It has begun.
The dam is breaking.
Seemingly out of nowhere, new words are trickling off of Malcolm's tongue ... And I couldn't be happier!
As I've documented from the start of this blog (when Malcolm could barely sit up on his own!) the language milestones were probably the ones that, as a new mother, I was anticipating the most.
As a self-described nerd, the whole "talking" thing just appealed to me ...
To me, it meant brain power.
A certain aptitude for all things "smart."
Intellectual ability.
And while I know that not talking can also mean these exact same things (Anyone ever hear of a man named Albert Einstein?), having a verbal child, one that could talk and communicate with me, was something that I was really looking forward to. So, even though the signing helped to fill that communication void for a while (and is still such a cool skill that I am happy Malcolm has picked up), the emergence of words in his unique little voice was a highly anticipated thing.
Now that his "little voice" has been found, let's just say that I have not been disappointed.
Not one little bit.
The glimpses into his thoughts and personality keep us entertained for hours (and make my heart melt into a little puddle of goo)!
The dam is definitely breaking, and flowing through its crumbing facade are words like ...
Baby, back, ball, bead, bee, beep, block, boo-boo, boat, book, bowl, bug, bunch, butt, bye, car, church, cook, cup, Dad, door, duck, eight, eye, go, ham, hand, harp, hat, heart, help, hide, high, hot, house, hug, ice, in, Ma (for Grandma), me, milk, Mom, mouse, moon, moose, more, nap, nope, off, oh my, oh no, on, one, ouch, out, owl, Pa (for Grandpa), peas, pee, pie, pink, pop, poop, pork, red, run, Spot (his blanket), sun, three, two, up, wet, what, white, whoa, why, wow, yeah, yes ...
It's quite the increase from my previous post on the subject ... And there are probably more words that I'm forgetting!
Two-word combinations and multiple syllables, here we come!
January 31, 2012
January 27, 2012
fetal anatomy 101
When I was in my third trimester with Malcolm, there was a pointy lump that would surface every now and then at the top of my belly, just to the right and above my belly button.
It's a sweet little heel! I'd think to myself as I'd press on it, magically making it disappear (until it would come back a little while later).
It was like a little game we'd play.
This baby must be ticklish!
Just like its father!
How cute!
Some time later, at a routine doctor's appointment, my doctor was pressing on my belly to see how the baby had orientated itself in my uterus (I was full term and could, technically, deliver any day).
She commented how the baby was head down (a good sign!) ...
How she could feel the arch of its back ...
And then ... "Here's the baby's butt," she said casually, pressing on the lump that I had been calling a heel for a good two months.
I thought, for a moment, that she had to be wrong.
Who has a butt that pointy?? I wondered.
As it turns out, Malcolm did.
And, now, today, I can tell that his sibling does, too.
The pointy "heel" has returned.
Sitting just up and to the right of my belly button.
Floating in and out of detection at various points throughout the day.
I guess I make pointy-butted babies ... My body must accumulate all the butt fat for them!
It's yet another way that this second pregnancy is eerily similar to the first.
Just another reminder that, yes (although it feels like a different lifetime), I've actually done this baby thing before.
About two months left before I get to meet my second pointy-butted child!
I honestly can't wait.
It's a sweet little heel! I'd think to myself as I'd press on it, magically making it disappear (until it would come back a little while later).
It was like a little game we'd play.
This baby must be ticklish!
Just like its father!
How cute!
Some time later, at a routine doctor's appointment, my doctor was pressing on my belly to see how the baby had orientated itself in my uterus (I was full term and could, technically, deliver any day).
She commented how the baby was head down (a good sign!) ...
How she could feel the arch of its back ...
And then ... "Here's the baby's butt," she said casually, pressing on the lump that I had been calling a heel for a good two months.
I thought, for a moment, that she had to be wrong.
Who has a butt that pointy?? I wondered.
As it turns out, Malcolm did.
And, now, today, I can tell that his sibling does, too.
The pointy "heel" has returned.
Sitting just up and to the right of my belly button.
Floating in and out of detection at various points throughout the day.
I guess I make pointy-butted babies ... My body must accumulate all the butt fat for them!
It's yet another way that this second pregnancy is eerily similar to the first.
Just another reminder that, yes (although it feels like a different lifetime), I've actually done this baby thing before.
About two months left before I get to meet my second pointy-butted child!
I honestly can't wait.
January 26, 2012
old school
Looking quickly at this photo, one might wonder if it is of Malcolm or my husband at Malcolm's age.
The mischievous look in his eye ...
The little smirk ...
The 80's style turtleneck (one of my favorite thrift store finds!) ...
Luckily for everyone, there is photographic evidence of the two of them together to clear up any confusion!
The little smirk ...
The 80's style turtleneck (one of my favorite thrift store finds!) ...
Luckily for everyone, there is photographic evidence of the two of them together to clear up any confusion!
Turtleneck: Sesame Street (thrifted for $0.50)
Corduroy pants: Sonoma (gift)
Socks: Circo (gift)
Corduroy pants: Sonoma (gift)
Socks: Circo (gift)
January 24, 2012
phases (of the moon)
Malcolm is completely enthralled by the moon right now.
He loves to look at the real thing, read books containing its picture, point out objects shaped like it ...
If something has even the slightest connection or similarity to the moon, Malcolm is all over it.
Not only does this have the science nerd in me giddy with excitement (maybe my little boy will grow up to be a bit of a nerd, too!), it also has worked to my advantage many times over.
For one, getting him to eat good foods has been a breeze, now that I've harnessed the power of the moon:
Banana slices ... Moons!
Kiwi slices, sliced in half ... (Half) moons!
Baked sandwich pockets ... Moons!
Beans in our taco soup ... Moons!
I even busted out my crescent moon cookie cutter to turn peanut butter sandwiches and pita bread into edible moons, much to Malcolm's delight.
I know I've said this before, but I find it absolutely fascinating how Malcolm has formed preferences like this all on his own ... He knows what he likes and he makes the decisions.
He is his own little independent person.
Although I could push my own agenda on him, try to get him to like something that I like (or that I liked as a child), it's so much more fun to watch his little brain in action ...
Seeing the excitement on his face when he can see the moon through the window at night ...
Hearing him happily shout "moon!" when he identifies yet another object that resembles it ...
Watching him just be Malcolm.
I absolutely love the little person he is so quickly becoming (with or without his science-related preferences).
I am so lucky that he is mine.
He loves to look at the real thing, read books containing its picture, point out objects shaped like it ...
If something has even the slightest connection or similarity to the moon, Malcolm is all over it.
Not only does this have the science nerd in me giddy with excitement (maybe my little boy will grow up to be a bit of a nerd, too!), it also has worked to my advantage many times over.
For one, getting him to eat good foods has been a breeze, now that I've harnessed the power of the moon:
Banana slices ... Moons!
Kiwi slices, sliced in half ... (Half) moons!
Baked sandwich pockets ... Moons!
Beans in our taco soup ... Moons!
I even busted out my crescent moon cookie cutter to turn peanut butter sandwiches and pita bread into edible moons, much to Malcolm's delight.
I know I've said this before, but I find it absolutely fascinating how Malcolm has formed preferences like this all on his own ... He knows what he likes and he makes the decisions.
He is his own little independent person.
Although I could push my own agenda on him, try to get him to like something that I like (or that I liked as a child), it's so much more fun to watch his little brain in action ...
Seeing the excitement on his face when he can see the moon through the window at night ...
Hearing him happily shout "moon!" when he identifies yet another object that resembles it ...
Watching him just be Malcolm.
I absolutely love the little person he is so quickly becoming (with or without his science-related preferences).
I am so lucky that he is mine.
January 20, 2012
strange bedfellows
Although Malcolm has always been (and continues to be) a great sleeper, he has turned into a bit of a hoarder and accumulated quite the arsenal of bedtime buddies ...
Each night, before settling in, he insists on filling his crib with various (security?) objects to the point that there is little room for him!
Here are some photos and descriptions of the objects in question to show you what I mean:
The moon block: It's nothing more than a half-circle piece of wood that my grandfather (Malcolm's great-grandfather) cut from scraps during one of his many home improvement projects. Part of a unique "building block" set that my cousins and I used to play with, it somehow ended up in my possession and now Malcolm has attached himself to this specific block. Notice the line of dark, knotty imperfection ... It must be this specific block (not any of the other half-circle pieces that are part of the set).
Bath letters ("Y" and "M" only): For Christmas, we gave Malcolm a set of foamy letters for use during bath time. For some reason, he insists on bringing "Y" and "M"along when it is time for bed ... It might be because they are orange, his favorite color. It might be because he likes to say "Y" and "M."
Plastic turtle toy: This was a Kids' Meal prize that Malcolm got while spending time with his Gramma and Grampa (my parents) one weekend. Back home and ready for a nap after that particular excursion, he cried and cried (tearfully saying "pop!" over and over) until we figured out what he wanted. The silly toy has two different heads that can pop in and out ... My son is a genius.
Plastic cookies (big and small): The big cookie was one of his first bed buddies. Then came the little (baby) cookie ... Now both are staples of his bed time routine.
Spot: Spot is (and has been) the security object of choice for a good year now. This polka dot blanket goes wherever Malcolm goes ... So, in the crib is no exception!
"Eating the Alphabet" board book: This library book (I guess my husband will have to continue to renew it over, and over, and over again ...) makes the cut because it has some bananas on the fourth page. It also proves useful as a little light reading material when Malcolm wakes up (and Mom wants an extra fifteen minutes of sleep).
Orange ball: This ball, a Christmas stocking gift from my parents, got to spend a couple nights in the crib, but since has been bumped out of the rotation. This is good news for me ... It is one less object to worry about!
Doughnut stars (not pictured): This flat, white disc with rainbow stars is part of a wooden doughnut set that Malcolm received for Christmas (it is one of the icing toppers that velcros into place). Since it has colorful stars (one of his favorite things), it quickly became a "must have" for bed time!
Count Von Count plush doll: If you've been reading here for any length of time, you know that Malcolm loves The Count (of Sesame Street fame)! Although he must be present at the start of the night, all too often he is on the floor by morning ...
Fuzzy duck plush: Once relegated to the shelf over his changing table, the fuzzy duck was recently upgraded to a space in the crib.
Talking shark plush: This hammerhead shark is not only cuddly, but also a learning toy! When squeezed (either on purpose or accidentally) it doles out interesting shark facts ... Not something that I expect to hear in the middle of the night (over the baby monitor)!
Domo plush: I'm not sure why, but I have always thought that Domo was super-cute. Of course, Malcolm agrees and insists he be part of his bed time entourage!
Little mousey: My sister-in-law crocheted Malcolm this little mouse years ago. He didn't really pay it much notice until somewhat recently when he learned the sign for "mouse" and decided that it had to be in the bed with him.
Orange Monster: A gift from his first Christmas, the Orange Monster has always been tucked away in the corner of the crib (so maybe this one is my fault). Much like The Count, he must start out in bed, but is usually on the floor by the morning.
Water (not pictured): Occasionally, Malcolm will request that his sippy cup full of water spend the night with him. The more the merrier, right?!
As you can see, all of these little trinkets are quite harmless (and even humorous!) right now. They haven't negatively impacted his sleep routine very much (and we haven't had any meltdowns because objects have gone missing), yet I'm really starting to wonder how things will work out when Malcolm inevitably makes the switch to his "big boy bed" sometime this spring.
Without rails and/or a bumper pad, there will be more opportunity for things to go missing ...
New cracks to fall into ...
Many more chances for him to wake up in a panic and wonder where [insert object here] has gone ...
I can only hope that Malcolm will graciously allow us to narrow down the group, little by little, until only the essentials remain (and by "essentials," I mean Spot because a blanket is big and much easier to locate when you're fumbling around at night!!).
Each night, before settling in, he insists on filling his crib with various (security?) objects to the point that there is little room for him!
Here are some photos and descriptions of the objects in question to show you what I mean:
The moon block: It's nothing more than a half-circle piece of wood that my grandfather (Malcolm's great-grandfather) cut from scraps during one of his many home improvement projects. Part of a unique "building block" set that my cousins and I used to play with, it somehow ended up in my possession and now Malcolm has attached himself to this specific block. Notice the line of dark, knotty imperfection ... It must be this specific block (not any of the other half-circle pieces that are part of the set).
Bath letters ("Y" and "M" only): For Christmas, we gave Malcolm a set of foamy letters for use during bath time. For some reason, he insists on bringing "Y" and "M"along when it is time for bed ... It might be because they are orange, his favorite color. It might be because he likes to say "Y" and "M."
Plastic turtle toy: This was a Kids' Meal prize that Malcolm got while spending time with his Gramma and Grampa (my parents) one weekend. Back home and ready for a nap after that particular excursion, he cried and cried (tearfully saying "pop!" over and over) until we figured out what he wanted. The silly toy has two different heads that can pop in and out ... My son is a genius.
Plastic cookies (big and small): The big cookie was one of his first bed buddies. Then came the little (baby) cookie ... Now both are staples of his bed time routine.
Spot: Spot is (and has been) the security object of choice for a good year now. This polka dot blanket goes wherever Malcolm goes ... So, in the crib is no exception!
"Eating the Alphabet" board book: This library book (I guess my husband will have to continue to renew it over, and over, and over again ...) makes the cut because it has some bananas on the fourth page. It also proves useful as a little light reading material when Malcolm wakes up (and Mom wants an extra fifteen minutes of sleep).
Orange ball: This ball, a Christmas stocking gift from my parents, got to spend a couple nights in the crib, but since has been bumped out of the rotation. This is good news for me ... It is one less object to worry about!
Doughnut stars (not pictured): This flat, white disc with rainbow stars is part of a wooden doughnut set that Malcolm received for Christmas (it is one of the icing toppers that velcros into place). Since it has colorful stars (one of his favorite things), it quickly became a "must have" for bed time!
Count Von Count plush doll: If you've been reading here for any length of time, you know that Malcolm loves The Count (of Sesame Street fame)! Although he must be present at the start of the night, all too often he is on the floor by morning ...
Fuzzy duck plush: Once relegated to the shelf over his changing table, the fuzzy duck was recently upgraded to a space in the crib.
Talking shark plush: This hammerhead shark is not only cuddly, but also a learning toy! When squeezed (either on purpose or accidentally) it doles out interesting shark facts ... Not something that I expect to hear in the middle of the night (over the baby monitor)!
Domo plush: I'm not sure why, but I have always thought that Domo was super-cute. Of course, Malcolm agrees and insists he be part of his bed time entourage!
Little mousey: My sister-in-law crocheted Malcolm this little mouse years ago. He didn't really pay it much notice until somewhat recently when he learned the sign for "mouse" and decided that it had to be in the bed with him.
Orange Monster: A gift from his first Christmas, the Orange Monster has always been tucked away in the corner of the crib (so maybe this one is my fault). Much like The Count, he must start out in bed, but is usually on the floor by the morning.
Water (not pictured): Occasionally, Malcolm will request that his sippy cup full of water spend the night with him. The more the merrier, right?!
As you can see, all of these little trinkets are quite harmless (and even humorous!) right now. They haven't negatively impacted his sleep routine very much (and we haven't had any meltdowns because objects have gone missing), yet I'm really starting to wonder how things will work out when Malcolm inevitably makes the switch to his "big boy bed" sometime this spring.
Without rails and/or a bumper pad, there will be more opportunity for things to go missing ...
New cracks to fall into ...
Many more chances for him to wake up in a panic and wonder where [insert object here] has gone ...
I can only hope that Malcolm will graciously allow us to narrow down the group, little by little, until only the essentials remain (and by "essentials," I mean Spot because a blanket is big and much easier to locate when you're fumbling around at night!!).
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