Nora, around 21 months old!
Nora is amazing. Her language and communication skills have really taken off. She learns so quickly its scary. She loves her baby sister, which melts my heart. We have rough moments - that's for sure - but she is usually the sweetest little thing. I am seriously hoping that "two" won't become "terrible" for us but I suppose it will be inevitable to a certain extent.
Playing with Janie
Here's how Nora is doing these days:
Nods & points to communicate Nora is serious about communicating with us. She doesn't use gestures as much as she did, but pointing & that cute little "where" with the shrugged shoulders do come up on occasion. She prefers to use words, whether we understand them or not.
Says one- or two-syllable words Nora does not have clear speech by any means, but she tries very hard to talk to people using the words she knows. She is saying so many words and learning new ones all the time. She has been stringing words together to make mini-sentences such as "yummy cheese mommy" and "mommy look, icky feet". (Both of these actually happened this week...) She even has little conversations that if you pay really close attention to, you can pick up on the meaning of. She was talking to Janie yesterday in her little bouncer seat, "You like it, Janie? Okay. Good." Over and over. Sounds more like "Oo yike et, Jay Jay? OK. Gut." but still so amazing!
"Mommy yook, icky feet"
Uses sign language to talk Because she uses so much more language, she is not signing nearly as much these days. I do see the signs for help, more, & milk quite often, accompanied with the word itself, but not many others. I guess she doesn't feel the need to, which is fine with me as long as we can communicate!
Plays with puzzles & sorting toys Nora really likes her sorting toys but she has really started to enjoy imaginative play more. She likes to play with her kitchen toys and her nurse kit from Auntie K. She pretends to give you medicine and take your temperature. She likes to put food in her pots and pans. It is really basic stuff, but it has started! Imagination is one of my favorite things about young kids and I am really excited to see Nora's develop over the next several months! Nora also really loves reading. She has picked this back up now that she attends more to the pictures and words. She loves her nursery rhyme books and other favorites like "Harry the Dirty Dog" and "The Foot Book".
Nora playing with her stuffed animals
(giving them food & drinks)
Likes taking off accessories Nora will keep her accessories on better than before. She wears bows and occasionally sunglasses for extended periods of time. She has begun the new obsession of taking her hair out, but only when she has nothing better to do, like when she is in her car seat or when she is in her crib before or after a nap.
Sunglasses!
Enjoys music & dancing in the car Nora still loves her music in the car but she has gotten really picky about it! She will say "Leh-go" (Let It Go) or "nu-nik" (music) and then I will begin the Frozen sound track, usually. She will then say "no" to every song that she doesn't want to listen to. We also listen to her Primrose CD often in the car which she also likes a lot. I think she got tired of the Frozen songs after awhile. Nora has also begun to "sing". She will sing a few songs she knows well like "Twinkle, Twinkle" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and also finishes some songs that I sing to her. Singing has become a part of our bedtime routine!
Singing "Twinkle Twinkle"
Likes to play chase Nora does enjoy this, but this is more of daddy's favorite game to play. Nora likes to make a game out of getting her medicine or changing her diaper. Nora doesn't choose to run around often though.
Wants to make her own food decisions Nora LOVES fig bars. Good gracious. We considered not buying them so that she wouldn't ask for one at every meal and snack time. She has been really good about eating what we put in front of her for the most part though. The biggest challenge now with eating, I feel, is that she doesn't want to sit in her chair. We went through this once before but it was more of a needy thing and now it is more of a big girl thing. She also likes to try to sit on our laps at meal times (again). She will push her things over one at a time and say, "Here-go" (here you go) until you have her plate, her cups, and her utensils. Then she will ask to be put down and then she will ask to get up in your lap. She thinks she is sneaky about it. Ha!
Nora helping "cook"
Eats with a spoon Nora enjoys eating with her utensils still. She likes to use them herself. She now uses a fork and also a knife on occasion. Though her knives don't really cut food very well... She is pretty good with all her utensils!
Drinks from sippy cups and uses straws Not much change on the cup front. She still doesn't use a regular cup very well. We're not in a big rush to change that unless our pediatrician thinks it is necessary.
Has 12 teeth Nora has all 8 teeth, plus 4 molars, and she is "growing" all four canines in right now. She has a full-toothed smile (almost)! She looks like a big girl. It's crazy.
Nora at 21 months:
Strings words together
Started imaginary play
Loves reading books
Listens to music she likes
Sings songs
Is a great big sister
Likes to help around the house
Eats dinner & snacks we give her
Uses utensils
Has 16 teeth
Next update will be TWO! It's hard to believe...
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