Chatterbox
In what seems like a few short months, Akira has […]
In what seems like a few short months, Akira has not only grown exponentially in physical size, but I also feel like his personality has really started to shine through. He loves laughing and rolling over. He coos and observes. He takes in his surroundings before fully settling in and letting go, almost as if he just wants to be sure that wherever he is, he’s comfortable and safe.
There’s something about his demeanor that gives me the impression that there’s more going on in that brain of his than meets the eye. Other people have noticed this, too, and have gone so far as to say that he has a “soulful” look to him. I’ll take it. If that means that he’s got a quiet intelligence, then I’m all for it.
However, just because he’s relatively quiet upon first meeting, that doesn’t mean that he stays quiet. Let me assure you, this kid is starting to talk. He babbles and tries so hard to repeat the sounds that I give him. It’s actually something I’m really proud of. When Anaïs was 4-and-a-half months old, she actually started saying “mama” pretty regularly and was quick to associate that word with me. And I couldn’t have been more excited when it happened.
Akira is right there with her. He’s exploring sounds and has already started making “G” sounds and “N” sounds. And dare I say he’s not shying away from “D” sounds either? In fact, just this past week, he actually started saying “dada,” which completely caught me by surprise and gave me that huge sense of pride. I don’t doubt that his sister influences his desire to talk. She is constantly talking, going a mile a minute and engaging him. He sits back and giggles and just when he thinks no one is listening, he starts to form words of his own. It’s really such a sweet thing to catch!
Something I picked up on, too, was that he is actually using these sounds to communicate to us when he wants something, particularly food. Maybe I’m imagining it or maybe I’m jumping to conclusions—but what I’ve noticed as of late is that he actually says, “Nanana,” when he’s hungry. I know it sounds crazy! But really, is it that farfetched? His first foray into solid foods was with bananas and we still give them to him because he loves them. But maybe he thinks that “nanana” just means food! When he says it, I take it as my cue to nurse which he happily obliges. It’s almost like a secret language that he’s trying to speak with us. And I find that to be unbelievably heartwarming.
I’m excited to see what happens as he gets older—what words will he form next? Will he talk as much as his sister did and still does? Will they have their own language? I feel like they’re already so closely bonded and their connection will only grow stronger the older they both get. And to me, their mother, that is a feeling that no words will ever be able to describe.