Kayleigh has really hit a turning point in communication. She still stubbornly refuses to speak when she doesn't need to - preferring to physically drag you to where she wants you to be rather than saying something like, "Mama here!"

However, lately, she has been trying so hard to respond appropriately with a nod or a shake of her head while saying, "No! No! Noooo!"

Last night, she really wanted Abby's share of kiwi fruit after finishing her own, so she stomped, cried, and started hitting Abby to get what she wanted. We kept offering her the remainder of her dinner to which she kept shaking her head. Finally, not putting up with the hitting anymore, we threatened, "Kayleigh, do you want a timeout?!"

Obviously thinking we were offering her food (but certainly not the dinner remains we had been insisting on), she nodded emphatically.

Boy, was she ANGRY when I led her to a step stool and asked her to sit there until she calmed down. Full-blown Kayleigh temper tantrum followed with her on her knees, forehead on the ground, screaming.

It's funny how quickly toddlers get distracted, though. While face-down on the floor, she spotted Abby's dress-up slippers next to her, so within 1 minute of her tantrum she was happy again, laying on her back trying to get her foot into a shoe.

And that was the end of the episode.