He is coming out with more multi-word phrases.

It is probably good for my sanity that Ivan has starting using these two phrases in almost equal measure. “No-wan-it” and “tank you.”

He has gotten quite conversational. Here are some samples.

Me: Ivan, let’s change your diaper.
Ivan: NO-WAN-IT – (it is loud and strung together into one word)

Me: Do you want a cookie?
Ivan: Goo-Key.  Yeah!
(cookie is transferred)
Ivan smiling: Tank You.

Me: Good Morning, Ivan.
Ivan: Oh-meal (oatmeal)
Me: Do you want breakfast?
Ivan: YEAH!

Sometimes, we don’t know what he means, but other times his meaning comes through. He pointed at the gnome decoration on his plate and said, “Gampa HAR-bee At.” Translation: I think this garden gnome looks like my bearded Grandpa Harvey wearing a hat.

He likes pointing and naming objects and people very much. He identified all the stone garden animals on the walk from his childcare today.  He thinks a boston terrier looks like a cat.  He thinks deer are dogs.  He switches between goose and duck with no apparent reason.  He uses “Skahl” and “Babbit” to correctly identify squirrel and rabbit statues. He also loves pointing out things in his books and identifying them.

We know a pair of sisters called Kaylee and Pippa, but Ivan calls them both Boopa or sometimes Boopa and Odah Boopa. “Boopa” is his attempt at Pippa, but he’s decided her sister Kaylee is “Other Pippa” for reasons we don’t understand.

He’s gotten very good at singing along on his favorite songs or filling in missing words. If you sing “Twinkle, twinkle little” he will loudly sing, “STAH!”

Ivan has been calling pizza by the name “pizza-GUY” ever since we made a big deal about the fact that the pizza guy had arrived. Ivan says, “Pizza-guy yummy.”