He nods his head, Ladies and Gentlemen!

So we’ve had a lot of time at home together lately, son o mine. It’s been lots of fun. First we had a family vacation, and then it was the July 4th holiday, and at this point I have only 4 weeks of full time work left! (Until I’m out of school, that is, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.) I’ve really enjoyed hanging with you – you’re just a happy, lovely, smiley, silly boy.

I got you up from your nap the other day, and asked “Do you want some milk?” and you smiled and NODDED YOUR HEAD. I mean, I can tell by your reaction that you understand a lot of English right now – milk, bath, breakfast, lunch, juice, dinner, Cookie Monster – but you’ve never nodded your head at me before. It is to DIE for. You do it all the time now. Sometimes just to be silly, but sometimes in answer to a question. The other day I swear you said something that was meant to represent “thank you.” I’ve been trying to hammer Please and Thank You into your head lately, and I handed you a cup of milk and you said some nonsense syllables, but you said them in the cadence of Thank You. And so, the language begins.

Dad and I took you to Duke Gardens yesterday, and we wandered around among the flowers and fields. I told you to be gentle when you touched the blooms, and you were gentle. You didn’t tear a single one. In fact, at one little flower bed you picked up some fallen blooms and tried to stick them back on the bush. I beamed with pride, as if you’d just won the Nobel Peace Prize or something. Later, you acted more your age when you threw a tantrum because we wouldn’t let you drown yourself chasing after the ducks.

You are the happiest little man, just walking around the house giggling at nothing. Last night you were making me crazy – you and that carrot bat, wandering around the kitchen, banging on all of the pots and pans and knives and what-have-you that I was trying to use to make dinner. I kept putting you in the other room, and you kept wandering back. Then I yelled at you, and you cried like I’d killed your dog. So we snuggled, and then you were fine, and then you were back in my face, and it was just ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS. Dad had the dog at puppy training class. He came home to a grumpy pair.

I’m feeling a little trepidation, what with our upcoming move. You clearly recognize our neighborhood now, and get excited when we are in the car and almost home. I don’t think that a move will damage you long term or anything, but I’m wondering what effect it will have, especially since I won’t be going with you at first. I will miss you for that week. Sigh.

Lots of changes coming up. But at least I know that we three will still be together. Well, we five. No matter what, as long as we’re together we’re fine. I promise. Everything will be just fine.