Just when I thought that Marc was not going to speak for a looooong time - he starts making sounds that sound like words! HURRAY!
This is his current vocabulary:
Mum Mum (food)
Men! (Amen)
More (More....food mainly)
Ppppuh! (Please)...ok first 4 words are all food related...let's move on
Daddy (Daddy)
Mama (Mummy)
Ye Ye (Paternal Grandpa)
Nai Nai (Paternal Grandma)
Ah Gng (Maternal Grandpa)
Ah Ma (Maternal Grandma)
Ka Ka (Helper)
Niao Niao (Cat mewing)
FFF...FFF! (Dog Woofing)
Ba Ba (Sheep baa-ing)
Eh Bow (Elbow)
Car (Car)
K (OK)
Awok (A Walk)
Up! (please carry me/elevator/i want to go out)
Ya (Yes)
Ah Guh (Number 7/Train)
Marc also knows the phonetical sound of most of the alphabets from A-Z, although he trips up on the letter Q, U and V...he also loves the number 8 and can repeat it all day, point it out on blocks of flats, car licence plates, lifts...he also knows the number 1, 4, 7, 9 and 10.
We've started playing Chinese children songs at home and he loves them, he can even say the odd Chinese word that he recognises. He's also started to learn counting in Mandarin. Our helper has taught him some words in Bahasa too. In fact, he knows more languages than me!
He's also started to throw tantrums. Just the other day, Marc refused to keep his cards after playing with them and kicked and screamed for a full 15 minutes before he finally gave in. The Husband and I sat there with him screaming on the floor and we had to shout to hear each other speak. Honestly - its much more tiring to NOT discipline him and to let him have his way, I know why so many parents do it. But we aren't doing him any favours and as Christian parents, we know that God calls us to teach our children in the way that they should go and in the way of the Lord. So we pray for strength and collide headlong with him. I am most tired on Mondays - partly the Monday blues and partly what feels like a weekend of fighting with Marc. He's a headstrong boy who knows what he wants and how to get it, on his terms and on no one elses. He bullies our Helper and makes her do everything for him. Which is why we're thankful we sent him to school! The teacher tells us he's learning to feed himself and just the other day, The Husband saw Marc packing up toys after playing. He even knows how to remove and put on his Crocs - he doesn't do this at home unless we enforce it as he expects our helper to do it for him.
On the flip side - he's starting to be very charming! Just the other day, he ran up to me whilst playing at the fitness corner at a nearby block, and gave me a great big hug, before running off to continue playing. He knows how to give his Mummy a kiss and a hug, which really makes my day. He's also learnt a few action songs from Sunday School, which he loves to bits. The only way to really calm him down or to get through to him when he's hysterical is to sing. I'm glad he loves music and I hope he learns to play an instrument someday! :)