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Three years ago, I wondered if my daughter Kendall would talk at all. Well, she talks, and actually, it’s hard to get her to be quiet! Some of what she says doesn’t make much sense, but some of what she says has quite a bit of meaning. At the ripe age of 3 1/2, here are the Top 10 words she uses on a daily basis:

1. Hi– A word used everywhere she goes. A most friendly little girl, speaking to all that enter her presence, regardless of whether or not the recipient intends to return the welcoming introduction.
2. No– Quickly learning that choices can be made and someone had better listen or there will be a price to pay!
3. Bye Bye– I never knew how many non-verbal signs we give that signify leaving. Whether it is associated with shoes, coats or just leaving a room, “bye-bye” is always in the neighborhood. In fact, the short exiting phrase also warns us of a premeditated lack of interest in the status quo.
4. Night Night– Nothing better than a tired kid telling you that they are tired. Getting past the crying-to-sleep phase and into the night-night phase was a great verbal transition.
5. Baby– Kendall hasn’t been much for latching on to material possessions, until “baby” came along. All little girls want to be mommies and having a “baby” lets her play that coveted role.
6. Mama– Always seems to be a child’s first words. Only until recently, “mama” has been used in more of a needful capacity. Wonderful nonetheless, to hear those lips communicate her motherly love. Getting her to say dada is going to be a much longer wait.
7. Yeah– Approval or affirmation of anything is a great verbal display that we welcome to our world. Knowing that something is either a yes or no answer is a tremendous milestone in communications with Kendall.
8. Up– How great is it to know that your child wants you to hold her? Only until recently did Kendall catch on to the arm extension, coupled with “up”. It always brings a smile to our face when tells us that she wants to be held. After waiting so long for her to show need or any kind, this one is quite a pleasurable experience.
9. Backpack– Some of this comes from Dora and the other from being in school. Kendall loves school and carrying her backpack around while saying bye-bye tells us that she would rather be learning new stuff at school than staying at home.
10. Heavy– When you have so many kids to carry around, they all seem heavy. More importantly, putting weight on Kendall is our #1 priority and telling her how heavy she is starts to rub off. Now, everything she decides to carry around is “heavy”.

We expect that more will come pouring in as Kendall continues to learn. Keep posted…