Freyja is 20 months old

Freyja started saying her name a few months ago, but just recently has been saying it when SHE wants to do something (like put on her pants, play with the bubbles, etc)...not in a "this is Freyja's toy" sort of way, but in a "Freyja wants to try this" sort of way. She will grab the pants and say Freyja, then try to put them on herself.


Freyja on Easter at 20 months old (4/20/14)



For comparison, Freyja at 12 months old (8/15/13)

When she gets stuck she will say "help," so she doesn't seem to get discouraged. When she was 19 months old, she could say about 50 words (I counted!). Now, at 20 months, she is getting better at imitating words--even ones she just hears for the first time, whereas before, most of the words she said were ones we said on a regular basis. She definitely has opinions on what she does and doesn't want, but can't always vocalize it so that we can understand. However, I often guess--and even if I may not be right, at least it usually does the trick. She likes to say "all done" when she clearly doesn't want to be doing what we are doing, such as riding in the car or in the stroller (when she wants to get out). In the past 1-2 months she also tries to avoid getting her diaper changed and clothes changed...so last night I decided to use a trick I read about for when toddlers go to the doctor's office. I told Freyja that I would be changing the baby's diaper...and then I proceeded to put a clean diaper on one of her baby dolls. Then I said it was Freyja's turn. So while Nick changed Freyja's diaper, I talked about the baby's diaper. I then put pants on the doll while Nick put PJs on Freyja. It didn't work flawlessly, but it certainly helped!