The Words Are Coming Out!

Hi loved ones, have you been missing us? :-) It hasn't been that long really, but I haven't blogged as much this week because either Jonny or I have been sick (me first, this past weekend, and now Jonny - thankfully he is getting better and Daniel does not seem to have caught it so far...), but mostly, because I just finished reading one of my favorite novels ever! It's called "The Help" By Kathryn Stockett and it was just wonderful; I highly recommend it! I was so sad it ended and I'm missing those characters so much - that's how good it is! Peter and Jenny sent this novel as a birthday gift for Jonny but since he was reading something else, I just decided to read it first and couldn't stop! Thanks so much Peter and Jenny! Jonny is now going to read it and I can't wait to talk to him about it...

Anyway, I thought I would update you today on Daniel's language development because just in the last couple of weeks, the words have started to come out! Most of the time he just says one syllable of a particular word but he is starting to put two syllables together for a few words and these are:

1. Mama - His favorite word for sure, he says it all the time (and of course I love hearing it! :-)). The cutest thing now is that when he wakes up in the morning or after his nap, he calls out "Mama? Mama?" And now before asking me a question or for something he will say: "Mama? Papa?" (Meaning, Mamae, where is Papai?")

2. Papa - He has started using Papa with other words, referring to what his Papai is doing. So for example, if he sees Jonny in the car, he will say: "Papa, Ka!" Meaning, Papai is in the car!"

3. Bubble - This is probably his first full "word" (other that mama and papa). The funny thing is that no matter how many times I say "bolha" to him (bubble in Portuguese) he keeps saying "bubble!"

4. Teddy - This sounds more like "Deddy". He just loves his Teddy, it's the cutest thing seeing his smile when they reunite before nap or bedtime!

5. Baby/Bebe: This one he still says "Baba". And he still uses "Baba" for balls.

6. Buffy (our cat): It sounds like "Buppy" and he just loves her. Poor Buffy, she has to often run away from a very excited toddler who just loves to pull her paws and tail! We're working on the concept of "gentle" and being affectionate with Buffy but Daniel hasn't grasped that yet!:-)

7. Abri (Open, in Portuguese): This sounds like "Abi" and he uses it when he wants us to open a door, a box, bottle, etc.

8. Agua (Water): This sounds like "Wawa" and he will say it when he wants a drink or whenever he sees water, including the rain.

Here is a list of words that he is trying to say but is only using one syllable for:

Carro (Car) or Caminhao (Truck): Ka
Deck: De
Pao (Bread): Pa
Garfo (Fork): Ga
Uva (Grape): U
Escada (Stairs): Ca

He has also been imitating our words a lot more. Tonight, for example, when we said "Kiwi" he said something that sounded like it!

So as you can see, Daniel is now really trying to talk! And not just in his own language which he has been doing for a while, but in our languages! This is so exciting because we are finally able to understand a little bit more about what he is thinking and/or wanting. At the same time though, it's another reminder of how fast he is growing up...

Here are some recent photos of the boy wonder:

Daniel LOVES when we let him play in the front car seat!

This is how I found him the other day when I was not looking!

We've had some cooler days recently...but he doesn't seem to mind!


He is now really good at this game...

This will always keep him entertained on the deck...

Daniel loved sitting in these different cars at the mall!

Till next time!