Benjamin's words

Since I haven't done it yet, I figured I should attempt to make a list of words Benjamin says. After all, I did so for his sisters, and Benjamin has recently begun trying to talk enough that a list might be merited (finally).

So here are some things Benjamin can say:

• Cheese (sounds like chiz (this is currently his favourite word))
• Ball (sounds like baa)
• Bowl (also sounds like baa)
• Shoe (sounds like shh)
• Cookie (sounds like a messy, drawn-out k: khhhh, sometimes duplicated khh-khh)
• Baby (sounds like bebe)
• Nurse (sounds like nuh-nuh)
• Banana (sounds like naa-naa)
• Mom/Momma (he actually says this correctly—of course, it's been the only thing he's said for the past forever, so he should say it right)
• Dad (he says this correctly, too, though sometimes he says daa or daddy instead)
• Rachel (sounds like rah-rah)
• Miriam (sounds like mee-um)
• Benjamin (sounds like ben-juh-muh (he has only said this once))
• Dog (sounds like daw)
• Water (sounds like waa-waa)
• Amen (sounds like meh)
• Bobo (sounds like Bobo (this is the name of the monkey in the book Hug))
• Boo (sounds like buh)
• Bye (sounds like baa)
• Hi (sounds like hi)
• Duck (sounds like duh-tee)

That's all I can think of. But he can also bark and/or pant like a dog, hiss like a snake, sniff like a bunny, and moo like a cow. We can occasionally get him to oink/snort or quack but aside from dogs, snakes, and bunnies, he will tell you than any animal goes moo (or will say nothing). He also likes to "shhh" people (usually his sisters).

Here are some things Benjamin can sign (we haven't been adding new signs lately):

• Cheese (for cheese)
• Cheese (for please—this is my very favourite because he genuinely thinks he's signing please)
• More (for more)
• Milk (for nursing or water or juice or other beverage)
• Fan (for fan or wind)
• Potty (for needing to go potty or for already having gone potty (and thus needing a diaper change))
• All done (for all done)

He will also shake his head for no and nod his head for yes.

Other than that he just grunts and/or screeches about stuff. His words are rather primitive still but he's starting to babble more and will attempt to mimic words now, which is progress.

Sometimes I'll ask him to "say it with [his] mouth" and he'll open his mouth nice and wide for me. I think this is because I usually only say this when he's sitting on the potty and I'm reminding him that he needs to tell me "all done" to get down, rather than just squirming and fussing.

"Use your words," I'll urge him. "Say it with your mouth. Say, 'All done!' Aaaaall done!"

Then he'll open his mouth with a big ahhh. 

His receptive language is much better than his speech and he follows commands well (even multiple-step commands). 

This morning he ran out of the bathroom before I could put a diaper back on him and I didn't feel like chasing him around the house this time so I called out, "Hey! Lie down so I can put your diaper on!"

He immediately dropped to the ground and lay down (on his tummy, in his typical sleeping position). He wasn't quite ready for diapering but at least he wasn't running around the house naked anymore!

He's a sweet little boy!