What is Lillian doing?

Recently, I've noticed Lillian hitting some big developmental milestones:

1. Lillian just won't "drive" her rescue rider if she doesn't have her purse with her. She's just starting to use her feet a little but steering is not a concept she's aware of quite yet.

2. Lillian will sit in the book corner and "read aloud" whatever book she has in her hands at the moment, or just sit quietly and turn the pages. It's just too funny to see her reclining against the big pillow. And, if you're there first, she'll come plop down and "read", too.

3. And, if the book is upside down, she'll flip it over so it's right-side up.

4. Lillian will "fix" my hair if I'm sitting down with her in the play room - trying to put a ribbon or a bow in it.

5. There are multiple times during the day when she'll come to me signing "help" for assistance opening or closing something or getting on the rescue rider.

6. Just recently, she's started taking a little blanket and "wrapping" up her baby in it (or whatever stuffed animal she has taken a shine to at the moment.) Or, she'll come ask me to "help" her and take me to where she has laid out the baby and the blanket. She also likes to put her babies and stuffed animals in the seat on the rocking horse.

7. Lillian is "practicing" on the stairs, crawling up and going down feet first on her tummy. It scares me to death, but she's actually getting pretty good going up.

Also, she signs: eat, milk, more, please, thank you, sorry, sleep, help, dog, all done/all gone, bird, bath, baby, fish, kitty cat, the phrase "I don't know" (both hands in the air), and a variety of other random things like airplane and i love you.

She says: daddy ("da"), mama, dog, duck, bath, and she'll repeat people's names if you say them to her (like, I'll say "Aunt Jill" or "Mary-Blake") and she'll "say" what I said.

She knows her: nose, mouth, ears, hair, eyes, toes, feet, fingers, fingernails, hands, bebo (belly button) *If you tell her to listen, she'll touch her ear and tilt her head ever so slightly.

These may not seem big to you, but in the space of just 16 short months, a lot can happen - and this type of thing is cause for excitement and innumerable prayers of thanks to God for this precious gift He has given us.

p.s. We went down to the lake this evening and Lillian saw a big white duck up close. She was in awe. We were still and it came right up to the water lapping on the beach. She didn't make a noise and it squawked and squawked. We must have watched is for almost 20 minutes. Now when you ask Lillian what the duck says, she makes a hilarious noise.