Margaret Becomes a Toddler

A few days ago, just like that, Margaret decided that was the day she preferred walking to crawling. She went from three steps at a time--but crawling when she really wanted to get somewhere--to Being a Toddler.




Margaret has not begun imitating any of my ASL signs yet, but it's so neat to see Margaret's receptive language skills apparent in the last month. If she is approaching stairs (we don't have gates up right now), I say, "Margaret, no stairs." She pauses, stares at me, and lately has just sat at the bottom of the stairway, obeying me. (But sometimes when she hears me say "no stairs," she cackles in laughter and races as fast as she can up the stairs--also showing receptive language!) When I ask her if she wants to EAT (said and signed), to NURSE, or wants MORE, she indicates 'yes' by flapping her arms up and down and shrieking with excitement.

I am wondering if her first word (beside 'mama' and 'dada') is 'nay nay,' which I suspect is her word for nursing.

At ten months old, Margaret also is throwing all-out toddler tantrums when her will is being thwarted. For example, when I pick her up and say, "Put your head on my shoulder," she knows that means I am going to try to help her down for nap or bedtime and either she lays her head on my shoulder or she immediately starts arching her back, flinging her body back and forth, and screaming her head off (I feel like I'm wrestling a bear cub).

This is a neat stage of development!