I know I talk about Iliya's language development a lot. In fact, I probably over-talk about it…but it’s an area that absolutely fascinates me. I guess motor development – you know, walking, running, using your hands to play with toys – is something that can be easily observed. But language and verbal iteration of thought processes are huge indicators of cognitive development…they are those “observable things” that show just how much a brain is developing.
And sometimes the things he says are good…others are bad…and still others are downright ugly. But pretty much all of them are indicators of things he hears other people say, and his ability to put them into correct context…which is the truly fascinating thing.


Take these for instance:

The Good,

While trying to get his pajamas on, Iliya got stuck in his shirt. He came to me in the bathroom and said, “Mama. I need help. This shirt is so…complicated.

And the next morning, trying to get his clothes on for the day, he came to me and said, “Mama, I need help again. This shirt is giving me some trouble.”

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My car was in the shop this past weekend, and because Nathan had Drill, we didn’t have an extra car. So my sister let me borrow hers, which was super nice of her. But, as we ran errands on Saturday morning, Iliya really wanted to be riding in my car:

Iliya: Mama. I want to ride in your car.

Me: I know you do…and I do, too, but my car is in the shop right now. It’s broken.

Iliya: Well…….why is it broken?

Me: I don’t know, it just wouldn’t start.

Iliya: Mama, you can buy another car.

Me: You think so? Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. I don’t have the money to buy another car!

Iliya: Yes you have money! There’s money in the bank!

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The Bad,

On Sunday morning, I was letting Gracie (our dog) out to go potty before we left for church. Iliya came over to the door to “help” me watch her.

Iliya: (shouting at the pup) Gracie! Go potty! STOOOOPID!

Me: (completely aghast that my child had just said the “S” word) Iliya. We do not say “stupid.”

Iliya: Why?

Me: Because…it’s just not a nice word, and we just don’t need to say it. It makes someone feel bad. By the way, where did you learn it?

Iliya: I learn it from you, mama.

Me: Me? I don’t say that word.

Iliya: Yes you did! Yes, you said it when Gracie pooped in the floor. You said, “that stupid dog!”

Oops. So I did. Lessons learned: #1 – don’t say things (especially those you don’t want repeated by your child) in a fit of anger. #2 – if you really don’t want to know where something came from, don’t ask.

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The Ugly.

So for passing of gas and such, there are many terms that can be used. We typically use the word “toot,” probably because that’s the word my niece always used, and it works fine without sounding too bad. I’ll be honest and say that I used to occasionally say - and never really had an aversion to - the word, “fart,” until I had a child. Now I know why my mom never liked the word…coming out of your child’s mouth, it sounds so crude.

But whatever you call it, Iliya LOVES to do it. And call attention to it. And evidently he’s heard the “f” word used in reference to it…because he decided to throw that one on me, a couple weeks ago, on a lazy Saturday morning as the three of us lounged in bed. When he told me he “farted,” my initial reflex was to laugh, because…it caught me off guard…and fortunately, I caught myself just in time. I closed my eyes – and I guess he mistook my trying to pull myself together for disdain – because he rolled his eyes, sighed with frustration and said, “okay…I tooted.”

He hadn’t pulled out that word in a while, so I figured that he was close to being past needing to say it for shock value. Until this past Saturday. I was putting Iliya in the car and evidently he passed gas.

Iliya: Mama, do you smell that?

Me: No, what?

Iliya: I farted.

Me: Iliya, I really don’t think it’s nice for you to use that word.

Iliya: Why?

Me: Because it’s a crude word and not so nice for little boys to say.

Iliya: Well, John-John says it, and he’s little!

John-John…otherwise known as Uncle Johnathan. My youngest little brother, who’s really not so little, at 22 years old and 6+ feet tall. My child is observant! And he tattles! Or really, now he makes attempts at justification for some of the things he says…and in the process, he tattles. So, you’d better watch what you say around Iliya…he’s a sponge and he’ll tell on you!

This conversation was also a measure of my development as a mother, because I literally had to check myself before I said, “well…if John-John jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too?”

Remember…don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to!