>Free associations

>Ok, we’re going to do a fun little free-association game.  I’m going to write a word, and you’re going to say (or write or sign) the first word that comes into your mind right afterward.  It may help to cover the words below the one you’re on so that the later ones don’t influence your thought process.

Ready?

1.  one

2.  orange

3.  sleep

4.  ball

5.  nice

6.  rain

Ok, got your answers?  Now you can read the rest to see how you match up to Sebastian’s current associations.

1.  one – two
     Yes, Sebastian loves the number two, and he seems to understand what it means.  If we put two of something on his plate, he’ll say, unasked, “TWO” but hold up one finger because he can’t quite figure out how to get only two to stay up.  The funniest thing is when he asks for a cracker now, because if I reply, “Oh, you’d like a cracker, please?” he’ll say, “Peez…two!”  Of course he wants far more than two crackers, but I think in his head two also means many.

2.  orange – good
    Sebastian has figured out that foods can be good, and he won’t hesitate to tell you so while eating or even while talking about his favorites.  Oranges are his latest favorite fruit, and since we talk colors all the time, he hears this one, says good and proceeds to ask if he can have one.  He will also reply good if you ask if something is yummy or delicious.  Synonyms already!  Love it.

3.  sleep – Toby
    If I ask Sebastian if he’s ready to go to sleep and he is, he’ll ask for his Toby (a dog blanket that is his woobie) and his pacifier.  We like that he is starting to know when he is tired and want to go to bed.  A year ago it seemed like these days would never come!

4.  ball – roll
   Any toy with wheels is a big hit around here, especially when I remembered that I had a set of steps that form an incline (you can tell that I don’t do much working out beyond chasing after a busy boy)!  We set it up against the love seat, and Sebastian can climb up, slide down, and best of all, roll his various balls and other vehicles on it in all directions.

5.  nice – share
   We started by teaching Sebastian to be gentle (when petting the cats, for example), and lately we are telling him that certain actions are nice.  I showed him how to “share” his milk with his baby doll, and now if anyone says something is nice – like saying please or thank you, he will run through the list of what else is nice, beginning with sharing.  It’s incredibly cute, and a good way to divert the inevitable shouting that ensues if I tell him “no biting” or “no kicking.”  I follow it up every time with “please be nice,” and out pops share and then usually baby, and then the tantrum is over.

6.  rain – sky
    Yes, folks, it rains around here pretty much every day now that it’s late fall, and so we have to discuss it on a regular basis.  We can’t go for a walk because it’s raining, and once (just ONCE!), I told Sebastian that the rain falls down from the sky.  From then on, it was a constant dialogue between us.  It goes something like this.

Sebastian:  Outside?
Mama:  No, we can’t go outside right now because it’s raining.
Sebastian:  Wain…sky.
Mama:  Yes, the rain falls from the sky.
Sebastian:  Sky…boo.
Mama:  You’re right, the sky is usually blue, but today it’s gray.
Sebastian:  (silence.  thinking about this.)  Boo.  Ball!
Mama:  Ok, let’s go play with your blue ball.

 As you can see, it’s getting pretty entertaining around here now that he makes so many connections.  The best part is really when I get to overhear his stream of consciousness when he’s talking to himself.  Here is my favorite one from yesterday morning.

“Daddy…work,work…home…soon…uppa…teef…work,work…car…ride…Daddy!!”

As you can imagine, this reflects the many conversations we have about Daddy during the days.  When he cries for Daddy, I tell him he’s at work and will be home soon, but at that moment he was upstairs brushing his teeth and Sebastian heard the sound of the toothbrush.  We also say bye-bye to Daddy who rides in the car to work.

Did your associations give you any insight into your own daily routines?  I’m curious as to how your thoughts compared.  The Daddy and I pretty much rattle these pairs off now (I tested them on him before writing this post) after hearing them so often.

Pretty amazing to get a peek at the thought process of a sixteen-month old!