Monday, February 28, 2011

Another Visit from My Friend Malcolm

We continue to get closer and closer....









Fashion I'm Big Enough For

My Grandpa and Abuelita got me something long ago that I am finally big enough for:



Thursday, February 24, 2011

EC Update

Rushing to the potty took a back seat for my mama and daddy when I would scream and kick if they put me on the potty, even if we all knew I had to go. They just talked about it with me as usual. If I peed in my diaper or pooped on the floor we talked about it. I often would come over and tell them about it if they didn't notice -- "mama," point, "poop." My parents both used more diapers and gave me more diaper free time (or just put on pants with no diaper). 

Lately, though, with mostly diaper free time all day, I have been telling mama and daddy when I have to go to the potty. I usually sign and say potty. I most often have to go, even if it's just a little "peeps" as my mama likes to say. Sometimes, though, it's a big poop and we sit and talk and play and sing...often about poop and the potty. Sometimes I brush my hair or my teeth or read a book if I need to be in there a while. When I am finished I try to slide off the big potty or I get up off my potty. Sometimes I'll reach to flush. 

Just in the last day or two, I have grown enough (growth spurt this weekend?) to back up and sit down on my own. I practiced that all day and now I can do it pretty well! Sometimes I just start walking to the potty and then I look back and tell mama to come. I am getting ready to do this on my own, though; she can tell. 

Lucky for me, my parents are pretty laid back about things. If I need more time or help they will continue, as they have since I was one month, to talk to me about things: to communicate. My mama knows that the constant is change and that forward movement is rarely straight. For now, though, we all feel pretty good about my newfound sense of independence.

New Developments

Yet again, I have grown in obvious ways, and most likely in many invisible ways, too.

1. Some of my new signs are toast, dirty, bird. I am definitely learning signs faster. My mama says, I am "ready," meaning I am a little sponge for information. I stare at my mama's face and hands to see what is happening. I mimic a lot more. Mostly though, I watch for an instance, a day, a few weeks and then I try myself when I put it all together. Dirty I have only seen now and again, but more lately; I just signed that one out of the blue last night. Well, it wasn't out of the blue because my dad had made a "That's dirty" kind of sound and face. Toast also came up now and again, but one day I really watched my mama for the first time and I signed it immediately after watching. Bird has been a long, long time coming.
2. I now have a full body dance repertoire -- I move my head, my arms, my body, my legs and feet.
3. I can now dance and sing at the same time. I move my body in rhythm and sing a little song.
4. I clearly am drawn to rhythm. If my mama or daddy is saying something rhythmic or I hear it from somewhere. I stop, go over and stare and then try on my own at any random point. In this way, my parents show me a rhythm over and over now and again throughout a day or week, and I will just bust out with the rhythm all of a sudden. Usually, though, it seems to my mama like I use my whole body to learn and let the easiest body part start first. Some rhythms it is my feet, some my hands, some my whole/upper body and some my voice.
5. I am now reading books. I sit by myself with a book, turn the pages, mimic little sounds that are my favorite when my parents read, and make up my own little stories as I point to the things on the page. If I had to choose, though, I love to back my little buns up into a warm lap and listen to someone else read a book.
6. I have now fulfilled my mama's vision of me having full access to the second floor (which for me means the two bedrooms and the hall). I wake up in the bedroom (the room I was born in), roll and stretch and sing and talk for a moment, climb out of bed, pull open the door (ajar), walk through the "baby" room and pull open that door (ajar), walk into the hall, and come into my play room where my parents are waiting for me to wake up and play. Yesterday, after a short nap, I came in with my swaddle still on (because if I want to I can get my arms out and walk in this stretchy swaddle). I had on my face the biggest of smiles seeing my mama there. My mama and daddy had a big smile on their faces. It was a wonderful moment. It feels pretty good to feel able to do that.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Potluck

We went to a potluck yesterday so my mama and daddy could listen to a talk. Here are some photos of the dinner:


Sunday, February 13, 2011

New Rhythm

I am taller with more teeth and and older face. I can do lots of new things.

At dinner today, I grabbed my mama's hand and began drumming on the table with it. After a while she said the rhythm my daddy told me a few weeks ago. "Ta-ki-Ta-ki-ta" I grabbed her hand again and drummed that rhythm, on beat, numerous times.

My mama said I'm ready for a new rhythm...

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Nookabout Time!

Dancing with Baby

Baby.....

I like to play with baby, whoever baby might be in the moment. This little baby is easy to hold and play with. I know how to brush my hair, so when my mama suggested baby's hair might need a brushing, I let her know that I knew what hair was.

Stingy Dancer

My mama was trying all night the other day to catch me dancing. That's where all these videos come from.

Dancing and Bread?

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Baby Dance Party

Cuteness

Fast Friends

More Running Babies

Running Babies!

Flute-y Friends

My Grandapa and I play music together sometimes when we Skype.

Teeth!

It is so hard for my mama to photograph my teeth, but she keeps on trying!