Eleven Months

A month from today our baby will be ONE! How did that happen?

I know in my last post (two months ago!) I mentioned some of Maisie's words. The language explosion has continued. She can now say: Dada, Mama, hi, ball, dog, duck, George (as in "Curious"), Elmo, and shoes. She says these spontaneously and usually will repeat them after me if I ask her to. I think she has said "more," "milk," "no," and "toes," but not frequently or reliably enough that I count those yet.

She can nod and shake her head in response to some questions, like "Do you want more?" or "Is that good?" She definitely understands when you say no (though that doesn't always stop her).

She will answer "what does the horse say" ("naynaynay"), "what does the duck say" ("gakgakgak"), and what does the cow say ("mooo" pronounced "mmmmm").

She signs "milk" and "more" and "all done," although she usually only signs "all done" after I've done it. "Milk" and "more" she will sign on her own without my prompting.

She drinks water out of sippy cups (the kind with the in-between no spill nipple). She seems to like water a lot more than apple juice.

She can drink out of a straw, and was so pleased with herself the first time that she clapped after she did it. Very proud.

She knows how to blow a kiss. If you ask her to blow a kiss, she will put her fingers to her mouth and make a smacking sound.

She loves to play peekaboo and pattycake, and will start these games on her own or participate if you start them. Sometimes she will pull a blanket over her head to begin peekaboo or take my hands and make them start clapping until I do pattycake. She can also "roll" the dough with her hands in addition to just clapping during pattycake1.

She dances, shrugging her shoulders and wiggling her bottom, if she hears a song she likes or if she sees us dancing and trying to get her to join in.

She claps when she's excited, or if you sing "If You're Happy and You Know It," or if other people are clapping.

She waves hello and goodbye.

She can make a funny face if I ask her to -- scrunching up her nose and then smiling.

She LOVES to look at herself in the mirror or watch the videos I have taken of her talking.

She loves to be read to, and loves to look at her books on her own. She will ask for specific books that she likes sometimes, too. Sometimes she digs through all of her books asking for "duck" or "George" ("dord") or "Elmo." She especially likes her duck book because it quacks at the end and she likes to quack along with it.

She can grab your nose if you ask her where your nose is, and she will grab her own toes if you ask her where her toes are. She will give Eskimo kisses (rubbing noses) if you ask her to, too.

She points at things all the time now so that I will identify them to her.

When we read her Curious George book, she can point to George on every page if you ask her "Where's George?" (He hides at the zoo in the book.)

She is a tease. My mother will say "I love Maisie, yes, I do," and nod, and Maisie will shake her head "no" and just giggle away. She will offer you a Cheerio and then snatch it away and put it in her mouth and just howl (she always gives it you eventually, though!).

She definitely knows her name and (I think) that she recognizes it's her in the mirror.

She crawls like a champion still, crazy fast, and can pull up anywhere. She can stand on her own for just a second or two but hasn't really tried to walk yet.

She is our joy.