Parrot

Photo Parrot (Ara Ararabokeh), originally uploaded by docfuz on 20/20

Natalie has started to mimic words when we talk, and there's no telling which one she'll pick up on. It seems like there's a new word every day. Here are a few that she has added to her vocabulary in the past month.

She knows "up" and "down" but can't always remember which is which. She can identify several more animals: "moo," "nay," "rawr," "hoo hoo" and "ka ka" (the sound of quacking ducks). She even says her name: "Na-na."

Natalie learned "bay-bee" just in time, the day before receiving the first of three Christmas dolls. This is probably her most-used word now. My favorite new word is "yup," which she uses interchangeably with "yeah." We are teaching her words, and she is teaching us the way we really talk!