"R"ticulate
As we parents all know, toddlers can't get their mouths around the shape of an R. Mostly, they use that endearing W sound, instead. When Pumpkinpie was a toddler, she didn't have those Ws in place of Rs that most toddlers do, she used something that sounded more like a V. It was fairly close to the sound of an r, but not quite. I was actually pretty pleased with it, because it was, along with several other clues, a hint that she heard the sounds of language pretty well, was listening carefully and trying to imitate the phonemes she heard from the adults around her.
As she grew, and got more accustomed to the moving of her mouth, maybe even a smidge lazy with it, and also heard other kids more and more, she moved to the W. It's cute, I know they grow out of it, I wasn't worried.
But I have noticed in the last few weeks that she has started using a proper R. It is a little drawn-out, a little carefully over-articulated, almost as if she has a hint of an accent, as she is still becomes more used to the movement that creates that sound. It made me a bit teary to notice - both proud of her progress and a bit nostalgic for the passing of the next-to-last of her toddlerisms.
Perhaps she'll still say "lellow" for a while, yet.
Labels: growing up, Pumpkinpie
posted by kittenpie @ 2:48 PM
12 Comments:
Scooter used to say "senen" for "seven" and a few other little toddlerisms along those lines. My mother-in-law just about died when he lost those, she had loved them so much.
My older kids have speech disorders, so we have yet to hear a really good R in my house. It's like I'm living with Bugs Bunny.
I know the sadness. I'm coming to terms with the fact that she no longer wants to call her blanket, "Kiki". It's just a regular, old blanket now.
Catch my post tonight. My little one is speaking in earnest and I nearly wept. OK I did weep. The end of babyhood; firmly.
I do love the communication stuff best... but it can bite ya too.
Miss M has always said "yellow." This was a word that defeated me well into childhood. "Yellow" was the first colour she identified and she said it perfectly from the get-go.
She no longer says "sebno" for seven (sigh) but she still calls the living room the "livering room." Now I need to go to her "r"s.
I'm gonna miss 'pooter for computer. I always correct her but the day it's gone will be sad.
I'm so cute that I still can't say burglar. ;)
Strawberry often forgets her S's. I admit I've been known to encourage the adorable way she mispronounces some words.
Hey, we get "lello" for yellow too. We also have "pooter" for computer, and "bisecabble" for bicycle. I admit that last one was tough - I kept thinking he was talking about basketball. I finally caught on.
I notice that he often drops the beginning of words. Do you think that means he has trouble hearing, or I have trouble enunciating?? Hm.
This week KayTar gave up "bee-bee" in favorite of the more grown up "bay-bee" Makes me a little sad, too!
So cute!
I noticed some regressions in my girl too (three is now tree) so I feel much better hearing G did that too.
I swear she is doing it to bug me because she can say 'th' she says 'Back and thorth' just because she knows it is wrong and I am all 'everyone is going to think you don't know how to speak properly' as if she cares.
I'm still waiting patiently for a mama or dada or any word... but I imagine I'll weep like a baby when the last of the toddlerisms are gone. I am constantly amazed at just how quickly they grow up.
Most of the toddlerisms didn't really last very long around here (the benefit of an early talker, perhaps?), but we still have lellow for yellow, and lasterday for yesterday. LOVE those.
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