Brigid Shows She Gets It, and It's Hers

How can a child go from incomprehensible babbling baby to intelligent, articulate and conversant toddler almost overnight? I don’t know the answer to that, but Brigid seems to have done it. Yesterday at dinner, she was giving us an explanation of what was on her plate. “These are chili beans,” she said. “This is torn (corn).” “This is rice.” Our friend, Kim, was there and she said she was amazed at how she understood everything Brigid was saying. Of course, we’ve understood her since she started grunting and pointing because we’re with her 100 percent of the time and know the nuances of her communication skills. But when people outside her circle can understand her language and voice, and do so almost overnight, it’s a huge developmental milestone.

What I like to see as well is how she has developed from a baby who understands a portion of what you’re telling her to a kid who gets it all and can react – or choose not to react – to whatever it is you’re telling her. Yesterday, after she had naked time right after I picked her up from Sibley, I needed her to put her clothes back on so we could run out to the store. She was compliant, but when I got to her socks, I discovered I only had one of them. The other was in the other room, near the rocking chair. I asked Brigid to get her other sock. At first, she stood in the middle of the living room, looking around. I told her it was on the floor over by the rocking chair. I didn’t point to it or give her any other direction. She took a second, as though she was processing the direction, and then went over to the rocking chair. I told her it was on the floor, and she looked down, found the sock and brought it over to me. She has been getting better at helping me get her dressed, too. She can put her Crocs on her feet all by herself, and she has started trying to put her tops on herself. She has a little trouble pulling up her pants, but she’s trying. If she could change her own diaper, I’d be all set. Although, I have to say I’m impressed because she will come over and tell me she needs her diaper changed. We’re getting to that ultimate goal of potty readiness day by day.

She is beginning to get the idea of talking on the phone, although when she does talk on the phone to Jack or anyone else she knows, the only thing she can think of to say is that she “had a nice nap.” It’s pretty funny, and she will still answer a question by nodding, as though the other person on the other end of the phone can see her nodding.

Yesterday, I also heard her use the personal pronoun, “I,” more consistently and appropriately. She will still use her name in place of “I,” as in, “Brigid do it.” She certainly knows the word, “MINE!” I got her some ice cream last night when I stopped to get milk, bread and eggs, and she declared it was hers. I said, “You need to share.” She said, “No, I not sharing.” And then she complimented herself on the use of her spoon. “Good job on the spoon!” she says. And how can you argue? She is doing a good job on the spoon.