Communication!

     Harmony has taken big strides in learning to communicate this week!  It is so exciting to see her responding to things I say.  For example, the other day she was screaming at me in her high chair.  I promptly told her that was not okay and asked if she wanted more and then asked, "how do you say more?"  She stopped screaming, smiled, and made the sign for "more".  I was SO proud of her!  And today she helped me unload the groceries.  Legitimately helped.  Usually I have her "help" fold the laundry which means she pulls the laundry from the basket and puts it on the floor while I try to fold and put the folded clothes out of her reach.  But today, she started pulling items from the grocery bag and I simply held out my hand and said, "Can I have the mushrooms?!"  and she would walk the mushrooms right over to me, hand them over, and run back to the bag, proud of her accomplishment.  We did this repeatedly, with each item in the bag.  Sure, it was a slow process, and when the green onions fell out of the produce bag she wasn't quite sure what to do with them anymore, but it was so much fun!  When she recognized things were to heavy for her (like when only cantaloupe and jicama were left in the bag) she simply dragged the bag behind her and brought it over to me.  Development is so much fun to watch.  It blows my mind that just a year ago she was a completely helpless newborn who could hardly move and now she is walking, carrying things, and responding correctly to my verbal instructions.
     Her language development is also coming along.  In the last couple of weeks she has really improved in mimicking sound.  We say a word and she will try really hard to repeat it.  Her 2nd word was "light".  She says it really well.  I'd say her 3rd word is "duck".  Ducks, birds, and sometimes cars are all labeled "duck".  She made a valiant effort at saying diaper the other day too.
      Harmony started walking at 11 months and ever since then she enjoys spending her days walking back and forth across our apartment, carrying things in her hands.  The other day she put her shoes in the kitchen drawer and then put some kitchen drawer items in the bath tub.  I realized I was in full toddler mode last week when she got a hold of a bottle of Vitamin E oil.  She managed to get the cap unscrewed and poured the whole bottle on our freshly cleaned carpets.  I immediately poured baking soda over the mess to start absorbing the oil and turned my back for one or two seconds and by the time I turned around she was already sitting in the middle of the pile of baking soda and oil and playing in it.  It was really funny and my initiation into the toddler stage of life.  I hope I learn my lessons quickly.  :)