20 Months

Ella is only four months away from 2. How is that possible?  Her nickname should be Chatty Cathy.  She is talking up a storm, including 3 and 4 word sentences, and it makes her seem so much older.  It's pretty amazing and really cracks us up!  The very first thing she says EVERY morning is "Where's Su-tton?  Su-tton!  Where ahhh you, Su-tton?"  I love the way she says his name, and she is a wonderful, concerned big sister.  Travis brings her into our bedroom to see me and Sutton, and she greets us with the biggest smile and puckers up for kisses.  Then, she leans over and says, "Hi, Su-tton!  Hi baby Su-tton!  Hi baby brudder!" and smothers him with kisses.

Here are some other things we hear regularly (sorry there are so many, but I really want to remember this):

Su-tton's cying (crying)

Su-tton's ea-ing (eating)

Shhh!  Su-tton, no cy (no cry; she also says this to Grace when Grace is upset)

Oh, no!  Wha hoppin? (what happened)

I have ouchie

I go tee tee/poo poo

Goo morning!

Night night!

I do it?

I don't want it!

I don't want to!

I want out

Have some?

I walk

Daddy!  Where Daddy go?  (insert any name here)

Daddy go work! (what she says when Travis tells her goodbye in the mornings)

More peas apple? (more please, insert just about any food word here)

More peas for El-la? (she really accentuates the "L" sound)

BayLor!  Good boy, BayLor! (see note above)

No, no, no 'ita ("no, no, no senorita" is what Gabby tells her when she's doing something she shouldn't)

No 'ita!  No sreet! (this is what she says when she's near the street or in a parking lot)

Uh oh.  It's goken.  No work.  (goken = broken)

Ready...go!

Mark, set, go

Stop it!

When we were at Bahama Bucks recently, she was thoroughly enjoying her snow cone, but Gracie was playing around.  Ella kept telling her, "Gigi, eat your cocone!"  When we drive by Chick-Fil-A, she yells, "Chick Lay!  Where ahh you?" When we pass Domino's, she yells, "Pizza!  Yummmmm!"

We love her hilarious accents.  She sounds Asian when she says, "Wha hoppin?" and "Ha birt-day, El-la!"  (happy birthday, Ella)  And, she sounds like she's from Boston when she goes outside, she starts looking for bugs to stomp on and shouts, "Buggies, where ahhhh you?" (where are you).  She also says she says, "Maaaahch! Maaaach!" (march, march).  It reminds me of our dear friend Marcia :) 

She knows lots of animal names and sounds, like: duck (quack), puppy/dog/doggy (ruff, ruff), cat/kitty (meeeeeow), snake (ssssssssss), horsey/pony (nay), monkey (ooo, ooo), raff (giraffe), elepant (elephant), occapus (octopus), turto (turtle), bird (tweet), futterfly (butterfly), bee (bzzz) and pish (fish).  She can also identify Nemo, Elmo, Big Bir (Big Bird), Nuffy (Snuffy), Air-el (Ariel), Mermaid, Nemo, Barbie, Mouse (Mickey/Minnie Mouse), Momas (Thomas the Train), Dorda (Dora) and Diego.  

Her favorite game is Simon Says.  She can successfully point to her hair, head, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, cheeks, shoulders, back, belly button, fingers, knees and toes (and she says these words, too).  She can wiggle her fingers and toes, clap her hands, march or stomp her feet,  turn around, and she's trying sooo hard to jump.  She loves to play this with Gracie!  Ella also likes to sing, and her favorites are "E-I-E-I-O" and "Ha Birt-day."  She's also learning her colors and so far, she knows red, yellow ("lello"), green ("geen"), blue ("boo"), and pink ("mink").  Another recent obsession is the "La La Song" (aka Elmo's Song).  Any time someone is on the computer, she comes up and asks to watch it.  

Here's  what she's been up to lately:

Visiting the ducks and turtles at North Park

Snacking before cousin Heather's wedding

Sneaking over to the table to finish Gracie's "appa sauce" (after we told her she couldn't have any more)

Coloring (this keeps her busy for at least 10 minutes- a miracle!)

Hiding in her oven

She is such a silly girl, and we love her tons!