An Apple a Day...

"Ah-puh!"

Every Monday I receive one of those "Your Baby's Development This Week" emails. I signed up for the service when I was pregnant, fully expecting that they'd automatically stop at her due date, but, here we are, 15 months later, and it's still part of my weekly inbox. At this point I often skip right past them, but for whatever reason, a few weeks ago I happened to read it. The subject was an almost-fifteen-month-old's vocabulary, and I was compelled to read on.

Emma Vance has always been outspoken, babbling and cooing and speaking her little mind. As of recently, though, her language skills have taken a HUGE leap forward, and to our continuous amazement, it seems as if each day she learns a new word. It's as if all of a sudden it occurred to her that she has control of the words she speaks and that those words have power. (And, man, does every word spoken from her tiny little mouth have power. It's as if she says, "Jump," and we shout, "Yes, ma'am," as we're halfway off the ground!) You can see, then, why the article intrigued me.

I know that all kids have different rates and ways of developing (and that comparison is a killer), but the article mentioned that kids her age have up to 20 words in their vocabulary. So, of course, when I mentioned this stat to Ryan, we began to count: Mama, Dada, nana (banana), cheese, bubble, baby, baba (bottle), hi/hey, wow, doggie, ducky, no, ball... The toll stopped around 15, and I thought, "Hmm. Not bad."

And then the jump in learning occurred...

I do have to admit, a simple "thank you" has still yet to pass her little lips, but as she's picking up words at a faster and faster rate, the words themselves are getting more and more comical. I mentioned "mermaid" earlier, but since then we've added a few more. My favorites? "Play," "shoe," and "apple." Yup, "apple."

It's her latest obsession, the word "apple." I've been giving her slices of the fruit over the past couple months, and she always seems to enjoy gnawing on them. Over the past week or two, though, she's been ravenous for them, carrying around her apple slice (and oftentimes the leftover 75% of the apple, too) as she plays. It's a funny sight to see because her molars aren't quite in yet, so she can't actually chew what she bites off, but she spits the little chunks out and feeds them to Oscar (who, of course, is happy to take them off her hands). Nowadays she begs me for them, following me around the kitchen saying, "Ah-puh, ah-puh, ah-puh," until I hand her a Pink Lady or Cripps Pink. ;) It's adorable, totally entertaining, and a unique love affair that I hope doesn't fade too quickly. (Although, if history repeats itself, she'll be onto a new word--and a new obsession--soon enough.)

And, just for the cuteness factor, E.V. bonked her head and sobbed herself to sleep about it. On the couch. Not during nap time. And the dogs were unmoved by her performance. Ha! I, on the other hand, was horrified at her tears and then warmed at this sight...consider me moved. :)