His vocabulary is definitely improving, but there are still some things that he will only sign or use his own sounds for. One of them just cracks me up. Whenever he wants a little cuddle with his lovey, L E Phant (called L E for short), he for some reason makes a Tarzan call. It is really hard to explain with words, but at best attempt, he keeps his mouth closed and sorta whines in a fluctuating tone. Very Tarzan-esque.
A few months ago he started saying a "word" that we couldn't quite place. I wasn't sure if it was No-No, or Nona, but after listening in several different scenarios we figured out that he is actually talking about himself.... "Nay-Nay". Fast forward and he is still using this nickname for himself, and as cute as it is, we do reference it every once in a while, but try our best to encourage the use of Caden.
Brad just brewed a batch of beer. It has to sit in this glass container (carboy) that resembles an industrial Ozarka bottle for several days while it ferments. Caden is highly involved in the beer making process and helps to go check the bubbling beer in the bottle on a daily basis. There are even times when Brad is not home, that he will take me to the spot of the beer and mumble this word that is really similar to berrrrr. One of Brad's favorite magazines, of course about brewing, has been laying around lately. As Caden thumbs through it, he points out all the men and says Dada, and then points at pictures of the carboys and says berrrrrr. He definitely knows what he is talking about. Yesterday we were at the store and we walked past the section of industrial Ozarka water bottles, he yells BERRRRRR! His Daddy couldn't be more proud!
Tonight we were playing with his toy hammer, and since we have been hanging a lot of pictures lately, we've been discussing the technical names of the tools. As he was playing with it, I said, "Caden, what is this?" He just looked at me. I said, "What do we call it?". He looked at me again, this time like I am crazy, then he patted his upper thigh like he was calling a dog. I guess he thought I was asking "How do you call the hammer?". :)
One day at Story Time at the library, he was standing in the middle of the circle with the other kids, but he kept fidgeting with his shirt. He was sticking his hand up his shirt, almost like he was itching. I thought, oh great, I am going to look like "that Mom" that brings her kid to the library with measles. I kept ask him, what are you doing? do you have an itch? but I wasn't quite understanding his answer. Another mom had tuned into what was going on at this point and seemed as confused as I was. I asked him one last time, why is your hand in your shirt? Take your hand out of your shirt!. This time I got it... "deodorant, putting on deodorant". There you have it, I was concerned about being "that Mom", but here I have a 20 month old with better hygiene than lots of grown men!!! He loves to do all the hygienic type things that Moma and Daddy do. He even insists on putting in his contacts. He will stand at the bathroom counter, squirt solution in the palm of his hand and dip his finger in it. He follows it up with dabbing his finger by his eye, just like he sees Moma and Daddy do! At least he's picking up on the good habits..... for now!
For the past 2 weeks we've been working on a new bedtime routine. Instead of the norm, which was books, prayers, singing, followed by rocking him til he slept, we've been trying to put him down before he is actually asleep. It's been going AMAZINGLY well. I was never one for Ferberizing. It just wasn't for me. He is old enough now, that he understands the concept and knows that we will be back if he really needs us. I was astonished when we didn't have to endure a SINGLE night of all out crying before he passed out. Some nights are better and faster than others, but tonight cracked me up! He seemed to be fighting sleep. He was tossing around for a few minutes and then later I heard him stopping on the mattress. I looked at the video monitor to find him lying flat on his back, but kicking his feet. Then he started clapping. Then stomping again. I wondered what was going on. I turned up the volume so I could see what song was playing on his CD player, and wouldn't you know... it was If You're Happy and You Know It! I guess he was just happy! ;)
Very sweet!!!!
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