The Keane Machine

Rather than post a picture, here's a link to some great family photos we recently had done!
http://littlefishpics.smugmug.com/Children/camille/22757406_zMTQ28#!i=1825376332&k=gRkrwcz

Since his birth, we’ve fondly referred to Keane as “The Keane Machine”, which not only rhymes but gives an indication of the persistence of his personality. Often, we’ll rearrange it with a modifier to make it more aptly fit a certain situation: Keane the Poop Machine, Keane the Blueberry Machine, Keane the Fuss Machine. Lately, we should be saying Keane the Word Machine because he is saying a new word every day, already saying a few sentences, and essentially talking nonstop. It makes me wonder if he’s been trying to communicate with me since birth (and I’ve been missing the efforts), and now that he’s finally finding the words, he’s got so much to tell! He’s about to turn 17 months, and I’d wager that he knows about 50-60 words. And on top of that, he’ll try to repeat just about anything you say.

The funniest thing he says is simply yes and no, but the way he says it is hilarious—he’s mimicking the casual speech of people around him. No sounds like noooo, almost like nah, but with a singsong-ness to it. And yes is yeah the way you’d say it in “yeah, I guess so.” Some other favorites include him saying Amen! not only at the end of a prayer before dinner, but all throughout a meal and sometimes during play. He associates it with setting things down, I think, I guess because we’re saying Amen after I’ve set down all the food on the table. Sometimes he bows his head and his torso in a worship-like fashion, then sits up and yells it like he’s so proud of his display. 


His pronunciation is not perfect, of course, and I think I’m the only one who understands a lot of what he says, but believe you me he manages to annunciate intensely when he’s asking for one of his favorite things in the world: outside, pop-pop (popsicle), box (as in juice), bubbles, berries, bread, cheese, box (different one, jack-in-the-), and a recent favorite that he suddenly has great affection for, appy (apples)—that one is probably the cutest thing he says. And those sentences I mentioned--mostly all start with "I want", like I wanna treat, I wanna do it...can't imagine where he gets it from. The other day, he held up his finger to me and demanded one more minute! in an awfully familiar fashion. And just like D as a toddler, there are a few words K refuses to say but uses motion instead to communicate them: elephant (a trumpeting noise), heart (beating the chest saying "boom-boom"), sorry (a hug), and of course the elusive I love you, which is always expressed with a kiss. He still can't say his name but is finally trying--it sounds like nee. And Declan's name sounds a lot like dada, which makes the dink scream at him hysterically (I. AM. NOT. YOUR. DAD!) Oh, and even though he can say Goofy, Elmo, Zoe, Cookie, Abby...he calls Mickey and Minnie both Ninnie. Oh boy, I could go on and on...