15 Months — A Snapshot

Noey’s now 15 months old and I really believe that this is the cutest age. He is still of baby proportions — with the short limbs, big head and remnant baby fat — and yet, he is more like a child then ever, responding and communicating as play, teach, and speak to him everyday.

His command of the language has improved by leaps and bounds and he seems to be able to say a new word every couple of days. His diction is also steadily improving. I’ve finally been recognised — he finally called me “M-ma” on Christmas Day –though mind you, “Ma” has come after “Onion”. Such injustice I say! His latest favourite word is “Turtle” and his newest English word is “Doll”. His latest animal sound is “Oink oink!”. He’s also learnt to say his first Chinese word (aside from addressing his Nainai, Yiyi and Jiuju) — 抱抱. For some reason it sends him into peals of laughter when he says this.

I am really loving the fact that he communicates so well because it is a window into his little mind. It is surprising and occasionally funny, the connections that he makes. Like the other day when we were visiting a friend and her new baby, Noey was captivated by a poster of sea creatures on the wall. He kept going “Pshhh!” (Fish) and “Turtle!” and “Tar!” (Star ie. Starfish) and “Ummm!” (Noey-speak for Big Fish, courtesy of many re-tellings of the bible story of Jonah). then he looked at a picture of an oyster and quizzically pointed at his ear. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. It was true that the oyster pictured — in a half shell that was a slight C-shape — did in some sense resemble an ear.

Indeed, he understands so much now that we’ve really got to watch what we say. DD collapsed on the bed the other day going “ouch ouch ouch ouch” and Noey found it so hilarious that he had to do the same. He can understand a string of instructions and link concepts — eg. When we tell him that if he wants Papa to continue reading him a story, he must eat the next mouthful of food, he definitely gets it and will follow through on days he’s feeling cooperative. Of course sometimes he just refuses to comply! He understands a stern voice and will try to smile and make you smile to get out of trouble. I’ve got plenty more to say about discipline that I’ll have to save for another long overdue post.

Noey remains a social little baby and he’s more often than not surprised me by coming up to me to give me a random kiss, which of course completely melts my heart. That and the way he runs out from whereever he is once he hears my voice with a big smile and going “Yay!!!”. I’m looking forward to bringing him to some classes to meet other little babes and get a little more activity. I think he will enjoy it. He certainly loves story time at home (and I’ve been able to read more and more of the text in his books), and as for singing and dancing, I think that is self-evident!

One of Noey’s (and Papa’s) favourite bedtime activities! I’ve really got to catch a video of his bobbing dance. He will bob and shake his head and swing his arms, and do random gestures in a manner that is just impossibly cute.

Yes, I’m loving my little not-so-baby baby, more than ever.