10 Choices
Our number one behavior modification reward (read: bribe). Morgan gets to buy selections from Amazon or Ebay (usually VHS tapes). Negotiate carefully in advance for how many selections she can buy. (She hasn't grasped [or doesn't want to grasp] the idea of a dollar limit - we go by number of items. If the item is more than ~$15 or is a "lot of [x#] vhs tapes" I tell her "that one counts as [x# of] choices!" 

Batteries
Whatever she is using/playing with has stopped working (which usually does mean it needs batteries)

(Person Name) Be Happy Now!
She feels you are being mean to her (or acting grumpy, or giving her the silent treatment) - usually happens when she has done something wrong and made you really mad. She's letting you know she notices and wants to change your disapprobation (whether it is deserved or not). She doesn't "get" apologizing to make someone stop being mad at her. She just begs (in this way - with increasing urgency until you do forgive her) for you to stop being mad at her

Big Computer
The desktop computer with the oversize monitor

Big Hot Blueberry Muffin
See Food

Big Hot Dog Dinner
See Food

Bowl of Smarties
She wants a bowl with minimally 10 rolls of the candy (she likes to unwrap them) and a water

(My) Budd
Her butt/crotch area. She misheard "butt" and now insists that everybody else is mistaken - it is really "budd" lol

Camera
She's usually referring to her cell phone (although she also has a VTech pink camera she sometimes uses). See Entertainment for a full guide on how to use the cell phone and camera.

Cheezie Weezies
Dan Dee Corn Twists (the neon orange cheese puffs - but only the hard-to-find Dan Dee brand will do...) See Food

Chicken
See Food

(10) Choices
Our number one behavior modification reward (read: bribe). Morgan gets to buy selections from Amazon or Ebay (usually VHS tapes). Negotiate carefully in advance for how many selections she can buy. (She hasn't grasped [or doesn't want to grasp] the idea of a dollar limit - we go by number of items. If the item is more than ~$15 or is a "lot of [x#] vhs tapes" I tell her "that one counts as [x# of] choices!"

Computer Doctor Mom
One of her computers is acting up. Usually, it just needs to have the gazillion windows she has open closed and to be restarted (especially if she is recording or burning DVDs- that process eats a lot of working memory). Also, check that she hasn't over-filled the hard drive. You may need to run a cleaning and clear some space on the disc. Her desktop (which is super-new tech) doesn't always cope well with her VHS converter (which is super old tech). See Entertainment for more info.

Cookies Chips and Water
See Food

Deal! 
Sealing a behavior agreement. (e.g., you ask, "Is that a deal?" and she will respond, "Deal!" if she agrees... she'll usually say, "Later" if she doesn't)

Discus
The plural of "disc" (CDs or DVDs)

(No) (Stop) Fastering (Me)!
She feels you are being mean to her (or acting grumpy, or giving her the silent treatment) - usually happens when she has done something wrong and made you really mad (and sometimes when she is lollygagging and senses you are getting annoyed with it). She's letting you know she notices and wants to change your disapprobation (whether it is deserved or not). She doesn't "get" apologizing to make someone stop being mad at her, or how to ask for patience. She just begs (in this way - with increasing urgency until you do forgive her) for you to stop being mad or to "Be happy!" 

Fresh Bread
Large croissants from Martin's Deli (although sometimes Henen's large croissants are acceptable). The only bread she will eat.

Fresh Discus
She wants a blank DVD or CD to record on. Ask her if she wants a CD or a DVD. ("Discus" is the plural of disc lol)

Fresh Water
She wants cold water to drink, preferably delivered to her, tout de suite! We keep cold mini bottles on "her" shelf in the frig (and tell her to get them herself... which works... sometimes lol). Elsewhere she has been OK with drinking from a cup, but I find the bottles easier to keep stocked and less likely to get spilled (they can be refilled a few times and re-chilled as well)

Fruit Rolls, Gushers and Water
2 unwrapped (but still rolled up) Fruit by the Foot Strawberry, 2 opened packets of Gushers Tropical flavor, and a Fruit Roll Up Tropical Tie Dye in a bowl, with water on the side

Get (White) Papers (Get Pen and Papers)
She wants paper and pen to make a schedule or a list. She usually has a clipboard loaded with paper on her bed at all times and pens in the bedside table drawer

Get A Move
Her (less than polite) way of saying she wants to be left alone

Get Poker
Usually because she has something stuck in her teeth (especially popcorn) and wants a GUM Proaxbrush Go-Between (Tight size) and/or dental floss (unflavored - no mint)

Get the Plugger
The battery has run down on her portable DVD player and it needs to be plugged in. (Note that on her current model, the battery only recharges when it is plugged in and turned off. So you need to keep an eye out for times you can turn it off when she won't notice, e.g. once she is asleep)

Gray Computer
Her Panasonic Toughbook laptop computer. This computer can also hook up to her VHStoPC machine to convert VHS tapes to video files. She usually keeps it on her bed unless she is recording with it. It is not set up currently to print

Goo
Any form of cream or ointment used on the body. Lip Goo is lip balm (Aquaphor Lip Repair works best on her, but she'll tolerate [kinda, sorta] strawberry Lip Smackers or vanilla Carmex stick as well). Goo on My Finger is Neosporin+ Pain Relief cream or ointment (when she bites her nails to the quick or bites off hang nails). Sun Goo is sunscreen

Go Potty
She needs to use the toilet. Often used as a delaying tactic... except when it isn't lol. Ya gotta let her go, cuz you never know...

Hold Hands To Me
She wants you to stay/sit next to her

(The) House of Many Colors
The home on Detroit road where she spent most of her youth. We then moved to "Morgan's New House." 

In A Minute
Either she's not ready to do whatever it is you want her to do, or she doesn't want you to do something. Setting a Talking Timer can sometimes be helpful

Just A Minute
Either she's not ready to do whatever it is you want her to do, or she doesn't want you to do something. Setting a Talking Timer can sometimes be helpful

Just Wash Body
Doesn't want to wash hair (she's offering to agree to getting into the shower so long as there is no hair washing). Usually it is because her ears are feeling sensitive and she doesn't want to take the headphones off. Not usually worth pressing her on it - make a deal about washing hair next time, and she'll usually live up to it. If you really need to wash hair, try giving her Motrin and waiting 20 minutes then try again.

Label Paper
She wants Memorex label paper loaded into her printer. (For whatever reason, this process stumps her.) Load it label side down

Later 
She really means "No, I don't want to do that."

Let's Read It!
She wants to go over her schedule. Something is worrying her, and she wants reassurance

Little White Towel
If her hair is wet, she wants a white hand towel around her neck

Mom's Computer
The Sony all-in-one (which used to be mom's... but Morgan took it over)

Morgan's New House
Where she lived with mom the two years before adult housing

Morgan's Computer
The Asus tower computer (it is not coming with her, as it was about ready to die - we replaced it with the blue tower and mega screen... But if she's asking for something "on Morgan's computer" and isn't satisfied by being pointed toward the new beast, she is probably referring to the old one)

Morgan, You Stay Here
Means she doesn't want to do the planned activity. Often she will offer up some other poor sucker to go in her place ("Bob and Mom go see the Wiggles. Morgan, you stay here!")

Motrin
Something hurts (usually headache) and she wants ibuprofen. If it is time for regular meds, you can add 2 Advil tablets to her meds. If not, give her Children's Liquid Motrin Berry Flavor (regular - not dye free - it has to be orange). Use the measuring cup that comes with it and give her two full to the rim cups of it. (Psychologically, the liquid works better, and is what she really is asking for). This is extremely brand and flavor specific - nothing else will do

My Budd
Her butt/crotch area. She misheard "butt" and now insists that everybody else is mistaken - it is really "budd" lol

No Fastering!
She feels you are being mean to her (or acting grumpy, or giving her the silent treatment) - usually happens when she has done something wrong and made you really mad (and sometimes when she is lollygagging and senses you are getting annoyed with it). She's letting you know she notices and wants to change your disapprobation (whether it is deserved or not). She doesn't "get" apologizing to make someone stop being mad at her, or how to ask for patience. She just begs (in this way - with increasing urgency until you do forgive her) for you to stop being mad or to "Be happy!" 

Peanut Butter and Jelly and Fresh Bread
See Food

Pizza Guy
She wants Papa John's delivered - negotiate whether it will be "two boxes" (two medium cheese pizzas) or "one box" (one medium cheese pizza) before calling

Plastic Bag(s)
She wants a ziplock bag... Not exactly sure how it came about, but lately she's been putting food into ziplock bags and giving it away as gifts (especially sweet when it is pre-chewed!)

Plenty of Ketchup
There is never enough Heinz ketchup. Never. She wants a lake of ketchup. And, very cat-like - if there is a bald spot in the middle of the lake of ketchup, she will ask for it to be filled. Just do it. You will not win

(Get the) Plugger
The battery has run down on her portable DVD player and it needs to be plugged in. (Note that on her current model, the battery only recharges when it is plugged in and turned off. So you need to keep an eye out for times you can turn it off when she won't notice, e.g. once she is asleep)

(Get) Poker
Usually because she has something stuck in her teeth (especially popcorn) and wants a GUM Proaxbrush Go-Between (Tight size) and/or dental floss (unflavored - no mint)

Potty Now
She needs to use the toilet. Often used as a delaying tactic... except when it isn't lol. Ya gotta let her go, cuz you never know...

Put in the Garage
Usually something she can't bear to throw away herself (like a VHS tape) is broken, and she wants it thrown away, but can't make herself do it... so she "gives it away" or "recycles" it by handing it off to someone else to deal with.

Scan It
She knows how to do this (usually via Microsoft Picture It software), so if she is asking, it is because it isn't working. Usually closing and shutting everything down, turning off the printer, waiting a couple of minutes, then turning everything back on fixes the problem.

Set The Talking Timer
Behavioral tool and our best friend - a countdown timer that announces the times as it counts them down. She is asking for it to be set so she has a concrete understanding of when the event will occur

Skratchez Back
Her back itches and she wants you to scratch it under the shirt. Usually means either dry skin or heat rash is bothering her.

(Bowl of) Smarties
She wants a bowl with minimally 10 rolls of the candy (she likes to unwrap them) and a water

Stop Fastering (Me)!
She feels you are being mean to her (or acting grumpy, or giving her the silent treatment) - usually happens when she has done something wrong and made you really mad (and sometimes when she is lollygagging and senses you are getting annoyed with it). She's letting you know she notices and wants to change your disapprobation (whether it is deserved or not). She doesn't "get" apologizing to make you stop being mad at her, or how to ask for patience. She just begs (in this way - with increasing urgency until you do forgive her) for you to stop being mad or to "Be happy!" 

(Set The) Talking Timer
Behavioral tool and our best friend - a countdown timer that announces the times as it counts them down. She is asking for it to be set so she has a concrete understanding of when the event will occur

Ten Choices
Our number one behavior modification reward (read: bribe). Morgan gets to buy selections from Amazon or Ebay (usually VHS tapes). Negotiate carefully in advance for how many selections she can buy. (She hasn't grasped [or doesn't want to grasp] the idea of a dollar limit - we go by number of items. If the item is more than ~$15 or is a "lot of [x#] vhs tapes" I tell her "that one counts as [x# of] choices!" number of items. If the item is more than ~$15 or is a "lot of [x#] vhs tapes" I tell her "that one counts as [x# of] choices!"

The House of Many Colors
The home on Detroit road where she spent most of her youth. We then moved the Morgan's New House (which continued to be "Morgan's New House" the entire time we lived there)

The Way Things Are, Is the Way Things Are
A quote from Babe, generally used to say that something sucks, but that's life. 

Toshiba
She wants the portable hard drive plugged into the USB of whichever computer she is working on. (Yes - she does know how to do this herself. But she prefers a minion to perform the task.)

Wash Body
Doesn't want to wash hair (she's offering to agree to getting into the shower so long as there is no hair washing). Usually it is because her ears are feeling sensitive and she doesn't want to take the headphones off. Not usually worth pressing her on it - make a deal about washing hair next time, and she'll usually live up to it. If you really need to wash hair, try giving her Motrin and waiting 20 minutes then try again.

Where's (person name)?
Means she is thinking about somebody. If asked at bedtime, the best answer is "(Person name) is sleeping at (person's name)'s house." Sometimes asked about Izzy the Dog (old neighbor's dog) or Bella the dog (Jordyn's dog). Same answer.  During the day, If you know what the person is doing, use that instead. If you don't, the generic, "(Person) is at (Person's) house" usually suffices. 

White Ice Pack
She has pain somewhere and wants a small ice pack (specifically a Cryostat - there should be a supply in her freezer). If she asks for a white ice pack, ask if she needs Motrin (usually she does).

White Paper
She wants plain paper loaded into her printer. (For whatever reason, this process stumps her)

(Little) White Towel
If her hair is wet, she wants a white hand towel around her neck

Zip It
Wants you to seal a ziplock bag for her

Language is hard! Some days it is harder than others. If she walks up to you and stares, just wait it out - she is searching for words. It can be helpful to say, "Use your words." And if she mumbles or you need it repeated, prompt her with, "Say it low and slow!"

We've tried to gather as many of Morgan's common phrases as possible (in alphabetical order). If she is insistently saying something that you can't figure out, it is most likely a reference or scripting from a video. That doesn't mean it is not important! She often uses phrases from videos to get her point across. 

It can take some detective work to figure out what she is asking for - but if she is being persistent, it is worth figuring it out! Feel free to call Mom any time at 440-773-5910 - I can't promise an accurate answer, but I am happy to help!

Glossary of morganese

Her original language is often... unique

Questions?

Call Mom!
​440-773-5910

It's All About

MORGAN!