um bor ee

Mia had loved books since, well, since forever. She was easy to please on the London buses with a packet of raisins and a little book to read over and over again. I have pictures and video footage of her reading aloud to herself over the last 4 years which is just fantastic.

Not so our little Josh. We put it down to a girl vs boy kind of thing - limited attention span...or second child syndrome - not interested in talking or reading because his sister does it for him, but lately...he's become absolutely OBSESSED with reading. Or to be more exact, having books read to him - over and over and over and over.

I think finally with his effort to talk more and to be understood, has come an interest in communication and stories. I am convinced too that last winter he had too many colds and ear infections along with glue ear, which must have affected his hearing and therefore his speech. I am thrilled to see some progress now with how he is forming his words and his vocabulary. I haven't had a real concern or 'bad feeling' about his late start with talking and am confidently trusting my intuition on this front. He is improving all the time, albeit without most consonants!

I had to smile today at the sneaky ambush: Ben had the lego on the floor and Josh proceeded to fill the empty lego box with the 10 library books we have at the moment. He sidled along the couch to put the box next to me (I was sitting next to Mia) and showed me his 'creation' - his box of books. I was suitably impressed (standard!) but had failed to comprehend up until that minute what a crafty approach he had taken as he passed me a book to "REE Mummy - pee?" He had successfully 'cornered' me! I think I read 4 books before I managed to escape the pleas of "um bor mummy!" (one more mummy).

We are all used to Joshka's favourite and well used phrase: "Um bor ee!" (One more thing to eat! Or, one more READ!). We announce dinner time as UMBO'EE time. A family "word" for the time being. It's great to know that he is communicating and being better understood now. The best thing is that he does seem to have a sense of humour - when imploring me to "dum mummy!" while pulling me somewhere (come mummy!) and I say "Don't call me dum! I'm not a dum mummy!" he laughs and laughs and gives me an extra pull: "DUM!"