A Non-Issue Really

This picture has nothing to do with the post but you'll be seeing a lot more like it very soon!

Several things have happened recently that have convinced me that maybe it would be a good idea to post about KayLi's language skills.

First an adoptive mom at KayLi's pre-op appointment asked about the language barrier. She and her husband are considering an older child adoption but are concerned about it. I had to try to keep from laughing because it's really a non-issue.

Then Rachelle at "With One Step" addressed a question someone had about language. I thought she did a great job in her post titled "75 Days".

And not long ago my friend Traci was telling me how surprised she was by the number of questions she had gotten about it.

So yesterday when a friend of mine asked if KayLi was learning English very well, I thought "I really need to address this "non-issue" because people seem to be really hung up on it."

I think it might help to understand that KayLi has two modes in public. Excited or quiet. So unless you come to my house and see her on her turf, it's easy to think she isn't leaning or doesn't understand. But that couldn't be further from the truth. She is actually learning so quickly that it is awesome to watch!

In almost three months we have only had one melt down because I couldn't figure out what she wanted. But that may have been because she was tired at the time...we weren't really sure about this particular incident :0) Anyway, it seems as though KayLi has understood us from the beginning. And while she still understands much more than she can say, she talks a lot at home.

I thought it might be fun to try to make a list of what KayLi can say. I know I won't be able to list everything because she knows and says the names of almost all every day objects. I also know that I will forget a lot and have to fight the urge to edit this post every two days.

While some things can only be understood by us, she knows exactly what she is saying. I totally believe that with speech therapy over the next several months, her language skills will thrive. Until then, I really don't mind being her translator.

So at the risk of bragging (like I had anything to do with her intelligence), here's the list :0)

"Drink please."
"Mama play KayLi" or whoever she wants to play with her at the moment.
"Mama help." Meaning "Mama do it."
"KayLi help." Meaning "I can do it myself!"
"KayLi's turn."
"KayLi sharing." It freaked me out how quickly she started sharing. It had to have been taught before us! Just don't take something from her unexpectedly...it's not pretty.
She can name most all body parts.
She can count to ten with you and count items to seven by herself.
"KayLi no tired." or "KayLi no night night." These often run together!
"Wait a minute." When she is running off to get something she wants you to play with.
"KayLi's...." you name it, it's ALL hers. This is her version of "Mine!" when she is not in the mode to share ;0)
"KayLi light on/off." She LOVES that she can do this!
"KayLi brush hair/teeth."
"I'm three." When asked how old she is.
"I'm three." Also her reply if asked "How are you."
"KayLi's shirt on." or pants, socks, shoes as she gets dressed.
"No wash KayLi hair." It's still not her favorite part of the bath.
"Nice dog." Dogs can be very scary :0)
"KayLi shopping, yeah!"
"Come on KayLi." meaning "Come with me."
"Yeah, Daddy's home!" or Emily, or Ryan!
"More candy please." Not recently but she did ask for "More oatmeal please." this morning.
"Oh my goodness."
"Mama where are you?"
"No yelling. Shhh." usually when the older kids are excited about a video game and never when she is yelling for "More Elmo Please." OK, usually without the "please" if she is yelling for Elmo. We're working on it!
"Hold me." I love this but I have to admit that I miss the way she said "Nay wa" when she wanted to be held or picked up. She just recently learned "hold me" and I was a little sad.
She knows red, blue & yellow and sometimes green but we are working on the rest of her colors..
"Running fast."
"Walking slow."
"That yucky gross."
"Mama, KayLi outside bubbles swing."
"Cold ice cream good."
"KayLi hot noodles?" I've heard this often lately, ramon noodles are total comfort food to her!
"Red jello so good."
"You teasing me." Usually said to her daddy!

"I love you so much."

And my personal favorite "Mama, Daddy, Emily, Grandma, KayLi, Ryan family."