Week
of October 23, 2002
I realize there's a huge variation in what kids can say and do, in this 2nd year of life. I think kids often can speak but you can barely understand them. It's hard to say if the non-stop talking that Owen has started means something to him or whether it's just the pleasure of imitating speech that keeps him going. Scott and I strain to identify words, but so far we're coming up empty. When we truly understand him, it's because there's a grunt/syllable and some gesturing.
"Lift me over that step and swing me so I laugh"
"I need my sippy cup, I want water!"
"No, I won't drink milk out of a sippy cup, nothing doing!"
"More carrot muffin, please"
"Remove these coverings from my hands, immediately!"
"Read this book to me!"
"Why doesn't this remote start up my Thomas Tape? Make it work, make it work!"
"I'm not eating this today" or "More pierogies, ASAP"
"Bird!"
"Cat!"
"Dog!"
"Mummy!"
"Daddy!"I love the exchanges with Owen these days. Intense little conspiratorial looks, or laughing nuzzles before we rub noses, or playful licking or kissing (or on a bad day, nips). Or the best, when he closes his eyes to snuggle into my shoulder, although the times he gets that way he usually doesn't feel well so that's a guilty pleasure.
Owen's memory is excellent these days, though like his hearing, it's selective. He remembers where we got the graham crackers from, or the breadsticks - but who knows where he put something that's just gone missing, or how to do something once it no longer captures his interest?
Each night, we read a relatively stable series of books. When we read Barnyard Dance, right before we read "Clap Your Hands!" he starts to clap. I thought he was imitating me, but I'd only done it once or twice on cue - usually we just read this part. Now it's part of the ritual. By the time we get to The Big Red Barn, he's starting to slow down. Lately he likes to stare at the cover while holding the book, so it's good that Scott's got it memorized. By the time we start reading Time For Bed, he's really getting kind of sleepy and curled up. He smiles close to the end, where he gets a kiss when the text mentions one. And he gives up his milk without protest as I lift him up to take him into his room.
We've been lucky with his sleep lately. Owen seems very ready to settle down and fall asleep after reading, and many nights we get a happy little smile as we lay him on his mattress. He has the Fisher Price Aquarium playing, that he loves to watch, and there's his pink Elphie nearby for him to clutch if need be. He's been relatively indifferent to it up to now, but he's actually grabbed it close to him lately. Hard to say if it's a source of comfort, or just comfy to lie against, but it's a very touching sight. His waking time has been shifting gradually to 5 or even 5:30 which has been a great bonus. The timing is good with Daylights Savings coming up. On the one hand, it would be nice to actually be getting up at 5 or 5:30, on the other, waking up at 3:30 is a dim prospect. I won't mind having the extra light in the morning, it's been awfully dark as we start our walks.
Back to Owen's index