Nov 08 2007
Isabel’s Words
I went through the older posts, just trying to find out how Ian developed. Somewhat, my impression is that Ian was very smart and able to do a lot of things which Isabel still cannot. I had the impression that Ian able to say a lot of words already…
But, impression is just IMPRESSION. They are not right!
After going through the older posts, I realized that Ian actually was slower at speech! My two children develop differently. Ian has a very strong character and very shy. He won’t use a word until he is sure he can pronounce it correctly, coz he is afraid of being laugh.
Well, we do laugh at our children for funny words, don’t we? We laugh because they are so adorable when they say them, but we don’t realize that it hurts (I guess)! 
At the similar age of Isabel, Ian still said ‘Ah Fu Di’ for “I Love You”, and “Ko Ko Kai” for “Kaklatdai” (armpit), etc. He mostly point at things and cry when he wanted things, seldom use words. Apart of those 3 syllabus words, he pronounces his limitted words (2 or 1 syllabus) very accurately like ‘Shell’, ‘Star’, ‘Baozhen’, etc. I think he refused to greet people partly due to this reason…
Isabel, on the other hand, has very ‘thick skin’ and very talkative. 
She doesn’t care people laugh at her for her improper pronounciation. She uses a lot of words, though not accurately. They are really funny and Ian keeps laughing at her! 
Only people like maid, MIL, Ian and myself would understand Isabel fully. Others would have to scratch their head trying to guess. Let me give you some examples…
Eh-Ket: Biscuits
Shis: Shoes
Ah-Sai: Outside
Eh-Sai: Inside
Ah-Zhen: Baozhen (bolster)
Aaahhh-fiu: I Love You
Ni: Barney
Ning: Rain
Ah-Ning: Good Morning
Nigh: Good Night
Nam: I Want
Ah-ge: Uncle (any male adults!!!)
Bad: Bread
Ater: Water
Lat: Lizard
I-toh: Mosquito
Yaya: Brush Teeth or Toothbrush (for 牙刷 or 刷牙)
Ah-Le-Lah: Umbrella
Mau: Tak Mau (don’t want)
Tah: Sudah (Finish)
sih-sih: Writing (写写)
Shi-shi: This is REALLY confusing, it used to mean ‘pee’, now it can mean both ‘pee’ and ‘poo’. Anyway, at the sign of this, bring her to toilet would be the right thing to do.
The longest sentense she can say correctly now are (4 syllabus, but 2/3 different sounds only lah!):
Daddy/Popo/GongGong Bye-Bye
Hello Mama/AhYee/YeeZang
One night while I was playing with my mobile phone game - CSI Miami. She cried and said “Ah-Ge! Ah-Ge!”. I didn’t get it. DH and I were scratching our heads, then turned to Ian for help. He immediately pointed out: Mama, she said Uncle lah!
For a while, I didn’t understand… then: oh, she must have seen the screenshot of the male characters and wants to play with my phone! She used to like pointing at CS Lewis’ photo on Chronicles of Narnia audiobook, and said “Ah-ge! Ah-ge!”
Ya, she has very ‘nice mouth’, likes to greet people. She calls any young girls/boys as ‘ko-ko’ or ‘che-che’, and any adults as ‘aunty’ or ‘ah-ge’, without me asking her to! Sweet mouth…
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Very smart indeed.. she is..
and yes.. sweet mouth.. 
i like children like that.. 
can sayang right away.. 