Indiana Idylls

I can't believe I didn't write this up sooner. It is now February 8, 2013. Paul is away in Columbus, OH, for Global Game Jam. He is due home late tonight. During dinner, Leo mentioned at least twice that he heard something. "Check!" he implored. When we were all quiet, we couldn't hear anything. Cleaning up after dinner, Leo is on the tower. I don't remember what I am getting for him, but I turn to use the sink and there is a mouse on the edge of the sink. I'm sure I yell and jump back. Leo can see him, and starts getting nervous. I shoo the mouse, thinking I'll watch where he goes and learn where they're coming from. The mouse goes over the other side of the sink. I shoo him again, and now he runs up into the spices, which are stored in ball jars on small shelves. He seems to be daring me to catch him. Not knowing what else to do, I go to the garage and get a pair of gloves. I try to catch him, but he runs further back into the spices and th...

It's hard to remember last New Year's, when Leo could not yet walk. I do remember, as late as August (my last post, in fact), wondering if he would ever stop making that TV-static-noise. What a different boy he is as 2012 begins! His vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis. There are still some quaint Leo-isms, like "la-lahp" to mean "water", but most of his words are spot-on and he strings them together to tell great stories. A few examples: Two weeks ago, I was pulling cookies out of the oven when Leo came around the corner. I told him it was hot, but he was already backing up and saying "Hot. Hot." Then he surveyed the scene, and looked up to where the cookies were cooling. "Cookies! Cookies. Eat. Those. Please. Happy." "Check" is one of his words, and I want to laugh almost every time my little investigator wants to follow-up on something unknown, whether it's a beep outside ("Beep! Truck! Check...

Alex: [stretches out arm, pointing finger extended, and makes slight up-and-down chopping motion] This could be the sign for "knife." Me: Sure, but what would you use it for? Alex: If I had to talk to someone who is iridescent, they would understand me. Me: Someone who is what? Alex: Someone who is iridescent. Me: I think you mean "deaf," someone who cannot hear. Alex: Yes, that's it.

Back in March, I noted that Leo could express the following: cows say "mmmmmm" owls say "mmmmm" pigs say "snort" His vocabulary has improved, somewhat, since then, so I wanted to capture this moment in time. aaah (like a stage-whisper roar): dinosaur ah-oo. uh-oh cah (pronounced like a drawn-out stage whisper): 1.car 2.truck 3.anything with wheels d-d: diaper Dada: Dad dhee: 1.bee 2.any bug 3.bean 4.pea 5.deer. dohwm: down dye: guy guhn: 1.corn. 2.cone hi: hello Ma or mama: Mom mama (with one sweet finger resting on his chin, pointing to his bottom lip): asking nicely for something 'sh: fish ssss: 1.snake. 2.kiss 3.yes uh: up He gestures for "more", "potty", "milk", and "all gone". I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but this is a start!

He cut out 10 droids!

I was reading Goodnight Moon to Leo at bedtime, and when I got to "Goodnight air," he reached up and grabbed his ear , and made the little grunting "eh" noise he does for ear. It was just in the last few days that he started "saying" "ear", though he's known about ears for some time. He has frustratingly few unique sound-names for things, though he does sign for milk and more (often the same sign), and he makes excited gestures that usually involve repeated reaching, almost like a doggy-paddle in the air, to indicate that he wants something. Recently, he's desired to show me objects of interest. He might be playing the family room while I'm otherwise occupied, and he'll come find me, object in hand, then hold it up as high as he can and say "Ooooh!" Once acknowledged, he usually goes back to whatever he was going. Another happy development has been his improved kissing technique. I am more likely now to get a peck on t...

Some ideas for how kids can help in the kitchen: scrubbing veggies or dishes tearing pouring rolling kneading peeling cutting grating slicing spreading shaking