Now we are four

All of a sudden, this kid can talk. And we can understand her (for the most part). And she’s smart about what she knows and can say. When she wants to be picked up, she says “up” and when she wants to get down, she says “down.” She also will squat down and say “down” and when she stands up again, she says “up.”

The other day, we were looking at a picture of Ian’s dad that we recently stuck to the fridge. I pointed to him and said “grandpere.” After repeating this a few times, she started saying what sounds like “grand-grand.” So right now, that seems like Amelia’s word for grandpere. Meanwhile, on Saturday morning we called my Dad to say hi, and the next day in the morning Amelia pointed to Ian’s phone and said “Babu” (which is her name for my Dad).

We got her some vehicle fridge magnets not too long ago, and she knows which ones are which. If you ask her to get the “taxi” she will pick it out specifically and bring it to you. Then if you ask her what it says, she will say “vroom vroom.” But if you ask her what else it says, she will say “honk honk” because that’s what Ian told her taxis say.

Thanks to her babysitter, she now knows where her “tete” and her “pieds” are as well as her “head” and her “feet.”

Amelia has also taken to hugging random kids at the park, on the street, or wherever she encounters them. Yesterday we were playing outside waiting for Ian to come home, and a little girl (about two years) and her mom walked by. The little girl stopped and wanted to say hi to Amelia so her mom said “ok.” The little girl went up to Amelia, and at the same instant they each reached their arms around each other and hugged. Priceless.

The picture above is from Mount Royal. Amelia and I joined up with friends Courtney & Maddy for a walk and a picnic. Amelia had a blast practicing climbing up and down rocks and the slope to the path, as well as watching all the foot and bike traffic pass by. Maddy mostly enjoyed eating leaves. Can you tell which one is 6 months and which one is 13 months?