Much to her dad’s chagrin, Eliza loves the few dolls that people have given her as gifts. She calls them “babies.” She “talks” to them, gathers them all in her arms, hugs them, drags them around the house, brushes their hair, and sometimes pretends to feed them when she is finished with her bottle. Dad is proud to say, though, that she also likes the enormous Iron Giant action figure that he let her borrow. And her stuffed bats and monsters.
She has slowed down in her desire to walk and instead put her energies toward learning to talk. She has at least six words that she says clearly and consistently: mama, daddy, baby, cat, duck, and dog/doggy. She has also said “teddy” (for teddy bear) a few times and sometimes instead of “cat” says “kitty.” She clearly understands many more words: no (and usually obeys, shaking her head), bottle, shoes, socks, book, blankie, lion and some other animal words. I’m trying to teach her colors, and I’m starting to speak to her more in Spanish. So far she smiles, but she can tell it’s not our “real” language.