Gabe's Communication Style

It seems as though I've made a new discovery/insight with regard to Gabe's attempts at communicating. I cannot seem to get him to tell me that he wants something to eat or drink, needs a diaper change, or is experiencing some sort of pain. Or so I thought. I've discovered that he DOES in fact tell me these things. Or at least that one of these things is wrong so I can go through my process of elimination.

You'd think he'd come to me and start to cry or fuss about something. But no. When he needs something, he starts tearing the house apart. He opens cabinets he's not supposed to open. He pulls stuff off shelves. He pulls leaves off my plant and chews on them. He gets up on the couch and tries to pull at the lamps. And when I go to redirect him, he redirects himself and tears up the thing that's across the room! When he sees me rounding the corner to find him out, he just looks at me, smiles, and continues with his naughty behavior! Pretty bold, I'd say! When I catch up to him (he's quick, mind you) and thwart his efforts, he loses it. It's at this point that he throws his body on the floor in a full temper tantrum... for a second anyway until he realizes it's not working.

I have found over the course of the last week that, inevitably, one of three things is wrong with him at this point. He needs nourishment, a clean bottom, or some pain relief. On occasion (but not often), he does it when he's tired, which would be more common and entirely predictable amongst other children his age. But I guess no kid is predictable, and Gabe's here to prove it.

Basically, I've learned that when he's acting his worst and doing all the things he knows he's not supposed to do, it's my job to promptly correct him and then check to see what he's really trying to communicate to me. I'm still trying to teach him more appropriate (and less messy) ways to tell me what he needs... in time, I guess. It just occurred to me that he's likely NOT trying to communicate these things at all. He's probably trying to fake me out and distract me so he doesn't have to go through the process of remedying any of his problems.... Not so fast, sly boy! I'm on to you!

When I notice him doing something he knows he's not supposed to do, especially with that "you can't catch me" look in his eye, I try to get on it as soon as possible. He has to undergo the "torture" of a diaper check/change... then confinement in the high chair (which he's usually okay with as soon as there's food in front of him)... and if neither of those things worked, he tends to get a finger stuck in his mouth to find out if he has teeth coming through... or worst yet, a temperature check to find out if he's running a fever.

He is getting better at saying some words. He still doesn't say "Mama" often, and when he does, it comes out as "Nana". He's learned:

• Dada (his current favorite word)
• Ladan (Sounds like "Naynan"... but how does he have this and not Mama?)
• Hello (Sounds like "Huwow" with a long "o" sound)
• Later (as in "see you later")
• Uh-oh (comes out as "uh-uh")
• This? ("Dis?"... when he wants to know what something is)
• Yeah! (sounds like "AAAAYYYY!")
• And today he was trying to learn "tiger" but didn't quite get it. At least he knows what the tiger is in time for the MU-OU game on Saturday night!

While this is all great progress, I'd say it's going to be a while before he comes to me and says, "Mommy," [that'll take long enough on it's own] "I think I need something to eat." or "Mommy, I think I need some teething tablets or Ibuprofen for my teeth." or "Mommy, would you please change my diaper? Better yet, how about if I take a break from my toys so I can just go directly on the potty?" In the meantime, my ears and eyes are on super-sensory mode to catch my little con artist!