They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but I think a new word out of Maddi is worth a lot more than pictures. I hope everyone else thinks that way too, because we forgot to take pictures this week. It’s hard to hold a camera when you’re chasing down an ever-faster baby.
This past week, Maddi debuted several new words, much to Chris’ and my delight. Although she uses them judiciously and the people in her playgroup have never heard her say anything but “Mama,” it’s becoming hard to count the words in our daughter’s vocabulary.
Last week, she added “Becca,” “Poppa,” and “Kaija,” and other additions since her birthday were “purple” and “ball popper.” This week, after hundreds of word-less bedtimes, she repeated “Night-night” back to Chris and me as we tucked her in. And today, when I opened the cabinet where we keep Maddi’s food (including her beloved applesauce packs), she got very frustrated when I didn’t fetch any consumables for her and pleaded, “Appow-pah?”
She’s been saying “baby” for awhile, but only at our prompting; however, this week Maddi began saying it independently so we’re counting it as a word. That makes 38 so far. We may have 39 soon, as she’s been trying really hard to say “potty” lately.
Having a baby who can express so many things verbally makes life a lot easier — and a lot more amusing. Yesterday, we had the option of bringing Maddi to her weekly playgroup or picking up Nana at the airport. As Maddi enjoyed her breakfast, I asked her if she wanted to go to playgroup and see the babies. She nodded her head up and down excitedly. Then I asked her if she wanted to see Nana. Again, she nodded excitedly. So I asked her, as I often do when we’re choosing a bedtime story, an outfit or a toy, “Do you want to see the babies? Or do you want to see Nana?”
“Nan!!” Maddi squeaked emphatically, flapping her little arms. So that was that.
In addition to actual words, Maddi now makes a new non-word sound. Her fascination with cars and trucks has led her to begin saying “vrrummm” when she rides on her little car or sees a big truck passing us on the street. It really is the cutest thing ever.
In other news, Maddi may be about to wean herself. She is down to nursing only at night (for 5 minutes, at that). But tonight, she kept making the “more” sign even though she clearly had no interest in milk. So I asked her, “Would you like some cow’s milk in your sippy cup?” and got an unequivocal “yes” in the form of furious nodding and smiling. Thus, our little girl grows ever bigger.