Riding Tricycle

Toddlers really do have their own language and it’s often a struggle to figure out what Natalie is trying to say. If she says something to you and you don’t understand it quickly, she is quick to tilt her head and give you a look that can only mean “are you really that dumb?”. So I decided that I should record some of her phrases for the sake of posterity.

These words are often put together and end with “yeah?” because she is asking confirmation that I understood. For example, she just said “cup gra-gra mimmie mama. yeah? yeah?” so I took that as “I would like milk and some grapes. Then I want to watch the Mickey Mouse Clubmouse with Mama. Do you understand?”

Baby /beɪ bi/ This can mean anything from dolls, her stomach (thanks to her unborn sibling) and even other kids.
Ball /bɑ/ Any roundish shaped object.
Banana /nʌ nʌ/ The fruit.
Bath /bɑ/ Either the act of bathing or the bathroom.
Bird /bɜr/ An actual bird or really anything in the sky outside.
Box /bɑ/ Any square shaped object.
Bubble Bath /bʌb bɑ/ Either bathing with bubbles in the water or a bottle in the bathroom.
Cracker /kɑkər/ Either a cracker or a nacho.
Cup /kʌ/ Anything that contains a liquid that isn’t bubble bath.
Dada /ˈdɑ dɑ/ Me.
Duck /gɑk gɑk/ Either the bird, Donald Duck or Daisy Duck.
Dog /dʒu dʒu/ A dog.
Car /gɑr/ Anything with wheels, really.
Empty /kɔ kaɪ/ This is one of the most confusing as it can either mean “I’m all done”, “it’s empty” or “I want more”.
Fish /fɪʃ/ A fish or any bath toy.
Mimmie /mi mi/ Either Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto or any other animated character or animated movie/short with the exception of Donald and Daisy Duck as they have their own names.
Goodnight /naɪ naɪ/ Wants to go to sleep, just woke up, the bed itself or is just laying down to play.
Grapes /græ græ/ The fruit.
Mama /ˈmɑ mə/ Her mommy.
Natalie /nə nə/ Her own name. Sounds almost identical to “banana”.
Ohhhh! /oʊ/ An exclamation.
Outside /bur/ That someone went out the door, she wants to go outside or that she needs a coat or sweatshirt.
Poop /uuu/ It’s time for Mama when she touches her diaper and starts saying this.
Toast /toʊ/ Anything bread that isn’t a cracker.
Water /ˈwɔ wɔ/ Water, milk, juice or any other liquid.
Yes /yɛə/ An affirmation.