Advanced Communications

We've had some major improvements in baby communication in the last few weeks.  Zain is talking like crazy.  He's always been a prolific babbler, but now those babbles are starting to make sense.  

We've been using a few sign language signs since he was just a tiny guy (milk, more, all done, drink).  We figured they might eventually be helpful.  Just when we starting to wonder if he would ever catch on, he has started using the "more" and "all done" signs quite often.  He doesn't always use them in appropriate situations (for instance, he'll say "all done" and then immediately stuff more food in his mouth), but it generally makes sense.  He uses "more" for "more food", "read this book again", and "push me on the swing more more more."   

Using the "more" sign to ask Grandma Shirley to make Ernie move again

More recently, he's learned to say "no" (and he hasn't started to use it against us yet!).  It's usually accompanied by a head shake.  And sometimes with a wagging finger, obviously in imitation of some hardcore disciplining parent.  The no has actually been very helpful in letting us know what he wants, or doesn't, especially at mealtime.  Much more effective than tossing his food on the floor.  

All in all, he has a pretty lengthy vocabulary.  At his 12-month check-up, our doctor asked if Zain had met the usual one-year milestone of using at least 4 or 5 words.  I laughed.  Here's his current vocabulary:

Banana - the most frequently heard word in our house these days

Tea - he says it when he hears the kettle whistling and when I'm drinking from a mug
Mommy - has progressed from "my-my" to "may-may" to "maa" or "mama"
Binda - his first word and one of his clearest
Dog - whenever he hears a bark
Cat
Pizza - learned at the Mexican resort buffet
Button
Ball
Duck
Bee - he has a bee-shaped bath mitt, so when we're heading to the tub we'll say "Who are we going to see in the bath?" and he'll yell "Bee!"
Tree
Baby - we're not sure if he recognizes that he is a baby, too
Teacher - the teacher from the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Nose
Brush - as in teeth, usually said with glee; he loves to brush his teeth

Pee - said in an adorable breathy whisper

Ring
Keys
Wee wee wee - his favourite part of his This Little Piggy book

Kick- a new one (see video below)

He's also working on a few names.  A current favourite is "Neem."  We have a magnet of Naeem's school picture on our fridge and every time Zain passes it, he says "Neem!"  

We're also surprised sometimes at how much he understands, even without having the words for it.  We discovered a couple days ago that he knows my name is Jen.  Shif was holding him and called out to me - "Jen...", and Zain said "mama!"  We also discover other random bits that have taken hold in his mind.  We've read books on animals from the very beginning, and we always do the "cow says moo" thing.  But he's never really shown any recognition of it.  Then the other day, I was reading a new book, turned to a page with a horse on it, and he said "neigh!"  And every horse (and occasionally sheep) now draws a "neigh." Another of our favourite things that he does - if you ask "what does a fire truck say?", he'll make a "woo woo" siren sound.