Words.

Speech has been something on our minds in the Ramsayer house.

At 12 months a child should have 2-3 words.  Maddie had 0.  This sent up the flags of "keep an eye on this" with the pediatrician.  Our goal was for her to have the 2-3 words by her 15 month appointment.  At that appointment, which was quite a bit late due to her being hospitalized, she had the requisite number, but definitely not the number children should have at 15 months.  So, again, "keep an eye on this" flags shot up, and a new goal of 8-10 words was set for her 18 month appointment.

The pediatrician felt strongly that there is nothing wrong with her and her "delay" in speaking is probably from several variables...being premature and thus 6 weeks "behind," having fluid on her ears for over 90 days, and most importantly the fact that she is SO much more interested in moving and exploring than she is with speaking.

In the past couple weeks, Maddie has really picked up a lot of words at once and started using them correctly and consistently almost immediately.  It really is pretty amazing to watch kids acquire language.

Her first word?  Baby.  Yep, not mom or dad, but baby.  And not in reference to herself, but rather her Cabbage Patch doll she got for her birthday.  Then everything was "baby."  Point to the fridge...baby.  Point to the cat...baby.  Point to mom...baby.

Her next word?  Hard to say, but I think it was probably mommy.  Not mom, or momma, but mommy.

Currently at 16 months (well, almost 17 months) she has the following vocabulary of words easily recognized, used correctly and consistently:

Baby, Mommy, No, Ut Oh, Uppie, Birdie, Bunny, Eat, Puppy, Door, and Duck.

Her most recent acquisitions were "door" and "bunny."  The bunny is in reference to the Annie's Cheddar Bunnies and Bunny Fruit Snacks.  She's obsessed with them and the only thing we've been hearing for the last two days is "bunny."

I know she has other "words" that she is using consistently, but I have yet to figure out what they mean.  Maybe we never will, lol.

She also signs.  And has been signing for quite a long time.  Her first sign was "all done" followed closely by "more."  She ended up picking up signs for "milk," "thank you," "mommy," "daddy," and "please."  Signing seems to be falling out of favor lately, so maybe that means she's enjoying being able to talk!