SSSSssssNAKE!

Tralee has said her first animal sound! I've tried to practice animal sounds with Tralee since she was born, however she's never said them herself. That is until this last Saturday. Grandma Charlene brought her a bathtub snake toy, and while in the water I kept asking Tralee, "What does the snake say?" Then answering, "The snake says SSSSSSS." Then I would repeat "SSSSSsssssnake! SSSSSsssnake!" Tralee cracked up at this sound. After a few times of saying, "Sssssnake" I said, "you try it Tralee." And she did it!!! We've continued to ask her "What does the snake say?" And she actually responds with the snake sound. Sometimes we have to remind her that "the snake says 'SSSSSssss'" The only thing is, Tralee puffs instead of going "SSSSSsss." Her bottom lip sticks out and she blows air out. It makes a similar sound to "SSSssss" but not quite. I don't care that it's not a "ssss." I'm just glad she can FINALLY do an animal sound. We'll work on the "SSSsss" part later, besides the puffing is quite cute.

We're still working on other animal sounds, and first words for that matter. We've been trying to get Tralee to "woof" like a dog since we have one. I think she knows all the sounds, she just hasn't figured out how to do them yet. Her high chair has pictures of dogs, cats, frogs, and ducks on it, and when I make one of their sounds, Tralee points to the corresponding animal. So, she KNOWS the sounds, she just doesn't do them.

We've also been doing baby sign language, which is FANTASTIC! It's helped us know when Tralee is done eating, when she's hungry, hurt, thirsty, needs to be changed, or wants up. The first thing Tralee does when she wakes up in the morning is do the sign for eat. While doing the eat sign she makes an "eee" sound. So. . . she's close to talking. I also think she can get her needs and wants across using sign language, so she doesn't waist the energy trying to say the words. I know they'll come, I'll just have to be patient.

Goodbye.