Literary genius update

It's such a delight seeing Elias' language developing so rapidly and sometimes in unexpected ways.  He now talks a lot...but, really, mostly to himself.  Well, not really to himself, since he is seeking an audience, but it's largely one-sided.  He's not much for conversation, and often clams up if asked a question.  Rather, he either narrates what he's doing at the time and/or recites passages from his books, which he seems to delight in almost as much as me reading the story to him.  He wants me to confirm--and preferably continue--the select passages, though, so it's often a challenge for me to figure out what he's reciting and remember the story.  His memory is far, far superior to mine.  I'm astounded how he can find a book that he hasn't seen for months then rattle off each page of text from memory.

This week I'm happy to report that he read at least 3 new words:  CAT, POP and...and...well, shoot, there's my memory showing again.  Regardless, it was very exciting.  I catch him trying to sound out words to himself. 

Dear friends more literary than I got him a couple books of poetry, which I wasn't excited about, but soon discovered that he loves them.  He has a preference for "good" poetry, too, not just children's rhymes.

His favorite book now is his children's Bible.  Really!  I didn't push that at all--in fact, I find that version too preachy, confusing and awkward and would like to replace it, but he loves it to the point of obsession.  He gets distressed when he looses it, and most nights insists on taking it to bed with him.  That's really wonderful, although his focus isn't where I'd have it be. When he first read about the Fall, he laughed all-out that "Eve knew God didn't want them to eat from the tree," insisted I read that part over and over, then repeated the phrase himself constantly for a day or two.  Hmm.  A similar thing happened when we read about the Exodus, where he focused on Pharaoh saying "no" to God, which for some reason he finds funny and fascinating.  Other favorites are more to my liking: the entire creation story, and Abraham counting the stars and getting the son God promised.  Just tonight I think he got the concept that you don't have to read the stories from front to back like his other books, and was flipping through to have me read the "end ones."  That came with another instant "hit" he wanted repeated 20ish times:  " 'Come and fight me!' said Goliath."  I think why he found this so funny was that at first he thought I said "come and bite me" but even with that cleared up, Goliath's battle cry is now firmly installed in my son's working vocabulary.  I'm wondering how that phrase will play out in daycare tomorrow.

Although he likes quoting others, I just love some of his own phrases.  All berries have 2 "b"s in the middle:  Strawbaberry, raspbaberry.  Thomas (the train) is still always "Thomasum" and he carries "cold" not "coal" (I think he intentionally switches those because I've corrected him on it so many times before, and now he even emphasizes the "d" on the end and fake-shivers when saying it.)  He often refers to himself in the 3rd person, as in "please tickle Elias Cook!"  When he hurts himself he'll say in a sad, drawn-out voice "Pooooor Elias..."

His pronunciation is OK (his teacher says "I love his diction!") but often I need him to repeat things to me, and even then I'm sometimes left with a mystery.  I admire my friend Sarah for her detective efforts in deciphering her daughter's speech, but sometimes I rise to the occasion too.  It's a delight figuring it out.  One example is when we were on the couch reading a book and he said "Mommy, turn on outside."  Interpretation:  open the window to let the breeze in.  Sunday we met his adoption social worker and he climbed on her lap and started telling her all sorts of things, with me translating, but I got stuck on "shoes, kaffay."  You have comfy shoes?--no.  Shoes come off?--no.  OH!  Your shoes are "cafe":  brown!  His daycare has a Spanish tutor come in once a week.  Now I have to try to figure out what he's saying in 2 languages!

weekend ends

This has been such a great weekend with Elias.  He's been so endearing and entertaining and active.  His language is exploding along with his exploring and making sense of teh world.  His ability to learn new things and memory is simply amazing.  I recognize my own mental processes have slowed considerably over the last 15 years or so, but it's hard to believe I was ever like that.

Elias' speech is getting clearer.  He loves yelling out his entire name:  Elias Daniel! AshenAFI! ****!  He's also pretty pleased that he learned how to say "banana" tonight (rather than "nana.")  "Computer" is now "pooter" rather than "abu."  I still like "burrito," though:  "bee-doe."

He has some definite favorites. 

Chickens:  the rooster, Verdi.  Incidentially, he's the least favorite of all of my friends.

Shapes:  a semicircle.  He'll often nibble off 1/2 a cookie and hold it up, declaring semicircle!

Treats:  He loves vitamin D's, and now daily requests them by color:  White D?  Red D?

Body parts:  elbow

Song:  "The Bear Hunt"--a partcipatory song/story, part of the "Kids in Action" CD

Food:  green beans or cookies.  More often than not, when we get home he immediately starts begging for beans, then carries the can lovingly from garage to kitchen, where he fishes out the can opener and follows me around asking me to open it:  Beans!  Mommy cut?  He eats the whole can at a sitting, then sucks out any liquid at the bottom of the bowl:  I drink bean juice!

I cut my thumb pretty badly tonight and have it all wrapped up.  When reading books with Elias I warned him that Mommy has a hurt thumb, so be very gentle.  He immediately became very concerned and upset.  He showed me one of his fingers he said hurt, too.  Mommy owie? I'm sorry Mommy!  Thank you, welcome, Mommy.  (He often crowds all his "polite" words together for emphasis.)  He kept stroking it, asking if it hurt.  It's sad to think how our hearts get hardened as we grow up.  For now he's still blessedly compassionate.