Big Night for Verbal Skills

Before tonight, Andrina spoke 30+ words and has said one three-word phrase, "I love you". Her saying that phrase has everything to do with me encouraging her to say it for over a month now. It was not something she said completely on her own.

Well, tonight during her story-time, she hit a few more verbal milestones. When she saw a picture of a baby in one of her books, instead of just saying, "baby" like she usually does, she uttered her first spontaneous two-word phrase. Andrina said, "hi baby" and waved at the baby too!

Then when we were reading the word "horse" (which she can read because she points at her ride-on-toy horse when she sees the word), she pointed at the horse and I said "horse" and asked her to say it too. Which she did! Add another word to her 30+ list!

Last one for the night: when I turned off her lights and turned on her stars that are projected onto the ceiling and walls and showed them to her (like I do every night because she likes looking at her stars), she repeated the word "stars" for me when I asked her to! Yea! Two new words added to the list!

"I Love You"

Tonight I was reading to Andrina before bed, just like I do every night. And tonight, I was reading to her one of our favorite books titled "I Love You Through and Through". I've read her this book at least 50 times since she recieved it as a gift in June for her Christening. And for weeks now I've been trying to get her to say "I love you". Well, tonight right after I read her the first page of the book, which is the same as the title, she turned to me, took her fingers out of her mouth, and said, "I love you"!!!!!!!
I love you too, Andrina!

Another Dose of Christmas!

Today was a much better day for us than yesterday. It's too bad that yesterday was officially Christmas because Andrina had a fever yesterday and was cranky all day. My poor baby woke up crying on Christmas day and I felt so bad for her. Because she wasa not feeling good, it took us literally all day long yesterday to get Andrina to open her presents. Today was much better, her fever is gone and she is back to her happy little self. So here's more pictures of her playing with more Christmas presents from this morning...

I got her a toy shopping cart because she loves to push things!

I apparantly made a good choice!

Andrina is pointing to the doll and verbally telling me that it's Ernie
On her new pink pony ride-on

Playing with her new mega-blocks. She has spent a lot of time playing with these blocks. I knew she'd really like them when I bought them!

And from tonight at Doreen's for our Christmas get-together:

Andrina and Grandpa

Opening more presents!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008

Here's some pictures from our Christmas today. They are mainly of Andrina with her gifts:

Long Time Coming

I recently started a list of the words that Andrina can read. It's not done yet due to her cold, my cold and sinus infection and being busy from the holidays. So I'll have to blog that when it's done. However, here for my own memories is a list of (most) of all the words that Andrina now speaks:

Momma
Dadda
Elmo
ball
baby
bear
Ernie
Bird (as in Big Bird)
Abby (as in Abby Cadabby)
block
book
duck
dog
cat
head
hair
coat
hat
shoes
car
up
keys
kick
camel
chick
apple
juice
all gone
piano
hi
bye

"Upside Down Baby"...

... is one of Andrina's favorite games. We've been playing it for at least 8 months now. Here's some pictures from it from today. I don't have much in the way of blogging lately as I am just now starting to feel better from a bad sinus infection. There will be more blogging to come!

Upside down!

and right side up again!

Welcome Aydan!

Congratulations Becca and Eric! I am so happy to hear that little Aydan made a safe entrance into the world today! Becca Hon, please have a very speedy recovery. I can't wait until I'm completely better so I can meet your new little boy and see you. Hugs and kisses!