Wordsmith

I know my readers must think I have mad verbal skills since I regularly make blog posts involving complete sentences. The truth is, though, that I communicate my thoughts to Mommy through a series of blinks and telepathic transmissions and she types them here for me. While I have big, ponderous, deep thoughts, my ability to verbalize them (or type them) won't catch up for a while. It's frustrating, sure, but I console myself by occasionally biting Mommy and with the thought that one day I'll be able to work it all out in therapy.

Happily, I am making some strides in the ability to speak my thoughts. Herewith are some of my first attempts at stringing some consonants and vowels together in a meaningful way:

1. Da - This syllable I use both alone and in a string, as in "Da-Da-Da-Da-Da." In the singular, "Da" means "that" (as in, "I want that," or, "Look at that!") or "dog" (such as when we read the soft dog book, and I say "DA!" after Mommy or Daddy say "Big dog" or "Long dog"). A double "Da" indicates I'm all done ("DA-da!"), as in, "I'm displeased to be holding an emptied bottle," or, "I'm done sitting in my booster chair at the table." I use "Da-Da-Da-Da-Da" often for my Daddy (as in, "Look, it's Daddy!" or "Where's Daddy?" or "I love you, Daddy!") but I also find it useful to express my glee at interacting with adult males generally, such as my Uncle Jon or waiters in restaurants. "Da" is just such a useful word.
2. Buh - This syllable I consider the silliest of syllables and enjoy repeating it or having it repeated it to me ad nauseum. I have also begun (Sunday was the first time it was officially noted, at the Orlando airport, when I was talking to the ticket agents) to use it in conjunction with flapping the fingers of both my hands up and down to say bye-bye. I'm not a trained seal, people, so don't try to get me to do it just to see it done; I can tell when I'm not going bye-bye and I won't do it then.
3. Wa-Wa - I believe my love of all things water-related (baths, showers, sprinklers, swimming pools, oceans, aquariums, rain, sippy cups) has been well documented, so it should be no surprise that last week when I was playing on my Nonna's bed and heard her get in the shower, I craned my neck toward the sound of the shower and said, "Wa-Wa?" We've been reading a Baby Einstein book my Aunt Christa gave me called "Water, Water, Everywhere" all the time lately, which I believe accelerated my understanding of the word. I haven't said it again, at least not that anyone's noted, but I'm storing it away, saving it for a rainy day.
4. Nyuma-Nyuma - I pulled this one out right and left to indicate my desire to eat for about two weeks in California, but it got so tired. I prefer these days to just grab at food if I'm not fed promptly. Maybe I'll use it again later.

So far I haven't used "Ma" in a way anyone has found meaningful, but my mommy still loves me anyway.

As far as language comprehension goes, a couple of notable examples include:

1. No, no! - My parents avoided using any negative language with me for nine months or so, so when they first used the word "No," I thought it was just some nonsense word they said for my entertainment, and I laughed heartily. Now, though, even though I don't always comply, I do understand what it means. For example, when I touch the porcelain on Nonna's bottom shelf and Mommy says, "No, no!," I pull my hand back quickly. If I'm feeling impish, I then giggle and slowly reach toward the china while watching Mommy closely. I just love going to Nonna's because there are so many interesting things at my eye level!
2. "Barnyard Dance" by Sandra Boynton - This book is just excellent and I never tire of having it read to me. Sometimes when Mommy is doing homework and I'm tired of playing on the floor by myself, she will tap her foot and recite the opening lines for me ("Stomp your feet!/Clap your hands!/Everybody ready for a barnyard dance!/Bow to the horse/Bow to the cow/Twirl with the pig if you know how!") and I will go find the book and begin leafing through it. How smart am I?

Okay - enough with the bragging. Let's get on with what you really came here for: pictures of me!

Daddy and I went to an Indians' game last week with Uncle Jon, who bought me a whole team get-up so I'd look proper for the game. We had dinner at Great Lakes with Mommy before the game and then rode their Fatty Wagon over the bridge to Jacobs Field.



Nonna, Mommy and I went to Jacksonville last week to see my cousin Johnny and his parents, Aunt Lissa and Uncle John. We were very lucky both ways that I was able to have my own seat, between Nonna and Mommy. After takeoff, I got to sit in it like a big boy, but when I got tired I enjoyed a good nap-inducing snuggle with Nonna.

I loooooooooved playing with Johnny. He entertained me by waving his mimi in my face, which I thought was hysterical. He shared his Little People with me, and I loved to crawl around with one in each hand the whole weekend. He also shared his Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear dolls with me, which I thought was really cool. It made him sad, though, when he wanted Woody back and I wouldn't give him up; since Woody was Johnny's favorite, I decided it was mine, too.

We tried to take pictures together while we looked nice, but Johnny hadn't had a nice nap in the church nursery like I had, so he wasn't as eager to participate as I was.




Mommy and I had dinner with Uncle Jon at The Old Angle the other night while Daddy was out of town, then I got to hang out with Uncle while Mommy did her homework. I like hanging out with him and playing with his watch and showing him pictures of our west coast trip. For his part, Uncle did not enjoy having his picture taken.


After we took Daddy to work today, Mommy took me to Grandma T's to see my Cousin Bailey. We watched some Baby Einstein together, and Bailey let me play with her pink phone.