Fall Update

I finally reached my breaking point.  I decided that Olivia didn't need a pacifier anymore.  I realized that more often than not, Olivia was using her pacifier and saying very little.  So I put my foot down and prepared for battle.  I decided that because she was so attached to it that I would take it away from her except at nap and bedtime and then phase it out from nap and bedtime before she turns 2 (hey, I am not completely crazy and I must have my sleep during the holidays).  The first day was nothing short of hell.  She was NOT happy and made it known.  But each day has been a little better and now she gives us her pacifier willingly when she gets up in the morning.  She occasionally asks for it, but I show her that the drawer where I used to keep her pacifiers is empty and remind her that the pacifier is for "night-night."  She accepts it even if she doesn't like it.  

Eliminating the pacifier during the day has made a world of difference.  Olivia now jabbers morning, noon, and night (have I created a monster?).  I have also noticed that she doesn't twirl her hair as much - I guess that was a habit enforced while sucking on the pacifier.  That means less knots to cut out of her hair - yes, I said cut.  You would be AMAZED at how tight she can wrap her hair into a knot.  She almost has a reverse mullet - business in the back and party in the front!  

Without the pacifier, I have noticed the range of Olivia's vocabulary has improved as well.  Olivia can say "mama," "dada," "ball," "bear," "bath," and recently, "Cooper."  When she belted out "Cooper" this past weekend, we were all taken aback - for those of you who don't know, my nephew Cooper is due any day now.  So Olivia is clearly excited about the arrival of her new cousin!  Sometimes I think that she can say "Jake" and "Maggie" too, but really all I hear is the "k" in Jake and "g" in Maggie.  But we are working on it...  

Olivia has also become more efficient with her signs.  The sign for "more" is still her favorite (she is a glutton) but she also is able to sign to me that she wants to eat and occasionally she will sign to me that she wants a drink.  She knows the signs for "mommy" and "daddy," although she doesn't quite get them right and rarely uses them.  We have tried to encourage her to use them when "talking" to us, but she always looks at us like we are crazy, as if to say, "of course I know that you are mommy and daddy - duh!"  The one sign that Olivia did pick up from her Baby Einstein video that she LOVES to do is the sign for "baby" - it is hysterical because she is very finicky on how she lays her hands before signing.  If I can capture a video of it, I will make sure that I post it.  But she loves to point out babies and make the sign.  Olivia also recently learned "thank you," although it looks more like she is blowing a kiss and I am not certain that she truly understands what she is saying.  "Please" is another matter, but her Daddy and I are not as good about remembering to teach her that one.  We are impressed that she has even learned this much as we are not very good teachers.  But we try!

Olivia's personality is also shining through these days.  Unfortunately, she is as obsessive compulsive as me.  Not only will she grab a towel to clean up spills on the floor and pick up lint or God knows what else from the floor and bring it to me, but she is finicky in how she eats.  She has started to use a fork, fairly proficiently, but occasionally she becomes frustrated and uses her hands.  If her hands get too sticky, she immediately wants me to wash them off.  When she is finished taking a bite, if a napkin is nearby she wipes her mouth.  When she is finished eating, she wants the area around her cleaned immediately.  Do you think my cleanliness has rubbed off on her?  I am thinking perhaps I need to back off a little, although the damage may already be done!