No words? No problem

Parenting is a really crazy business. It's not that Alan and I weren't competitive before bringing Oliv into the world - we were... a lot. But now? fuggedaboutit. We are constantly (and very unfairly - is that a word?) measuring our daughter against other children. We sit and worry that she doesn't say shoes, or yellow (and yeah, Kyla's parents, if you're reading this, that was a reference to your smart and wonderful little girl!), or too much of anything. Not that she's silent. We can tell she is speaking to us in full on sentences - pauses and giggles in between (she cracks her up!), but we just have no idea what language she is speaking in (just look at my participle dangle). She sings, dances, runs, laughs, and now she jumps too! Anyway, we were getting worried at the lack of words, and we are still finding it hard not to compare her to other children her age - seriously, what's wrong with us? (Monty Python, The Meaning of Life: "Is it a boy or a girl?" "I think it's a little early to start imposing roles on it, don't you?") But the truth is, she gets her point across with amazing ease. She wants to go out? Oliv will go tug on her coat, put on her boots and point to the door saying, "mom" (which means mom or dad).
My favourite part about time with Olivia right now is that she loves to be tickled. She'll lay there and laugh, it's fantastic. She also loves to climb on people and jump on their backs when they are on the ground. Oddly, I'm the parent of choice for that - that's not how I saw that one going.
She has started a new daycare and so far, so good. The short version is that there were some issues with the private home care she was receiving and I no longer felt that it was the best or safest environment for her. She's pretty adaptable so far and hopefully that will hold true. She's been sleeping fine with the other children, playing well and eating (natch!) like a pig!
My love, my joy, my liv.
Take care,
V
P.S. - truly funny blog - Query Letters I Love. The comments are as brilliant as the pitches are sad and terrible.