I am 110% over my illness. Today I showed the full effect of my nookiness. I nooked about all day with my daddy. I actually gave him a most memorable experience. I was playing happily when I decided to go over to my daddy, give his arm a couple of caressing strokes and leaned in for a kiss on the mouth just like my mama and daddy like to give me! My daddy loves kisses. This was the first one I have really given him completely on my own out of the blue just because I wanted to. My mama has gotten a few kisses this way, but my daddy, who loves kisses even more, was waiting and waiting. When I gave him that kiss, he just melted into a puddle. He had to play drums for an hour after that. I obliged by walking over to the little table where my mama keeps instruments for me, grabbing my new clangy cymbals, walked back over to my daddy and started playing with him! Of course, he could barely contain himself. After all that loving and playing, I took a long, two-hour nap.
When my mama got home I was still sleeping! I woke up and smiled away when I heard it was my mama coming to get me. I woke up so happy! Then I played and played.
My mama read me a book, one she has only read once or twice to me. After hearing her read it and pointing and signing to the dog and telling mama that the baby in the book is asleep. Then I took the book and read the first page in the same sing-songy melody my mama used to read that page. She was excited because this was my first real attempt at reading a whole page. Well, I guess technically the last attempt was with "A horse says 'neigh'" in one of my books. (The last page, of course, so I remembered how the words went.)
Later my mama wanted to put a diaper on me. I was fine staying on the changing table. I knew what she was doing because she told me with her words and her hands. My mama has noticed that in the days after my flu, I have been incredibly intentional about watching her hands and trying to make any signs she is using. Well, for the first time, I tried to sign diaper back. It is a harder one, but I was doing the finger closing and the two fingers with thumb, but not at the same time. I also tried to say diaper. I said the "di" part because I can already say that. Then I only got as far as the 'pah' sound in a separate part, as if I was talking very, very, very slowly. In fact, this is sort of true, because the human brain's processing speed doesn't hit full adult capacity until late in adolescence. I process things more slowly. That's why I don't mind when my mama says things over and over and says them slowly. I stare intently at her face and hands and listen closely to her voice.
The last cool thing that happened was in the kitchen. After we read books it was time to make dinner. My mama and daddy were busy making this and that, and I was busy walking around and eating. My mama sensed that I was ready for my own little food station. She had been waiting to see if I was ready or not, but something told her my "oven and stove" would be a good place to put snacks. She thought of this years ago after seeing daddy's friend AJ and his wife Christine spontaneously create such a space for their little one about my age. Aumar (their baby boy) learned in just one day where to go if he wanted more snack. Just like Aumar, my mama wanted me to have the independence during snack times to grab whatever I want out of the things she left. Yesterday she left out some orange, which I have been loving all of a sudden lately (for the Vitamin C after my illness?). She also put out some toast, later a pear and a little glass of apple juice. I started with the orange. I chose the toast and then went back to the orange. Finally I got thirsty and grabbed the glass with one hand. My mama told me to use two hands and she showed me. I grabbed the glass with two hands and began to drink on my own, just like a big girl! Of course, the next time I tried I dumped it on the floor, but that's learning for you! It was nice to have the ability to grab a snack that I wanted and then nook about until I was hungry again. It didn't ruin my dinner either because I ate the paneer, cauliflower and peas my mama gave me.
WHAT A DAY!
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