These photos are from a few weeks ago... we got some other great photos in a shoot w/ Yusef yesterday, which I'll share soon. But, just want to record a few things before they fly out of my mind and we're on to the next thing.
Ben, Dad and I are so proud of you and impressed by all the connections you make, all the language you use. The other day, when I was pumping on one side and nursing Leify on the other, you said, "Mom, you're doing two things at once." Then you smiled and added, laughing, "You can't do two things at once! That's silly!"
Last week at the bank, you counted out the six coins I had in a coin purse. You also turned clear plastic stands for marketing materials into shovels and loaders to move around coins and crayons. And you impressed the Latina banker by saying, "Abajo" en espanol.
When playing on the floor in the playroom, you having an ever-running narrative, and all the trucks talk to each other, with full quotes. Many are drawn directly from books (especially the Tonka "Chuck and Friends" book and iPad app., but other books too). Some are your spontaneous creation. A lot of the conversations involve towing, needing help, etc. This morning you thanked me for helping you with something and then said, "I couldn't have done it without you, Mom." Thanks to Tonka for that line!
But, today something new happened. You've been asking me for a few days now what different pages in books say, pointing to the words. Today, you did it twice on the cover of a book -- I can't even remember what book now, but you pointed at "The" -- the first word in the title -- and asked, "What does that say?" I told you. Then you pointed to "the" in lowercase, later in the title and said, "What does that say?" "The." My heart skipped a little: the small euphoria of watching you tread just a bit closer to reading. Before, you were focused on memorizing books you heard. Now you're beginning to ask about what these individual words do. Another way to use your two favorite questions, "What is that?" "What does it DO?"
Leify, I fear you'll think we hardly even noticed you as a baby, in comparison to all our posts about Ben. Not so! You are such an incredible, agreeable, sweet little guy. We just can't stop talking to you, playing with you, pretending to body slam you onto your brother (you think that's really funny). You have a great, uproarious belly laugh. Your little bottom curls so cute. I can't keep my hands off of you! You are doing a zillion new things:
-- You can't sit up unsupported yet, but you are learning how to crawl. You've been scooting for a few weeks (scooting backward into corners is one of your favorite activities). You've been doing planks and downward dog, and now you've been getting up on hands and knees (so, so, so CUTE) and rocking back and forth. Grandpa says he saw you take one crawl step forward. You love to be on your tummy playing with toys, scooting after them, swiveling in circles -- and up on all fours trying to crawl.
-- You started eating! You've tried broccoli (you like it!), chicken, cheerios, avacado, apple sauce (yum!), a green bean and toast.
-- You love, love, love your family: Mama, Daddy, and Ben. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the two of you together, wrestling and hugging, with you wide-mouthed, belly-laughing, unrestrained joy at ANY attention from your big brother. Ben deigning to play with you and tell you he loves you and trying to be gentle for a little while, small snatches of each day. "I want my baby. Give me my baby," your brother says, sitting up, arms outstretched.
You're impressing other young boys, too. A three-year-old at the mall yesterday pointed at you and told his dad, "I want to buy that baby." Just so you know, we didn't offer a price.
I love you!
Mama
Ben, Dad and I are so proud of you and impressed by all the connections you make, all the language you use. The other day, when I was pumping on one side and nursing Leify on the other, you said, "Mom, you're doing two things at once." Then you smiled and added, laughing, "You can't do two things at once! That's silly!"
Last week at the bank, you counted out the six coins I had in a coin purse. You also turned clear plastic stands for marketing materials into shovels and loaders to move around coins and crayons. And you impressed the Latina banker by saying, "Abajo" en espanol.
When playing on the floor in the playroom, you having an ever-running narrative, and all the trucks talk to each other, with full quotes. Many are drawn directly from books (especially the Tonka "Chuck and Friends" book and iPad app., but other books too). Some are your spontaneous creation. A lot of the conversations involve towing, needing help, etc. This morning you thanked me for helping you with something and then said, "I couldn't have done it without you, Mom." Thanks to Tonka for that line!
But, today something new happened. You've been asking me for a few days now what different pages in books say, pointing to the words. Today, you did it twice on the cover of a book -- I can't even remember what book now, but you pointed at "The" -- the first word in the title -- and asked, "What does that say?" I told you. Then you pointed to "the" in lowercase, later in the title and said, "What does that say?" "The." My heart skipped a little: the small euphoria of watching you tread just a bit closer to reading. Before, you were focused on memorizing books you heard. Now you're beginning to ask about what these individual words do. Another way to use your two favorite questions, "What is that?" "What does it DO?"
Leify, I fear you'll think we hardly even noticed you as a baby, in comparison to all our posts about Ben. Not so! You are such an incredible, agreeable, sweet little guy. We just can't stop talking to you, playing with you, pretending to body slam you onto your brother (you think that's really funny). You have a great, uproarious belly laugh. Your little bottom curls so cute. I can't keep my hands off of you! You are doing a zillion new things:
-- You can't sit up unsupported yet, but you are learning how to crawl. You've been scooting for a few weeks (scooting backward into corners is one of your favorite activities). You've been doing planks and downward dog, and now you've been getting up on hands and knees (so, so, so CUTE) and rocking back and forth. Grandpa says he saw you take one crawl step forward. You love to be on your tummy playing with toys, scooting after them, swiveling in circles -- and up on all fours trying to crawl.
-- You started eating! You've tried broccoli (you like it!), chicken, cheerios, avacado, apple sauce (yum!), a green bean and toast.
-- You love, love, love your family: Mama, Daddy, and Ben. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the two of you together, wrestling and hugging, with you wide-mouthed, belly-laughing, unrestrained joy at ANY attention from your big brother. Ben deigning to play with you and tell you he loves you and trying to be gentle for a little while, small snatches of each day. "I want my baby. Give me my baby," your brother says, sitting up, arms outstretched.
You're impressing other young boys, too. A three-year-old at the mall yesterday pointed at you and told his dad, "I want to buy that baby." Just so you know, we didn't offer a price.
I love you!
Mama
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