Adventures of the Hakkawegians: our second little miss communicator

Eliana is *all* about the communication the last two days. It's all quite exciting.

I guess the biggest thing for her right now is that she has found out she can let us know she wants to get something (by reaching for it and opening and closing her hand) as well as put something back (stretching it towards where she wants us to place it, and nodding comfirmatorily). So tonight in the bath she reached for shampoos and soaps and toys, with a big grin and nod when she got it, and then stretched them right back to their spots again for me to place there, again with a huge grin and a nod, again and again and again.

Another thing she did all throughout our walk today was lean from the stroller towards flowers and straws, wanting me to swing by them so she could pick them...not because she always really wanted them so much as because she enjoyed the communication I think (as she would just toss the flower or straw after she got ahold of it and reach for another one).

I also caught her signing 'sleepy time' for the first time (caught it on video by accident). Though I was a bit unsure if I understood her confirmation correctly (she seriously loves to confirm stuff with nodds and m'hm's) when I said it back to her, as she did not fall asleep right away, today when I took her upstairs for her afternoon nap she signed it again, so I'm 99.9% sure we're on the same page with this one.

She can also understand TONS of what we say. For example, in the morning she prefers I go downstairs with her. However, because I get up umpteen times a night to nurse, I'm usually prefer to sleep if possible, and so one morning I had brought her into our bedroom so she could nurse before Judge took her downstairs. She was happy as a clam, and then signed water. I said her water was downstairs. She signed 'go down'. I said Judge would take her downstairs shortly. She shook her head emphatically, and crawled in close to me, swatting Judge's hand away when he chucked at her reaction and reached out 'ruffle' her leg. Cracked us up.

And today, Leona was in the bathroom (the shower-room, not the WC), one of Eliana's favorite places, and had closed the door. She started emphatically saying 'mamma, mammmaaaa' (I have realized that this means both me and Leona, and sometimes Judge if she's not thinking about that she can say papa, it seems at least), and I said Leona was in the bathroom. She started crawling towards the bathroom, and was not impressed the door was closed. I walked over to her, and she started crawling into the kitchen. However, when I told her I'd open the door for her she turned back towards the bathroom quick as quick can be, and happy as a clam.

Blows me away. I mean, I have always spoken to her as though she understands what we say, and tried to be very consistent about letting her know what's happening before it happens, etc. But I haven't really realized before that she understands what I am saying to the degree she so obviously does now.

Crazy fun.