Word Explosion

Liams vocabulary has exploded this week! I work with him every day on letter sounds and different words but I've never seen more progress with him then i have in the past week. He's making sentences, he's getting brave with new sounds and he's constantly talking to himself. Chad and I have spent the last three nights with Liam on our bed just talking and laughing about how adorable he is as he discoveres new words. Here are a few of his new developments and our favorite stories.

The other night we went out to eat Chinese food and Liam was full of energy. From the moment we sat down he would yell and try desperately to tell us what he wanted (which was everything on the table, salt, pepper, silverware, soy sauce, sugar packets, etc.)  and about 10 minutes after we sat down, the waitress could tell Liam was...independent. She brought out a plastic kids dinner plate with fun little characters on it. I thanked her profusely for being so helpful and for not being bugged by Liams loud nature, like everyone else in the restaurant was. As she walked away, Liam stopped seasoning our chips with "salts" and turned all the way around in his chair and said "Tank yoo" (thank you). Guys I don't know what came over me but I was SO proud, I could have cried. Manners are starting to stick! He's starting to say please and thank you without being prompted and it makes me so happy.

Liam knows what he wants, he always has but as he starts to communicate more, it becomes very apparent that I don't have to pry decisions out of this kid, he's already made them. Chad and I both had drinks in our hands and we were taking turns "watering" Liam as we ate and talked about our day. It was Saturday which has become "Dad Day" in our home since Dad gets to spend so much extra time with us. Liam is very partial to dad on Saturdays which I love but sometimes it gets a little out of hand. For example, Liam said to me "mama drink peese" so i bent the straw down to let him take a drink and he shook his head in frustration. He did this a few times so I asked him "Liam what do you want?" Clear as day he said "I want mama drink I want dada hold it" He wanted my drink but not from me! What a stinker! It cracked us up though.

This last story's my favorite. I think I've told Liam I loved him at least 10 times a day for his whole life. So naturally, I have anxiously awaited the day for him to say it back. There's one little problem, he really struggles with the L sound. Which is so ironic since we all thought he would be amazing with his tongue the way he had it sticking out of his month the first 8 months of his life. This also means his name is very difficult for him. He hasn't even really attempted it yet. We ask him what his name is and he says mama and then laughs like its a hilarious joke. Anyways, we work daily on the L sound. I always say I love you to him and then have him break it down. Say I...I. Say Love...YOU! he skips the Love all together and goes straight to you. But the other day i was showing him my tongue and said love a few times. So he attempted it...it was pretty much just him sticking his tongue in and out of him mouth but he tried it! He'll get there and I can't wait.

A few of our favorite new words:
-oh no
-broke
-eggs
-Heavenly Father (hevy fader)
-soup
-fall
-dirt
-splash pad
-temple
-animal
-popcorn
-broccoli
-outside
-tent
-sorry
-Angel Moroni (accompanied by a dododo DOO trumpet sound)

                                                Love you Liam, keep learning little one.