A Spring of Joy

Daddy a beeg a blee adduuu ugha bleda shoes.

Those were Asher’s first words today when he got out of bed. Okay, so can anyone translate for me? In case you haven’t figured it out, Asher has entered the realm of talking incessantly, and he is certain that he knows what he wants, and he knows exactly what he’s saying. Only, I usually have no idea what it is. After several tries, much pointing, and finally, a “take Mommy’s hand and show me”, Asher and I will walk through the house together to find whatever it is that he wants. How his face lights up whenever we have finally communicated!

While Asher is babbling constantly, there are definitely things that we are certain that he’s saying, and we continue to be amazed at the new words he is daily adding to his repertoire. Some of his favorite words? Definitely, jeep! He will run to the window crying “Beej! Beej!”, and when he sees the Wrangler in our driveway, he will turn, drop his mouth open and grin with almost uncontainable excitement. He loves to talk about the “bee-bee” in Asher’s tummy (okay, so we’re still working on the placement of where the baby actually is, but hey, he gets the idea). He’s turning into quite the little musician…playing Mommy’s keyboard and Daddy’s “tar” whenever he gets a chance, and he loves to dance whenever there’s “nu-nic” playing.

I can handle the single words, it’s when those words are mingled with a conglomeration of jibber-jabber that I have the most trouble. He will call my name, “Mommy!”. Then when he has my attention, out comes a torrent of babble that makes my head spin, usually ending with “peees” (please), so I know he wants something. Figuring out what is the issue, and sometimes I think he gets as frustrated as I do when I can’t determine what he wants.

Teaching Asher sign language has definitely helped with our communication breakdowns. He knows that if he wants something, he can ask “please?” and tell us “thank you”. Now he’s learned a few more, but even sign is not without its hazards. Whenever we try to get Asher to say “love”, he gives us an obscene guesture. *sigh* Guess we’ll wait until he’s a bit more coordinated before we try that one again.

What adds to the confusion, are the imitations that he pulls off. He has started to mimic inflections whenever Brian and I talk, and it’s especially fun when we’re riding in the car talking, and all of a sudden we hear a repeat of our conversation in the back seat…no real words, but the expressions are there. It makes us laugh, and Asher will look at us wondering why it’s not funny when we talk, but it’s funny when he does. Are we giving our son a complex?

Despite the translation issues, watching Asher learn and grow in this way is amazing, and we delight in each new word or babble. Okay, so maybe I don’t delight in every new thing. It wasn’t that much fun the other day when I ran to the bathroom to throw up yet again (thank you, morning sickness!) and was followed into the bathroom by a curious boy. He stood beside me with his hand patting my back, and he would lean over the toilet with me and mimic every sound of my throwing up. You laugh…I know…but do you know what it’s like to try to throw up and keep your son out of the toilet at the same time? Ahhh…the joys of motherhood!

Speaking of those joys, you’ll have to excuse me, but I have to go. Asher just put his Dr. Seuss’s “ABC” book on my lap, pointed to the couch and said “jabby-jeeeba-dah-eeeed”. I think that means he wants me to read it to him on the couch. What do you think?