31 for 21 Sibling Sunday: COPYCAT

Ryker likes to copy most of what Gwyn does especially with speech and sounds.  This can be very cute, and it can be not so good.  Like when Gwyn is screaming or grunting because of an auditory or other aversion in the environment.  Ryker doesn't understand her reaction and usually thinks she's trying to be funny, so he wants to do it too.  Besides those times, he is very cute when he tries to copy some of her phrases and says them in her unique voice.

I can't remember when Gwyneth and I started the "Where are you?" game, but it must have been when Ryker was just a newborn.  I've almost forgotten that this phrase was started by her, because now Ryker is the one who says it all the time in the exact way that Gwyn says it.  They yell out "WHERRRARRRUUUU?" in one long sing-songy word after someone or some object's name.

"Mahhhhh Meeeeeeee, WherrrrARRRUUU?"
"Doggy, WherrrARRRUUUU?"
"Football, WherrrARRRUUU?"

Ryker and I use this game all the time -- it's a great way to redirect him if he's starting to whine for something he can't have.  I ask him where something is that he CAN have and he searches for it while calling out "WherrARRUU" and he is excited when he finds it.  Ryker uses Gwyn's exact voice for this phrase.  I wonder how long it will be before he breaks the words up into individual clearly pronounced words.
"Where  Are  You?"

He has other funny phrases of his own with the "Where are you" game that he says all the time:
"Where Dit Go?"
"Where De Other One?" (he really likes things in pairs)
And of course "There it is!" which is always preceded by a big exaggerated expression of jaw-dropping surprise.

I have found myself now using some of Ryker's language when I talk with Gwyn.  He's in a very talkative phase so he's teaching me a lot about keeping up a conversation with a toddler.  Gwyn is still farther along in speech development than Ryker, but she internalizes a lot of what she is hearing and learning so I don't get much instant feedback.  On the other hand with Ryker, I get constant feedback about how his language is evolving every day.  He repeats everything and he practices, practices, practices talking.  Gwyn will repeat individual words if she's in the mood for it, but sometimes I can't tell if she's even paying attention.  But then, later on, she might say a word or phrase in the right context and I'll realize that she was listening after all.