How much do they understand?

Connie was telling me this morning that she is seeing Sunny understanding her more and more. She said this morning she was on the t stand playing with her favorite pen. Connie had to go and stood up by her tray and and said, "Sunny it is time to go." She put her pen in the cup and put her foot up for Step up! It is times like that you don't have to even wonder how much she is understanding!! Can you imagine, through the years how much more she will know, as you continue to talk to her? She might have understood a combination of Connie's actions and her words, but I do believe they come to understand a vast amount of language.

I have tried saying different phrases to the birds and they do seem to understand so many different ways of saying the same thing. For teaching them new tings, I try to use the same phrases, so they can catch on... But if I say anything to them about their noise level...using most any words, Kiwi seems to understand and starts giving her little lectures on "you need to be quiet," "you must whisper," "quiet. She is not responding with the words that I said, but with the IDEA behind them. Kiwi is the only one who seems to really understand my desire for them to be quiet. She always stops making noise immediately and then tells me that she is a "good bird!" She looks at Java and tells him to be quiet. She is so serious! But I have wondered if she isn't also trying to make herself the "teacher's pet!"

Kermit would yell "Cool it!" when the other birds got loud, but he was the loudest one of them all!!