"What's That?!"

Dear Norah Bird,
A common phrase around here lately is "What's that?!" And while this used to be the utterance of your dad and I while marveling at your output during diaper changes, the amazing thing is that now this phrase is coming from your little mouth. Is this normal for a one-year-old? I mean, your curiosity aside, I guess I wasn't quite expecting your vocabulary and comprehension to snowball as much as it has recently. You've quickly gone from showing interest in something and vocalizing that interest in baby jibberish (for you have always been vocal) to telling us what you see and asking us about the things you are curious about. Amazing.

I feel like maybe I should be better at marking these milestones for you. In keeping up with you over the last almost 14 months, one thing I haven't kept is a baby book. And while some things are easy to remember - like your first tooth at 4 months old - other milestones seem to just glide by unnoticed in the day to day scheme of things until they become so commonplace that I have to stop myself and wonder: when did you learn how to do that?

4 months old: 2 teeth.

It's been a while since you started out with "mama" and "dada" (both occurred around the same time in all fairness to your Dad and I). These were followed closely by "ball" and "baby" and you've even been able to somewhat say "balloon" for a while now. It's been so long that it seems like you were always saying these things but I know that can't be the case.

I'm not sure what to credit with your sudden burst of vocabulary - which I'll get to in a minute. I know that you've always been a mimic and so your Dad and I have had some influence on your repertoire. As have other family members. When you were only 3 months old, your Aunt Erin and Uncle J sent you a recordable storybook as a gift while you were in the hospital. You quickly came to love listening to that book and it remains a favorite of yours. On one page your cousin Natalie startles you by hooting like an owl. As a result, when prompted with "What does an owl say?" you'll answer with "Hoo hooo!" This has been a regular occurrence for a few months now to the point where you get lazy about hooting and don't quite give it your all, appeasing us with a "hmm hmmmm."

You have since learned a number of other animal sounds. You can easily tell us what a sheep, a cow, a cat, and a rooster say. You can also roar like a lion, caw like a crow, and you go "dub dub dub" for fish. The latter was learned from one of your favorite books The Pout Pout Fish where Mr Fish repeatedly goes "blub blub bluuuuub." You point to the page and pronounce "DUB DUB DUB!" Strangely, you still haven't mastered barking like a dog which is ironic since we've never encountered a lion yet you spend your days with a chocolate lab.

Best Buds

No rest for the protective pup.

Who? Us?

Talking it over with Oakley.

Chocolate Lab Kisses!

I suspect you are learning many of your words from your books and also from daycare (where you learned to "Ho Ho Ho" for Santa). You certainly love your books and it was about a month ago that you first pointed to an apple on the counter and declared "Apple!" That same night in the bath you got excited about the soapy bubbles, exclaiming "Bubble! Bubble!" The next morning, you produced your first two-word string, a pleasant greeting to the Baby In The Mirror: "Hi Baby!" You now greet babies everywhere - in the picture frames, in books, in stores. You also have tacked on "Hi" to "Mama" and "Dada" so you can greet us whenever the mood strikes.

It's not just the rote statements that amaze me but the comprehension. Who knew one-year-olds were so smart?! Not only can you identify an apple here and there, but you can identify one anywhere! You can spot them in person and in illustration. Same with bubbles, babies, etc. Oh - and Elmo, whom, you most certainly did learn at daycare where they read lots of Elmo books. What is it about that little bug-eyed red guy that kids love? Every chicken that you see is a rooster and elicits a "Cockooo!"

You generally use your new words in the proper context. I think that's what amazes me the most. Like "Uh-Oh!" You say this multiple times a day. You'll drop something and exclaim "uh-oh!" Or you'll give us fair warning before purposefully dropping something by proclaiming "uh-oh" first. Sometimes you don't have all the words for what you want to express but you have associated words. For instance, you have a book of opposites with dog illustrations. The first illustration is of a "happy" dog and so you'll bring us your book saying "happy, happy, happy." A later page contrasts few with many and has an illustration of many (17) puppies. You have always liked that page and would turn to it and stare at it. Now you can say "many." Amazing.

And you certainly know "no." This was cute at first when you learned it from your book, Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin. Each page asks a question to which the answer is no. So you would answer for us "NO!" Now, no has many meanings and is often accompanied by fussiness. You also quickly went from signing "more" to just saying it. Between "no" and "more" what else does a toddler really need to communicate?

Oh - some more tricks of yours that I want to remember. You can complete our sentences pertaining to your books. A is for "apple!" and B is for "bubble!" And even cuter, you can show us your nose and your belly - often you heartily lift your shirt to show us your belly. You also like to point out Mama's mouth, nose, and eye - and not always, if ever, gently. And, most adorably, you give us kisses. Enthusiastic, puckered up, aduible smackeroo kisses. Almost as cute is the "hat" gesture. Whenever you see someone wearing a hat, you like to tap the top of your head and say "hat!" If Daddy or I ask you where your hat is, you reliably pat the top of your head whether you are wearing a hat or not.

You still don't have much of an interest in walking but you certainly talk the talk. I love that you love reading and I imagine this has something to do with what I'm deeming your expansive vocabulary. You cycle through your favorites and we have books in every room that you spend time in - mostly the play room, your bedroom, and the living room. You start out each morning reading through your books on your own while I get our breakfast ready. And multiple times throughout the day we just sit and read wherever we are. Being primarily a stay-at-home mom allows me to read with you often and I cherish it. You've gone from just wanting to turn the pages to actually listening to the story and  exploring the illustrations.

Just some light morning reading.

Until recently I couldn't leave you alone with your books which seemed so unfair considering how much you love to look through them. Your books with paper pages have been taped multiple times. And your board books all show extensive wear from you chewing on them. Yes, not only do you enjoy a good story but you also enjoy the books in a culinary sense.

A is for Appetizer

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is no match for the Very Hungry Toddler.

You seem to have gotten a little bit better about chewing on your books lately but this just could be an ebb in the teething process (oh -you're up to 12 teeth now!). And so I've been giving you a little more freedom to "read" on your own. But you also very much enjoy us reading to you and it makes Daddy and I swell with pride when you crawl over to us with a book. One of your favorite past times is reading with your Dada on the window seat in your play room. He lays you on his stomach and reads you a book. When he's finished you roll off him, grab another and then declare "Up!" before climbing back up on his belly and settling in for another story. I must get a video of this.

So much is happening in your world right now and you are at such a fun age where everything sparks your curiosity. I realized tonight that I had been routinely answering "What's that?!" questions with increasing frequency. Sometimes you know the answer to your own question but other times you are genuinely curious. But tonight I saw that your question is already becoming habit when you first asked me "What's that?!" and then realized you should point to something. And so you did. It was the ceiling.

I'll tell you all you want to know, my little bird. You can keep asking me "What's that?!" in your squawky little voice that I so enjoy. I anticipate that this phase will be much more enjoyable for me and certainly will not be as exhausting as the "Why?" stage that is yet to come.

Love,
Mom