the great communicator

Matthew is blossoming into a conversationalist, which has so far been helpful and hilarious and just so beautifully normal. This afternoon we had the following exchange:

Matthew, approaching me with his empty dixie cup:
"More!"

Me:
"You want more pretzels?"

Matthew, nodding:
"Uh huh."

Me:
"Well, you already had some, and now they are put away, so no more. We're all done."

Matthew:
[Insert minor but adorable tantrum here.]

Me, apparently willing to bend at the slightest tug at my heartstrings:
"Well..... okay. Can you say please?"

Matthew, grinning and without hesitation:
"Bee!"

Oh man, how can I refuse that?! And as soon as I refilled his cup?

Matthew:
"Dee do!"

Which, as I'm sure you can deduce, is Matthew-ese for thank you.

As soon as I pulled out the camera, he posed and belted out a happy and hearty, "Cheeeese!"

I made a list the other day of all the words and small phrases Matthew now has and uses regularly at his command. It's primitive-sounding, as most toddler speak is, but it's consistent and understood. Compared (not that I'm comparing...well, okay, actually yes I am) to his two older speech therapy-receiving brothers, this list at this age is pretty impressive.

• Choo-choo
• Oh no
• Uh oh
• Mine
• Cracker
• Duck
• Quack quack
• More
• Banana
• Apple
• Mama
• Daddy
• Amen
• Car
• Ball
• Night-night
• Bye bye
• I did it
• Please
• Baby
• No
• Uh huh
• Eye
• Head
• Hat
• Hot
• Roar
• Thank you
• Book 
• What's that/this?
• He did it!
• Dog
• Whee!
• Done
• Off
• Two
• Cheese
• P.U. (during diaper changes)
• Cloth
• Snoopy 
• Ta da!

And it's growing daily!

Now I need to teach him how to say "Such fun!" because that's exactly what this is.