Language development for two

Both boys have demonstrated some new skills with their words recently. Franklin has started pronouncing the whole word ball, not just "ba." And he says it with much gutteral exageration, "baawll(gh)" that it is really comedic. He's been talking about eyes and noses and pointing at them, and this evening Theo got taught him to "eyebrow". He also says banana now, but it comes out kind of like bama. I think he's an Obama supporter. 

Theo has started using comparative language in his everyday speech. When choosing a new shirt on line the other day, he said, "that one! I want to be as yellow as the sunshine!" Theo and I were on a walk together with Lucy yesterday and I reminded him he wasn't to step in any big puddles since he wasn't wearing his boots. He responded, "OK mommy, I will only step in the puddles that are as small as Franklin when he came out of your tummy."

Visit with Pop and Grandma!

All kinds of fun

More early walking videos!

These were taken just a week after learning...

Just 10 days after learning...

Already walking across the room...

It hasn't taken Franklin very long to get really good at walking. He took his time getting here, and now picks himself up off the floor to stand and walks with tremendous enthusiasm. We've gone from him clearly knowing how to walk, but having no interest in doing it on demand, to LOVING "come get me Franklin". He almost never has any look on his face but a big huge grin whenever he walks. He can walk nearly all the way across the room already! Of course it doesn't work out that way EVERY time... 

 Of course, still getting the hang of it but having so much fun!

15 months today - and what a day its been

Getting a little start from Grammy before he stopped letting anyone help him!

Whooooaaaaaa......

Weeeee!!!!!

 Catching himself on the ottoman

Taking little breaks between efforts

Franklin has marked his 15 month birthday with some magnificent milestones. Today, he started walking and climbing stairs. A week ago he took his first steps, but only a very few and a time, and he would never do it on demand, only when distracted by some motivation. Today he decided he would just stand up in the middle of the room and start walking. And once he decided to do this, he did it again and again and again. And he wanted no help, but to do it all under his own power. I think his record was twelve steps! He was absolutely delighted, as were we. Grammy Betsy was lucky enough to be here for the event! Earlier today he decided he knew how to climb the stairs, and did it like he's been doing it for weeks.

Not only that, but his vocabulary has begun the great expansion that happens at this age. He's learning at least a word a day, with the latest acquisitions of eye, nose, mouth, arm, and black. He continues to show how his comprehension is great of the words he hears. The other day Grandpa Steve mentioned squirrels, and Franklin started looking around and pointing out the window, saying his word for outside. About 50% of his words start with B and it takes a keenly trained ear to distinguish them all! One of my favorites is "blaen" for blanket.

Theo in the yard on a fall afternoon, in mom's hat