She Speaks!

Ellie has been a bit delayed in talking, so last month we began in an early intervention program to help her develop her speech. I’m not sure if it is the weekly speech therapy sessions or if it’s just her getting older and learning, but she has really started talking so much more lately! She babbles constantly. Ema has named Ellie’s language as “Sherman”. When we don’t understand what Ellie is saying, we just say she’s speaking Sherman again. Her repertoire of words includes: Daddy, Mommy, Mema (for Ema), Boon (balloon), No No, NaNa (Nanny), Mi (as Ema always has, Ellie calls my dad Mike. But she never just says it normally, she only yells it: “Miiiiiiiiiii”).

Most recently, she has begun saying “da” for dog. About a week ago a little black dog appeared at our house without a collar. So after a few days, Ema and Joel decided to adopt her. Her name is Ritzy because the fur on her feet look like little white ‘boots’ – our neighbor came up with that one. Ema and Joel are loving having her to play with and Ellie is getting used to her. I just buy her food – I’m not really the pet type.

I was so excited when Ellie began to say Mommy last month. There is just something so precious about hearing your baby child begin to call you for the first time. And she has quickly learned how to use that to her advantage! When I tell her “No”, she looks up at me and says “Mommy”. And it’s not just a quick ‘mommy’, she draws it out and says it in the sweetest little whiney voice you’ve ever heard. Of course I can’t help but smile at her when she does that and forget about what I initially had told her “no” about. I’m such a sucker for those big brown eyes – I love that I see her Daddy every time I look in her eyes!!