This is what they call the "pre-verbal" stage. Despite the fact that she talks pretty much from waking ("Mama bear blanket duck birds diaper") until sleeping ("night night prayers mama dada lucy mama geggy baga opa go sleep duck night night"), we seem to have a communication problem. The kind of communication problem you would have with a small, type A cavewoman. Wants it how she wants it, when she wants it, but can't really describe her particular vision for how it should be. As in:
"Moosk. Again. 'gin, 'gin, 'gin, 'gin. Algator. 'gin, 'gin, 'gin" = "Mother, that 'Alligators All Around' song is delightful. Let's listen to it 30 or 40 more times or until I can sing all the words. And you sing along. No listening to NPR, please. Thanks."
"Nini hello Nini hello Nini hellooooo." = "I want Nini's cell phone, which I see very clearly in the armrest. I can still see it. You're not fooling me. Hand it over."
"Type! Type, type, type." = "I have a great idea for a screenplay if you'll let me use your laptop for a while."
"Nooooo-wa. Nooo-wa." = "No, that won't do."
She is driving us a little crazy. And the feeling is mutual. She looks at me sometimes, her eyebrows lowered, and I KNOW she is thinking, "I am surrounded by idiots."