Leena has begun to talk— just a few disconnected words. The four she says the most distinctly amidst her other babble: Halloo & Een & Boon & No. She still communicates mostly through gestures and expressions. (She can say quite a lot, just not with words).

Halloo is hello. It’s usually combined with a royal wave (fingers together, hand rotating at the wrist side to side). Een is Leena. When she wants something, she’ll sometimes say Een & point & grunt & shake her head & point again until we get it. Boon is balloon, and also sometimes the moon or a soap bubble— anything round that floats. No is Sonya. She doesn’t have a word for Mommy or Daddy yet, but she has a word for Big Sister. No.

You should read this funny and touching essay by Drex.