So, we ordered enough calendars of the boys at Christmastime so Richard and I could keep a copy. This has been very handy. Everytime something cute or milestone-esque comes up, I just write it on the calendar for either boy.
I'm going to start by updating Dexter's words and signs list.
Words
This hasn't changed much except that he's saying AJ much more clearly and I still can't get him to say "Uh oh". Maybe he doesn't say "Uh oh" because I'm a harsh unintentional overreactor, and when something spills or falls, I don't say, "Uh oh" instinctually. I instead maybe this very frightened breathing in sound through my teeth that I got from my mother. Thanks mom!
Okay, back on track.
Dexter's Word List updated
Mama
Dada
Daddy
AJ (which sounds more like eye-ja now)
cat
up
baba (what we call a bottle)
bana (banana)
hi
Dexter's Signs List updated - he's using these more and more
more
change (which he seems to occasionally be using to actually tell me he's pooped)
cracker
finished
hi
bye
sleep (this one's new)
eat (this one's new)
surprise (this one's new) - we sign surprise when we do peek a boo
Animal Sounds
Well, he'll copy the sound of a sheep, but he's actually doing the pig sounds when I say, "What does the pig say."
As we're saying goodnight to the things in his room, we say 'goodnight' to the animals painted on the wall. And so, he's picking it up now.
So, I'm just going to follow my calendar here and what I've written.
January 27th - We went to playgroup. This is our first time going since Dexter's been walking all around and running a bit. He had a blast. He was so excited to have the freedom to just run around through the gym. He climbs right up on the gymnastics blocks and mats. He loves the slide (that's where I noticed his first molar when he came down the slide with his mouth wide open). AJ and Jack of course had a blast as well. AJ's been going in the bouncy castles lately. Finally. He's even been going in when other kids are inside. We briefly put Dexter and Rya in there too. They thought that was pretty fun, but it was getting a little too crazy and they just kept getting thrown onto their tummies.
****I'm going to do an up to date tooth count right now. As far as I can see, the last first year molar is just about to pop out. Dexter has now got his bottom right lateral incisor through too. So, as far as I can see, there are 10.5 teeth through. The teething has been horrid. I'm so worried about how the teething nights for the canine teeth will be.
January 28th - This was AJ's last day at his old preschool. We made a thank you card for his teachers. Did I already write about this? AJ wrote T-h-a-n-k-Y-o-u. He drew a picture of one of his teachers and wrote what he figured said his other teacher's name.
*This is one of AJ's favourite things to do. He scribbles something that resembles a bunch of Ws and Us and then says "What word did I write." He's just loving the idea of words right now and wants to label almost everything he draws.
*Speaking of drawing. Today (Feb 13), he drew a sun with the rays coming out all around and then decided it was a 'sun person'. He added the eyes, the nose, the mouth, the body, the arms, the legs. And then he wanted to write 'sun'. So, we sounded it out and he wrote his 's', his 'u', and his 'n'. I'm really proud of him and his letters.
January 29th - Tonight, Jack stayed for dinner with us. I can't remember why, but it involved me begging for AJ to have a playmate and then me saying, "Oh, just let him stay for dinner." I LOVED having the two boys at the table and being part of the conversation. It was hilarious. I can't wait until Dexter's old enough to be contributing to the conversation with words as well as his adorableness. What I remember as really funny that night was trying to get Jack to just 'try' a vegetable. It was cauliflower. He loves his fruit. He's a great eater, but he just does not like veggies and man I couldn't do anything to convince him to try it. It was funny!!! He knows what he likes and doesn't like, that's for sure.
February 1st - I finally remember to write down that Dexter loves shape sorters and putting things into things. I know I've written this before, but it's kind of an obsession. He likes to try to fit things into his straw or his sippy spout. If you give him any kind of tube or slot, he wants to immediately find something that might possibly fit inside. Richard even mentioned that Dexter's really good at our whale bath tub shape sorter. Mind you, the shape holes are colour coordinated to the shape that is inserted there, but still. It's impressive to me.
February 2nd - AJ started his new preschool. I already wrote about that day, so I won't now.
February 3rd - Dexter signs 'sleep' for the first time. It's the most adorable thing ever. He was waving goodnight to AJ and then Richard had said, "Time for bed. Time for sleep." or something like that, and Dexter dragged his hand down his face. He's done it every night since and for naps too!
February 4th - This is the day that Dexter says "up" for the first time. Also, Dexter took his sippy cup off the kitchen table and just started carrying it around the house 'just like AJ' moments before. He was kind of following him in a 'wannabe' kind of way. So sweet. Just taking swigs every so often. This is the day, after watching his Leap Frog video a few times, he started singing the song, "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking". He took his 'E' and his 'A' from his wooden puzzle and starts walking them around together singing this song. What a guy.
February 5th - Dexter starts climbing AJ's loft bed ladder today. He had both feet up on the first rung and was trying to follow AJ up there (who shouldn't have been up there because 'the loft bed is only for sleeping'). Today, Dexter climbed up on the coffee table too. He pulled out the book basket and stepped on the books to get up there. Great. He's not just agile; he's bright too. Super. Tonight was very sweet. I had read AJ his bedtime stories and before putting him to bed he asked to "See Dexter sleeping". So, after reminding him to be quiet, I took him into Dexter's room where Dexter was asleep and AJ made this sighing noise like a "hmmmmmm" that was kind of like an "awwwww".
February 6th - Dexter finally starts kissing!!! YAY!! I've been waiting. I get hugs galore, but no kisses until today!!!
February 7th - Took the boys to the park. Dexter and AJ had a blast. Auntie Jen and Makenna joined us too.
February 8th - Well, I've written on the calendar "AJ spelling". I have no idea what I was talking about here. Obviously, he spelled something. Hmmmm. Maybe it was 'car'. I thought I already wrote about this, but whenever he draws a car now, he writes C-A-R.
February 9th - Richard thought AJ was a boy-genius today. I was busy on the phone and AJ wanted something from the fridge. (We have a freezer on the bottom so it's too hard for AJ to pull the fridge door open because it's so high). So, AJ went over to the stove, took the tea towel off of the stove handle, runs the tea towel through the handle of the fridge, and then holds the tea towel to yank the fridge door open. Richard was stunned in disbelief that AJ the boy wonder had this kind of genius in him. When I get off the phone or whatever I was doing, Richard relays the story (about to call Guiness I'm sure) and I sadly let him down with a "Oh, yes, I taught him that a few days ago. I saw someone on a show once use a tea towel tied to the door handle so that the seeing eye dog could open the fridge." Sorry Richard.
- Dexter also starts snorting for a pig sound today.
February 11th - So there's this guy that works for Parks and Rec that plays the guitar and sings for the little kids. We love to boogie to his tunes. He's finally made a CD. I played it on the way home from playgroup today. And here's what happened....
I put the CD in and AJ said, this is just like-I've also written on this date "xbox controller". Unfortunately, I can't remember why. Perhaps I was going to mention how badly Dexter wants to use them and has accidentally played a Baby Einstein all by himself. Or maybe I was going to write how proficient AJ is with the controller. He can play DVDs. He can find his movies and everything. It's handy and annoying all at the same time.
"Everybody Dance Around" (the first song
on my Paul McCartney CD and his very FAVOURITE song
that I hav to play over and over),
so he must've liked it a lot. When we had listened
to the wholeCD, I went to take it out and play another CD.
In the meantime, Britney Spears came on the radio and AJ yelled
"I don't like this song,turn it off!". So, I put in
Paul McCartney, and AJ said, "No, not that one, I want
Adam's music, please." lol. (the paul mccartney WAS his
absolute favourite). I think he thinks that 'Adam' is
Richard's friend Tarrie's son, Adam.
So it's extra special.
Oh wait! Now I remember! 'annoying' made me remember. AJ can here the xbox controller clicking from down the hall. He loves to put on a Disney movie, but he takes off and goes to play in his room so he's not even watching it. Well, I was cleaning the kitchen and thought, "Oh, I'm going to play some internet radio." AJ was way down the hall in his room. I start getting to the right section. Music, Shoutcast, Jazz, .................. "No Mommy! I'm watching my movie!!!" He heard the clicking of the controller and came burning down the hallway to tell me to keep his movie on THAT HE WASN'T WATCHING!!!
February 12th - After writing names on his birthday party invitations the night before, while playing with his Magna Doodle, AJ says, "Look mom, I wrote Makenna." And gosh darned if he had written k-M-a. What a guy! And it got better from there. It turned into Manna at one point. This night we made all of his Valentine cards for his classmates in preschool. He signed all of them himself. That was no easy feat. I had to bribe him. For every two times that he wrote his name on a Valentine card, I gave him a Smartie. Phew. That's like 10 Smarties. Don't even ask how many I had to give him to get him to write his two teachers' names!!! Suffice to say the box was half gone. Right before bed, I'll add!
February 13th - I had all 4 kids today. Aside from some unfortunate silliness during the boys' supposed nap resulting in them waking Rya, it was a great day. I played some music stick time with Rya and Dexy and got whacked in the head with a stick by Rya. That, I'm happy to say was my only war wound from a day with two toddlers and two babies. It was a really great day. I couldn't have asked for better playing by AJ and Jack today. I think there were only two arguements. One over a fireman hat and one at snack time right as I answered the door for Kevin to come pick up Jack and Rya. Not bad for two unnapped toddlers. Good job boys!!!
A little last minute detail....
Dexter loves me singing the song I used to sing when I'd wash AJ's hands after a meal. "Hands a washing, hands a washing, wash them til they're clean. Get some water, get some soap and wash them til they're clean. Oh where's the towel to pat them dry? It's on the rack, it's much too hiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. Guess we'll have to shake them, shake them, shake them, shake them. Guess we'll have to shake them, shake them til they're dry!!" He shakes his hands like a mad man. He gets so excited for this song. I can't tell if at the end of the meal, he's signing 'finished' now or he's requesting the song.
2 comments:
I can't believe this kid... he's honestly going to be an artist or writer or the both. I love it.
We'll see!!
That would be neat!
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