Talking to My Monkey

Ava's top right tooth finally popped through exactly one week ago. It's mate has yet to appear although I can feel it under her gums so... any day now. Her personality is really shining throught now. She's a ham. She cheezes for the camera. She prays. Now that's really cute. She will close her eyes as tightly as she can, clasp her little hands and then open her eyes looking very proud of herself. I'm pretty impressed that that is what she chooses to do to mimic me, given all the other embarassing things she could choose to do!

She's always got to be in the action. Not one of those "never-seen, never-heard" kids. Do those even exist? She's been perfecting saying a lot of new words and phrases. (Early? My pride says yes!) She says:

1.) Chansh Euooo! (Thank you - goes with signing is said VERY enthusiastically!)

2.) Eysh (Ice - one of her favorite things.)

3.) Yuck (Apparently it's one of the things mommy says a lot)

4.) Thuck (Stuck - which, at first sounded like "yuck" and gets said often when mommy puts her in the high chair or grocery cart seat and buckles her in. My response... "I know you're stuck... I stuck you there.")

5.) Aaaallllaaaaa (All done - goes with signing.)

6.) Ish (Fish)

7.) Oosh (Shoes - is it just me or don't all kids say it this way at first?)

8.) Kittykittykittykitty (Said really fast with no spaces... just like I typed it... but while running after Loki or carrying him like a purse down the hallway.)

9.) Waaa Daaa (Want down - pretty often!)

10.) Auwaa (Water)

11.) Mao (The kitty cat says...)

12.) Aye aye... OOOOOoooooooo (Singing along with the Spongebob themesong. About the funniest thing I've ever seen.)

Those are the only ones I can think of now. On top of that she's getting really good at signing the things she wants. Now I need to teach her the sign for "help." I'm getting really tired of the screaming, hitting, pinching, etc. when she wants me to help her with something.

Ava is almost weaned now. I hurt my back (tore a ligament off/partially off my spine) about a week and a half ago and couldn't nurse. It was too painful and I was on pain meds so I decided that making it to 14 months was really good and I guess I still haven't stopped nursing completely and hopefully won't soon. I was only in pain for a couple of days (being engorged). The back pain only lasted about a week (then my neck hurt).

Ava still gets that one nursing session of the day right at bedtime after her bath. It sets my mind at ease that it's not complete weaning. I had wanted to have her nurse until she was two, at least. She is sleeping better at least. And her eating during the day has picked up which makes me feel better as before this she had lost 3.5 lbs in a month.

Lots of going to playgroups, swimming, having friends over and general activity around here. This time in a toddler's life is all about repitition and Ava is surely doing a lot of that. We must do everything over and over and over again until she's satisfied and can move on. Climbing on chairs, couches, tables, anything she can get her leg up on is her favorite activity this week. So with all this activity going on is it any wonder why naptime is pretty close to my favorite time? My favorite has to be when she is getting sleepy and snuggles with me. No "milkies" for naps has made us closer and she loves to snuggle down to sleep now. I know when she's tired now too because she climbs onto my lap and lays her head on my chest.

My baby is now a toddler. Bittersweet.