Word up

Update: I've fixed the reference to the doll below to the proper "Raggedy Anne" instead of "Little Orphan Annie". As it is, we actually call her "Anna dos trapos" (Anne of the rags).

LS is getting the hang of language, despite our best efforts.

The week before last while in the kitchen I heard a pretty good "bah-nah-nyah" while Mamãe was feeding LS a banana. She couldn't quite repeat it, so we didn't know whether to give her full credit.

Later in the week she did a pretty good "Anna" (with Portuguese pronunciation!) as she looked at the doll in her room (Raggedy Anne) that she plays with when she gets up from naps (shown here after a big wet kiss). This one has been a little more reproducible than "banana" has been (of course, they are close enough that she might be wondering how these things are related).

We had some obvious word recognition lately as she learned how to respond to the Portuguese command "funga!" (pronounced more like "foonga!"). This might sound like an insult you might get from an old Italian man if you cut him off in traffic, but it actually is a form of a verb that means "to blow out your nose". It's great having one word for that! Of course, "blow it out your nose" also sounds like an insult, so I guess "funga!" can still be used that way. Feel free to use it, but expect to get a confused look if you say it to someone Portuguese.

With a little bit of teaching, LS knows to blow out her nose when you say "funga!" As she was getting a cold this really came in handy! Unfortunately, as both parents then got sick, we've gotten more practice with this word then we'd really like.

Earlier tonight it seemed there was a breakthrough in the "m" words. Up until now it seems that many things starting with "m" would blend together and mostly sound like "meh".

While skyping with Memére (pronounced like "meh-may") tonight, LS really got the "may" part out well several times. She did a good job getting out meh-may. Let's just say Memére was happy. The last couple visits with her great-grandmother and grandmother she's also approximated getting out "vuh-vuh" and "vuh" respectively. We're giving her until her first birthday (November) to get all the family names down pat.

Shortly afterward, Mamãe was putting the final touches on getting LS ready for bed and LS got out a good "mãe" (which sounds roughly like "my"). We'll see if this newfound ability sticks.

What'll be ironic is that we have few Portuguese speakers around, so she's pretty much going to sound like she's still babbling even if she spoke clearly! In fact, people probably think her parents have just been babbling for months now. Hmm, maybe we are.

Sanita

I always thought that "Sanita" sounded like it would be a nice girl's name. Kind of like "Anita" with a nice soft "S" in front to make it flow smoothly.

Unfortunately, in Portuguese the word "sanita" means "toilet". If you ever meet a girl named Sanita, I'm sorry I spoiled it for you.

The last couple days LS has branched out into using the sanita. Naturally, we have a baby seat that fits over the regular seat and she has to be held. She doesn't actually tell us when she has to go or anything. But, if we know it's coming then we get her on the seat, and so far we're batting 1000.

Her changing table has been in the bathroom for months right across from the sanita - an accidental great convenience! And she's had months of trying to figure out what the heck her parents are doing with this crazy contraption.

I have to be honest that joy was not an emotion I particularly ever thought I'd associate with seeing someone on a "sanita".

Double Digits

It's been a while since LS has hit double digits with anything. Tuesday it was official - 10 months. Yikes!

Stat Check: 2.11194 gallons (7.994 liters) - displacement when LS is placed in water.

As it happened, LS had her 10-month checkup exactly on her 10th monthiversary. All went well, and the Dr. said he didn't need to see her again until 14 months since she's progressing well. She jumped a percentile group since the last visit 4 months ago, so a growth-spurt of sorts apparently.

Two shots today, and handled them pretty well. Unfortunately, LS's big present today was a blood draw. Testing iron levels and for lead. When the Dr. said "venal draw" she actually cried. Surprised, he said it again. She cried again. Ugh.

We went up a floor to the lab, and after a short wait went in. She sat on dad's lap, and kept eyes locked on mom while the blood was drawn. She cried, but much less than we feared. We told her she did a great job and showed courage beyond her years. Uh, year. Eh, months.

Afterward in the car Mamãe told LS it was a good thing that her crocodile toy was in mom's pocket because otherwise it would have bitten those mean nurses for her. In better spirits by then, she laughed.