Sixteen months

I forgot to post about fifteen months, and by the time we remembered we couldn't remember what new skills Marisca had learnt then!  So here's a bumper sixteen months post.

Walking is easy-peasy now, but Marisca seems to have forgotten how to go up and down stairs.  This is fine in some respects, as I can let her toddle around without worrying she'll climb upstairs or fall down the other ones, but not so good when you're trying to wrangle a toddler up/down stairs when you have hands full of toys/washing/books.  And we live in a town house so there are a lot of stairs.  I'm sure she'll remember soon enough, and then we'll have to use the stair gates again!

This month we have words.  I wouldn't say we have talking yet, but Marisca has certainly got words, or sounds.  The list so far goes:

Baaaaaa (for sheep)
Keeeeeee (for key)
oooooo (for cow - moo)
deddle (for teddy)
dee (for tea, either the meal or any mug which she assumes contains the drink)
eeedle eeedle eeedle (tickle tickle tickle whenever she tries to tickle us)
oooom (boom, for thunder.  It's in a current favourite book, before you go accusing us of teaching her all about weather already)
bibi (baby, applied to babies in books and sometimes in real life)
buuuw (ball)
and Tim's personal favourite:
daddy! (daddy, accompanied by pointing at her father)

At the same timne, Risky's signing has also taken off.  She now signs for dog, horse, frog, butterfly, eat, bear, duck and bird.  We're loving the level of communication this gives us: Risky can point so many things out when we're out on a walk, or in her books.  I'm thinking of taking her to a signing class to build on this, as it's such a great skill to have to communicate with her.

In fact, this month has been all about communication.  It's so lovely watching Marisca grow and suddenly realising she understands what we're saying to her.  When we say it's tea time she heads for the door to go to the kitchen and once there heads for her high chair.  She'll poddle off and find her shoes if you ask her.  She certainly understands no, even if she doesn't like it! And she is very clear when she wants a snack and will point at the relevant cupboard/fruit bowl until you provide said snack.  She's getting her own mind about things now.  We will see what sort of personality grows!