Saturday, August 30, 2008

Pabu Mood

Oh, my she's getting interesting.

Walking kinda (few steps at a time still), talking kinda. She's really getting consistent on those things that have meaning.

She's started to have likes and dislikes. She's not quite as easy-going as she used to be.

Put the wrong outfit on her, and she has a meltdown.

Take her up for her bath when she's not ready, or she's over ready, and she has a meltdown.

Give her something she doesn't like the taste of, and she'll hold her mouth open and go, "Eh. Eh. Eh. Eh. Eh." until you tweeze or scoop out the offending food. And she never refused food before.

Also, her new favorite thing is climbing stairs. Up and down. Up and down. Up halfway, and back down. Holding your hand and not. She'll even come up and grab the back of your pants to get your attention, reach up for your finger, and lead you over to the gate so she can climb.

Oh, and she loves her brother something fierce. Right now he's trying to play the Wii and she's on top of him, pushing him over to hug him.

Oh yes, she's becoming her own little person. And she's really cool.

Thought Process

The other night the TV was tuned to the Democratic National Convention, and Obama was giving his acceptance speech.

Gamble came pottering down the steps; he had forgotten to give me a hug.

I motioned him over to see me, and he gave me a hug. Then I got an idea.

Gesturing to the TV, I asked, "Hey, Gam! What do you think of that guy."

He looked over his shoulder and looked back at me. "He's cool!"

Unexpected. Gotta find out more. "Why do you think he's cool?"

"Well, he's wearing a tie, and his face is all brown." Here, he swirled his hand in front of his face as if to indicate "brown all around."

Interesting. So wearing a tie and having a brown face makes you cool to G.

We talked a little more about going to bed and staying in your room. Eventually, I just wanted to shuffle him off to Buffalo. But I had one more question.

"Gamble, that guy on TV wants to be President of the United States of America," I said with no further explanation. I don't think he understands the concept of country, let alone what it means to be president. I pressed on.

"Now, do you think you would vote for him?"

"No."

"No? Why not?"

"Well, because his face is all brown. I want his face to look exactly like mine. Or like yours."

Ah. He played the race card. Funny thing is, that's the last thing I would have expected him to say. Illinois is a fairly multicultural place, and his day care, school, our neighborhood are all mixed, with many races and nationalities represented.

Out of the mouths of babes, indeed.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Supplies

Tonight, Gamble and I left the house at 7:45 to find school supplies.

We returned home at 9:35.

In the interim, we went to Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Meijer, Dominicks, Target, Office Depot, Jewel, a different Walgreens. The hardest item to find? A box of 8 fat Crayola crayons. And I still have to take back three boxes of 10 Crayola markers I got in case I couldn't find boxes of 8.

In the end, I think we have everything he needs to start school on Thursday. Next year, we're getting the supplies the day we get the sheet. Fighting sellouts of Crayola is not in our cards again.

Gamble was with me the whole time, and to his credit, he was... perfect. We played Jedi as we walked through the store, or we played "Dry Bones (him) and Boo (me)," two bad guys from the Mario universe.

While we were walking through Dominicks, he said, "Daddie, this is so much fun. I don't want you to go to the store anymore without me."

Talk about making my night, and making the whole effort worthwhile.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Pabu News

Things Pobbes likes:

She loves to ride the bike with Mommie. Mommie bought a center-mount bike seat for toddlers and took her first ride with her. She loved it.

Pobbes also likes bananas. In fact, it's one of her favorite words. "Na-na," she'll say as you put her in her high-chair in the morning. She eats one every morning.

Random also likes playing in the new playroom. She'll walk on her knees all the way across the house to go into the playroom. Then she shuts the doors, and can't get out, a trick she repeats in almost every room of the house.

But the thing she likes most of all is being outside. Her newest words are all ways for her to ask to leave the house. She now says, "'side" for going outside, and "bah-bye" for wanting to leave. She's also very fond of having her shoes and socks on. Show her a pair of either, and she'll name them clearly for you.

So says Homer, "Pa-ba-ma-boo... Pa-ba-ma-boo..."

Friday, August 8, 2008

Steppin'

Today, Nic finally asked the doctor whether there's anything unusual about an 18 month old that hasn't started walking yet.

"Is she cruising?"

She sure has been. All the time, and all over the place. Funny thing, too, she's also been going to standing without having to pull herself up. But she wasn't trying to walk.

"Yes."

"When you hold her hand, does she take steps?"

"Yes."

"Then, Mrs. Davis, you have a very cautious 18 month old. Enjoy that!"

That was this afternoon. This evening, something caught our attention, and Nicole and I both got to watch as she toddled forward four paces.

We jumped up and down and screamed and made a huge fuss. Random
responded by standing up and clapping her hands above her head just like us.

And so, the toddler stage has begun. At least a little of me is sad to say "Bye-bye, baby Pabu," but I'm so happy and proud that she made this milestone. She's so beautiful!