We have not posted on language skills recently. Although Leilani still mostly uses one word to communicate her wants and needs, she says more sentences and phrases now, “Thank you” (which can also mean please), “Me too”, “All pau(finished)”, “Catch me” and “I know” are her favorites. I don’t keep track of her new words anymore, there are too many. Most letters she says well, biggest problems are “L” and “G” which is amazing to me, I thought all children had problems with “S” and “C”. She counts: “One, Two, Five”, I think that’s from the way Andy brushes her teeth – he counts to five (but doesn’t leave out the 3 and 4) for each jaw.
Leilani has been naming most animals correctly (if they are drawn well), so mouse has not been a problem for a long time, but yesterday Andy showed her a picture of 2 mice and asked what it was and she said “mice” – both mouse and mice she pronounces so clearly that there is no doubt. She also says “Maenner” (german for men).
Today she repeatetly named her body parts: “Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, hair, head, knees (she gets these wrong a lot, pointing anywhere on her legs or feet), feet, toes, belly, nakig (which means either naked or belly button depending on context). She then goes on to hitting herself and says “Hauen. Nicht Hauen” (german: hit, no hitting) and stroking her own hair, like one would pet a cat and says “Ei, Ei” (German babytalk for petting). I think she learns a lot from songs, at the playgroup they sing one that goes “Head, shoulders, knees and toes…. eyes and ears and mouth and nose…” and the adults and bigger children point to the appropriate part.
