Language and Comprehension Milestone

This past week Pascale has achieved a major milestone in actually starting to speak and to repeat words easily. She copies a lot of our daily speech, in both English and Cantonese. Favourite words: yes! (with a big smile and sometimes a nod), mine, yours, blah blah blah,

Frequently Pascale will be singing or talking to herself in babble, in the morning as well as during the day. Abi helps by saying "say this Pascale: ..." and her little admirer tries hard to copy. Pascale even said "yo yo" for yoghurt.

Pascale is getting very interested in books, and will read her favourite pages intently and repeatedly. Once when being read "Slinky Malinky: Catflaps" she frowned as soon as Scarface Claw appeared (the villain). After watching 3 sessions of Maisy Mouse over 3 weekends, Pascale recognised the same character on the bath book and reads that while pointing out the characters: Maimie (Maisy), mouse, Lula (Tallulah), yuyu (fish) and ball. At Montessori, Pascale kept saying mouse and yuyu at the pets corner, in front of the cage and tank.

In addition, her comprehension has improved noticeably. At Gymbaroo today when the instructor Denise asked the children to put a bean bag on various parts of their body: top of your head, fingers, toes, knee, elbow, ear, the other ear, back, foot. Pascale was able to respond quickly, probably aided by Denise's demonstration but amazing just the same. Pascale loved crawling on padded rolls and climbing ladders today, as well as pushing a rolling stepper and steering it too. She will put the playthings back into the instructor's bag/basket at the required times without being asked.

Her awareness has included the toileting area. Today Pascale indicated discomfort 3 times, touching the front of her nappy and saying "wee". Each time her mother questioned her and took her into the toilet, pulling off nappy and sitting Pascale onto the toilet. Some wee was in the nappy already. Tonight just before bedtime, Pascale gave a grimace and said yuk, pulling at the back of her nappy. Poo? said Priscilla, and Pascale nodded. Sure enough when Priscilla managed to get the nappy off in the toilet area, there was a small egg.

Coupled with this is Pascale's stubborness and frustration tantrums. Very hard to calm her down. This morning after her car nap Pascale was still tired but even more hungry (after 1.5 muesli bars). She cried inconsolably for 20 minutes before Priscilla realised she was still sleepy. Held her in nursing position for about 10 minutes to calm her down before Pascale saw a water cracker and decided she wanted to sit and eat it. Frustrating for parents too.