relatively safe until she gets into the climbing into anything and everything and coloring on walls stage that happens between 2-3 years of age.
One thing I've really enjoyed lately is my 19-month old daughter is going through a language explosion. She is learning and using so many more words right now than she did just 2 weeks ago. It's interesting to see which words she decides to learn and use. Now, I know she knows many more words than she actually says, but you have to wonder what goes through her head when she decides this is a word she should try out loud. One of her favorites right now is "scratch." She has a scratch or "ow-ie" on her hand right now, so I don't know if she just likes having a word for this mysterious thing that is on her hand or if she likes the sound of "scratch" or something else entirely.
I'm really pleased that Ellie has started saying "Thank you" now. Well, her version of it anyway. She says something that resembles "taaaaaaaaaaaaanks" with a barely perceptible "n" in it. She has also started singing the ABC song. I can recognize the A-B-C part as actual A's, B's and C's. The rest is a little hit or miss. It goes into jibber jabber for a little while and then returns at LMNO (which most kids see as one letter transaction, not 4 distinct letters), and then she gets into singing really high pitched at the QRS time (just as me and her brother Nathan do and which my husband thinks is just wrong).
It's also funny to see the differences between my two kids in language acquisition. My daughter is very deliberate about her words. She likes to point to things and get us to label them for her and then she eventually points and labels them on her own. My son would point to things and say, "zis?" with a cute little high-pitched i in it. "Zis" stood for "What's this?" But he was more interested in the question-asking than he was the answer. His early language use was really about sound. He used words he liked the sound of. Even after he learned the basic words of his everyday baby/toddler world, he just liked to repeat words that sounded cool. He went through a "nacho" phase. He was 22 months old and really enjoyed hearing Spanish words. He had no idea what an enchilada was, but if we said that or chimichanga or anything like that, we could have him in fits of giggles. Ellie isn't interested in word sounds the same way. She's like a girl on a mission. She wants to know what she can call things and be understood. So she knows the words that are most important to her, which include fairly standard things like: mama, milk, more, mine, etc. (As a first child, my son didn't learn "mine" until much later.) But she also knows words for her favorite things, which are unfortunately: baby, shoes, toothbrush.
Why oh why are my kids obsessed with toothbrushes? It could be much worse, I suppose. I just wish they weren't also attracted to my toothbrushes.
Their language acquisition fits their personalities. Nathan has always been very easy going. He would know what he preferred to do, but was easily swayed to go on to something else (and had a short attention span). Elizabeth wants what she wants when she wants it and she wants it right now and stubbornly insists upon doing it her way. Nathan's early inquisitiveness has not faded one bit. He loves asking questions. In fact, his grandpa taught him at an early age to say, "I'm inquisitive." He still likes sounds and has to have sound effects for every activity and also makes up songs to go along with his activities (which he gets from his mother). It makes me wonder what Elizabeth will be like in 2 years.
I'm really enjoying watching her develop as an 18-24 month old. Check back in a month to see if I'm still enjoying it. Everyone talks about the terrible twos. She went through part of that at 12-16 months with the "mine" and "I can't do it myself" and "I want that" attitudes appearing early. I'm hoping that means I am relatively safe until she gets into the climbing into anything and everything and coloring on walls stage that happens between 2-3 years of age.
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