This morning at breakfast, we were all discussing our days when Rosey reached out, gathered everyone's' plates up and stacked them. We were all impressed. Her father was bursting-at-the-seams-proudly telling me that she was such a smart cookie that we should be looking for a college for her now....when she picked up the top plate, tipped it towards her mouth, and licked all the ketchup right off.
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Did you know there are sites that let you create crossword puzzles? Huzzah!
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I've also started getting gardening catalogs in the mail for fall bulbs - I want to do a huge spray of pink and white parrot tulips outside and to the right of the house, and I think I'll be plotting out where that goes tonight! This is, of course, provided the deer don't eat everything I plant again - I gave up having a vegetable garden because they ate everything. I rounded the corner of the house one morning to discover a deer standing there cockily with a zucchini in his mouth, looking all the world like a big fat cigar. I'm surprised they weren't knocking on the windows, asking us to pass out the salt and pepper. But! Gardening catalogs! A good thing!
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And speaking of R, I realized this weekend that we have a far bit to go. She knows many more words but uses almost none of them unless coaxed (and by coaxed I mean urged to repeat until we get tired) - I went too far today and she had a tantrum. I think she scared herself, too. She's begun to shriek when she doesn't get what she wants - not an annoying sound at all, why?? - I'm really afraid her frustration levels are just going to continue to climb.
It all started with juice. I just wanted her to say juice - something she's done before, easily, but I guess at that moment she didn't want to? Couldn't remember how? And I pressed too hard and then we were locked into it, and she was wailing and I was clutching the damned sippy-cup like a lifeline....not one of my most stellar parenting moments. In the midst of it I figured out I was looking for a 'Helen Keller moment' where she would just...get it. And I should have more patience than that.
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6 comments:
Arghhhhhhhh! Flashbacks to two, count 'em, two late talkers!
Who now, at 9 and 11, WON'T SHUT UP.
I'm telling you, you can't win.
(p.s. If you think there might actually be a problem--feel free to email me.)
dzoos? dzoos?
I'm sorry. It's frustrating, I'm sure. She just sounds like a sweet, adorable doll, though.
Honey, I been in your shoes. Still am in your shoes, in fact.
She will talk. She's talking now. We didn't have 3 words out of youngest at 28 months. And barely any eye contact. Now at 5 years, 1 month? We have Lotsa Words. Sentences. Paragraphs. Demands to be met. Feelings roared about. Questions posed. Youngest is playing the Chess Game of Conversation. To an extent.
But I vividly remember doing the same thing you're doing. Many a time I put his juice sippy back into the refridgerator and said "When you want juice, please ask me and I will get it for you." The juice never came out of the fridge. He drank handed-to-him water rather than ask for that beloved juice.
He's had speech therapy and occupational therapy for 3.5 years. Some PT too. I know that is what worked for him. But really? Who knows if he would've been talking to the extent that he now does, anyway.
Who knew this parenting business would be so hard, and that we would love them so much?
My mom had lots of those moments with my brother. He's 28 now and, honestly, she still has those moments. He just does things to his own rhythm and mom can't help but worry that he won't arrive to where he needs to be. He always arrives... it just takes him longer than most people.
R reminds me so much of my brother. You'll have Helen Keller moments sometimes, and the hard knocks will be worth it. It's normal to look for those moments. You actually are being a stellar parent because you are helping her to strive and to thrive. Be gentle with yourself.
Hey, my email is down.
Oh, rough with the tantrum and the coaxing. Hugs to both of you.
Gardening catalogues.Rock.Totally!!
And I'm jealous of your deer (although not the part of them consuming everything!) Trade you a deer for a rabbit!
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