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Saturday, July 28, 2007

Winkin, Blinkin and Nod *- Is it any wonder?














I listen to my 8 year old speech delayed son, talk with his six and a half year old, speech delayed brother. Two years ago such a conversation would never have taken place. Then, they barely acknowledged each other's existence, let alone converse with one another.

Considering the different nature of their all too different disabilities, it is a miracle that they ever manage to understand each other. [translation = or have the patience, tolerance, and motivation to try]

I find it hard to express how every little fragment, together, signifies a huge leap in their ability to communicate. The ability to rephrase when someone doesn't understand you the first time, which always led to a meltdown. To add emphasis to a word to help your listener. The ability to initiate a conversation of a social nature. [translation = no pay off]

There are far too many fragments to detail, but sometimes they miss the beginning or the ending of a word. Sometimes they miss the beginning or end of a sentence. They both are starting to tease.

“You like dah Reeses Pieces?”
“Recess? I do not like Noddin.” [translation = name of Summer School]
“You don like Nolan? Who is dis guy Nolan? Why you no like him?”
“Nola! Nola? Nola. Nola is a girls name.”
“I din say Nolus, I say Nolan!”
“Who is Nolan?”
“I don know, dat is what I am asking you?”
“What you ask me?”
“Er……..I don know…..er I mean…..I have forgotted.”
“Nevermind big guy, better luck next time. Anyway, peanuts is poison!”
"Oh man!" He slaps his forehead in an exaggerated parody, "jus forget about it!" he adds, shaking his head slowly. Magnanimous to a fault.




Here is the poem just in case you haven't come across it before.
[warning = it may be a little mushy for some tastes]


Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod

Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod, one night sailed off in a wooden shoe;
Sailed off on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going and what do you wish?" the old moon asked the three.
"We've come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we," said Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song as they rocked in the wooden shoe.
And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the waves of dew.
Now the little stars are the herring fish that live in that beautiful sea;
"Cast your nets wherever you wish never afraid are we!"
So cried the stars to the fishermen three - Winkin', and Blinkin', and Nod.

So all night long their nets they threw to the stars in the twinkling foam.
'Til down from the skies came the wooden shoe bringing the fisherman home.
'Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed as if it could not be.
Some folks say 'twas a dream they dreamed of sailing that misty sea.
But I shall name you the fisherman three - Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

Now Winkin' and Blinkin' are two little eyes and Nod is a little head.
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one's trundle bed.
So close your eyes while mother sings of the wonderful sights that be.
And you shall see those beautiful things as you sail on the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three - Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

p.s. I am transitioning to a new [fast loading site] =
"Whitteronautism.com" I'll be posting there daily until it's fully up and running. Cheers

10 comments:

Jeni said...

Neat post! Really enjoyed "hearing" the boys conversation with each other. So, yours kind of seemed to pretend (I guess that would be the best term there) that the other pretty much didn't exist huh?
For the most part, Maya pays very little attention to Kurtis - unless it suits her purposes that is - like to divert our attention away from something we're trying to get her to do -like maybe pickup her toys. Then she will often get either solicitous about Kurtis, telling us she wants to "see" him when he is right there before her eyes. She tends to take the "ignore him and he'll disappear" route with her little brother 95% of the time though.

Liv said...

See. There really are other people who are just genuinely grateful to be getting words from their kids. I even wonder if I'll be sad one day if D's words start to be pronounced correctly. Probably, just a little.

***
btw--I am loving your blog but struggling with the time it takes to load the page...it scares firefox in my house! :)

Linda said...

I wish my two non-developmentally disabled daughters could have had such a civilized conversation!

As for Reese's pieces - love 'em! Especially on vanilla ice cream!

Anonymous said...

School often say, "she's doing so well, her speech is getting better, her vocabulary is improving." I wish they'd all visit us at home! I really enjoy your blog.

Crystal xx

Jade said...

First off I had to smile when I saw the Reese's Pieces. Those are a huge hit for my clients as re-enforces to finish up lessons or motivate them to start lessons without a tantrum or non compliance.

I was also smiling when I read your conversation that the boys had together. Especially knowing how awesome it is to see your children talking after worrying about them never functionally communicating. I would think as a mother it would be AWESOME to see the two of them have that conversation.
I hope their progress continues to take off!

la bellina mammina said...

That's s o sweet!!What a lovely poem. I love the pic too.

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

Oh, that conversation made me laugh out loud! What wonderful guys!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the poem;had never heard before today on Denise Movie on tv. I immediately copied it. My grandson's speech has improved tremendously(he's now 21)although he stutters still. We just have to be patient and let him get the words out. It's great your kids have each other.

Dolly said...

I was hoping to see "a tin of chick peas...savory every time!" :D *Families who try recipes manage to understand each other. [translation = or have the patience, tolerance, and motivation to try cinnamon}. Cheers!

Moldy Irish said...

My Grandmother Minnie Ward Field had an Uncle named Eugene Field, who wrote this poem and many others, another favorite is "The Little Tin Soldier and The Calico Cat" and still another tho I'll have to look up the title about a tree who grew up to be the cross that Jesus was crucified on, very touching. Eugene loved children, and entertaining them with stories. He died quite young, tho he authored many poems and stories, his audience was decidedly adult. I'm glad to see there is still a following for his poetry.
Thank You for the Post and I know he would have loved to entertain your boys as well, he was such a kid himself.
Ben Egan

 
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