There are some sounds that are “music to the ears” or brings us back to a place or memory.
The sound of an ice cream van reminds me of staying at my gran’s house when I was little.
Hearing Depeche Mode brings me back to a school choir trip to Italy and the sound of a BBC1 ident, reminds me of preparing to present live television on Children’s BBC.
However, nothing is as joyous as hearing the sound of your baby gurgling and smiling at you out of the blue.
My firstborn was more of a thinker and observer but number two has a lot more to say.
Aside from the fact it’s incredibly cute, hearing your baby try to communicate, for me, makes it all feel even more worth it.
Now my son has also started to extend his vocabulary list and is saying words like car, shoes, water and the like, but there are still some big gaps which I have learned to fill in.
It’s as if I’ve studied a degree in baby talk as I now know another language.
A high pitched squeal is asking me to come over to have a look, raised eyebrows and palms of the hands facing out with a “huh” is him in a perplexed state and then pointing and babbling at the same time is showing me what he wants.
It’s simple when you come to think of it. We learn to communicate from day dot and there’s only a problem when we stop listening, at whatever age.
This is what I’ve tried to explain to my wonderful, kind, helpful husband who sometimes has a hearing impediment when I ask him to do a “chore”.
I sometimes feel it’s easier to communicate with those who haven’t yet mastered the English language but I think my other half just likes to wind me up!
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