My Bilingual Baby

I've always tried to speak to Abby in as much Chinese as I can, especially when it comes to every day routines/activities or little phrases that I think she can pick up on.  It absolutely amazes me how much she has picked up from me (or my parents) and I am constantly dumbfounded at her ability to actually comprehend it all.  Bryce and I decided we have gravely underestimated what goes on in that brain of hers. 

We have discovered lately that she now knows (and could have known for a while...we just didn't know she knew) that Chinese and English are 2 different languages and she can distinguish between the 2 just like I can.  For example, about 2 months ago she knew to rub her hands together when I said to her "Abby, lai, ma-ma gei ni xi shou" and then I'd take her to the sink to wash her hands.  One day I was washing my hands in the sink and I was out of her line of sight so she was calling for me and I said back to her in English "Hold on, Xiao Xiao.  Mommy is washing her hands" and the next thing I know she is rubbing her hands together!  That was the first time I realized she knew something meant the same thing in both Chinese and English.  {insert proud moment for me}

Since then I can't say I have consciously spoken to Abby in both languages so she can associate more things together but we have once again underestimated her bilingual abilities. 

Another example: Back when Abby was about 7 months old, she said her first word "cat" and around the same time, my dad taught her the word "bi zhe" in Chinese which means nose.  If you said "bi zhe", she knew to point at her nose.  Since then, she knows to point at her eyes when you say "yen jing," ears when you say "er duo," and mouth when you say "zui ba."  I would say each of these to her each night when I washed her face during bath time.  Back then if you asked her where her "nose" was, she would reply with a blank stare because she didn't know any of those terms in English. 

In the last few days, Abby has been saying "eye" and pointing (more like jabbing) our eyes and her own with her little finger.  We thought, oh wow, she knows the English for "yen jing."  So last night Bryce and I did a little test and said "eye" and she pointed at her eyes.  Then we said "nose" and she pointed at her nose!  "Mouth!"  "Ears!"  She knew them all in English!  And thinking back, I realized that I started saying both to her while washing her face during bath time and she was really paying attention and learning!!!  She also touches her hair when I say "tou fa" and neck when I say "buo zhe." 

Her latest favorite word dujour (besides UP) is daiper, only she says dai-pth.  Bryce said yesterday that her daiper was full and she stood up, said dai-pth and started walking down the hall to her room (where we change her daipers)!  Now if only we can get her to say dai-pth BEFORE she poopies and pees, that would
be awesome! 

She started understanding sentences about a month ago too. I would say to her "Ba Kai Lan na gei Lao Nian" and she would find her Kai Lan doll, walk over and give it to my mom!  My favorite is when I say "Abby, gen ma-ma chu huan yi fu" (Come with Mommy to change your clothes) and she would run towards me and grab my pinky.  I have fond memories of holding onto my dad's pinky when I was little so it just warms my heart to do the same with my daughter. 

If you made it through my rambling, congratulations!  Now onto some recent pictures.  :)

Two nights ago we played in the pop-up pool again and ended up just giving Abby a bath in it afterwards. She LOVED it! :)   Daddy gave her a bath since I was already covered in mosquito bites (8 on my back alone - how inconvenient!).

I just like this picture.  :) 

One of the best $8 I ever spent.  I got her a little heart back pack and she loved it.  :)  She looks like she's on her way to school.

Roaming around the house.

Made it to the kichen!