Alessi is now almost 17 months old, and we are really enjoying seeing how she is able to communicate with us. Not that she has an unusually high number of words - here she falls between Paola who was very verbal by this age and Kobe who waited to talk until he was almost 2 - but through a combination of words, facial expressions, and hand/body movements, she really lets us know what she is thinking.
She has always been good at mimicking sounds she has heard even when she was a baby, so lots of times she repeats words she hears us say, but it is fun to note which words she has been using consistently on her own since maybe it lets us know what she finds the most interesting and important.
tank you - (Thank you) - Actually one of her first words, and for awhile she would use is often and in general correctly. She uses it not only when she is thanking someone but also when she does something that we need to be thanking her for (like closing all the cabinet doors that mom leaves open)
peas - (please) - used less often than thank you and usually needs some prompting. Accompanied by some version of the sign languange generally rubbing her chest or whatever is in front of her
hi - (hi) - the favorite word of most toddlers I guess. She really loves to use it as we pass unsuspecting shoppers in the grocery store or when she is talking on the phone or Skype with her grandparents and aunt.
ba bye - (bye bye) - her parting greeting complete with a southern drawl
mami- (Mami) - Actually said over and over all day long in order to get mom's attention. Said in a high pitched voice and has to be repeated at least three times whenever it is uttered. Her favorite is to yell it out in the car since she still faces backward in the carseat and needs to know mom is still nearby (or maybe she wants to let mom know she is nearby?)
baba- (Paola) and buby (Kobe) - Yelled out in glee whenver we are in carline picking up either of the kids or when it is time to head upstairs to bed and they are dawdling.
daddy - (Daddy) - Dad gets graced with his name when he leaves for work or comes home. However when Alessi really wants him to do something for her, she often calls him mami too.
baba (Baya); bobo (Bobo); yaya (YaYa) - she loves to talk to grandparents on the phone. I am sure she will quickly add MaMa once Marcus' mom returns from Hong Kong ;)
choket - (chocolate); cady - (candy); chauchege - (sausage); mamilk (more or my milk); chiz- it is obvious she is her mother's daughter since most of these are my favorites too.
cheese - (say cheese) - involves holding a camera up in front of her eyes.
bauby - (Barbie) - her favorite of Paola's toys. She has even figured out how to open up the Barbie carrying case so she can play with them while Paola is at school.
chacket (jacket) - the only one of the kids who doesn't argue about having to put on a coat (a must now with below zero and single digit temps last week). In fact she is quick to ask for it on if there is even a hint of us leaving the house.
She also quite a range of growling, fighting grunts, and yells that are used in conjunction with waving a light saber or sword or playing with Star Wars figures (these all taught courtesy of Kobe).
She might have more words given the amount of things she has to say to Baya and Tia on the phone, but we have no idea what they are. Anyway, I am sure that soon enough she will be speaking clearly and proficiently, but I know I will miss this fun period when language is first starting to develop.
She definitely uses a lot more words than this on the phone. This girl takes after her mom in having to be on the phone all day. If only she would remember what she is saying so we can ask her one day when she can speak even more clearly!? :)
Posted by: Tia Maria | January 26, 2007 at 07:19 PM