Stories.

Every day, before nap and bedtime, we have story time. Lilli just needs to see the sign for stories or hear the word "story" and she will take off running towards her bedroom. She will bang on the door until we catch up to her and repeats "Ree-ree!" (which is "story" for those of you that don't understand Lilli-speak) over and over until the door is opened. Most of the time, there are no less than five books read for a nap and ten for bed.

Lilli will let you know which books she likes (or doesn't) and is more than outspoken about whether she wants us to read a few more before she goes down to sleep. Some nights, when we're exhausted and ready to just finish the standards, she'll protest with all of her might. Signing "more" and yelling "Ree-ree!" over and over, pointing at which ever book she wants next. No matter our mood, the events of the day, or time constraints, we will read as many stories as Lilli requests. How do you say "no" to reading? It'd be like saying she's had enough veggies and fruit.

Some days, she will dump her entire basket of books across the entire floor of our living room for the thirtieth time that day, sit in the middle and read. It's days like this that we're glad we powered through the millionth read of Olivia, Little Elephant's Listening Ears, or Peek-a-boo Kisses.

"Song of the Entry"

Wrecking Ball by Mother Mother

Alphabet

Lately, Lilli has become obsessed with singing her alphabet. Any toy that plays the alphabet song is guaranteed to be heard at least five times before lunch on any given day. How could anyone be frustrated with a song establishing the core building blocks to our language...

I'll tell you how... Having to sing it 400 times a day will do it. You'd think that a rational person could tell themselves "it's a phase, she's learning, this is wonderful." Needless to say, I've had an irrational reaction. I can't wait until the next favorite song so I can get sick of something new. :)

"Indie Song of the Entry"

Uh Oh by Taken By Cars

Progress report

Lilli has recently taken up running. Not just a brisk walking, but- arms flailing, smile wide, almost screaming in excitement -running. She likes to be chased around and will sometimes take things from us and walk just out of reach backwards to see our faces, then we are forced to chase after her. Her response to that is to run full force into the side of our bed and hide her face in the blankets laughing hysterically as we catch up. I have to admit, as frustrating as it is to try to catch a naked baby running away with a box of wipes or diaper, it's really fun to watch her play. Learning her boundaries and pushing them just a bit further.

Whether she's testing our authority or pushing her own physical limits, she's learning at such a rapid rate sometimes I am thrown back when I hear or see her do something new. The past two weeks she has picked up on about five new signs and close to 5 new words. Earlier this week I asked her if she wanted a banana (followed by the usual banana song) and she replied "Nana!" I nearly fell out of my seat in shock. And when she screamed at me for not watching her do the "all done" sign after eating breakfast one morning, I realized that she's moving along quicker than I'm able to keep up.

She can tell us what she wants and needs and she knows the sequence of events for long drawn out processes. She knows what comes next and when it doesn't play out the way she thinks it should she is quick to let you know that it is not right. Her personality shines through every new thing she learns. Defining herself everyday with her intelligence and disposition.

On another note, she has grown her top two front teeth and they are starting to show. It's so strange to see my baby with a mouth full of teeth. She is a late bloomer for teeth, I can't say I am sad about it. It's almost hard to imagine her as a baby anymore, she'll always be my baby, but she's starting to look like a toddler. I truly cherished the toothless grin and the two bottom teeth smile was beyond adorable. But now... a full on toothy smile, it makes me proud and sad at the same time.



"Indie Song of the Entry"

Scream Scream by The Battle Royale

12 month gestures and language

With a year behind her, Lilli has realized there is more to these signs and gestures than just to get what she wants. She has learned to blow a kiss to Daddy when he leaves the room... well more like sucking on her hand then blowing spit everywhere, close enough. She figured out that, like a wave, it's a sign that correlates with an action. And now Daddy gets a special send off every time he leaves the house. She has also learned "uh-oh" and now throw-down-pick-up has become a favorite dinner time game.

Now, I'm sure I Pavlov-ed this one into her, but entertaining none-the-less. When I ask her how old she is, she puts up one finger (sometimes). I'm positive she doesn't understand WHY we clap and cheer frantically when she does this, but it made my heart grow three sizes.

yakkity yak

When Lilli first copied the sound "hi" in my high pitched, sing song, mommy voice, I thought she was just mimicking the sound and not the word. Within a few weeks she added "daadee" and then a few days later accompanied by a wave. At first, I had to initiate the combination, with an annoyingly loud and excitable "Hi Daddy!" But eventually she got the concept that it meant something more than just a sound we make when someone comes or leaves.

That was around June, and now in July she has picked up a few other connections. She knows that when we sing certain songs we clap. She knows when everyone claps at once someone did something wonderful (usually thinking it was her doing). She knows when she puts her fingers in her mouth she's telling me she is hungry and when she rubs her eyes it's time for a nap or bed.

It's not that I didn't want to tell anyone she had said her first word, I just didn't believe it was possible at 9-10 months. So I dismissed her signs, words, and other actions as coincidence time and time again. It wasn't until she accompanied the word or action with the correct setting that I really put it together.

I feel almost guilty that I didn't give her enough credit when she first made these monumental leaps in communication. I actually said out loud, "you really didn't just do that..." For that, I am sorry. Every single day she amazes me with her intelligence and ability. As I tell my youngest brother, I will always buy you books. I will always be their cheer leader.

rediscoveries

Just some things I've had the pleasure of discovering or rediscovering since becoming a mom:

- fruit cheerios
- every kid song I could have possibly ever heard thanks to music-dad
- cartoons (well... pre-school ones in addition to my regular scheduled programing)
- dancing like no one is watching
- kid games like london bridges, ring around the rosey (which creeps me out now because I know it's about death), and itsy bitsy spider
- kixx
- goldfish
- the basic food pyramid
- the most incredible gift of learning
- animal sounds
- sign language
- going places to just look at new things
- family cuddling on a weekend morning

:)

9 month Appointment disaster

Worst. Morning. Ever. Lilli had her 9m appt. this morning. The Dr. basically told me I nurse her too often, she's should sleep in the hallway, that we're going to get a divorce because we don't go on dates (partially because we don't have any money to), and that she's going to be a 2 year old nursing. Then went on to tell us how much she hates to see that. The whole time giving us very judging looks. Said to not give her any juice, when the last doctor told us to give her some with water. Didn't know her blood type when I asked. Didn't seem to care (or ask for that matter) about her clogged tear duct.

I went in there thinking "this is awesome, she's so healthy and is doing so much. she's going to breeze through this appt." I left thinking I was a bad mother, a worse wife and like someone just punched me in the face.

I have to process everything that just happened before I decide what we're going to do next. But yeah, that sucked. And I really like the pediatricians usually, but I guess we don't see this one lady very often. I can be pretty sure we'll never see her again. At least not unless she's the only person available. But seriously, WTF?

Since when is it the pediatricians job to comment on their patient's parent's relationship. It's interesting, Dave's a VERY involved father, he's very attentive and caring. He knows everything that goes on in her day, especially since I tell him all day long. But they always seem so surprised/impressed by how much he knows when they ask questions. *

On a more positive note... today (ok after midnight yesterday) Lilli began shaking her head "no." I'm not sure she knows why she's shaking it because just now she shook it to "Yo-ho-yo-ho it's a pirates life for me!" However, at lunch she shook her head no at her peaches and when I put it on a fork for her she picked it up and waved bye-bye to it... so maybe she does understand the concept. And I'm pretty sure she's made up her own sign for "all done", it's getting close. YAY BABY! :::proud:::

*edited from an email to Alison.;)