1) Shadow braiding the oddball's hair. Meanwhile his brothers keep bringing her ribbons and chains and flowers and shit to add to the braids. He's very begrudging about this, but doesn't have the energy, or care enough, to walk away.

2) It was a long time before they started talking, but the first words any of them spoke were from one, who made a damned good attempt to say "thank you" when Kevin handed him a book. Everyone was very proud.

3) The ones that stay in proto-form never even try to learn the whole talking thing (although they can read and understand English and, to a degree, Osmosian). Nobody knows if the oddball can speak or not; he also doesn't bother.