18 months

Today we had Gemma’s 18-month checkup.  I can’t believe it is already a year and a half!  She doing super well and we are really happy about that.  In the past 3 months she’s gained over 5 lbs and had a growth spurt in height.  Her weight is still 70% but her height jumped from 70% to 90% and her head still remains at 90%.  Scott is very proud of that fact.

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And in general, she is a very happy and healthy little girl.  But here in this waiting room photo, she’s looking a little suspicious about the whole thing.

Fully unclothed and waiting for the doctor in the exam room.  Scotty is talking to Gemma and keeping her warm with his jacket.  He is such a wonderful father!  :)

Gemma is such a delight to be around.  And the more she learns the communicate, the more exciting it is becoming.  Here are the words she uses:

Agua (water in Spanish)

Food (sounds like ‘pooh’ and she does the sign for it)

Mimis (short for ‘dormir’ which is ‘to sleep’ in Spanish)

Melmo (she _Loves_ Elmo!)

Cracker (sounds like ‘caca’)

Uvas (grapes in Spanish)

Fruta (fruit in Spanish – sound like ‘booba’ in Gemma-speak)

Apple (this is really clear)

Banana (Gemma speak is ‘nana’)

Ya (this is ‘all-done’ and does the sign)

Pee-pee (she’s interested when I go to the bathroom… she’s doing the sign for this now)

Poo-poo

Peekaboo (she does this with a Spanish accent and I just love it)

Please (sounds like ‘peeeas’)

Thank you (sounds like ‘tunku’ and does the sign for it… sometimes)

She does the sounds and sign language for the following:

Bird – pio-pio

Airplane – shuuuuu and points to the sky

Dog – gua-gua and pats her leg

Gato – gaaa

Cow – mooooo

Duck – quack-quack

Flower – she pretends to smell a flower

Car – she pretend to drive a car and goes beep-beep

And the dreaded, MINE!  I know she learned that in daycare.  Oh well.

She understands everything I say to her in Spanish but somehow she is tending to produce words in English.  I’ll still speak to her 100% in Spanish since I know she is getting it.  The best I can do is give her a framework for the language and hope she continues it in her life.  I’m just so happy that she is learning and communicating and feeling confident and loved.  :)