I love socks. I like to put them in pails and pull them out again. I like to eat them or just carry them around in my mouth. I like to sort them into piles then re-sort them into different piles. I like pulling socks off my feet. As far as I'm concerned socks have very little downside.
I just thought that was worth mentioning.
After a really fun visit last night with my cousins at the Starrs in Portland, I spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa so that Dad and his friend Dave (Morrison) could do some remodeling work at home. It was nice not having to worry about them getting in my way.
In the evening, I started my latest set of swimming lessons. I am the only one in the class! Woot! Although I didn't do too much kicking, I paddled a bit with my arms and it was good to see my old instructor Lindsay again. I think she likes me.
Dad keeps saying how I look older and my feet are bigger. He's right, of course. I am a strapping young man! I'm definitely starting to get the hang of those "word" things I mentioned last time. What I mean is that I understand a lot of what's being said, even if people don't seem to understand me. Usually I can point at things and make myself understood, though, so that's working for now.
Words are finally starting to make sense to me. Sure, you people still utter a lot of incomprehensible nonsense, but some of your more basic English nouns and verbs are getting through to me. Even a couple French ones which, I'm sure, makes Mom happy.
It's pretty neat to figure out that this is how communication works, and although I'm having a tough time being understood myself, I'm trying to talk with increasing frequency. Of course if I'd known this is how things worked I could've started this process earlier. Why didn't somebody say so?
I spent yesterday with Grandma and Grandpa while Dad was off in Portland. We had a fun time together playing and walking about. I got to eat lots of grown-up foods, too, which is about time if I do say so myself. Honestly, I'll eat just about anything you put in front of me, but Mom and Dad have really been holding out on a lot of the good stuff. 'bout time I got my share.
I am happy and life is good.
We drove to Pacific City on Friday to join everybody (Joe & Carole, Robyn, Susan, Linda, Dave & Eileen) at a beach house. I am happy to report that I had a very good time and was widely admired. I would do this all again very happily!
I played in the sand and waves with Mom and Carol, and it was delicious fun. Dad promises to have pictures up soon.
I walked all over the house—especially up and down some stairs to the loft—and found it all very entertaining.
I ate a lot of interesting "adult" food. It was yummy, and I am eager for more.
In short, I think we should do this every weekend.
I spoke my first intentional word today (at least as far as Mom and Dad can tell) when I called for "Mama" and very clearly expressed my desire to be held by the same. My parents weren't initially inclined to transfer me from Dad's arms to Mom's, but after my sparkling vocal display they couldn't help but appease me. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
I've been busy doing all kinds of new and interesting things so I've not had a lot of time to update my weblog. Sorry about that.
Just the other day I was over at Grandma and Grandpa's walking around their back yard, throwing a ball with them (I throw with my left), and generally having fun. They have a neat carpetted house.
Last night I got to spend a few hours with my friend Vickie who works at Sprague with Mom. Recently, I've been wanting to be held a lot, and she was very happy to do some holding! I like that in a person.
I'm eating an increasing amount of adult food nowadays. It's especially fun when I get to eat the same stuff that Mom and Dad are socking away. It makes me full like one of the gang, which it should because I am.
I'm babbling a lot, and occasionally I'll slip out a word or two that Mom and Dad think they understand. I can tell they're not sure, though. I know I'm getting both English and French so it takes a little longer, but I'm game to keep working at it.
We leave tonight for Pacific City, on the Oregon coast. I'm told I was there last year, but I don't really remember much of it. I'm looking forward to playing in the sand with my pail and shovel. I'll let you know how it goes.
Strangely, the EPIC charts which show percentile rankings in height, weight, and head circumference for infants do not measure cuteness. If they did, I'm sure I'd be in the 100th percentile. At least that's what Mom and Dad told me at today's 1 year Well-Baby Check-up.
In sum, it's all systems "go." I'm at the 50th percentile for weight (23.1 lbs) and even got to stand on the big people scale for the first time instead of laying down on in a cold metal bucket like last time. My head circumference was also in the 50th percentile which you'd think would mean that my ego was in check, but Dad assures me that I've got a plenty big head.
I'm a little tall for my age at 30.5 inches. That's 75th percentile on the EPIC chart and probably because I've inherited Mom's long waist. Dad wonders if I'll be a basketball player.
As part of this visit I had a chicken pox immunization and the much-dreaded MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) shot. I'd been told for months how painful this MMR thing was supposed to be, but geez, it was nothing! Whatever they stabbed me with at the 6-month visit hurt a lot more. I didn't even cry this time. Too bad they don't put that in the EPIC charts.
I just finished playing with the door leading into Dad's office. Mom was on one side and Dad on the other, so I had to open the door, close it behind me, then turn around and do it again. In this happy manner I spent a good 10 minutes traveling between my parents. Although the door never full closed and I wasn't using the handle to open or shut it, I had fun playing my game.
Dad and I went to lapsit story time today. My favorite part was either Wheels on the Bus or the Hokie-Pokie. They both rock.
I'm moving around better than I was last week. My speed and stability have both increased markedly, and I believe my vocabulary may be improving as well. Certainly I'm starting to understand more words, though I think Mom's French coupled with Dad's English is slowing me down a bit. Dad says that this is OK because it will pay off in the long run. I don't know what he means by that, but I'll take his word for it.
It took awhile, but I now have four bottom teeth to go with my four top teeth. I like having a complete set like that because it helps me bite things like the nifty birthday cupcake I had over the weekend. Of course I mostly just took that and smeared the chocolate frosting everywhere. That was fun!
I'm sure Dad's noticed that I'm walking a lot faster now. Although I'm not 100 percent stable, the lure of moving as fast as grown-ups do encourages me to move my feet pitter-patter pitter-patter as fast as I can. One consequence is that it's getting a lot harder for Dad to hide when we we play hide-n-seek because I can go after him before he's ready. He's mentioned something about counting first, but since I don't even know what numbers are, I think he should just resign himself to me winning.
I've been a little clingy since Saturday's party up in Battle Ground. Some days are like that, you know? Mom and Dad have been good about picking me up and holding me, and it doesn't take too long for me to feel secure enough to want to get down and go exploring.
I petted a horse last week when I was out at a farm with Mom. She was helping on prom decorations or something. The horse was pretty, and I think he thought I was interesting too. We took turns checking each other out.
Life is good.