A Talking Machine

Mckenna is a talking machine these days. It is pretty incredible. It seems like most days she learns at least one new word, sometimes more. She has always been a chatty cathy - even when she's not using words, she's rambling in Mckennaese. But in the last few weeks, her vocabulary seems to be exploding.  She knows names, body parts, foods, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, you name it. Some of my favorite recent words are:

Gigi - Gigi is the name of my mom's mom (my Grammy). But Mckenna just learned the word when my parents good friends came into town and the wife, Wendy, wanted to try on her choice "grandma name"for size. So we told Mckenna her name was Gigi. Well you hear Mckenna searching around their house and ours for her beloved Gigi. 

Bird - Or "buhhd" to Mckenna. I'm not sure where she picked up the word. But I started noticing it when we were outside and she pointed to a bird feeder and said "buhhd". Perhaps Papi taught her the word on one of their many exploratory walks around the house together.

Please - "PUWEEEZ". Mckenna pulls this one out ALL the time now. She is still learning that "please" is polite, but it's not then a given that you get it. "That." "No." "PUWEEEEZ." "Up." "No." "PUWEEEEZ." "No, honey. Good job. That's polite, but it doesn't mean you'll get your way."....that's what my days look like now.

Medicine - "Memin" - This one really melted my heart. Mckenna touched Ronnie's PICC line and he told her not to, that it was "ouchy for Daddy." He then told her what this PICC was for, "it gives daddy medicine..." he said at some point. A couple minutes later he said, "Mckenna, where doesn't daddy's medicine go?" And Mckenna pointed at his PICC and said, "Memin." Ahh so sweet, Dr. Sharpe in the making.

Rio - With my parents recently moving back, Mckenna quickly got to know their dog, Rio. They have a love/hate relationship. She loves him. Loves to see him. Call for him. Bring him his toys. But Rio is a bit of a nut job! He moves fast. He often knocks her over as he runs past. He gives her lots of kisses, which she likes about 50% of the time. And even for all the complexities in their relationship, there is one this for sure...Mckenna LOVES to say "RIO!" She wanders around looking for him all the time. "Rio!" "RIO!" She calls. It is so cute.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least (in fact, it's the BEST one)...

I love you - "La lou" or "Ah La lou" - You want to talk about a heart melter!! "Please" doesn't mean she will get her way, but boy if she knew what "I love you" can do! Ha! She said it for the first time to Ronnie. He wasn't here and we were FaceTiming together. Before getting off the phone Ronnie said, "Mckenna, I love you," and clear as day, "La lou" she said back. I watched Ronnie melt to mush.

Our little Chatty Cathy is going to give us a real earful before we know it, I think. She comes from a long line of talkers (her Gigi, Nana, and Mommy are all talkers). So she comes by it honestly. As of now, I'm just enjoying hearing more and more of what's going on in her little mind. She is such a fun, goofy, vivacious, little spark plug! I love it!!