I get all these “your baby at x weeks/months” updates based on Leni’s due date from babycenter.com and whattoexpect.com every week in my inbox. I eagerly signed up for a few such sites whilst pregnant and would excitedly read about which fruit the babe most resembled. I now just casually scan the emails when they come in, but something caught my attention last week. It focused on language and said that toddlers at this age (17.5 months-ish) have 10-15 words on average, but understand most of what we say. Leni has been learning new words and phrases (seemingly) daily and reading this average really motivated me to finally start keeping track. Jose guessed she knew about 20 words and I guessed a bit over 30, but when I started to write them down over the course of a day, we got all the way to 65 (and counting)! Those are words and phrases she is using everyday, in the correct manner at that. I know I am boasting, but I can’t help myself. I am seriously blown away!

Peanut says “good girl” to Ruby on our walks. She just started saying “mummy back” if I am ever out of the room and “my daddy” when she talks about Jose. She is currently obsessed with boats and likes to point them out (mostly correctly, although the “boats” are sometimes cars and planes too) wherever we go. If something drops (or she drops it more likely) she says “uh oh.” She asks for water (“doo-dah”) when she’s thirsty and food (she says “more” while using the sign for eat) and likes to ask for bananas and toast, crackers, apples, cookies and cheese. She likes to say “kick” as she kicks and points out balls, bikes, rocks, books, bugs, the moon, pools, keys, parks, doors, balloons, babies, doggies, ducks, owls, kitties, cows, birds, squirrels and makes their corresponding sounds (when applicable). She likes to tell us when she sees shoes, umbrellas and hats. She says happy and hug (as she gives you one).

She says “echo” as we walk through the tunnel into our nearby park (a habit I started to get her to stop testing the echo by screaming) and “bath” when we run the water in the tub. She waves when she says “hello” and “bye bye” (and blows kisses when she feels so inclined). Sometimes she’ll point something out, tell me what it is and say “see?” She’s working on “thank you,” but she’s got “no” locked down. In fact, it doesn’t matter what question I ask her, the answer is almost always no.

She points out toys, her nose and calls things pretty when she thinks they are. She says “ok,” “yay,” and “wow” and tells me when things are hot. She likes to sing, her favourite at the moment being the birthday song from Sarah & Duck (she basically says the “birthday today” part and hums along to the rest). She’s working on her name, but tends to use “me” instead. When I pick up my phone she says “Gaga” (my mum) since we call her most days (she also likes to pretend she’s on the phone). Sometimes she’ll point to things and ask, “what’s that?” (“sthat?”). She’s recently started to test out the word mine (inevitable, I guess). She loves the words “poopoo” and “peepee” and pointing out when Ruby’s doing it on our walks (she’s a classy gal that way). She gestures to my chest when she wants to nurse and says “boobie” (told ya, class all the way). Sometimes she’ll say “oy yoy yoy” or “um…hmm,” making me realize those are two very odd noises I make very regularly–one being a sound of exasperation and the other of indecision (oh man, what does that say about me?). And everyday since I started writing down all these words, she’s added new ones to her roster! It’s nutty!

And, on that note, I shall end my proud mama rant. Thanks for listening.