KJB, I can't believe you're only one month from being a 1 1/2-year-old!
This month has been pretty huge for you. Daddy and Mommy feel like we've watched you change into a whole new boy practically overnight! Here are some of the highlights:
- We simply cannot get over how verbal you've become. You are constantly learning and using new words. You love trying to repeat words that we say to you. You get so excited when you can point to something and name it correctly. Even when you're not using words we recognize, you're often talking in a language that sounds very much like French. Perhaps you're bilingual? :) I've continued to keep a running list of the words that you know and use on a pretty regular basis. Needless to say, it's lengthened considerably since last month. Here are the new additions:
Names: Jefe ("Effe"), Nana, Mimi
Mealtime: milk ("muck"), water ("va-ter"), oatmeal ("oh-meal"), cereal ("cee-wheel"), peas, pear ("per"), pizza, plate ("pate"), bowl ("bow"), spoon ("soon"), bib, hot
Animals: cat, bird ("bir"), mouse, bunny, wolf ("ulf"), horse ("hose"), owl, bear, fish, cow, dinosaur ("dio-sur")
Body Parts: tummy, foot/feet, toes, hair, tongue ("tome")
Getting Clean: bath ("baf"), soap, comb, brush, toothbrush ("toot-brush"), toothpaste ("toot-pate"), toilet paper ("pay-pa")
Getting Dressed: clothes ("cose"), jeans ("dese"), shirt ("shut"), shoes, socks ("sauce"), diaper, hat, zipper
Around the House: bed, TV, phone, trash ("tash"), shelf, door ("doe"), piano ("pio"), light ("ite")
Playtime: play ("pay"), book/books ("booze"), read ("weed"), puzzle, football ("faba"), truck ("tuck"), train ("tain"), boat, net ("et"), bubbles, drum ("dum"), bells ("bess")
Shapes: star ("dar"), heart ("art"), oval ("ovu"), moon ("mun-o")
Colors: blue ("boo"), red ("ed"), yellow ("ya-yo"), orange ("otch"), green ("geen"), purple ("pup-le"), black ("back"), white ("ite"), pink ("pete")
Numbers: zero ("cee-o"), one, two, three ("fee"), four ("foe"), five ("fuv"), six, seven ("sevie"), eight ("et"), nine
Misc: I love you ("I-you"), thank you ("da-choo"), pray ("pay"), bless you ("beshoo"), fire ("fa-var"), sun, flowers ("fovers")
- I feel like I can say with certainty that you know your entire uppercase alphabet now--and some lowercase, too! (Of course, some letters are still a little difficult for you to pronounce.) You also correctly identify the numbers 0-9, and when asked what color something is (of those you know how to say), you can usually tell us.
- You have a newfound love for (obsession with?) the words "hi" and "bye-bye". You know how to use them in context and usually do. When we're out and about, strangers (especially cashiers) get a kick out of hearing you greet them and say farewell. However, you also like to say "hi" and "bye-bye" at totally random times. There were several days right in a row where we would be playing at home, and you would walk up to me, get a big grin on your face, and just say, "Hi!" Sometimes you even say it in way that I can tell you're imitating the inflection I use when I say it to you ("Hi-ee!") Crack me up. And don't get me started on "bye-bye". There are so many times when I haven't the faintest idea what you're saying "bye-bye" to. Several mornings I've come to get you from your crib first thing in the morning, and moments after popping up you say, "Bye-bye." Perhaps you'd still like some more alone time before starting your day? :)
- When we're out driving in the car, you get very excited when you see a bus and are always sure to tell me that one is nearby. We see lots of city buses, but you especially love when we spot a school bus ("soo bus"). In fact, you think buses are so cool often any large vehicle is identified as a "bus". We're working on distinguishing between buses and trucks. Then of course there are vans and SUVs to make it even more confusing!
- So far there is only one "word" you say consistently that I can't quite figure out. You've started pointing to many things and saying "da-dees." At first I thought you were trying to say, "Daddy's," as if everything potentially belonged to your daddy, but I'm thinking now maybe it's a weird version of "these", or something along those lines? It will be interesting to see whether it drops out of your vocabulary before Mommy finally figures out what exactly you're trying to communicate.
- Lately you have loved learning people's names. I'll say, "This is _____. Can you say '_____'?" and you'll try your best to repeat me. Some of our friends whose names you definitely know are Amy, Tavin ("Taveen"), Austin ("Auseen"), Kassi, Joe, Nat ("Dat"), and Hudson ("Hudsie"). You've also been able to say Meaghan ("May-in"), Mark, and Mary ("Mare"). Of course, everyone loves to hear you say their names, and we love that you are taking such an interest in communicating with other people.
- Now when I tell you not to do or play with something, you will go up to it afterward and say "no-no". Often while repeating this instruction you will almost touch the object that is off-limits. Maybe you're trying to let me know just how good you are at listening to and obeying Mommy. :)
- You added two new teeth to your mouth this month! Looks like you're slowly "filling in the gaps". On 4/28, your left upper canine showed up, followed by your right upper canine on 5/1. This brings you to a grand total of 14 pearly whites. These two seem to be takin' their sweet time coming in, though, and are still just barely poking through.
- Until a few weeks ago I never really focused on trying to teach you how to drink from a straw. There have been several times when I tried to offer you a sip of my drink, and you would just bite down on the straw and not really know what to do. I decided it was high time to get you trained, so I bought a new straw cup (the one you had before required you to bite down on the straw to get started, so that kind of contributed to the problem) and demonstrated for you how to suck from it one evening at dinner. It took you a couple of tries, but once you tasted that sweet "muck" you had no trouble catching on quickly. By the end of the meal, you were a straw-sipping pro. You're already loving getting swigs of my drinks now when we're out and about!
- When you're eating something that you really enjoy, you've started saying, "Mmmmm!" I say, "Is that yummy?" and you say, "Nummy." Such a little thing, but I think it's pretty adorable!
- We've started a little ritual lately: Every afternoon when I come to get you from your nap, we go outside together to get the mail. As soon as I mention it, you begin repeating "mail" over and over again until we do. I can't explain how it is that you pronouce it that makes it so darn cute, but it just tickles me to death. You get super excited to go "out-sie" to see what kinds of exciting things await us in the black box by the street. Then we come back inside and go through them together on the living room floor. You love to flip through ads, watch Mommy open envelopes, and sometimes tear off pieces of the junk mail that is going to get recycled anyway.
- Your new favorite song is "Old Mac Donald". You love to sing this when we're driving in the car, and will often start saying "E-I-E-I" to get Mommy to start it. We're working on learning animal noises; so far you definitely know dog, cow, horse, and sheep. You crack me up when you sing what seems like an endless string of "E-I-E-I-E-I-E-I-E-I-E-I" before finally deciding to say "O".
- You have begun to show frustration when you are playing with puzzles and can't get the pieces in place immediately or stacking blocks or cups and they fall down. You make an angry face, kind of flap your arms, and let out a loud whine/grunt. Each time, I tell you not to get upset and to try again. Often you ask for my "hep". I think you may have inherited Mommy's impatience and desire to do always things perfectly!
Building a tower at the Science Center.
Mini-fit when it fell down!
- You've gotten increasingly attached to Buster this month. In addition to smuggling him out of your crib during the day whenever possible, you now start calling for Buster when you are super tired or sad. Often we grab him as soon as we get to your room so you can snuggle with him while we read books before you go down for a nap. I think it's so sweet that he brings you so much comfort.
My child, is it possible that you've gotten even
cuter this month?
"Blue club or red club? Decisions, decisions."
He's going to be a great one!
Actin' goofy before naptime.
Admiring the lovely "ya-yo fovers" in our backyard.
Someone found a new hiding spot!
Kaiser Justin, you just might have to slow down a little bit over the next month. I'm not sure we can handle you learning so much so quickly! As always, we're beyond proud of you. Love you Kiddo!
