As Jasmin comes into her second year upon this earth, she
is showing an excellent, even feminine, instinct for communication. She used
body languages and basic sounds to deliver clear messages. Its primitive
communication at its best and most innocent, and yet, so sophisticated. Who
said humans needed to speak to be understood…?
Jasmin is showing mature forms of communication, along with
a stubbornness and strength of character I believe her elder brother will have
trouble to match when she is older and being more articulate. Just the other
day, when being asked by her grandmother to give her something, the child
resisted with a simple twist of her body and a lifting of one shoulder – a
clear and resounding “I do not want to do as I am told”. Such gestures are
usually considered typical of toddlers who are much older than 1 year old
Jasmin. By now she clearly shakes her head for “NO” or “I do not want”
especially when being offered some food she is not interested in. she gestures
with her finger in a certain direction, but if I hand her something wrong (and
not the desired item) she pushes it away and nods her head in clear negative –
mommy, once again, you got it all wrong… Only a few days ago, when she was
insulted that I did not comply with a request to be picked up (hand up in the
air and big cajoling eyes to boot) she sat with her head stooped, clearly
offended by my lack of cooperation.
She is also getting much better at imitating adults. A
certain way for babies and toddlers to learn about life. It is clear she likes
to do as the grownup do. My mother has taken to calling Jasmin “the professor”
because it becomes increasingly clear that she does understand the world around
her. Jasmin likes to be in company of the adults and always asks to be seated
in a high char to join the company if we group together.
Jasmin imitates us feeding her by force feeding us (mainly
her mother and grandmother) back. Feeding time is mostly mutual, with two
spoons. Jasmin cannot be feed if she does not have a spoon of her own, with
which she occasionally tried to feed herself (at 1 year and almost two months
she is becoming increasingly competent). At the beginning it was always quite a
struggle to feed her, while she sent food flying with the spoon in her hand,
but if the spoon was not given, she struggles for the spoon in my hand and the
mess is even bigger. Quite the fighter for independence.
So we both hold spoons of food. I give her one spoon and
then she tries to feed herself, and then I feed her another mouthful and then
she feeds me back. Considering the fact that Jasmin has been feeding adults and
cross feeding her mommy from day one in the feeding chair, it is amazing that
there is not photograph demonstrating this special action. Feeding is accompanied by the syllable “Hum”. When calling to an adult,
Jasmin says “amama”, clearly a try at the Hebrew word for Mother (Imma) or the
German version perhaps (mama). It can get confusing with the request for food.
Recently she has taken to trying a fork and attempting to pin her food with it.
She is not quite successful, but as she grows more independent, it would seem
that the times of cross feeding are at an end.
Other imitations include speaking on the mobile phone, just
like mommy. Whenever Jasmin gets her hands on a mobile phone (or any other
similar object with buttons, including a calculator or gameboy, she tries to
speak in it. Recently even the sound of “Alllll” has accompanied the gesture, a
clear try at "Hallo". Tearing toilet paper is a special treat,
but Jasmin has shown that she clearly understands what it is used for. She
regularly takes a piece to her nose and blows with her mouth, imitation sounds
of adults blowing their noses. Then she crumples the paper and throws it to the
trash.
Jasmin has recently given more vents to her stubborn nature
by starting to throw tantrums. If she always used to lie down at my feet from
day 1 in order to ask to be picked up, she has now refined and elaborated her
signs of displeasure. The mode of request to be lifted in my arms has changed
and she now sits with her arms up, or buried her head between my knees standing
up t do so and to indicate that she wants an even higher view of her
surroundings than the floor), but if the request is not complied with, its back
to the basics with laying down on her tummy, only recently she adds kicking
legs and waving hands and yells to the display. It’s just like a classic cartoon;
I had no idea until now that the humorists have taken inspiration from the real
gestures of children.
She cleverly gestures and makes request for whatever it is
she desires. Only two days ago she invited my mother (her grandmother for a
walk) by pulling her along. Jasmin is usually mobile on her knees (so much that
the skin on the knee has become hard in both her legs), but she has recently
taken to standing up and dragging chairs or finding a willing adult to take her
for a walk. Usually it is the adult who initiates the walk, but in the above
mentioned instance it was Jasmin. When
Jasmin is exited she expresses her wonder with large heaves of air. Recently
she started saying “wow” when she wishes to express wonderment. The gesture is
repeated almost whenever she is looking at a book or gets her hands on some towel
or other piece of fabric. She loves books, but has not yet patience to be read
too, grabbing the book and turning the pages herself.
Jasmin the carnivore!
Eating like an adult!
