Also Heard on Tenth

Lucy is not the only talker in our home these days, Harper is quickly catching up. While she has dropped some of the words she was saying before she has added more, and some more complicated words to her daily speak. She learned the "n" sound so now she is saying "no, no, no"- usually after she gets in trouble and she says "night night". She reserves the latter for bedtime and cuddling, but also says it to Lucy when Lucy is in her face too long, it's as though she is saying, that's enough Lucy, go to bed now.

She is also showing us her strong will. She "argues"when told no. She will mouth all sorts of things back to you and raise her voice to prove her point. These rants usually consist of "no, no, no", "Mamama" and grunting. She hits, she throws tantrums and she will beat on the girls' bedroom door if Lucy is in there and she is not allowed. Strong willed indeed.

She is saying something that sounds like "mine" although we aren't convinced that is actually what she is saying, it may just be part of that "mama" tantrum sound. She does say it at the right time though, when she is told to take her hands off of something she really wants, like computer wires, like right now.

I have been trying to teach her how to put things into a bucket, not just to empty such things. She loves it as a game, I love the idea of her being able to clean up her own blocks! I hold a block up in the air and wiggle it in my hand to get her attention and I say "Up high" then drop it into the bucket and say "down low". She has not gotten the idea of putting it into the bucket, but she does hold blocks up in the air, waving her little fist and says "high!" then she throws the block or holds it down and says my next favorite thing "Harper!"

That's right, she has started to say her own name. It comes out like a sweet little whisper "Hoppa". It's the best and she says it all the time. She has started to pat me on the chest and say "momma" and I pat her on the chest and say "Harper". Then she repeats her name. Pretty smart!