Telling Alby

Whilst the title might suggest this will be a post on educating Alby the reality is the opposite. Alby is really in his element when he is telling us. Sometimes we have great discussions - he can be really chatty about his day at school and I'm delighted he has yet to reach the "nothing" response I'm sure he I started doling out by age six. At other times it can be amusing, like when he tells us about how bikes work or what type of hungry he is feeling, an act usually accompanied by much "you see mummy" and "well, daddy" alongside rapidly twirling hands. Then there's the patronising telling. When we are all a bit tired and in need of a break. Albug gives his support to such situations by contradicting everything we say. For us, such situations are the ultimate test in parenting patience and tolerance. And let's be honest, it's a test we rarely pass with flying colours.

And finally we have the cute tellings. The ones where, to me, he is being genuinely gorgeous but to an outsider he likely appears as the biggest suck up. Like when he tells me I'm the prettiest, or when he hugs his daddy and tells him what best buddies they are. Or the other day when he was getting ready for school and we had the following chat:
Me: it's PE today Albs. Is that your favourite.
Albug: it's one of my favourites. It's not my most favourite.
Me: what's your most favourite.
Albs: when we sit still on the carpet.
Me: like you used to do in circle time at nursery?
Albs (arms now gesturing): yes mummy, because i am just so interested in learning things.

I love this boy.

"Dabbit dabbit"

George is increasingly embracing the world of words. Since moving house in the summer his babbles have turned to words, words to simple sentences. As such, Alby's tellings have now been joined with George's and Mark and I are enjoying instructions in stereo from morning til night.

When I say "words" I mean George's take on the English language which has a definite bias to the 'd' sound. So rabbit becomes 'dabbit', tractor becomes 'dactor' and, following logic only he understands, postman pat becomes "daddy dat."
Last week's new phrase was "stop it" or rather "dop it". A little influence from Alby and I and we quickly progressed it to "dop it daddy". Sadly he's too smart for us though and within 24 hours we've had "dop it mummy" and "dop it Alby". Alby thinks it is hilarious.
Typically the language follows his favourite or most needed things: digdig (for digger), dolly, dink, more, Alby, where are ooo, dout (shout), bye bye ev-i-one. In fact, everything gets the bye bye treatment: bye bye wet car, bye bye Nee nah, bye bye toot toot, bye bye bed or even bye bye boing bed.
Words are still mixed with an awful lot of signing. Thanks to the brilliant Mr Tumble he now knows more signs than us which leads to some cryptic, drawn out interpretations but has definitely helped with his manners and he is quick to say sorry, thank you and share. Understanding what share means however is still a work in progress...

*disclaimer - I wrote this post two weeks ago and it's taken me an age to upload it. In that time George's vocabulary has doubled and his mimicry is worrying. Anyone coming into contact with him please watch your words. I've done the swearing toddler thing once already, am hoping history doesn't repeat itself on this occasion.

**I've been updating the blog through my mobile which, annoyingly, won't upload photos or videos.  I don't have footage of the "dabbit dabbit" days but I do have this film from November showing Smalley when he is first working his way around words...