Baby Language Skills

At 22 months, Adrienne really wants to be talking. We can just tell that once she starts talking, she is never going to shut up. And I mean that in the most loving way. I am also realizing my inadequacy at understanding baby language. I probably should have been brushing up on these language skills over the past couple of months. We have been running into the various 'lost in translation' moments. For example, Adrienne often says something that sounds like "Aaaadii". She says it very clearly. When I say "What? What do you want, honey?". She starts doing what you do when you think you are speaking a foreign language correctly--you know, saying something more loudly and slowly, as if this will help in the comprehension. "AAAAAAAAADDDDDDDIIIIIII! AAAAAAAAADDDDDDDIIIIIII!". I can't quite figure out what this word is, although we have been able to eliminate Daddy, Auntie, and Adri. 

In another of these comprehension mishaps, Adrienne came up to me the other day patting her diaper and saying "PooPool". Naturally, I thought she had gone to the bathroom and was letting me know. So I did that which only a mother is not grossed out by: I pulled her diaper out and peeked down to see if there was poo-poo. "Nope, all clean, Adrienne" and put her back down to play.  A few minutes later, she came up to me again, "PooPool" and patting her diaper. Wondering if I had missed something, I stuck my nose down by her diaper and gave her the smell test. Still clean, I told her. When she came up the third time patting her diaper and saying, "PooPool", I tried the final mommy test--the dip test. You know the one where you reach your hand down into the diaper to feel if you are missing something. This is a risky test and should only be used on the rarest of occasions. The results, however: All Clean. "There is no poopoo, Adrienne". Then she gave me a look, sort of the toddler version of rolling the eyes, and ran off down the hall. When she came back, she was holding a PURPLE diaper. "PooPool" she says, and shoves the diaper at me. Silly mom, purple is her favorite color and she wanted to change into the purple diaper. 

I have to say that as far as misunderstandings go, this probably went in my favor. Had I thought she wanted something purple and instead she handed me a pile of poopoo, well now, I think we would all agree that that would have been much worse.

Only Bears and Purple Diapers for this girl!