Following-Up

After posting the last blog I received in the mail today milestone check-off lists from Cindy as she'd promised. I was a bit off on the whole language thing. Apparently, Alexander's age group, 14- to 24-months-old, typically has a 50-word vocabulary, while Anna's age group, 24- to 36-months-old, knows 200+ words! Also, after being more attentive to just how many words she says and then writing it all down, I came up with closer to 50 words for Anna. (I know, I know. It's not even 20 more! But what percentage is that? It's obvious when it came to my own learning that math was not my strongest area.) Big picture is I guess that's pretty good for only being in America two months. We think she's very bright and will catch on quickly. I expect an explosion in her vocabulary by the time she is 3, which is, afterall, still more than 7 months away, so I'm not going to obsess about it.

One of the handful of words that Alexander says now is "Down," which is what he's telling Shreve who is begging for a bite of Alexander's dinner. (I have to be fair: Alexander has perpetuated the problem by casually dangling food from his hands as they hang off the sides of the high chair. Yes, and sometimes he deliberately throws a piece of food down to Shreve.) Alexander also says "Hi," "Bye Bye," "Open" and "All Gone." One of Anna's word is "Yummy."

Another milestone in Anna's age group which I absolutely don't have to worry about is enjoying make-believe play and initiating own play (which could be one in the same). Here she is today sharing her chocolate Teddy Grahams with her Cabbage Patch doll, on whose head she put mommy's hair clip.