jabberwocky

I've mentioned this before, but for months, Lou's been talking in Japaspanglish. She carries on for minutes at a time, and it's very clear that she knows what she's saying, but we generally haven't got a clue. Secretly, of course, Jess and I bathe in that Japanspanglish every day. There is nothing NOTHING better. And I've gotten surprisingly good at interpreting said language. Just recently, however, she's started using words. Legitimate real live words. It is equal parts awesome and devastation for us. Thankfully, she still uses mostly Japaspanglish when she's really got something to say, but here are some of her words (I'm forgetting a handful, I just know it):

+ When being hugged too tight: I stuck!

+ When someone has something she wants: Share! 

(Minus the R sound. We die over this one.)

+ Wuh, Two, Ree! (One, Two, Three!)

+ I toot. (I'm cute.)

+ She can say: Mom, Mommeeeee, Dad, Sithy (Sissy), 

AhBelle (Annabelle), Ty Ty, Abi, Pete (cousins), 

Dah Dah (Aunt Don Don), Cheecha (Jesus)

+ Mama Mama (Llama Llama)

+ Lala! (her nickname)

+ Hep! (Help!)

+ Ope-ee (open)
+ Stah! (Star!) (The one shape she knows.)

+ Issa puppy! (It's a puppy!)

+ Beeeebeeeeee! Issa Beeeebbbeeeeee! (Baby! It's a baby!)

+ My! (mine!)

+ Uh huh (when she answers in the affirmative)

+ "Beek BEEK BEEK." (Binky) (It's going to be so fun taking away her binky. 
What a mess we've gotten ourselves into.)

+ ink = drink and thur-tee = thirsty (she's a water hog)

+ Mow! (More!)

+ Ah-duh (All done)

+ Peeeeessss (Please, and it's said with her made up please sign)

+ doe (toe), ed (head), ehs (ears), ands (hands) 

(she can locate ears, eyes, nose, head, hair, teeth, 

tongue, fingers, hands, toes, knees, belly button)

+ a duck says "wock wock," a bird says "weet weet," a dog says "ruh ruh," 

a horse says "neh," a frog sometimes says "bibbet bibbet," 

a bear or lion or any other animal whose sound she hasn't learned

yet says, "ROOAARR," and she's got the monkey sound down.

+ This is her best circus trick: she knows the sounds of the letters A, B, M, S, T 

and sometimes F. I thank Leapfrog for this. Also, she's always hanging 

out when Belle does her lessons, which probably helps a ton. 

That said, she doesn't recognize specific letters. 

She recognizes that letters are letters (she calls them all A! A!), 

but doesn't know any of them by sight.

This happy sort-of talking age is pretty much my favorite. It's what makes people keep having babies, I tell you what. Because you're like DUDE. WE NEED TEN OF THESE HAPPY LITTLE THINGS! Especially if they talk Japaspanglish. :)