la-loo!

AJ is learning new words every day. He probably knows more words than I even realize, since I can't understand what he's saying a good portion of the time. My new favorite phrase of his? La-loo.

That's "i love you," folks. We often video chat with my mom (and have done it a few times with Daddy while he's away) and, a few days ago, she said, "I love you" to AJ. He echoed it back almost perfectly. Since that first time, he has shortened it to "la-loo." It is by far the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

He is also obsessed with the word "bus." Any vehicle larger than a sedan is now a "bus," including our minivan. He has a little toy bus that he loves to roll across the floor. He's getting really good at making his toy motorcycle go "vroom, vroom" just about everywhere. His airplane now "flies" while he says, "whoosh, whoosh!" He pretended to pour me some "wa-dee" out of a teapot. He has told me that little pieces of cheese are choo-choos and airplanes and made them chug-chug or whoosh accordingly. He "loves" his stuffed animals now, giving them his binkie and sharing his drink with them. This morning he wanted to hold Elmo while I changed his diaper and he said, "Elmo, binkie! Elmo, binkie!" as he shoved his bink into Elmo's mouth.

He is growing so fast! He resists me more, reminding me that the twos are coming. He loves to knock all of his books off of the shelf and actively seeks out the cordless phone despite knowing that it is off limits to him.

His little sister is growing, too. I've figure out where her feet must be, since she kicks me ferociously throughout most of the day. Her head is up under my ribs, I think. I can feel it when she pushes her feet against my side and stretches her head up into my diaphragm. Right now she's poking at my bladder.

(pee break)

Did I mention that we've decided on a name for her? Don't bother to ask, though, because we're not telling! Well, we'll tell when she makes her big appearance, but not before then.

Speaking of which, I need to go work in her room and get it cleared of all the boxes of craft and office stuff that are crammed in there.

:)

things i don't want to forget

AJ does so many little things that are both simply adorable and uniquely him. I don't want to forget these things as he grows up. This blog is really his baby book, you see, because I type much faster than I write and this is the place I remember to record his antics.

AJ loves motorcycles. Whenever he sees one (in real life, in a picture, on TV) he says, "VROOM VROOM!!" Our friend Dustin taught him to make the wrist gesture of revving the motorcycle and he DOES it. A little twist of the wrist, a little VROOM, and we're off!

AJ loves airplanes. He saw a segment on Sesame Street with kids running through a park making airplane arms. A little song played..."I'm a little airplane - neeoowwwww, neeooowwww." Whenever he sees an airplane he says "NEOW NEOW!" and does his version of airplane arms (basically waving arms up & down). He also HEARS airplanes with unbelievable acuity. He will start yelling, "NEOW NEOW!" and I will look around for a picture of one before I realize that he's caught the extremely faint sound of a jet overhead.

AJ refers to things by their sound, not their name. For example, he calls cows "moos," horsies "neighs," kitties "meows," etc. There are exceptions to this. He says "puppy," but not "woof." He has a book that shows three piggies singing "la la la" and so that is what piggies say, instead of "oink." Cars are "zoom zooms" and the aforementioned motorcycles are "vroom vrooms," but he says "truck" (or something like it).

He gives kisses, when he feels like it. Sometimes unsolicited. He will climb on the couch next to me and lay four or five wet ones on my face. Or leg. Or arm. Or clothes. Wherever he can reach.

He does not say words for which he knows signs. For example, he does not say "please," "thank you," "milk," or "excuse me." But he signs all of those things. He pronounces water "wa-dee" and uses that word for all drinks. He does say "juice," but only if we do first.

OK, that's the first installation of things I don't want to forget.