Rueing the day

Last week I checked a book out of the library called “Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb.” It’s a very Dr. Seuss-esque book full of rhyming language: “Hand, hand, fingers, thumb, one thumb one thumb drumming on a drum, monkeys drum and monkeys hum…” Just a bunch of nonsense about monkeys and words that rhyme with ‘thumb’.

Except that here is how it goes when I read it to Liam:

(Me) “Hand picks an apple – “
(Liam, pointing at the apple) – “Ball!”
(Me) “No, sweetie, that’s an apple. Hand picks a plum – “
(Liam, pointing at the plum) – “Ball!”
(Me) “Plum!”
(Liam) “Ball!”
(Me) “Plum!”
(Liam) “Ball!”

And on and on it goes. You can’t win the argument with him.

Then we turn the page, and the monkeys with the drums show up, and of course the drums look like balls, too. So does the moon in “Goodnight, Moon”. So does every circle everywhere in the world. Period. Try taking this kid through the produce department of the grocery store, as I did yesterday – the peaches, the tomatoes, the lights on the ceiling – they are all balls to him. I suppose we should have taught him the word circle before the word ball. Live and learn.

On a brighter note, he is now saying book and Bobo (after his monkey hero in the book Hug). I think that brings it up to close to a dozen words. Even if he does choose to use ball about 98% of the time.

Will try to post some vacation photos from home tonight.