We are good. We have bad moments, but never bad days. Regular stuff. Three year old stuff. I have come across several three year olds in my illustrious career with children (from preschool teacher to children's ministry worker and a few things in between) and from what I can tell, my kid is pretty much on track.
I knew I would be second guessing myself with the way I parent, but luckily I have a great network of moms that I can talk to. From what I can tell I am normal (relatively speaking) and Charlie is doing just fine.
Would I like him to be able to sit through the entire church service? Of course.
Would I like him to stop peeing in the car seat? Definitely.
Could I live without having all of my shirts stretched out of shape because he thinks I am an awesome human-shaped jungle gym? Darn Tootin.
Would I like for him to stop putting random things in the toilet? Yes.
But overall, I feel really blessed to have such a joyful, active, healthy little guy in my life. We are celebrating the small victories-
He is sleeping through the night 90% of the time now. Turns out we weren't keeping his room dark enough for his liking. Here we were putting brighter lamps in, leaving hall lights on and he just wanted a cave-like room.
He still likes 98% of the food we put in front of him. The only thing he isn't crazy about is carrots and a few kinds of fruit. Other than that- the kid still puts a hurtin' on some Chinese and Thai food! Go figure. Of course his favorites are the kid usual- french fries, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and pizza.
Potty training- This week has been our first full fledged "in underwear all day" all the time. I'm sure we drive him crazy with the "do you need to go te-te?" a hundred times a day. He's doing really well with it though. Before he goes, the negotiations start. How many M&M's for #1s and #2s. This may be TMI for you, but yesterday he tried to convince me that because the "business" was exceptionally, shall we say "large" that he should get three M&Ms. Hilarious.
I need your advice on this one: Speech. We've been home for 2 1/2 months. His English I think is going pretty well. I don't know if he's completely on track or how much I should worry. Our friend is the speech therapist for our district and she said he is doing great. She said if he's 7 and still having some of these issues, then we should be concerned. It's just baffling to me what he can say and what he can't. Like today we were watching Sports Center and he proclaims "Basketball" as clear as a bell. But you ask him what a cow says and he looks at you like you have three heads. (Then on the 80th time we ask, he'll squeak out a "oooooo" leaving off the "M")
Please comment: AP's was your child diagnosed with a speech delay in their first language? And if so at what point did you see a big difference in their second language and/or decide to seek speech therapy? If you went ahead with speech therapy, did you see a big difference immediately? If your child is shy around new people (like Charlie is to a point, unless he REALLY likes you....) was the therapy beneficial? I ask that because I can't see Charlie opening up and speaking to someone he's not crazy about at this point.
I guess I don't really know what I am asking, I just need your advice on this topic. I know at this point he understands practically everything we say to him, it's incredible! But I just don't know how much he should be saying.
Right now our strategy has been constant talking and conversation, reading an obscene amount of books and using flash cards.
Words he says on a regular basis:
Hello (both as a greeting and his word for the telephone)
Bye-Bye
Yes, Yup, Yeah
No, Uh-uh
Oh No!
Done
Gone
1, 2, 3 (will say the rest up to 10 if he repeats after you....)
"Too" as in if someone has the same thing
Just about every part of his body (head, hair, eyes, mouth, teeth, elbows, knees)
He calls dogs "ruff-ruffs" and cats "nene" because his aunt nene has a cat!
More
Juice
Yum-yums
Alex & Annie (our dogs)
Rory ("Orrie" my sisters dog)
Several friends names- Joe-Joe, Dale, Dave, Joyce, Nene, Jana, Emma, Sam, Seth, Blair, etc.
Clean
Dirty
Big!
Loud!
Semi
Stuck (Used for multiple purposes, as in I'm stuck or I'm frustrated)
Inside
Outside
Choo-choo
Movers (his favorite show on TV)
Drive
Keys
Mail (sometimes says "ail")
Books
Read
Zoo
Monkey
Lion
Bear
Bunny
Bird
Day
Night-night
Sky
Sun
Moon
Stars
Robot
Ball
Shoes (Still calls them their Russian name sometimes too- Ooboofs)
Shirt
Pants
Shorts
Socks
Funny
Brush
Work
Church
Chicken
Meat
Up (Ketchup)
Banana
Colors- Blue, Green, Red (ed) Yellow
Baby
Wet (et)
Dry
Trash
Cheese! (for the food and the camera)
Florida (lorida- where his Babas and Dadas live)
Go!
Move!
Stop!
Will say "please" and "thank you" but only if there is chocolate involved.
Luv oooh. (I love you)
And his Russian words that he holds onto-Ca-ca, Ribah (fish) Mama, Papa, Baba, Dada, and "Stas"
I'm sure there are a few more, but that's all I can think of right now. Now that I type them, it seems like a lot! If I need to just chill, please tell me that too!
I knew I would be second guessing myself with the way I parent, but luckily I have a great network of moms that I can talk to. From what I can tell I am normal (relatively speaking) and Charlie is doing just fine.
Would I like him to be able to sit through the entire church service? Of course.
Would I like him to stop peeing in the car seat? Definitely.
Could I live without having all of my shirts stretched out of shape because he thinks I am an awesome human-shaped jungle gym? Darn Tootin.
Would I like for him to stop putting random things in the toilet? Yes.
But overall, I feel really blessed to have such a joyful, active, healthy little guy in my life. We are celebrating the small victories-
He is sleeping through the night 90% of the time now. Turns out we weren't keeping his room dark enough for his liking. Here we were putting brighter lamps in, leaving hall lights on and he just wanted a cave-like room.
He still likes 98% of the food we put in front of him. The only thing he isn't crazy about is carrots and a few kinds of fruit. Other than that- the kid still puts a hurtin' on some Chinese and Thai food! Go figure. Of course his favorites are the kid usual- french fries, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and pizza.
Potty training- This week has been our first full fledged "in underwear all day" all the time. I'm sure we drive him crazy with the "do you need to go te-te?" a hundred times a day. He's doing really well with it though. Before he goes, the negotiations start. How many M&M's for #1s and #2s. This may be TMI for you, but yesterday he tried to convince me that because the "business" was exceptionally, shall we say "large" that he should get three M&Ms. Hilarious.
I need your advice on this one: Speech. We've been home for 2 1/2 months. His English I think is going pretty well. I don't know if he's completely on track or how much I should worry. Our friend is the speech therapist for our district and she said he is doing great. She said if he's 7 and still having some of these issues, then we should be concerned. It's just baffling to me what he can say and what he can't. Like today we were watching Sports Center and he proclaims "Basketball" as clear as a bell. But you ask him what a cow says and he looks at you like you have three heads. (Then on the 80th time we ask, he'll squeak out a "oooooo" leaving off the "M")
Please comment: AP's was your child diagnosed with a speech delay in their first language? And if so at what point did you see a big difference in their second language and/or decide to seek speech therapy? If you went ahead with speech therapy, did you see a big difference immediately? If your child is shy around new people (like Charlie is to a point, unless he REALLY likes you....) was the therapy beneficial? I ask that because I can't see Charlie opening up and speaking to someone he's not crazy about at this point.
I guess I don't really know what I am asking, I just need your advice on this topic. I know at this point he understands practically everything we say to him, it's incredible! But I just don't know how much he should be saying.
Right now our strategy has been constant talking and conversation, reading an obscene amount of books and using flash cards.
Words he says on a regular basis:
Hello (both as a greeting and his word for the telephone)
Bye-Bye
Yes, Yup, Yeah
No, Uh-uh
Oh No!
Done
Gone
1, 2, 3 (will say the rest up to 10 if he repeats after you....)
"Too" as in if someone has the same thing
Just about every part of his body (head, hair, eyes, mouth, teeth, elbows, knees)
He calls dogs "ruff-ruffs" and cats "nene" because his aunt nene has a cat!
More
Juice
Yum-yums
Alex & Annie (our dogs)
Rory ("Orrie" my sisters dog)
Several friends names- Joe-Joe, Dale, Dave, Joyce, Nene, Jana, Emma, Sam, Seth, Blair, etc.
Clean
Dirty
Big!
Loud!
Semi
Stuck (Used for multiple purposes, as in I'm stuck or I'm frustrated)
Inside
Outside
Choo-choo
Movers (his favorite show on TV)
Drive
Keys
Mail (sometimes says "ail")
Books
Read
Zoo
Monkey
Lion
Bear
Bunny
Bird
Day
Night-night
Sky
Sun
Moon
Stars
Robot
Ball
Shoes (Still calls them their Russian name sometimes too- Ooboofs)
Shirt
Pants
Shorts
Socks
Funny
Brush
Work
Church
Chicken
Meat
Up (Ketchup)
Banana
Colors- Blue, Green, Red (ed) Yellow
Baby
Wet (et)
Dry
Trash
Cheese! (for the food and the camera)
Florida (lorida- where his Babas and Dadas live)
Go!
Move!
Stop!
Will say "please" and "thank you" but only if there is chocolate involved.
Luv oooh. (I love you)
And his Russian words that he holds onto-Ca-ca, Ribah (fish) Mama, Papa, Baba, Dada, and "Stas"
I'm sure there are a few more, but that's all I can think of right now. Now that I type them, it seems like a lot! If I need to just chill, please tell me that too!
