Tara said in an email today that she felt a blog coming on.
Why?
Because in madness of all madness Beau is having his first sleepover ever tomorrow with his best bud Chase (Tara's son).
And tonight when I tucked him into bed and kissed him goodnight he told me that he and Chase were going to sleep in his buttplug.
AND that he was going to be on top of the buttplug!
For shits and giggles revisit this post for further explanation.
Oh my.
Cuddle Club this certainly isn't.
PS. Carmella is having friend sleepover too. Ryan says he is working extra late.
Showing posts with label Speech disorders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Speech disorders. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Butt Plug
Eye-catching lead, isn't it?
Okay, so I know I have mentioned Beau's speech issues many times and how they result in many, many misunderstandings--kitty poops anyone?
And you know, I could choose to be really sad about it every time we have communication break downs because it is sad and frustrating and just heartbreaking that such a smart little boy is having such a hard time getting his ideas across. Big huge sigh though, as with everything else in life it is just easier if you try to find the humor and laugh about it and move on. So that is what I have chosen to do.
Yesterday on the ride home from school Beau and Parker were talking play dates and Parker said he wanted to have a sleepover at my house (Parker is working his way to living at my house I think). I pointed out for the 1 millionth time that they are too young for sleepovers. But nonetheless the topic persisted. And Beau said something to the effect that Parker could do something with a "butt plug". It was all garbled but I clearly heard "butt plug." (Sorry no links, too inappropriate, go Google for yourself if you have any questions.)
Butt plug? Surely that is not what he said.
So not entirely certain of what I heard and most definitely not wanting to repeat the taboo yet very popular with the sandbox set word "butt"-- much less the combination of "butt plug" -- I asked him to repeat what he said.
Again, it was garbled but my ears clearly heard what sounded exactly like "butt plug."
Parker too heard something amiss as he too asked Beau to say it again.
And again it sounded like "butt plug."
So not really believing that my 3 year old has any real understanding of what a butt plug is but most definitely very interested in finding out what he thinks a butt plug is and exactly how on earth it relates to a sleepover, I asked him to explain what he meant and show me if he could.
So Beau, slightly exasperated at having to explain-- yet again-- something that is apparently quite simple; mimed the motion for sleep and said something to the effect that he will sleep up on the top butt and Parker will sleep on the bottom butt.
Light bulb over my head flicks brightly on.
Duh!
Me: Ohhhhhh! You and Parker will sleep in your bunk bed!!! You on the top bunk and Parker on the bottom bunk?
Beau: YES!!!!
Parker: YES!!!
Me, crossing myself with relief: Uhm yeah, maybe when you guys are 5 or something. So hey, Parker, want to come play at our house today?
Okay, so I know I have mentioned Beau's speech issues many times and how they result in many, many misunderstandings--kitty poops anyone?
And you know, I could choose to be really sad about it every time we have communication break downs because it is sad and frustrating and just heartbreaking that such a smart little boy is having such a hard time getting his ideas across. Big huge sigh though, as with everything else in life it is just easier if you try to find the humor and laugh about it and move on. So that is what I have chosen to do.
Yesterday on the ride home from school Beau and Parker were talking play dates and Parker said he wanted to have a sleepover at my house (Parker is working his way to living at my house I think). I pointed out for the 1 millionth time that they are too young for sleepovers. But nonetheless the topic persisted. And Beau said something to the effect that Parker could do something with a "butt plug". It was all garbled but I clearly heard "butt plug." (Sorry no links, too inappropriate, go Google for yourself if you have any questions.)
Butt plug? Surely that is not what he said.
So not entirely certain of what I heard and most definitely not wanting to repeat the taboo yet very popular with the sandbox set word "butt"-- much less the combination of "butt plug" -- I asked him to repeat what he said.
Again, it was garbled but my ears clearly heard what sounded exactly like "butt plug."
Parker too heard something amiss as he too asked Beau to say it again.
And again it sounded like "butt plug."
So not really believing that my 3 year old has any real understanding of what a butt plug is but most definitely very interested in finding out what he thinks a butt plug is and exactly how on earth it relates to a sleepover, I asked him to explain what he meant and show me if he could.
So Beau, slightly exasperated at having to explain-- yet again-- something that is apparently quite simple; mimed the motion for sleep and said something to the effect that he will sleep up on the top butt and Parker will sleep on the bottom butt.
Light bulb over my head flicks brightly on.
Duh!
Me: Ohhhhhh! You and Parker will sleep in your bunk bed!!! You on the top bunk and Parker on the bottom bunk?
Beau: YES!!!!
Parker: YES!!!
Me, crossing myself with relief: Uhm yeah, maybe when you guys are 5 or something. So hey, Parker, want to come play at our house today?
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Kitty Poop
I know I have mentioned a gazillion times about Beau's speech disorder. I can't really call it a delay since what he says is actually ahead of the "average" kid his age--which is 3 1/2 by the way. He has appropriate sentence structure, uses plurals, articles, past tense and has a rather large vocabulary--when you can understand it. Not to mention, he talks. A lot.
His speech continues, although slowly, to improve. A year ago he had no syllable at the beginning of words. Then he had a syllable-- usually an h sound. Then he started putting constants, though sometimes it is the wrong one and sometimes he still uses an h sound. This is where we are today. And the good news is that he can make all the sounds he is suppose to be making-- it is just getting the right sound in the right word and in the right place that is the difficulty. And I admit that I am really bad at understanding him. I do not have a very good ear. Other people often understand him better than I do. I know, poor kid.
Okay, I promise to not explain that to you again. Just keep in mind that basically what it means is that often times with Beau? There is an awful lot of misunderstanding. And Beau? He is amazingly patient and forgiving--especially for a three year old who just wants to be understood. I mean, I know adults who throw huge tantrums when they are misunderstood. So for Beau to take it all in as much stride as he does, well, let's just say I think he is a pretty awesome person.
Here let me illustrate a sample exchange with Beau:
He just came and told me that "Lola licked my face and gave me kisses! Aw!"
Really, it sounded like "Lola hit my face and she gave me hisses! Aw!" But licks and kisses make more sense because Lola is a dog not a snake and why would Beau, weird as he is at times, think hits and hisses are cute? So I repeated that Lola licked his face and gave him kisses? And Beau, thrilled that I got it the first time, happily confirmed that she licked and kissed. See, lots of educated guess work and knowing the context are key to having a successful conversation with Beau.
Now that I have explained all that I will get to my story.
Yesterday I picked up Beau and Parker from school. And as usual they called me poopy Mommy and as usual I scolded them that they were not allowed to say potty words. Really, I don't care but they get in trouble for this at school and some other Moms get all sorts of bent out of shape and whisper behind your back or-- worse--call you at home because your child called their kid a poopy diaper head. I told my kids that they can say all the "bad" words they want in the bathroom. Of course, this has come back to bite me in the ass when Carmella said "fucking damn it" in the public restroom.
Yeah, well anyway, Beau immediately started saying "kitty poops" while we were still in the school. I quietly reminded him that we don't say "poop" unless we are in the bathroom. To which he responded more loudly and chanting: "Kitty Poop! Kitty Poop! Kitty Poop!"
I ushered the boys across the parking lot, shushing Beau who still chanted of kitty poop, and buckled them both in their seats. As I drove out of the parking lot Beau still called out kitty poops, trying it out in many different voices: sweet polite kitty poops, teeth gritting impatient kitty poops, and finally, top of the lungs punctuated KIT-TY POOPS MOMMY! All the while I kept telling him how he was going to have to have some alone time in his room and think about why we don't say kitty poop.
And then, at the stop light, I happened to glance down on the front passenger seat. That is when I saw them: the bag of cheesy poufs that my neighbor had given Beau that morning as we walked home from walking Carmella to school. The very cheesy poufs that I had promised Beau he could have after school.
There is no words to describe the all kinds of terribleness I felt as I asked Beau, finally getting it and holding up the bag, "Cheesy Poufs?"
"Yay!" he cheered. "Kitty Poops!"
I ripped open the bag and tossed it back to him. Which he judiciously shared with Parker who said he wanted 3 Cheetos. And Beau said "No Cheetos Parker! Kitty Poops!"
And Parker conceded, "Beau, I want 3 kitty poops!"
His speech continues, although slowly, to improve. A year ago he had no syllable at the beginning of words. Then he had a syllable-- usually an h sound. Then he started putting constants, though sometimes it is the wrong one and sometimes he still uses an h sound. This is where we are today. And the good news is that he can make all the sounds he is suppose to be making-- it is just getting the right sound in the right word and in the right place that is the difficulty. And I admit that I am really bad at understanding him. I do not have a very good ear. Other people often understand him better than I do. I know, poor kid.
Okay, I promise to not explain that to you again. Just keep in mind that basically what it means is that often times with Beau? There is an awful lot of misunderstanding. And Beau? He is amazingly patient and forgiving--especially for a three year old who just wants to be understood. I mean, I know adults who throw huge tantrums when they are misunderstood. So for Beau to take it all in as much stride as he does, well, let's just say I think he is a pretty awesome person.
Here let me illustrate a sample exchange with Beau:
He just came and told me that "Lola licked my face and gave me kisses! Aw!"
Really, it sounded like "Lola hit my face and she gave me hisses! Aw!" But licks and kisses make more sense because Lola is a dog not a snake and why would Beau, weird as he is at times, think hits and hisses are cute? So I repeated that Lola licked his face and gave him kisses? And Beau, thrilled that I got it the first time, happily confirmed that she licked and kissed. See, lots of educated guess work and knowing the context are key to having a successful conversation with Beau.
Now that I have explained all that I will get to my story.
Yesterday I picked up Beau and Parker from school. And as usual they called me poopy Mommy and as usual I scolded them that they were not allowed to say potty words. Really, I don't care but they get in trouble for this at school and some other Moms get all sorts of bent out of shape and whisper behind your back or-- worse--call you at home because your child called their kid a poopy diaper head. I told my kids that they can say all the "bad" words they want in the bathroom. Of course, this has come back to bite me in the ass when Carmella said "fucking damn it" in the public restroom.
Yeah, well anyway, Beau immediately started saying "kitty poops" while we were still in the school. I quietly reminded him that we don't say "poop" unless we are in the bathroom. To which he responded more loudly and chanting: "Kitty Poop! Kitty Poop! Kitty Poop!"
I ushered the boys across the parking lot, shushing Beau who still chanted of kitty poop, and buckled them both in their seats. As I drove out of the parking lot Beau still called out kitty poops, trying it out in many different voices: sweet polite kitty poops, teeth gritting impatient kitty poops, and finally, top of the lungs punctuated KIT-TY POOPS MOMMY! All the while I kept telling him how he was going to have to have some alone time in his room and think about why we don't say kitty poop.
And then, at the stop light, I happened to glance down on the front passenger seat. That is when I saw them: the bag of cheesy poufs that my neighbor had given Beau that morning as we walked home from walking Carmella to school. The very cheesy poufs that I had promised Beau he could have after school.
There is no words to describe the all kinds of terribleness I felt as I asked Beau, finally getting it and holding up the bag, "Cheesy Poufs?"
"Yay!" he cheered. "Kitty Poops!"
I ripped open the bag and tossed it back to him. Which he judiciously shared with Parker who said he wanted 3 Cheetos. And Beau said "No Cheetos Parker! Kitty Poops!"
And Parker conceded, "Beau, I want 3 kitty poops!"
Friday, February 02, 2007
The Subtle Power of Suggestion
Good God! Is it bedtime yet?
Me--rolling dice-- come on bedtime . . .
What. A. Day.
Nothing too out of the ordinary but please, really, let me be the guinea pig for ya and you just take my words as wisdom and not make the same mistakes that I do.
Specifically, do not. Do. Not. Take a 3 year old, a 5 year old (and her baby doll that is the size of a 5 month old because you will end up carrying it) and a 3 month old Husky to Petsmart.
We are talking serious trials and tribulations-- with consequences and repercussions.
First, there's Beau. Beau, who we all know is just so friendly and so outgoing that really; there are no strangers. And then there all the animals, reptiles, fish, and birds in cages and he just loves them all. Along with all the accessories for the animals, reptiles, fish and birds that he can find human uses for. Good fun, really, it is--for him.
Then there is Carmella who is good and listens but she gets caught up in all of Beau's joy and wonder but then realizes that is not the straight and narrow way. She waffles. The whole time. And Beau? Well, you are either with him or against him. So basically there are lots of little Beau and Carmella wars. You can't blame Beau for being confused because Carmella really should pick a side and stick with it (and for my sake I hope eventually it will be mine.)
And then there is Lovely Lola the Husky. It is like going out with a celebrity. Everyone must adore, fawn over and ask me a gazillion questions about her as if I look like I actually have the time to answer them when what I really need to be doing is finding 3 year old who as yet again gone off to look at the iguana or Mommy! Mommy! Look! They have cats here! CATS!!!!!
Oh yeah, and then there is the ever helpful Petsmart employees who stalk you-- just waiting to upsale you if you even seem the slightest bit naive or perplexed on anything concerning Puppy. (And OHMYGOD! Is that a Husky Puppy or is it a Malamute? Really, is this how it is with dogs? People are crazier about puppies than they are about babies.)
I am getting wise to them though--the Petsmart employees that is. But I swear,Petsmart is just like Target. I can barely make it out of there for less than $100 and all I went in for was dog food! Somehow, now I am the proud owner of sparkly pink 6' leash (she already has 3 leashes--but not a 6 ' leash) and matching collar, a pink harness and an ID tag and some fun new puppy toys (her toys are rivaling the kids collection). If it had been left up to Carmella Lola would also have 8 new sparkly outfits to match her fancy new collar, harness and 6'leash. Big business, this puppy stuff.
So yeah, an hour later we were outta there!
Anyway, what the heck was this post about? Oh yeah, "The Subtle Power of Suggestion!"
As I am writing this the kids just came past me Conga-lining and Can-can-ing and singing "ChachachachaCHA ChachachacCHA!" Seriously,am I being taped for an episode of the Surreal Life? And, really, is it bedtime yet??? Please. . . .
Well, those Petsmart people got nothing on me. Listen to this: You guys know about Beau's speech problem, right? Well his speech therapist last year recommended giving him fish oil. Just trust me that I researched it and it is pretty valid. Regardless of that get this: Three days after I gave it to him he started speaking in sentences and adding at least 5 new words a day--prior to that he was only saying maybe 60 words total and had no sentences--just some phrases-- and his word accumulation was painfully slow. So, magic elixir or just coincidence? I have no idea but he does seem to make improvement when I give it to him whereas he seems to plateau without. At the very least it is not going to hurt him and it has helped his eczema (which Carmella also use to have). I give it to Carmella too.
So what does this have to do with the power of suggestion?
Okay, well, for adults the fish oil comes in caplets but for young children it only comes in liquid. They try to cushion the foulness by mixing the fishy taste with a berry flavor but really I can't imagine anything more disgusting than codfish and strawberries. You read right--"imagine" because I personally have never tasted it--I do have that fin fish allergy, you know. But Ryan has taste tested and verified that the combination is as gross as it smells and sounds.
So here is where the power of suggestion comes in:
My kids LOVE it.
Why?
I tell them it is Batman juice. I also tell them it will make them strong and the smartest kids in the whole world. Ever. They actually beg me for it and fight over who gets it first. They even say it is the best tasting thing ever--Carmella said it was better than chocolate. And this is coming from 2 kids who stand at the seafood counter at Publix and loudly proclaim how much they hate "beach food" and how stinky and gross it is.
Me--rolling dice-- come on bedtime . . .
What. A. Day.
Nothing too out of the ordinary but please, really, let me be the guinea pig for ya and you just take my words as wisdom and not make the same mistakes that I do.
Specifically, do not. Do. Not. Take a 3 year old, a 5 year old (and her baby doll that is the size of a 5 month old because you will end up carrying it) and a 3 month old Husky to Petsmart.
We are talking serious trials and tribulations-- with consequences and repercussions.
First, there's Beau. Beau, who we all know is just so friendly and so outgoing that really; there are no strangers. And then there all the animals, reptiles, fish, and birds in cages and he just loves them all. Along with all the accessories for the animals, reptiles, fish and birds that he can find human uses for. Good fun, really, it is--for him.
Then there is Carmella who is good and listens but she gets caught up in all of Beau's joy and wonder but then realizes that is not the straight and narrow way. She waffles. The whole time. And Beau? Well, you are either with him or against him. So basically there are lots of little Beau and Carmella wars. You can't blame Beau for being confused because Carmella really should pick a side and stick with it (and for my sake I hope eventually it will be mine.)
And then there is Lovely Lola the Husky. It is like going out with a celebrity. Everyone must adore, fawn over and ask me a gazillion questions about her as if I look like I actually have the time to answer them when what I really need to be doing is finding 3 year old who as yet again gone off to look at the iguana or Mommy! Mommy! Look! They have cats here! CATS!!!!!
Oh yeah, and then there is the ever helpful Petsmart employees who stalk you-- just waiting to upsale you if you even seem the slightest bit naive or perplexed on anything concerning Puppy. (And OHMYGOD! Is that a Husky Puppy or is it a Malamute? Really, is this how it is with dogs? People are crazier about puppies than they are about babies.)
I am getting wise to them though--the Petsmart employees that is. But I swear,Petsmart is just like Target. I can barely make it out of there for less than $100 and all I went in for was dog food! Somehow, now I am the proud owner of sparkly pink 6' leash (she already has 3 leashes--but not a 6 ' leash) and matching collar, a pink harness and an ID tag and some fun new puppy toys (her toys are rivaling the kids collection). If it had been left up to Carmella Lola would also have 8 new sparkly outfits to match her fancy new collar, harness and 6'leash. Big business, this puppy stuff.
So yeah, an hour later we were outta there!
Anyway, what the heck was this post about? Oh yeah, "The Subtle Power of Suggestion!"
As I am writing this the kids just came past me Conga-lining and Can-can-ing and singing "ChachachachaCHA ChachachacCHA!" Seriously,am I being taped for an episode of the Surreal Life? And, really, is it bedtime yet??? Please. . . .
Well, those Petsmart people got nothing on me. Listen to this: You guys know about Beau's speech problem, right? Well his speech therapist last year recommended giving him fish oil. Just trust me that I researched it and it is pretty valid. Regardless of that get this: Three days after I gave it to him he started speaking in sentences and adding at least 5 new words a day--prior to that he was only saying maybe 60 words total and had no sentences--just some phrases-- and his word accumulation was painfully slow. So, magic elixir or just coincidence? I have no idea but he does seem to make improvement when I give it to him whereas he seems to plateau without. At the very least it is not going to hurt him and it has helped his eczema (which Carmella also use to have). I give it to Carmella too.
So what does this have to do with the power of suggestion?
Okay, well, for adults the fish oil comes in caplets but for young children it only comes in liquid. They try to cushion the foulness by mixing the fishy taste with a berry flavor but really I can't imagine anything more disgusting than codfish and strawberries. You read right--"imagine" because I personally have never tasted it--I do have that fin fish allergy, you know. But Ryan has taste tested and verified that the combination is as gross as it smells and sounds.
So here is where the power of suggestion comes in:
My kids LOVE it.
Why?
I tell them it is Batman juice. I also tell them it will make them strong and the smartest kids in the whole world. Ever. They actually beg me for it and fight over who gets it first. They even say it is the best tasting thing ever--Carmella said it was better than chocolate. And this is coming from 2 kids who stand at the seafood counter at Publix and loudly proclaim how much they hate "beach food" and how stinky and gross it is.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Singer song writer
As I have mentioned before Beau has some sort of speech problem. At first he was slightly delayed and then they decided he had Apraxia. Then they decided he talked too much and could imitate too well for it to be Apraxia. Now they waffle between an Articulation disorder and a Phonological disorder. We are leaning more towards Phonological because it seems to be more of a motor planning problem since sometimes he gets it right and sometimes not and he can imitate and make all the individual sounds. He just sometimes gets it wrong when using them in words.
Basically what this means is that he not delayed in what he says but rather is just a bit more difficult to understand than other 3 year olds. He leaves the first constant off words or uses the wrong one in substitution--like he might say "boor" for "door". This can it make it confusing sometimes to figure out what he is talking about when he uses words that have the same end sound but start with different constants--like: bad, mad or sad. However, he use to not put any sound in the front of a word so now that he is getting all the syllables and sometimes a the right sounds he is much, much easier to understand. As I said before we call it Beau Latin and you learn it.
The only problem is that sometimes he makes up his own words and I have no idea what he is talking about. He has always done this--even when he was one and just starting to say words. Lots of kids do this. Beau use to do it when he couldn't say a particular word at all. So would make up his own. We generally knew what he was talking about from context or his pointing and showing would explain it. He rarely uses any of those early made up words anymore. That is except for "Hare Na".
Hare Na at first was his word for Batman. This stemmed from him calling Batman "Na na na na na"--as in "Na na na na na . . . Batman!" But now Hare Na, I have figured out, can stand for any superhero. At least I think it can because he now can say Batman, Superman, Spiderman etc rather decently. It just seems that he likes to use Hare Na. He even has a song he made up:
Hare Na
Hare Na
hiya, hiya
Fight!
(then repeat)
There are dance moves that go with the song too.
Basically what this means is that he not delayed in what he says but rather is just a bit more difficult to understand than other 3 year olds. He leaves the first constant off words or uses the wrong one in substitution--like he might say "boor" for "door". This can it make it confusing sometimes to figure out what he is talking about when he uses words that have the same end sound but start with different constants--like: bad, mad or sad. However, he use to not put any sound in the front of a word so now that he is getting all the syllables and sometimes a the right sounds he is much, much easier to understand. As I said before we call it Beau Latin and you learn it.
The only problem is that sometimes he makes up his own words and I have no idea what he is talking about. He has always done this--even when he was one and just starting to say words. Lots of kids do this. Beau use to do it when he couldn't say a particular word at all. So would make up his own. We generally knew what he was talking about from context or his pointing and showing would explain it. He rarely uses any of those early made up words anymore. That is except for "Hare Na".
Hare Na at first was his word for Batman. This stemmed from him calling Batman "Na na na na na"--as in "Na na na na na . . . Batman!" But now Hare Na, I have figured out, can stand for any superhero. At least I think it can because he now can say Batman, Superman, Spiderman etc rather decently. It just seems that he likes to use Hare Na. He even has a song he made up:
Hare Na
Hare Na
hiya, hiya
Fight!
(then repeat)
There are dance moves that go with the song too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)