Happy 20 Month Ellie!

Ellie is 20 months today! How coincidental, we were singing Happy Birthday and blowing out fake candles last night. I've been checking up on how she's supposed to be developing at 20 months according to What to Expect: The Toddler Years and BabyCenter.com.

• dump object in imitation (I haven't seen her do this)
• use spoon/fork but not exclusively (she's actually one of the neater kids I've seen eat with a spoon/fork)
• run (she's got a girly run)
• combine words (she used to, but not anymore...hmmm...)
• identify 1 picture by naming (she can name many)
• name 6 body parts (Ellie can name/point to eyes, ears, nose, mouth, ears, cheeks, belly button, hands, feet)
• throw a ball overhand (not quite there yet)
• speak and be understood half the time (by whom is not known...I guess the parents)
• use 50+ single words (haven't counted the words, but I am sure she's past 50 words)
• identify 4 pictures by pointing (can name more than 4)
• build a tower of 6 cubes (she can build 10)
• have "tea party" (pretend to feed dolls/stuffed animals)
• climb up stairs, downstairs may be more difficult (Ellie can do both with ease)
• draw up and down lines or straighter lines (she's decided to take a break from drawing this month...ha ha ha...)
• take off own clothes with help (putting them on is a different story!)
• test/push boundaries and rules (you should see her face when she does this!)
• experiments with cause/effect..."what will happen if I drop this?...what sound will this make?...what will mommy do when I do this?" (example: Ellie likes to find my belly button and stick her finger in it cuz she knows that makes me laugh)
• start hiding and searching for objects (Ellie loves to hide her utensils under her placemat during mealtime. Then I ask her, "Where is it?" She finds it and says, "There it is!")

I guess she will not play baseball, but after Saturday, who knows?...=)