Dressing the tree

[nmg]

Now that the garklet's first birthday is out of the way (see ias's journal for an account), we've started putting up the decorations. Himself seems to be rather taken by the tree and its adornments (in his words: dah!), and I've managed to stop himself from electrocuting himself by sucking the fairy lights.

We've decided that our living tree of the past two years is really looking too sorry; it was charmingly crooked when we bought it, now it's charmingly crooked, marginally taller, and rather the worst for wear. Think of it as the Steve Buscemi of the tree world. In a few years it'll have developed enough character to make a statement, at which point we might let it back into the house. For now, we have a young, fresh tree, a bit on the short side, but nonetheless attractive. Think of it as the Thora Birch of the tree world.

Regarding decorations, I thought I'd add a few new ones to those that we've built up over recent years. We didn't have something for the apex of the tree, so I've added a jaunty cameo of a middle-aged Isaac Newton, which I've complemented with these hanging decorations:

Comments

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

Himself seems to be rather taken by the tree and its adornments (in his words: dah!)

I was expecting an identical response from **FIXME to our tree - "Dah! Dah! Dah!" is one of his favourite utterances when he's feeling chipper. But instead he was so impressed he said "Eee-eh-ooooo!"

[nmg.livejournal.com]

I need to write a post on his utterances (or maybe get him to write it himself on his own journal), but in brief:

• "muh-muh-muh-muh": I am feeling miserable/unloved/ill/hungry and I wish to be picked up and/or fed.


• "dah-dah-dah-dah" (musically): I am generally content with my current situation.


• "Dah!" (emphatically): The thing that I am waving my fist at is the Best. Thing. Ever.


• "Huuuuuuuuu!" (voiced as if straining): The thing that I am looking at is so good that I have almost lost the power of speech.

These latter two are often combined ("Dah! Huuuuuuuuuu") to emphasise just how good something is.

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

I need to write a post on his utterances (or maybe get him to write it himself on his own journal),

Yes! Do! :-)

**FIXME's the same with the muh-muh-muh versus dah-dah-dah thing. Obviously I feel like the beneficiary here since I overclaim "Dah-dah" utterances as referring to me, but it does seem terribly unfair on his poor mother.

He's a bit older than the Garklet and has some more definite proto-words, but he's not taking off with spoken English language at any great rate of knots. I suspect a lack of incentive - he can communicate such a wide range of desires using his current repertoire of utterances and gestures that he doesn't feel a need for more.

Actually, it's often a two-way process with him communicating in binary:

"Not happy!"
Oh, what's the matter? Do you want a hug and some attention?
"Not happy!"
Have you dropped this book?
"Not happy!"
Do you want this teddy bear?
"Not happy!"
Do you want to be picked up?
"Not happy!"
Oh, what's this underneath - it's a shape-sorter block. Did you want that?
"Happy."

[nmg.livejournal.com]

That sounds awfully familiar, particularly from mealtimes, where his two states are "om-nom-nom-nom" and "Do. Not. Want." (sweeps food off table).

[lionsphil.livejournal.com]

"Newtonmass".

"Newton". "Mass".

ARGH.

[nmg.livejournal.com]

I could write it as M²LT^-2, if that would make you happier.

I wonder if there are any other dimensioned festivals?