Cakey, Chee & Bumba-BEE!

We are awash in a sea of new words over here. I can't believe how much the boys' speech has taken off in the past couple of weeks. Currently, Nate and Seth are averaging one or two new words per day and for the most part are very consistent with each other.

Without further ado, all the words they can both say:

• Banana (sounds like "Nana!")

• Puppy (sounds like "Puppy!")

• Diaper (sounds like "Die-dah!")

• Cracker (sounds like "Cah-caw!")

• Toast (sounds like "Toh!". Also applies to French Toast.)

• More (sounds like "Moh!")

• Kitty-cat (sounds like "Kih-Kah!")

• Blue (sounds like "BOO!" which is not to be confused with the sound a ghost-cow sometimes makes. "BOO!" is said with much more enthusiasm while waving around something that is, in fact, blue.)

• Down (sounds like "Dow!". Goes nicely with "Up!".)

• Pear (sounds like "Pah!")

• Cookie (sounds like "Cakey!")

• Bubbles (sounds like "Buh-boo!")

• Cheese (sounds like "Chee!")

• Grapes (sounds like "Gape!")

• Shoe (sounds like "Shoe!" or "Zhu!", depending on who is saying it)

• Paper (sounds like "Paper!", "Pay-Pah!" or "Poo-Poo" depending on who is saying it and/or the whims of the person saying it at the time)

And some individual words:

Nate also says "Cuddle" which sounds like "Duh-Duh" and is often followed by a cuddle. Very sweet. He will also say "Choo-Choo" if you ask him to say "Train", which is both cute and clever (and makes his Mommy giggle just a little).

And lastly, Seth's Baby B mystery has been solved! He really is trying to say "Bumblebee" and gets very animated when he hears that word via Dr. Suess' ABC's (a la "Barber, baby, bubbles and a bumblebee"). He's been working hard on this one since it now sounds less like "Baby B!" and more like "Bumba-BEE!". The "BEE!" part is said with much enthusiasm in case that wasn't obvious. He also busted out an unmistakeable "Bagetti!" this evening when I served up spaghetti.

For now, "Apple!", "Baby!" and "Up!" continue to be everyone's very favorite words and often are the first thing I hear over the baby monitor in the morning, occasionally coupled with a well-timed "Dibba Day" (or two).

- L.