Making Herself Understood that Lobster is Mmmmmm

Baby B is trying so hard to form words and make herself understood. You can tell she's asking you questions repeating herself with the same words in her attempt to get you to understand her. There's no doubt she understands us. She tries very hard to please us and seems genuinely pleased when that's accomplished. Of course, our round of applause and "Yay, Brigid!" every time she accomplishes something must be a boost for her ego nevertheless. Yesterday, Patricia removed Brigid's socks and told her to give them to Mommy. Brigid walked over to me and handed me the socks. Simple tasks and requests, when she's in the mood, are performed without hesitation. It's when she's not in the mood to listen that you have to repeat yourself and eventually pick her up and remove her from the forbidden object or area. Getting her to say "Please" is a real challenge because she's almost determined not to. She'll ask for something and I'll say, "Please? Say Please," and she glowers at me yet still demands whatever it is I'm requiring the polite request for. I can't recall how long it was before Margaret and Patricia mastered saying, "Peas? Peas, Mommy?" when they were asking for something. They're still mastering it. "Please, Mom? Oh, Please can we go to Borders?"

I'll hand something to Brigid and say, "Say Please. Say please, Brigid." Then I'll give it to her and say, "Thank you, Mommy; you're welcome, Brigid." At this, Brigid snickers, as if she knows she's getting away with something. But my credo is throw something at the wall enough times, it's going to stick. The same is true with teaching manners: Give her the directions enough times, she'll get the point and start responding in kind. I still find myself having to tell Margaret and Patricia, "Thank you," when someone says or does something for them, like a waitress at a restaurant. They will then repeat it. But that doesn't happen too often. The girls are generally well mannered.

Brigid's command of her and our body parts is getting stronger. She knows her hair, ears, eyes, nose, mouth and teeth (which she shows by opening her mouth and chomping over and over), her tongue, fingers, hands, toes, feet, belly button. The challenge I'm facing with this recitation is getting her not to poke you in the eye when she points to it.

Something else I've noticed that Brigid is aware of: food. She seems to know what food is no matter where she sees it. There could be a Red Lobster commercial on TV and she'll say, "Mmmmmmm." Photos in books, food on the counter, doesn't matter. She understands it's stuff to eat. Lobster? She's never had lobster in her life, but she knows instinctively that it's "mmmmm." Must be hereditary.