You are so not a little baby anymore.
Mommy’s been keeping track of the words you say, and you’re up to a few dozen. Your vocabulary has just exploded in the past month, and you’ve been learning literally a new word every day for the past week or so. You say words that we didn’t even know you knew — we didn’t teach them to you on purpose. But some we did, and it’s rewarding to hear you repeat them. (Just make sure not to repeat the words we don’t want you to know…!)
I’m not even sure where to start! It’s been a busy month: you had your first “real” haircut at a stylist; we had Christmas Eve in Cleveland and Christmas Day at home; you’ve picked up new words; you’ve tried new foods; you’ve started getting new teeth.
Last Christmas, Connor wasn’t really old enough to appreciate getting gifts; he was almost three months old, and I’m pretty sure he spent our gift-opening time laying on a blanket on the floor next to his parents while we opened gifts to each other. Well, I mean, we got him a couple of little things, but we figured he was too little to remember or even know what was going on.
This year was different.
Connor’s Grammy sent him alphabet blocks for Christmas!
This is actually kind of special, because some of my favorite memories of being around kindergarten-age revolve around playing with my alphabet blocks with my Mom. We’d make pyramids on the coffee table, out of words — she’d help with the big seven-letter word that would form the base, then we’d make a six-letter word, and a five-letter, until we finished the pyramid with an I or an A. Then we’d take turns poking out the blocks, Jenga-style (this was long before we’d even heard of Jenga), until the pyramid fell down.
Thanks, Grammy.
There have been two big themes this month: your vocabulary and your independence.
You’ve started to mimic us more and more when we speak. Mommy still tries to teach you new signs, and the words to go with them, and it’s super cute when you actually pick them up. One day, you wanted a taste of Mommy’s ice cream, so Mommy said, “Please,” and made the sign for it. And you repeated, clear as day: “Peeeeeze!”
So Mommy gave you a bite of ice cream, then did it again: “Please?” And you reached forward and rubbed Mommy’s chest and said, “Peeeeze?”
Ah, well. You’ll figure it out.