F's Vocabulary

Just jotting down some words F uses that we recognize.

Dada
Mama
Buba - for T
Sehsi - for M
Kiki (or Sisi) - for K

Baba = Bottle
Fishi = Fish

Oh!
Mine!
Whoa!
Uh-oh!
Hi
Bye or Bye Bye (with waving)
Okay
A surprised intake of breath = to convey excitement and get us to notice things, like when the garbage truck is coming

Sometimes she will string Whoa!, Oh!, Okay, Uh-oh! in a dialog as she looks at something or as we drive along--it is funny to listen to.  She makes lots of other noises, many of which we can't recognize the words, and has funny and very expressive facial expressions.  Just from looking at her face you can tell if she thinks something is funny or interesting, and she has a way of opening her eyes wide and leaning her face intently toward something to get you to notice it as well.  She has also worked out some hand signs (we teach our children some sign language, which they can use before talking, like "more - food - please," but F has made up some of her own signs, like for opening containers, and an alternative for wanting food, that we have all learned now).

She also has this funny, loud sniffing sound to let you know something smells strongly.   For example, there was an empty vitamin bottle in the kitchen recycle bin and it has a strong "fruit acid" smell from the powder inside from the vitamins.  She "sniffed" at it to let me know it smelled. 

We all take turns reading to her during the day and she has imitated this by « reading » to K.  She is very interested in books, like T was, and likes going to the bookstore (the only one left in Honolulu I can find that has not closed down). 

She is still doing a lot of communication by making upset noises and reaching for things or pushing them away.  However, I think her vocabulary is on the edge of taking off--one of the reasons I am writing this.  The other day, F, M, and I were at the store and I was looking for new sandals for F; she is about to outgrow her current ones.  M and I were picking some out and trying them on F's feet when she started pushing our hands and the sandals away and fussing.   We didn't understand and she got frustrated then she concentrated for a moment and said three syllables that were hard to understand, then repeated "I do it" again more clearly and confidently.  So we let her down to pick out and try on sandals on her own.