What she said.

My little chatter box is saying so much lately, I just can't keep up!  So many parents note (and remember!) when and what their little ones say down to the exact word and day, and I feel horrible because I can't even tell you which new words she learns on a day-to-day basis -- I just can't keep up!  She says new things every day, makes new sentences, comes up with things I know we didn't teach her... it's amazing to see her vocab and her speech grow by leaps and bounds!

• Eliza said to me this morning as we were getting out of the car: "Eliza want to make cake".  I had to tell her that it was nap time so we couldn't make a cake right then.  To this, she replied: "Eliza sad".  

• Discussing her Halloween adventures this afternoon with her grandpa, she told him: "Uncle Reid give Eliza candy".  It's true.  My brother gave her as much candy as she could eat on Halloween night when we drove over to their house for a surprise trick-or-treat visit.

• As we lounged on the couch this afternoon, she told me: "nice nose, Mama!", followed by "nice chin, Mama!", and finally: "nice eyes, Mama!".

• She really likes to recite the rhyme (with hand gestures of course) "Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors see all the people!".  It comes out more like "Here church, here steeple, open.........see peeeeeeeeeeople!" 

• Eliza was sitting on a stool at our kitchen counter while I was making dinner tonight, playing with our jar of coins, a dish towel, and a magazine, and eating cheerios.  She said "Eliza having party!"  It was so cute!  And then she randomly said "Eliza funny".  She says this a lot.  She must think she is pretty funny :)  She is right, of course.

• Counting is big in Eliza's life right now - we count everything these days.  She often counts my earrings, her elbows, her eyes, the cats... yes, counting to the number 2 is big around here!  She can count to five, too, but so far, it is coming out: "one...two...five!"

• Some other favorites: "Belle chasing you!" (when she says "you" she really means "me"), "Eliza run away" (whenever she doesn't want to do something she is supposed to be doing - e.g. getting dressed).  "Eliza have one" (and she hold up one little finger when she says this).

My girl is talking up a storm these days - I wish I could remember every little thing she says.  This is just a handful.  It is just astounding how quickly she picks up new words and phrases.  I am really loving this age.  It comes with some extra challenges, sure - just like every other stage - but the ability to communicate with her is so cool...and handy!