Update for 21 months

Lani at almost 21months
Physical abilities: Can walk backwards, I’m sure she has done it before but I have noticed it again. Can climb well, gets into silly situations. Is trying so hard to jump. Can climb onto our bed; the mattress is her head height. She puts her arms into sleeves and pulls her clothes on. Is now an expert at removing both shoes and socks. She has also given good tries at putting her socks on and can put her feet into shoes.

Speech/language: She has atleast 130 words. Uses 2 word sentences often, occasionally up to 4 words. Correctly uses I, Me, Mine, You. Understands instructions and mostly carries them out. Says things like ‘up in da sky’ 'I win!’ ‘you do it’. She can repeat a word back straight away and usually retains that word after the first or second time she is told.

Reading/pre-reading: Loves books, I’m reading loads of them to her every day. She can find objects on a page. Somehow she knows the letters T,O,G,S,A,B and C. Seeing as she refuses to be shown or told anything; it really shocked me. Oh but she does love Super Why.

Number stuff: recognises numbers up to 9, counts up to 9 and down from 3 (again I don’t know how she knows these things). I’ve seen her count 1:1 up to 3. I don’t think she would bring me 3 objects but then she wouldn’t on principle.

Other cognitive stuff: She has learnt to trade e.g. she brings me something and then asks for something I have. I have made a plan to find Kayne’s old puzzles but I’m sure she’ll find more interest in trying to pull the pictures off that put it together.

Creativity: She is drawing faces with legs. She gets frustrated with it easily though I think that her fine motor lets her down; it doesn’t come out as she wants it too. She likes to tell me what to draw.

Imagination: She puts shoes on her teddy bear. Puts doll house people to bed in a shoe box. I’ve seen her use a portable heater as a slide and slide dinosaurs down one side and have them climb up the other. She has carried a little Iggle Piggle around, held to her shoulder and stroking its back.
Social: Remains as social as ever. Says hello to anyone. Will use anyone as a seat. Still has no fear of being lost/left behind.

Character/personality: Big, loud, cute, happy, very strong willed. She has an awesome temper too when things don’t go her way. Very independent.

Anything else/other: She has been learning baby signs from somewhere, I think a show in the morning whilst I do a quick bit of washing.