moo baa la la la

So these we're probably taken about 3 or 4 weeks ago. We kept meaning to put themup but got distracted. And now for the exam part of the blog...compare and contrast :-)

Sarah reading


Me reading

what can I say ...

he just loves to climb. And is actually getting quite good, but what's great is he seems to know his limit. At the end of this video, he starts to get down (bearing in mind he is about 2ft up) he sat on the bar holding the one in front and sort of jump swung to the ground. Even he looked shocked that he pulled it off. Of course I stopped recording to spot him.



Also he is in love with the idea of bikes and trikes. He's seen bikes before but he really noticed the kids riding them at the park. In fact he chased after several, and if he'd caught up I think he might have tried to ride on the handle bars :-) Maybe we'll get him one to stimulate the economy ,plus I like the idea of a parent handle.

3 hours later ....

Z woke up ate some more lunch and then fell asleep on my shoulder as I carried him out of the kitchen. And he is still sleeping!


still asleep
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

really tired

passed out
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Up early, lots of playing and then swimming. And he fell asleep eating his lunch.

Homework

With such a successful first word ...."car". Cecelia sent Zachary home with a toy car, as normal. He take one everyday as a transitional object to get him home. But today we got a car and a train, and instructions to practice "train", "car" she really working to get him to distinguish the two, very cute.

I'm singing in the rain...........

gene kelly
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Huge thunder and lightening here tonight, so it turns out that this umbrella picture, with 75F weather outside, is now quite appropriate. And the best bit the bang banging didn't wake Zachary, but he did roll out of bed *thud* onto the floor, and then snore loudly.

Clever Bugger

Zachary has been a bit fussy and filled with regression - I'm sure at least partially because I've been in and out the last few months, and with all the travelling.. and he's really working hard to talk (This morning got a clear agua request)....

He was nursing (part of the awesome regression) and all a muddle. And I finally was like "Zachary, what is UP??" in a mildly irate and amused way.

And quick as a blink he points to the ceiling.

Haha. Indeed. Indeed it is. Thanks. My bad.

We both laughed so hard we almost tipped over.

Do you know what has started working?

Wiggling the tickle finger and moving very slowly toward Zachary.

The shrieks of laughter are neverending.

Best game ever.

18 month checkup

29.5 lbs, 33.5"

Very fond of the word "CAR"

police badge action hero

police badge action hero
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

We got back from a few days in California. There is so much to talk about! We went to two seders. Zachary learned all about pounding on the table while you're singing. He also discovered the yumminess of horseradish.

He also discovered how completely amazing it is to open a door and find... outside!! If you follow through to flickr you'll see roughly ten thousand pictures that are filled with Zachary meets dirt. Dirt, flowers, sand... He found them all equally satisfying to mush around in.

Also? His brain is exploding. Not only is he mobile like crazy (see picture of him climbing a chainlink fence. Uh huh. Mom was not there for that. Nope)... but he's trying very hard to talk. He's having whole conversations, gesticulations and all. Ok, not really many words. He might be really saying "Car". And he had a few moments in California where words sort of slipped out. But mostly? He is "babbling" with a vengence. His mouth moves around, his tongue, he's trying everything out. Just not quite to the words. It is great, though. He's nodding his head yes and no vigorously, which is super helpful when he's trying to get us to get him something (so.. all the time).

I'm sure there's tons more but I'm still a little redeye hung over.. PS? We all slept almost the entire flight home. AWESOME. Although waking zachary this morning was like waking a teenager. He wouldn't open both eyes at once for ages...Mark finally tickled him to awake.

spiderZ

spiderZ
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

more photos to follow. Just thought this was worth posting as a place holder. Yup he climbed from the stump to the fence.

Mimicry

Suddenly Zachary has been learning things so fast it seems that he see something once and poof he gets how to do it. This can be amazingly cool or extremely irritating.

Recently we moved the crib mattress onto the floor. It has significantly improved his sleeping, once he has gone to sleep. But getting him to be asleep can be somewhat of a challenge. I've decided to try cuddling him and when he gets sleepy move to just being present, next to him, but not touching him. A few nights back, I progressed this, by moving to lean on a wall. Yup, he looked up to see where I was at. Stood up and walked over, and plonked his bottom right up against that wall legs out, just like dad. Cute, adorable, but a little frustrating.

Another example of the adorable copying is food related, how can it not be with the boy how never seems to stop eating. I overheated some mac and cheese in the microwave. I was blowing to cool it down because he is about to loose his shit since he can see the bowl, and smell one of his favourite foods, but isn't currently EATING it. So over I come with a bowl of freakishly hot food, and put it down to explain hot. Which he gets ever since the light bulb incident a while back. And I'm still blowing. He leans in a goes ....pheeeeeeeeffffffffff pheeeeeeeeeeeeefffffff. With funny little pursed lips. Now, he's gotten the idea he won't let it go. He started blowing at the bath water, to try and make bubbles or maybe just cos it's fun.


An one more tidbit, did you all know 8ozs of pure sugary goodness, a jamba juice, even a few hours before dinner makes for a hyper but uber-tired baby.....Dad lesson learned.

jamba baby

jamba baby
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

shakey shakey egg

watch out for the toddler takedown, a few seconds from the end. Farran vs Zachary, but to be fair Z was hording about 5 eggs.

Out and About

I took Z in the stroller for the first time in many many moons this weekend. He had a whale of a time. Pointing at dogs, "DA, DA, DAAAAAAH!", oh he's trying to say dog. Pointing at people, "DA, DA, DAAAAAAH!", or not. And pointing at pigeons, "DA, DA, DAAAAAAH!", just because the flying rats seem to be exciting. Then we got the park, he ran off in the opposite direction from the slides, swings and other fun things, to pigeon herd......




...... but in the end the screeching kids drew him in.

The new toy kitchen

There are some pictures up on flickr taken at daycare (by the wonderful Cecelia). Here is Z standing at their new fancy toy kitchen and looking like trouble. Because well he is, last week he came home and went straight for the knobs on the stove. UHOH. And we talked about the (real) stove not being a toy. This week he figured out opening the oven door. UHOH and I repeat this is not a toy.


at the play sink
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

the next ....

... pick your favourite modern painter.

concentration

funny face
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

why is he pulling such a face, you ask, maybe because he was collapsing from all the hard playing (see other pics) and needed to eat and drink a little. So his little cheeks are stuffed with pretzels, the snack cup is getting attacked with both hands, and he is watching some kids kiccking a football back and forth. It requires concentration.

shake that thang

His mp3 shaker arrived today. Like a little salt shaker, but for music.

missing you mama

yoghubread
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd