The (not so) cute words are here!

The other evening, quite out of the blue, TJOML pulls the little photo album we were viewing together away from me, holds it, beams a triumphant "Maiiin", with a twinkle in her eye and an endearing smile directed straight at me! The precise look and smile that just melts my heart!

Then, next morning, for the first time, she shakes her head side-to-side and in a cute nasally tone vehemently says "NOUH!" even before i strap her on the high chair for breakfast, continues the high-pitched "NOUH!" till i set her down free. OK. so, no breakfast.

These two words (mine and no) popped out of her in correct context, out of the blue and almost at the same time that it was just so darned cute! I could not help but smile smugly. But not for long...

TJOML goes to daycare, so, I have little control over what she picks up there.

But, so far, at home we tried not to use the word "No" around her much. If we didn't want her to do something, we physically distract her while attempting some variation of "no" like "be nice/good", "we don't hit", "it hurts when you bite", "we don't pull mama's hair", "we don't throw food from highchair" etc.

And when we wanted her to take her turn in some interactive stuff, we would say her name and say its her turn, and when it's my turn, i usually say, "mama's turn" etc. So, she knew all along to just say something is her's without saying the word "mine".

Now that the words are planted in her vocabulary firmly, I am trying to find ways teach her not to use them so much!

Especially with potty training in the horizon, and me and her daddy asking her 'Do you have to poo-poo?', 'Did you go potty?' everytime we catch her rooted to a spot, grunting and straining briefly, her vehement 'Nouh!' despite the familiar stink from her loaded diaper sort of complicates things:-)