Our Mini Motor-Mouth!

Everyday, Kristina astounds us with an increasing English vocabulary yet she'll still throw out a few Russian words from time to time (i.e. Paka-Paka [bye-bye], Da [yes], Nyeta [her version of "nyet" -- no], Baka [her version of "sebaka" -- dog in Russian]).

Today, I cried when she said "Papa go work?" -- it was the first time she said "work" (although I tell her everyday when she asks "Papa?" over and over again...) and it was the first time she put 3 words together. Ok....I'm a marshmallow and it doesn't take much to make me cry, but oh -- she said it soooooo cute!

Her English vocabulary consists of:

More (as well as "signs" this...and has since week #2)

Cook-ay? --- cookie

Book-eh --- book
Milk-eh --- milk

Adoo --- I do it

Huuse --- juice

Pees --- please

Nigh Nigh --- night, night

Beebee --- baby

Yeah

Huh?

Atch --- ouch

Boo-boo

No

Too-key --- turkey

Pee-sez --- peaches

Up

Wared-go? --- where'd it go? always accompanied with a hand, palm side up!

Receptively, I think Kristina understands everything. It's incredible when I give her two things and say "Put this in the trash and this in the drawer" and she does so correctly...and I don't have to point or give any other clues.

Expressively, we're getting there. But Kristina certainly does have her own language and we are loving it. Is it Russian? Is it just 2 y.o. speech? Whatever it is, she is expressing herself and having a good time doing so. While on the cruise, we had such a moment. I was in the cabin with Kristina and everyone else was in the casino, at a show, etc. Kristina was having her evening snack, peach yogurt, and was on a roll. I grabbed the camera, held it out with my right hand and hoped I had her in the frame. You'll notice that I'm using lots of hand gestures because for some reason, Kristina responds to hand gestures and tends to use a lot of them herself. Hmmm, maybe she's part Italian?? After many hours and tries...I have finally uploaded the video showing Kristina as she is...a little motor-mouth!

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Update: I started writing this entry on Friday, July 10, but due to technical difficulties with uploading the video and lack of sleep, I finished this entry on Sunday, July 12. Today, it was clear to us that Kristina calls herself "Tee-Tee" and she does so with such pride. Then, tonight when Kristina and I were saying prayers at bedtime, for the first time Kristina said "amen". What a great way to end the day.

Our "praying" angel -- taken in Ekaterinburg the day after we were announced her parents. Prayers answered!!