There are some good things and some bad things about Benji starting to talk a bit more. One bad thing: We can’t do secret Christmas presents in front of him, because he’ll give stuff away! But mostly we have highlights of Benji talking:

– He calls fire or candles “poof,” because that’s how Nana’s has fireplace turns on.
– He can say tiller truck, as “tiwwa truck” and enunciates aid car and pumper truck clearly.
– He can say sea anemone, sea star, coral, and sea urchin, thanks to the Eric Carle Hermit Crab book.
– He calls cement mixers “bwabwabwa trucks,” making a bla/circling noise with his tongue. Other construction trucks are accurately rendered, however, except “suck truck” for pumper truck.
– Benji often says things like, “Red part gone? No.” (Referring to a visual timer.) Or “Nana bye-bye? No.” Or “More cheese please, yes!” (Telling us what to respond ahead of time.)
– When uncertain, he says, “Hmmmm… Hmmmmmmmmm…” and just keeps on saying that until someone tells him the answer. Continue Reading >>