Talking up a storm

Unfortunately I don't have any video to show you but my girl is talking ALL the time! Most of the time it is full of attitude, but wow Ella is talking so good. This morning we were at Walmart and she had quite the conversation with the cashier, and the cashier actually understood EVERYTHING that Ella said. It was so awesome!

I went to Ella's teacher conference yesterday and got to meet with her teachers and all of her therapists. They had so many nice things to say about Ella, she is doing so great in all areas! She is starting to talk a lot more in school, although nothing like how much she talks here which is ALL the time, but she is getting there.

I do have a little problem I want to share with you all.....so, Ella has known all her colors for quite awhile, by matching, signing and verbally naming them. Now she knows her shapes, can count objects up to 10, sing her ABC's, and is starting to recognize words and has lost her colors. She can still match them (as in give her a green bear and she puts it on the green dot) but names the color wrong. I have been working and working on 4 colors here at home. "Ella what color is this?" "red" "no, this is blue. Say blue." "Blue." Then I put it down and pick it back up, "what color is this?" "Red." Seriously, it is driving me crazy. I even brought it up with her teachers and at first they thought maybe she was just messing with me (she messes with them a lot, purposely calling them the wrong names and laughing etc) but they have been testing her here and there and yep, her colors are gone.

Now I remember when she was little (birth to three) that if she would be making big progress in motor areas, like walking, then her speech would disappear for awhile and vice versa. And this, I was told, was normal. But now we are having knowledge disappear when she learns something new? Pretty frustrating. Are you supposed to practice every little thing they know every day so it doesn't get lost???? Argh.

I will share a funny little story about Ella from tonight. Ella and I were in her room getting ready for bed. We somehow have gotten into this little routine of listing off things we are about to do, and then she repeats them to me. It kind of helps relieve meltdowns. So I count off on my fingers one by one, and say "jammies, bed, cream, paci," so Ella counts off on her fingers and says "no, no, no, no." I try very hard not to laugh and again say "jammies, bed, cream, paci," (cream is her lotion for her face and paci is a pacifier and yes my 4 year old still takes one...) and Ella counts off on her fingers, with a smirk on her face, and says "ice cream cone, ice cream cone, show, ice cream cone." To which I of course laugh hysterically. I love that she has a sense of humor.


Here are a few pics.......




Ella got her haircut on Monday by my friend Molly (she's the best!) It was badly needed and she took off a good bit and then framed her face a bit with her hair. It looks really cute. If only I could tame the static that seems to find Ella 2 seconds after I do her hair......