Highlight of my day today? Greg taught Eric to say "I love you Mommy". Then later when Eric and I were playing blocks (Greg's at a worship team retreat tonight), he referred to Daddy, and I said "Yes, we love Daddy". He echoed "we love daddy" and then said "I love mommy" and gave me a hug. I replied "Aw, I love you too. Mommy loves Eric." This exchange was repeated 2 more times. Heart goes melty melty.

I've been tracking the phrases Eric says the last couple weeks so I can sound intelligent when our pediatrician asks how his verbal skills are at his 2yr appt next month. I'm tracking 2+word phrases, and only ones that he generates, not what he echoes. So far, this is the tally:
yummy mush
song? no song!
mommy water
yummy cracker
daddy mail?
I found you!
yummy strawberry mush
I drop spoon
I see spoon
I draw honey
I under
zipper on...jacket?
baby elephant
yummy cheese
more cheese
please book
he's in water?
Kyle night-night?
yummy apple pie for Eric?
number three
eentsy weentsy spider
piece cracker
birdie bush
no more water
Eric's turn
daddy's turn
thank you sticker
right side up
upside down
dry diaper
night night mommy
all done daddy?
yummy cheese sauce
more sour cream?
all done out
mommy more box
me drop lion
Of course, we understand these words, but they're not necessarily pronounced so that others might readily understand them.

He is still fascinated by letters and numbers, and is getting better and better at identifying them. We're starting to add little bits of "word trivia" such as "yes, that's a B. very good. B as in Baby", and spelling out words that he's pointing out the letters in, such as after he points out the M, O, and N in MOON, saying "M-O-O-N, that spells Moon. Mmmmmoon." I certainly notice that he's much better at identifying things when he's rested and fed. If he's tired and/or hungry, his vocabulary plummets. :-)