Beatrice at almost 20 months

Beatrice tries out the new Radio Flyer tricycle from her grandparents

Drawing in the yard

The last few months have seen a tremendous explosion in new skills for Beatrice, from talking to tricycle-riding.

Beatrice has gotten very interested in imaginary play, with everything from play food to cell phones. She's also started imitating my gestures and mannerisms with great accuracy - I had no idea how often I stand with my arms folded across my chest until Beatrice started copying me. In fact, she copies everything Dev and I do, from wiping up spills with a rag to watering the plants.

She has recently become extremely attached to baby dolls - she carries them around everywhere, feeding them from a cup or gently wiping their faces, wrapping them in blankets, brushing their teeth, and in one case, trying to dress a doll in her bathing suit. She insists that I change her doll's diaper when I change hers. She rocks them, sings to them, and sometimes she'll even lean over one of her dolls and gently whisper to it in a soothing voice. She is also very affectionate with stuffed toys, patting them, kissing them, or cradling them in her arms (I wish she were that gentle with real people). She calls both real babies and dolls "Gigi" (pronounced "gee-gee").

Beatrice is also very interested in real babies when she encounters them. She loves to carry Chris and Nadia's Christmas card photo of their baby Asher around the house kissing it and excitedly points out babies at the park or the grocery store. Only dogs can elicit the same level of enthusiasm.

Beatrice pointing out Asher's Christmas card photo

Sharing with the twins

In what may have been the single cutest act I have ever witnessed, Beatrice offered Lucas and Veronika's three-week-old twins her last chocolate chip cookie - and when they declined (they were both asleep), she set the cookie gently on one of the twin's chests for later. Then she carefully set an outfit on top of each of the twins, "dressing" them, and wrapped them in a throw blanket. She also shushed us all, saying "Ssh! Gigis!"

Beatrice now says about 30 words and (very) occasionally uses multi-word phrases like "nice doggy" or "where's Daddy?" Recent new words include tree, car, hat, feet, shoes, pants, duck, fish, sheep, cheese, bike, help, and thank you. She's also starting to follow simple instructions like "Give your coat to Daddy" or "Can I have a hug?"

Adorably, she knows the gestures that accompany the "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" song and also points to her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, head, hands, feet, and "tummy" on command.

She loves to dance and to twirl in circles, and she will start dancing whenever she hears music or hears someone say the word "dance." She also likes books and pretending to read them.

Beatrice still loves her PCC class. Here is her class picture, taken in December at the end of her first semester:

Some recent Beatrice videos:

Beatrice freaks out at the aquarium

Beatrice dancing on Christmas morning

Beatrice eating miso soup at a ramen restaurant

Beatrice playing with playdough