Law Students

17 months, almost

I hardly know where to begin. You've changed and learned so much since the last time I wrote.

You're talking a lot these days. Your favorite word is "No," which it took me a few days to realize you don't always mean. I've been trying to teach you "yes," and I think it's starting to catch on. I used to be able to list your entire vocabulary in a few lines, but I can't do it anymore.

You're starting to recognize your numbers and letters. You like to count, "Two, thee," but never one. You'll point to "O, P," but for every other letter you say "E."

You have all your animal sounds down cold now (including a couple that I made up -- one day a school friend will inform you that a giraffe does not say GEE, nor does a panda say pan-DA!!), and when we sing "Old McDonald" you supply the sound effects. You have a duck rattle that Velcros around your wrist, and lately you never want to take it off. You run around wearing it and every once in a while you look at it and say, "Quack, quack," and laugh.

This summer you've spent a lot of time riding around the neighborhood in your blue car, pointing excitedly at dogs and blowing kisses to passers-by. When I walk around without you, people ask me, "Where's the baby?"

I took you to a concert over the weekend. This was your third time seeing live music this summer and it makes me so happy that you love it. You bounced in my lap, and got up and danced, and clapped after every song. I'll be done with my summer job soon and I see lots of singalongs in our future.

Other things you've been doing lately: Pinching my nose while saying, "Nose!" Knocking down towers of blocks: "boom!" And stacking up five and occasionally even six blocks on your own. Eating corn off the cob and watermelon off the rind. ("Eat the pink part," I remind you, and you still try to shove the green part in your mouth and then look at me, shaking your head.) Becoming more attached to your pacifier, suddenly, after over a year of only having it for naps and bedtime. I knew I shouldn't have let you have it that day, but you were so miserable about your teeth that I thought you needed something to comfort you. Speaking of teeth, you still love brushing yours and would carry your toothbrush around forever if we'd only let you. Drinking out of a sippy cup with large holes and a fast flow, except I only put a little water in it at a time because when you're done drinking, you like to turn it upside-down and see the water come out. Drinking tea: "Tea! Tea!" I made you some chamomile tea when you were sick and you loved it. You had a little of Daddy's iced tea over the weekend too. Going up stairs, but not down so much -- I know you can, you just don't want to. Climbing a little -- up on the fireplace, or on the footstool in the kitchen. We need to do another round of babyproofing.

Today we were looking through a magazine and when you saw a picture of Thomas the Tank Engine, you got so excited. First you said, "Train, train," and then you saw his smiling face and got a huge grin on yours, and then you carried around the picture saying, "Te, te," which I translate as "Thomas, Thomas." (I told you his name.) How did this happen? As far as I know you've never seen Thomas before. Either they're indoctrinating you at daycare, or the whole nature versus nurture thing isn't much of a debate after all. I guess it had to start some time.

Somebody at work was telling me that even though her nieces and nephews are older now, she thinks their personalities haven't changed much since they were your age. I hope that's true for you too.

Love,
Mommy

Full post as published by Magic Cookie on July 22, 2008 (boomark / email).