Miles-blogging #4

[peteryoung]

   
Miles is now nearly two months old. These photos I took last week illustrate the degree of complexity with which he will sometimes try to communicate, even though he can't speak yet. Already he reacts to stimulus and actually tries to talk: when he's alert after waking up either Benji or myself will say "Hello!" repeatedly, and I will swear blind he tries to say it back, not just responding with random noises that don't sound anything like what's being said to him, but patiently with the two distinct vowel sounds 'a' and 'o'. Babies start formulating the basic sounds of speech at around four to six months and he's certainly not there yet, but this boy sometimes seems uncannily alert, mentally.

We've looked at the Dunstan Baby Language system, which we first saw when Priscilla Dunstan did a TV interview in Thailand. It's based on the idea that newborn babies are actually communicating specific needs with different sounds. It looks interesting in theory but I'm not that convinced by it, as they skipped an opportunity for scientific testing and instead went straight to marketing the idea.

Sprog's Masterclass: getting him to sleep in the evenings can be difficult, and all over YouTube are examples of pacifying techniques that involves the use of hairdryers, vacuum cleaners and running taps to imitate the sound of the rush of blood which he heard in the womb. Sometimes just going "Shhhhh..." very close to Miles's ear will calm him down if he's screaming like a banshee, but I discovered the best technique for myself: just cradle him and walk him up and down the stairs. Sometimes he can go from screaming to what looks like light sleep in 30 seconds flat, it's truly extraordinary; other times it can take a few minutes longer but it always works.

Favourite activity: standing up, with some help, and while he tries to balance (and he's getting good) he adopts what I call his "this is fun!" face in the third picture above. I'm wary of him putting too much weight on his legs and hips as they're not properly straightened yet (and he is a big boy), but it's good to give him some physical stimulus that he enjoys.

Favourite non-activity: watching the ceiling fan go round. His head moves with the motion. Second favourite non-activity: throwing up. After it's all over he seems to think it's funny.

Comments

[tvor.livejournal.com]

He's so sweet!!! That first year is so awesome, they learn so much so fast!

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Great stories. Some friends of mine taught their daughter a form of sign language before she learned how to speak, and she was able to convey simple needs that way. I'm sure it's based on some theory of language development or another, although I had never heard of it before.

[peteyoung.livejournal.com]

I see there's even a Wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language_in_infants_and_toddlers) about it, and I think it might be worth considering. Whenever Miles is hungry he always puts his fist to his mouth and starts trying to chew his hand, and he's been doing that since a few days old!

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

Beat me to it!

Sounds like a great baby.

I don't know why, but gently patting babies on the butt (while holding them, e.g. when he's draped on your shoulder & your arm's under his thighs) can be very soothing to them. Weird but true.