Noisy Boys

When it comes to talking, the boys have completely different styles.  Leon never stops babbling.  (I don't know where he gets it...)  Most of what he says is gibberish, but there will be random phrases thrown in just for fun.  While on vacation we were in the car, and the kids were watching a DVD.  We went all out for the trip, and we got a portable DVD player with dual screens that attach to the headrests so that they would all have a great view of whatever mind-numbing programming we put in the player.  This could be one of the smartest things we've ever done.  The player plugs in to the cigarette lighter in the backseat.  I was turned around talking to Ree when we hit a bump, the player came unplugged, and the screens went black.  Disaster!

Leon immediately started chattering, telling me there was a problem.  I heard something along the lines of, "Gebdarbadeedoobehdeekikki you broke it! debbadeedumdagebadeedun."  The phrase in the middle was crystal clear.  Even Ree laughed.

There was a similar outburst from him a couple of weeks ago.  My mom was in town and she was dishing out food for dinner.  In the middle of all the chatter Leon managed to say, "More veg-eh-tah-bulls, please."  How could you not comply with that?

Meanwhile Michael didn't say anything for a long time, and I knew it was a lack of confidence, rather than a lack of vocabulary.  When he was desperate, words came out clearly.  One night at snack time he asked for "wah-ter-meh-lon" and every syllable was carefully enunciated so that I couldn't possibly misinterpret his demand for more delicious fruit.  Another heartbreaking night in which he was in teething agony he asked for "meh-dih-cine."  Also while on vacation, I caught him practicing his words in bed after he had been tucked in for the night.  He was going through the list of everyone he had played with that day and he clearly named Mama, Baba, and An-doo. 

Then, suddenly, about 10 days ago, he started talking.  He became a fountain of words.  Last week he probably used 30 new words, and this week there are more.  We thought this would help with his constant frustration and moaning, but it is currently making it worse.  Now that he knows that we know what he wants, he wants it NOW!  But we will work through this.

Of all the things they say, my favorite phrases out of each boy are there names for each other.  Although they have each said the others' name, they prefer to use other phrases.  The other morning the boys were getting in their high chairs for breakfast.  Leon sat down first, and he wanted to make sure I didn't forget Michael. So he pointed to Michael's chair and said, "Other boy."  Yes, I would get the other boy.  Last night in the tub I asked the boys who wanted to get out first.  Michael pointed at his brother and said, "That one."  I confirmed he wanted Leon to get out first, and Michael nodded his head so vigorously up and down I thought he was going to get whiplash.  "That one" it was.