SILENCE!

I am not entirely sure who flipped the switch, but Abbie’s vocabulary went from just a handful of words to repeating complete three- and four-word sentences this weekend. It was so exciting!!!

Michael informed me (casually) on Friday night that one of Abbie’s teachers at daycare mentionedto him that Abbie rarely speaks at all during the day. She said that Abbie follows her around but hardly makes a peep. This absolutely blew my mind. I mean, the child never shuts up at home. She will sit and play with her toys and just jibber jabber. You know, that really cute chatting that toddlers do where it sounds like they are telling you a long story, but it really makes no sense at all. And I am enough of a dork and read enough parenting materials to know that this is perfectly healthy and developmentally on point. But I was really puzzled as to why Abbie would not do this at daycare. She genuinely seems to enjoy the environment at daycare, but maybe there is just too much activity going on around her. At home, since it is just the three of us, it is relatively peaceful. Maybe she is just more inclined to fill the silence in the comfort of her own home.

But back to this weekend...I practiced singing “Happy Birthday” and saying “Happy Birthday Daddy!!!” all day Saturday since Sunday was Michael’s birthday. She would laugh at me and grin, but really didn’t say anything. Until…

We let Michael sleep in on Sunday and around 9:15, Abbie and I piled up in the bed and she pounced on Michael. I whispered in her ear what she needed to say and sure enough, she grinned and yelled, “Happy Birdday” *insert me and Michael clapping and laughing and hugging Abbie*

It was great!!! We both knew there was no way we could get her to do it again, let alone on camera or in front of anyone else, so we just enjoyed the moment. But then as we were getting ready to go meet Michael’s parents for lunch, I would say things like, “Abbie, tell Daddy to hurry up” and she would just blurt out “huhwe up” and run around playing some more. She just kept repeating random things we would say!

I know, I know…why don’t I have things on camera!!?? But have you ever seen Abbie when you pull out a camcorder? She just freezes and grins at you. SILENCE!!! It is like she KNOWS that I want her to do something cute, so she refuses….which, of course, is completely adorable.

Oh, well, you will just have to take our word for it.