Last Thursday you finally walked for me! Miss Kim held you when I walked in the door, and then released you to walk five steps to me, and you laughed and looked brave and a bit scared and a bit – whoa – and I grabbed you up and squealed like a crazy lady! Your accomplishments make me proud in a way that my own don’t. I zipped right home and got your dad in on the action – we took video and posted it for the grandparents, and as of now (4 days later) I think it’s been viewed 44 times.
You’ve also finally figured out that Virgil is “dog,” or more accurately, “dawg.” You’ve been saying dog for a while, but only now when you see him you say it, and I can tell that it’s finally clicked for you. Whenever you see him, or any dog, or even a person, you light up and smile and your voice gets very high pitched, kind of like the way I talk to you. You babble in this high angelic kind of voice, clearly thrilled to see another creature. If it’s a dog, you say dawg. If it’s anything else, you say heeeeeey. We’re trying to expand your vocabulary, but at the moment, dawg is it. I say – Jack, say dog!
Dawg.
Jack, say keys! Kkkkkkeeeeeeezzzzzz
Dawg!
Jack, is this mommy’s nose? Nnnnnnooooooooozzzzzzz?
Dawg! Dawg! Dawg!
Yesterday for several minutes before bed, we lay on the spare bed together and you methodically worked on poking my eyes out. I don’t know why suddenly my eyes were, like, the it thing, but they were and you really wanted to get them out of my head. Poke, poke poke – so we did mommy’s eyes – Jack’s eyes – here’s mommy’s nose – Jack’s nose – etc. You were really quiet and attentive, and it was a sweet few moments together. Then you hopped up and began removing your shirts from the drawer and stuffing them into the diaper pail – a bit more par for the course these days.
We went camping the last two weekends, and you really enjoyed it, although it rained both times. Last weekend was a work campout, and there were lots of other kids there. Woo, that was a muddy, tumbling, fun mess. You did a fencing match with another little girl and a couple of fun noodles, pretty funny to watch. Aunt Amanda was there, and she really had a good time playing with you.
We’re selling our house right now, and Dad’s in Brazil, and we’re so exhausted. But I don’t think you notice, except that you’re in your high chair or Pack n Play a little more often than usual these days while I’m cleaning and organizing. I hope I’m faking it well. I want you to be happy, always as happy as you are at this age.