New words, new activities

The baby has started to use more words. The ones I can think of most easily are:

Cuh-kah (cookie)

Ch-kah (chicken)

Toca (toca, touch)

Tch (touch)

Pa-tah (pasta)

No no no (no)

No toca? (Can I touch that or no?)

And recently, besides continuing to "read" on his own by looking at books, albeit briefly and infrequently, he's continuing his interest in music. 

There's a toy with buttons that light up and play a different song for each button. He will sit and press the buttons or lie with it, for up to 15 minutes at a time. He seems fascinated by the music, control by buttons and lights. He's also pretty good at the piano. 

He's also taken an interest in his sister's favorite toys, namely HopHop and Lalaloopsy. Lala is easy to carry and she's plastic so he likes gnawing on her while teething. HopHop is just a favorite, so he wants her, too. Mostly this is completely unwelcome stealing and she wants to take them back. Sometimes she lets him. 

He has dolls of his own that he particularly likes but there's something about holding his sister's that's more special. 

Speaking of Carolina, she's getting exciting and anxious about going to school all day in a few weeks. I'm a little nervous myself. Mostly I just hope she eats her food. I know the teachers will help her adjust to the full day routine, but food time is her time to be belligerent, if she wants to be. And I hope the nap may is comfortable enough. I don't truly expect her to nap, I'll be impressed if she does not talk the whole time since they won't let her read during nap time, but I just want her to feel comfortable. 

More to come...

Books are now real

Something happened yesterday and a book stopped only being something the baby wanted to gnaw on, but became "alive". 

I read him "I Love You Through and Through", which means he squirmed in my lap and tried to eat it but liked one part--when I gently rubbed his head when it says "hair".

So he's been walking around, occasionally rubbing his head and looks at me to say "hair", and does it if I happen to say "hair". Or he'll pick up that book and bring it to me and touch his hair. 

He's started to pick up other books for me to read, too. It's barely a page here and there but it's a huge change from before. 

I feel relieved, actually. Knowing he will be teachable and not in his oral stage forever. (I realize that's not going to happen anyway, but the glimmer of progressive change was reassuring just the same.)

In other news, his sister loves, loves going swimming with her grandmother. Just the two of them. And she's back on her Tiny Titans kick. This means nice comics to read and look at and a calmer Carolina who wants to "read" on her own. Love those Titans!!

Toca, toca

The baby has learned that "toca" is "touch", and used it at first to get his papa to lift him up to touch something up high. Maybe a picture on the wall or even a light. Mostly, it was things that mommy is too short to lift him up to. 

That initial use of "toca" quickly grew into wanting to touch everything, and then as a single-word sentence. You'll hear him walking around just saying, "Toca, toca, toca, toca..." Sometimes very quickly and sometimes with varying intonation so that it sounds just like half of a conversation, but only using "toca".

It is very cute. It is very funny bit is also very tiring when he's on a tear to touch everything. And many, most, or only things he shouldn't be touching. 

I finally understand why they have those baby gates and corrals. There are boys, and boys are not girls. Nope. Not even. He is full of energy and curiosity, just like his sister but he doesn't take "no" for an answer. I can tell now that this isn't going to slow down, either. 

Good thing we moved to an apartment with a park and huge field across the street. We need it!!