20 months

Twenty months. That's almost two really. Two is that magical age where you just have a number for how many years you are, rather than months; or at least how many years and months. I guess it means you're growing up. Although, I do know some mums keep counting in months for a lot longer, no-one really knows how old the kid is when you state months after two. I had the same problem with weeks after about 12 weeks. By then, it's just easier to count in months. Someone told me their kid was 18 weeks, and I'm furiously in my head, in my sleep deprived state, trying to figure out how old that meant he was.

Rachael's big development for the month has been in words/sounds. Where sounds technically make it as words, I'm not sure. But we probably get a new one per week. They knid of creep up on you now, like coming up to you one day and saying "hi" when I got home from work. I responded with "hi" back to her, and then you find yourself wondering just how long she has been saying "hi" without it registering.

Mr Lion is now known as "Raa". As in the sound you say a lion makes. It makes things heaps easier for me, when I ask her what she's looking for in the bed, when she answers "Raa", and I know she's seeking out Mr Lion (which usually means it's feed time). I do have to admit that I ask her what she's looking for, when I already know, just to encourage conversation. Racheal thinks wearing the Mr Lion top that was made for her birthday last year, although a little small, is great. You'll randomally get "Raa" all throughout the day.

Rachael in Mr Lion top at her birthday last year. 8 months ago...

Animal sounds are very popular;squeaking for a mouse, snorting for a pig. She's doesn't quack for a duck though, just says Duck/Uck.

Rachael loves trains at the moment. Both Thomas the Tank and Chuggington. Two boys at playgroup on Wednesday were wearing Thomas tops, and she spent the entire eating time making train whistle noises, to let me know she could see Thomas. I'm looking out for Thomas tops for her, as I'm sure she'd be quite chuffed to have one. They're all "boys" jumpers, but who really cares? She still gets called a boy when wearing pink from head to toe because of the lack of hair anyway. There's nothing physically about boys tops that makes them inappropriate for girls. It's probably harder to get away with putting boys in "girls" clothes though. And why the heck aren't they putting Thomas on the "girls" clothing for this age anyway? Missing the market on that one.
Shh, don't tell the clothing gender police on me. She also has a set of blue pajamas because they were cheaper, and blue onesies.

Rachael is still big on the word "bum". She actually says it now. Her first verbal body part, of course.

Warning to all who read who know Rachael. Well, actually the entire 6 blog readers know her I think. Rachael runs around talking about "duck", and has picked up on the number 6. Why number 6? I have no idea. Any number she sees is automatically 6. We don't have a potty mouthed toddler, just one who doesn't announciate very well.

Racheal's also getting onto the concept of "baby". Three of the swimming lesson mums who have children Rachael's age have just had babies, and also there are new baby siblings to her friends at playgroup. Any baby is known as "Ba". We've also just borrowed her a baby doll from the toy library (great place that). Rachael was insistent the naked baby had to have a hat. Unfortunately, I have leant our small sized hats to a friend who needed them. So baby has ended up wearing a 00000 sized grosuit instead. That seems to have satisifed her. Now she can undo all the press studs, and then present baby so I can do them all up, so they can be undone again. Great game it seems.

Rachael also enjoys "breastfeeding" baby. It started that Mr Lion had to have a feed from mum before her. Then one day, after a shower, she decided to feed Mr Lion herself. Now Mr Lion usually gets a feed from mum before her own, and I have also fed a duck or two- as you do. I guess I'm probably lucky I haven't had to feed any cars yet. But truely, it's gorgeous to watch. Racheal also insists on wearing my bra each morning after her shower. To her, this is all perfectly normal, trying to be like her parents stuff, just like trying to put on our underwear (Which is both legs in one hole, a thankful change from underwear on her head, as she was rather fond of when she was younger).

Nap time has, unfortunately, decreased. She used to get 2 hours, but these days it 1-1.5 hours.