Babbles that sounds a lot like words.

Clara talks a lot.  Or makes noises.  Or both.  From the time she was very little (to be honest, she's still little) she has been very focused on me and her dad and her other family when they talk.  She intently watches our mouths moving and I can almost see her brain learning and storing away the information for future use.

I believe that babies can understand a lot of what we say.  They can interpret tone of voice and understand words.  At nearly 10 months, Clara responds to the sound of her name and whenever Gerald or I exclaim: "Yay!" in response to something  she has done (which is pretty often), Clara takes that as her cue to smile and start clapping her hands.  She has connected the word "Yay" to applause.  I think that is pretty awesome.

Clara also says "Wow" a lot.  It's one of her sounds.  Does she know it means "an exclamation of surprise, wonder, pleasure?"  I don't know.  But it seems like she does.

She also says Ma for me.  And happily says Dada whenever her Dad isn't around so Gerald has yet to hear it from her directly.

But then there's the more advanced words she seems to be saying which I think she's too young to be able to do.  Is it happenstance?  Once, yes.  But she has said most of these words more than once, so the mystery lingers on.

When her grandmother said: "I'm sorry" after dropping a spoon.  Clara said: "Uh-oh."

Clara often says: "Hello" when you say hello to her.  Or sometimes initiates it on her own.  Is she repeating a sound she's hearing or comprehending that "hello" is a greeting?

Then there's the more ridiculous instances, one where her Nana said, when handing her a toy: "Here you go." and Clara handed it back and said: "Here you go."

Or yesterday, when my sister caught her on film apparently saying: "Thank you."

She's so little it seems ridiculous and wonderful...and it's a mystery only she knows the answer to. Maybe I should just ask her.  She might surprise me and answer.