Well, it seems inevitable for a child with Maxie DNA, that when learning to talk, after she’s gotten the staples out of the way (“yesh”, “NO!”, “Mammy!”, “Daddieee!”), that her next major word would of course be……. “Boogie”.

Yes, other parent’s out there in the CBeebies generation may be familiar with a program called “Boogie Beebies” – a cheap and cheerful sort of show aimed at getting kid’s to exercise through dance, while slowly driving their parents insane with it’s repetitive, kid-oriented music.

Being that Emily watches most of her TV off Tivo, we have editorial control over what we offer her. We tend to avoid Channel 5 and Nick Jr shows, mostly because of the horrible adverts, and stick with CBeebies shows mostly. They tend to be nicer, and generally with at least a slight education slant. Roly Mo is a particular favourite or ours… ahem, I mean her’s.

I don’t remember that we selected Boogie Beebies as one to record, so I guess she might have seen it on ‘ordinary TV’. But now she is hooked.

“Booogee. BOOOOGeee. BOOOOOOGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!” she will cry, pointing to the TV and escalating her insistence, until we find an episode and put it on. Then she watches with intense concentration, and occasionally joins in with some movements.

The one fortunate side effect of it so far, is the latest episode, “Football shimmy”, features a bunch of kid’s kicking balls around at Upton Park! So, while she is watching, in the background on the stands, the words “West Ham United” are being subliminally absorbed into her impressionable mind. Resistance is futile……..

Maybe it’s those dancing genes of Max. Maybe it was taking her to a Baby Rave. All I know is that if I hear the words “Yo, Ho, Yo HeeHee, a pirate gang is the life for me” one more time, I might be doin’ some pirate killin’ of me own. Me Hearties. Arrrr.

See a video clip of “Booogeeeee!” (Quicktime Required).

Although, as I mentioned previously, Emily has entered a contrary stage, she also keeps doing a whole lot of unbelievably cute things. She is becoming clearer by the day and although she is not talking her vocabulary is growing day by day.

She is now saying daddy where she previously just said dad. She has got the ‘mom’ sorted perfectly and is using it all the time now! Even as I speak Warren is bathing Emily and she is shouting ‘Mommmm’. She is trying to copy what we say all the time and today on the way to her friend Ellie’s house, she kept saying ‘ey-ee’ (as in Ellie) all the way in the car. It was too cute! Even funnier is that she keeps taking one of Warren’s U2 CD’s off the shelf, pointing to the Edge and saying ‘Daddy’!

Another new form of communicating is pointing. If she wants to walk down the stairs instead of being carried she points to the stair. If she wants to do something other than is asked she points to the opposite eg. eating on the sofa instead of at the table. Also she likes to point to her hands if she wants something in them, particularly Cheerios or biscuits.

I was telling my mom today, about how Emily can be really good but she has a real naughty streak and has definitely entered the testing phase. She reminded me of this poem which made me laugh:

There was a little girl
with a little curl
right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good
she was very very good
but when she was bad
she was horrid.

I wouldn’t say that Emily was horrid but I thought the poem was quite apt.

Today, while at her grannies she stole grannies choccy biscuit when she wasn’t looking! She also proceeded to do everything I asked her not to do.

Yesterday she hit a shop assistant on the legs (very bad and very embarrassing). I have no idea what that was about.