Caleb's journey to learning Spanish, Chile edition

Today marks the start of week 11 here, and as I mentioned in a recent post, I have been keeping a log as best as I can of his language development while we are here.  For the first 8 weeks it was just individual occurrences of saying a new word or phrase, etc., then starting in March when he began school I've been trying to jot down daily all the Spanish words and phrases that come out of his mouth, to see how much it progresses in the three weeks he will be in school.

Playing with a friend's Roda balance bike

Playing out back this afternoon, Laura took a picture with Caleb's camera

Video of the extension to 'Vamos a Jardinnnnn' song from the other day, this is 'Vamos a vaño (baño).'  I think this is another one of the expressions that is used a lot at school, telling the kids to all go to the bathroom... Click below or here.

Video of "Este coche a la casa", click below or here.

Today was the end of week two at Pipo, followed by this afternoon having a solid two hours of playtime in the backyard with all Spanish-speakers (our English-speaking friends weren't outside today), followed by a 10-15 minute Skype call with a friend of mine in Spain.  Afterwards the boys were playing independently around the house while I was cooking dinner, and I was thrilled to hear Caleb spend a good thirty minutes talking to himself, thinking out loud, and repeating any old thing that he was thinking about, COMPLETELY in SPANISH!  I was listening in the kitchen, trying to type out as many things as I could hear, but I still missed a lot of them.  It was so awesome to hear him just playing by himself and totally thinking about everything in Spanish.  I think that all of the input he has had over the first two months here, now with three hours a day of Spanish immersion, it is really compounding and making for a visible increase in Spanish (and full sentences) coming out of his mouth.

Below is the log I have been keeping since we got here.  It is quite long, and not typed out very neatly. Perhaps more for me and my own reference than for others...but for those that are interested, here it is.

CHILE:

During the month of November 2012 Caleb was very interested in how to say things in Spanish, asking us all the time, and asking us to read the books that he has in Spanish.  I was so excited about this, and especially because I knew at that point that we were going to be in Chile and was hoping his enthusiasm would continue.  I think he started noticing when he would hear one of us speaking Spanish to someone, and we started pointing out the difference between Spanish and English to him, so then in December he would say "Can you say it in English?" when I would try to speak Spanish to him, and not wanting us to read the books in Spanish.  I was a little bummed, and hoping that wouldn't continue once we were in Chile.  

We have now been here about 10 days and Caleb is doing great with trying to say little words and phrases to people when we tell him what to say.... Gracias, Adios, Hasta luego, Hola, Por favor...

It seems that his interested has been renewed by seeing all the people around him speaking Spanish too, and makes him willing to try.

1/19/13:  In the elevator after a long day going to the MIM in Santiago (1 week in)... J: Estoy cansada Caleb.  C: I'm tired, too, mommy.  

1/21/13:  Today was the first day we went and did something with a friend!  We went to a park not far from our apartment and there were several other kids there, probably ages 5, 4 and 3 (boy, boy, girl).  They were all playing and running around together, and of course Caleb got right in on the action of playing chase with them.  The were saying 'corre! corre!', and Caleb would just repeat 'corra, corra!' without thinking twice about it.  Its easy to see how quickly he could pick up on the language simply by playing with other kids (like in a jardin infantil).  

2/4/13:  While playing down in the backyard, Caleb ran over to me and said "Cayó camion!" (Se cayó el camion) about the truck he was playing with.  I think this is his first 'sentence' in Spanish.  

2/8/13:  Today while eating hot dogs for lunch, Caleb looked at me and said "Mmmm, me gusta!, I like!"  It wasn't pronounced perfectly, but he definitely showed he knew what he was saying by saying it in both English and Spanish!

2/18/13:  I would say that Caleb had his first (mini) conversation in Spanish today.  We were walking down to the drug store and there were three groups of men breaking up sections of the sidewalk with mallets and shovels.  Caleb waved to each as we walked by, and said hola or buenos dias to some.  On the way back up the street, he was eating a lollipop, and wanted to show it to everyone.  One of the workers said "Buenos dias niño!  Cómo estás?" (Goodmorning little boy!  How are you?). Caleb answered "Bien" without hesitation or thought. Then he said "Estás comiendo un dulce.  Cómo está?" (You're eating some sweets. How is it?).  Again, without thought or hesitation Caleb answered "Bien.", though I think this response might have been because he heard the como está part and thought he was asking how he was, but I was still excited and proud of him for responding!  He said "adios" and waved to them as we walked away.  Way to go Caleb!

2/24/13: Week 7 in Chile.  As we were arriving back to the building from going to see the train museum, Caleb was running up to the main lobby door and yelled "No cierres!" (Don't close it!).  Then at bedtime he was trying to tell me he wanted a small spanking, and then he said 'Grande'.  "Grande?", I asked.  Then he corrected himself and said "Pequeño, pequeño."  I think he was thinking about his book Fred y Ted - a book with lots of opposites in it...

2/28/13:  As I'm realizing from one day to the next a noticeable difference in how many new words Caleb is eagerly repeating, I've decided to try and jot down the words and phrases he uses each day to watch its progress.  I think it will be very interesting to look back at in a few weeks, especially if Caleb goes to Pipo for preschool...

Today - At the grocery store he said "frio" as he shivered with a silly expression as we stood in the refrigerated section.  I taught him two days ago that hace frío and está frío mean its cold outside or something is cold.  Today was the second time he used it - last night when he drank water from his sippy cup he said "está frío" to the cold water.  

3/1/13: It was cool out this morning, and Caleb said "está frío" (complete with the verb and all).  As he was walking into the living room he said "Hola Landon, Cómo estás?  Bien?"  "Dos galletas", asking for more cookies.  Frio in the evening, chupete (pacifier) multiple times during dinner (not sure if he understands what it is or is just repeating words...).

3/4/13:  This morning Caleb and I were playing a spanish dominoes matching game, and when I asked him how to say the following words, he knew and said them right away:  hair (pelo), nose (nariz), mouth (boca), leg (pierna).  I don't usually ask him like this on the spot like a quiz, but I was impressed that he could just pull them out of his brain so quickly!   When playing with Guillermo's moto this morning, he said "pare" telling me to stop because there were a lot of cars.  At naptime in his bed, "Cold, está frío".   Counting his raisins in Spanish as he is eating them, he hands one to me and says "para ti".   Then he put a yogurt melt in his mouth and said "No mas."  I asked, "no mas para quien?", and he said "for you."  Caleb uses the word "este" many times through the day to refer to things.  "Dedos arriba" he repeated after I told him that's how you say 'thumbs up', which he learned how to do this week.  At bedtime tonight Caleb said "champiñones", completely out of the blue.  That's a big word, and one I haven't used in at least a week.  Didn't know he knew that one. 

3/5/13:  Esta frio when I was washing his feet.  Esta frio before nap when his shirt was off.  Repeating after me, he said "Abre the tunel por favor."  Listening to the guy at the fruteria talking to me, who said "Que ricos" (about the boys), then Caleb asked me if he said "bonito" (like conserje Marco says) - good listening Caleb!  Ricos sounds like bonito!  Playing with Frankie Fourwheeler, "Hola, que pasa?" What are those things called again? Me: arandanos. C: More arandanos please.  Me: Mas arandanos por favor. C: (repeats 2x).  Takes my cell phone and says I'm going to call Jessica.  "Hola Jessica, Hola jessica, Hola Jessica!..."  Then he says I'm going to call Mariel.... "Hola Mariel..." Standing by the open window, esta frio.  At bedtime, buenos dias!  Buenas noches!  Hola!  

3/6/13:  At the end of a skype conversation with Papa, Caleb says "Hasta luego! Chao!". 

3/7/13:  What are blueberries called in Spanish?  Me: Arandanos.  Caleb: I want arandanos please.

Caleb held a book up horizontal in front of his mouth and said "Una flauta." (a flute)

3/8/13: While watching Disney Junior Caleb repeated "Ya viena" (ya viene - coming up next).  After his nap while looking out the window he yelled and pointed "Un autolbus de la escuela!", then "Look, pool agua".  Repeating after me telling Landon "No lo comes."  "Ele" (L) for Landon.  "be"(B) as we are spelling his name in Spanish. I want a "galleta de coco" mommy. 

3/9/13:  Counting: 5, 2, 3, 5, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3...  As we were trying to put him down for a nap, and when he was already very tired and groggy, he said "Jugo, I want jugo."  In the bath tub, "tú te sientas", then esta frio while waiting for me to dry him off.  While watching Toy Story in Spanish on tv, Caleb was recognizing and repeating words he heard:  dinosaurio, juguetes, hay juguetes...

3/10/13: Caleb said Esta frio about 3 or 4 times today. We tried explaining the difference between 'tengo frio', and 'hace frio'...

3/11/13:  Repeating after me 'animales.'  Where is the car? (answering himself...) No sé.  (Playing with Bertie the bus), "Is this autobus?  Maybe they will have Laura's patineta outside!  Where is the "dinosaurio" mommy?  Trying to reach the conserje phone in the kitchen, Caleb said "Hola, como estas? Bien."  

3/12/13:  On the way home from school today, Caleb said they painted.  Con que colores pintaste?  C:  Amalillo.  M:  Bien, y que otros colores?  C:  No mas.  Ya Viene. Can you stick out your lengua mommy?  (Me: Saque la lengua.)  Caleb: Saque la lengua!.  Mochila! Mochila!  Dinosaurio.  At bedtime, as I'm telling him to go towards his room, he points in the opposite direction and says "mas allá." Frio, frio. I want more frambuesa juice mommy.  

3/13/13:  Ya viene (Clarilú). Frio, esta frio (on the way to school). Repeating after me, "Lo enconté.  Aqui esta." Playing with his cars, he signaled and said "este" for 'this one'.  Then he pointed to the Cheerio car and said "ambulancia", the blue race car "policia, and to the red car from Gigi, "bombero". When I asked him "Quien es este coche (la naranja)?" He says "coche."  Playing with shape sorters, Que forma es esta (I hold up a star)? C: estella. (I hold up a square): cuadado.  (I hold up a circle): circulo.  (I hold up a triangle): triangulo.  WHere does the casa go?  WHere's triangulo?  WHere's circulo?  Where's cuadrado?  Este lado (repeating).  Aqui (pointing where to put a certain shape). Showing landon how to do the shape sorter, C said "esperame, espera."  Then he said este jugo when I gave him his juice.  Leaving the fruteria, hasta luego! chao!  Pointing out an airplane, avion. Repeating after me, buenas noches hipopotamo.  Dinosaurio (he seems to really like saying this one).  While playing with stickers, este por aqui; este, este.  Asking for certain crayons, "este aqui."  Permiso.

3/14/13: Repeating 'oh cielos' on Chuggington.  I want to pintar.  Repeating after me, quiero pintar.

A Tobias, ese jugar? (asking for a toy). A micaela: hola! hola!  To sit down and get sand out, sientate aqui.  Este camion.  Volquete.  "This is what we did in school today:  Manitos da vueltas, manitos da vueltas" (as he moved his hands in circles).  Este es the jardin de Clarilú (singing).  Counting, lots of counting... 1,2,3,5,2,3...

3/15/13:  Playing the boxcar like a guitar, singing "Quien será...Quien será..." from a cartoon favorite, Clarilu.

3/18/13:  Back to school today.... They did an "elefante song" Caleb told me, then later tonight he was singing something about "dormir a elefante, dormir a elefante..." as he was putting his hands up next to the sides of his head like someone lays on a pillow.  (I checked with the tias later about an elephant sleeping song, and they said they did sing one, it goes "Para dormir, Para dormir, para dormir un elefaaante..." He remembered what they had sang). Painting and coloring at bedtime he started using a lot of words and phrases on his own:  "un road" as he drew a line, coche, gallo, coche amarillo, "have you seen a coche azul?"

3/19/13:  As Caleb was sitting under the kitchen counter, he said "How do you say 'green' in Spanish?"  I said "verde", then he said, very clearly and in a complete sentence, "Este es verde", pointing to a broom handle, then "este es... (gray?) gris, este es azul" pointing to other brooms.  Then he pointed to the tile and said "Cual este?"  He continued to ask 'cual este?' for about a dozen other items around him.  

3/20/13:  Rosa, pajaro... random words while watching cartoons in the AM.  "I'm going to tell the tias 'vamos al baño' when I need to go to the bathroom."  After asking if they had painted today, Caleb said, "she said 'pintar'."  The tia said 'mucha caca' about someone who had had an accident at school.  There's one boy named Diego at Pipo.  There's one girl named Mica.  Dos galletas de coco. (Singing and drumming with pencils) "Vaaaamos a jardinnnnnnn, vaaaamos a jardinnnnnn, vaaaamos a jardinnnnnn..."  I think I could say that in the past two days Caleb has started two new things:  using 'sí' instead of 'yes' in the midst of being spoken to in Spanish, and speaking in simple, but sometimes complete sentences.  I am so excited to see him produce correct sentences on his own in Spanish!  This afternoon he said to Gloria, "Este es para la arena?"  Then he was speaking with P and Laura in Spanish, using individual words and communicating with them in Spanish, too.  I love it.

3/21/13:  "Sientese allá", he tells Landon repeatedly.  Sientate alli, as he told me he wanted to sit in a different place to put his shoes on.  Un niño, un papá, as he is holding a little boy figurine.  La casita de Caleb, la casita de Landon, la casita de mommy...in the jungle gym houses in backyard.

3/22/13:  Tambores, tambores, tambores...  Esta chiquitita.  Esta chica, esta grande, as he shows me small and big between his fingers.  Este azul.  Este rojo.  Playing by himself in his room, saying all sorts of things ALL in Spanish for probably 30 minutes - counting, colors, Dormir un elefante (song), este juguete, aqui aqui aqui... Running to get a toy: un juguete... Bien, como estas, bien, como estas,,  este es pequenito.  Camioneta. Salta!, jumping over a circle of books.   Sientese alla, alla, alla.  Sentaditos, sientese alla (learned at Pipo, no doubt).   

There are so many more words and short sentences he has been using, but I can't keep up with jotting them all down!  He's doing an awesome job, and as he will excitedly say to almost anyone now, "Chao, hasta luego!!!"