16.5 Months

We've had a busy few weeks!  I took Claire to Chattanooga for a few days to visit with family.  While there, she enjoyed playing and exploring.  She learned how to say "Uncle" for Uncle Logan.  She enjoyed floating in Aunt Mary Leslie's pool.  For several days after we were home, she would see her pool float and say "pool" then "Uncle" then "ball."  It was the first time I've noticed her trying to retell me something she remembers--playing in the pool with Uncle Logan and a great big beach ball.

Summer is winding down and some of our fall activities have started back up.  Last week we started the toddler Kindermusik class.  I'm not teaching this year, so we're just attending a class.  Claire surprised me by being clingy and not participating.  I'm not sure if she was intimidated by the older children or was bothered that I wasn't teaching or something else.  I think it'll take her a few weeks to get used to things, and then she'll be fine.  I have also started teaching three piano students one morning a week, so Claire went back to the church childcare where they missed her all summer.

Claire is hitting some big milestones verbally and intellectually.  I think the most surprising to us has been how she is learning her colors.  In this order, she knows: purple, pink, black, white, and blue.  She not only answers when asks, but she often points them out on her own--especially purple.  The other colors are coming along.  I think she recognizes them (can point to the correct one) but isn't able to verbalize yet.  

Claire is also learning her ABC's.  She's gotten A through F down and we're adding them one at a time.  As with some colors, some of the letters sound alike when she pronounces them, but she can pick out the correct one when asked.  She has even started pointing out the letters on her own.  This morning she showed me the "D" in "dolly" on her doll's tummy.

She is also beginning to put two words together a lot more.  She's said "uh-oh ____" (Elmo, blanket, book, etc) when something falls, "pink bow," "pink ball," "Mama car," "Mama shoe," "Bye bye ____," "Night night ____," "Elmo sit," and "Monkey sit."  When we say "I love you" to her, she will try to say it back, but it sounds like she is saying "I know!"  She's been requesting music these last few days, calling it "Mic" when she points to a radio or cd player.  She has started saying "OK".  It sounds like "I'll go" but I figured out that this is what she's saying because the converation will go something like this:

Claire: Up. Up. Up. Up.

Mommy: Claire how do you ask nicely?

Claire: Please.  Ok.  Please.  Ok.  Please.  Ok.

She still loves her books and now has many words that she will say in the appropriate places.

I got her a little stroller for her dolly.  She understood what to do right away and switches out different dolls or stuffed animals for a ride.  She get a little frustrated because her navigating isn't great and needs some help turning around when she's reached an obstacle. 

You ok down there dolly?

Here we go!