Words from Jonathan

Every now and again my kids do something that totally amazes me. Not that they don't amaze me all of the time, but you know what I mean. Today was one of those moments.

I'll back up a bit and say that Jonathan is my middle child - he's almost three now. And when I say "middle child", I mean it in every sense of those words. He truly is a middle child. His behavior is the very definition of it. I've often said that Annah, who is our baby, is our reward for having Jonathan. Of course I mean that jokingly....kind of. She's just so good. Quiet. Managable. Calm. Jonathan is the very opposite of her; he's loud, totally unmanagable, and completely off the chain. But he's fun - most of the time anyway.

Anyway, getting back to the point....Jonathan has a problem articulating his words. He has, what most people would say anyway, a speech delay. Dont' get me wrong...the kid is extremely bright....and I'd say that even if he weren't my own child. But a lot of the time he spits out this huge string of words and I just look at him and say, "huh?" Lots of people don't understand him, and I find myself translating a good deal of the time. "What did he say?" "He said....(insert whatever here)."

So this morning when we were getting ready for his speech therapy appointment, (don't get me started on that - I found out today that she's not even a real speech therapist! But, she's a nice lady.) he was walking around stalking me and his sister....I'd just combed her unruly hair, and Jonathan obviously noticed it. He looked up at her and said so clearly and so lovingly, "Annah-baby pretty!" (Notice he calls her "Annah-baby" - it reminds me of the movie "A league of their own", where one of the ladies calls her son "Stillwell, angel".....)

Now I've never taught him those particular words intentionally. Certainly I tell Annah all of the time that she's a pretty girl, my princess. But for my almost three year old to recognize it, understand what it means, and to blurt it out so unprompted was really remarkable.

Yep...the kid's smart. Speech delay my behind....he's simply waiting for the right moment. He sure spotted one of those moments this morning.