Words we like to hear

We're working on some politeness issues with Brett, and we're trying to find ways to remind him to say please. Sometimes we say, "What's the nice word with that?" and "What's the nice thing we like to hear?" Last night at dinner we asked him, "What's the word that makes things work?'

He answered, "Mama."

Better left unsaid?

Brett's been very interested in the clock in his room lately. Only he can't quite say "clock"...

On a related note, he likes to tell us if he needs a spoon or a fork to eat. Only it's not exactly "fork" that comes out...

Other people's babies

I spend a lovely two hours this morning with Diaper Dame and Dread Pirate Robert and darling Milo. Watching and listening to them I was reminded of all the stress and confusion I felt when Brett was wee. I knew it was my job to make him comfortable, if not happy, and I cried with frustration when it felt so damn hard to accomplish.

I, too, had read all the books and was sure I'd be able to find the page with the right answer every time I needed it. Hah!

But I also remember a time when Brett was about five months old. We were visiting my parents in Toronto and Brett was trying to go to sleep lying on a quilt in the middle of the living room. I was on the phone and various other family members were nearby in the dining room. If you know my family at all, you'll know that the volume is usually on the loud side, if not raucous. Brett was crying (he usually cried as part of getting to sleep ——— I had figured that out by then) and trying to find his thumb. Without interrupting my conversation, I sat beside him and stroked his cheek to help him move his hand (and then his thumb) in the right direction. It took a couple of tries, but he plugged in, stopped crying and was able to sooth himself to sleep.

Brett found his thumb sometime before he was three months old (that photo was taken about that time and he certainly looks like he got it there with no trouble). Milo, tell your parents to hang in there —— working together you'll all figure it out.

More beans please

One of Brett's favourite takeout meals is rice and beans from Taco Del Mar. He can eat an entire bowl of black beans and rice (with chopped tomato and lettuce) by the time Randy finishes a jumbo burrito.

New stuff

Hey! Check out the new bits over on the left side. Lot of cool toys out there.

Whirlwind (pic)

Since the weekend we looked at houses online, got Bill and Suzanne to view them for us, made an offer on one and found out the sale on our current place was final.

Yesterday I flew to Calgary for the day, saw the house, wrote a cheque, arranged for a lawyer and a building inspection, had lunch and a visit with Suzanne and Jennifer, then flew home to recieve final faxes accepting our offer. Today all we have to do is go to the bank and make sure the financing is in place. Busy week!

Ah-ba-ceees (pic)

After daycare every day, Brett and daddy have new ritual. They dump the bucket of magnetic letters onto the floor (thanks Auntie Wendy!) and Brett gives daddy each letter in the right order to lay out on the bed. "Ah-ba-ceeees, Dadda!"

This is related to the mealtime game of counting things on his tray (Brett, not daddy). He has one to 10 nailed; he's working on 11 to 20, but some numbers have too many syllables.

He's "me"

For the last coupla days, Brett has been referring to himself as "me." We noticed this, well, because it's new and it made us wonder when/how he learned it.

According to the books, it's normal for parents to refer to themselves and their kids in the third person: "Baby want a cookie?" "Mama says no more cookies!" We do this because "me" and "you" changes depending who the speaker is — pretty confusing for someone just learning the language.

Brett still can't say his own name, but that hasn't stopped him from indicating pretty clearly when it's his turn to read, or when he wants something. He either points to his chest or points and says "Ba," the closest he gets to saying Brett.

He's developing his sense of self, I guess — pretty important thing to do. Does that mean he's growing up? Do we have to stop calling him Baby Brett too?

Happy? Cautious!

We're cautiously optimistic over here at Big Changes Land. We accepted an offer on our condo at precisely noon on Sun Aug 7. Now we just have to get the condo paperwork together so the buyers can have a look, satisfy themselves that they're not buying a leaker, then pay the deposit by this time next week. I guess we have to wait until then before we can really relax. Maybe that explains why I needed a nap after the negotiations yesterday.

In any case, I'm going to see Lance at our bank today so I can fill him in. Our plan is to find a place in Cochrane and simply transfer the mortgage there. Did I say "simply"? Are these things ever simple?

How do I have time to do this today? My day off! And it's sunny! And Brett was pretty agreeable this morning (even though he did fill his diaper on the way to the van. Damn!)

Water fun (pic)

The hot weather here means lots of fun at the water park. I wish I had managed a good full-body shot — Brett was wearing his sandals!

I can really articulate now

Over the past coupla weeks Brett has shown a marked improvement in his pronunciation of words. He now says "apple" instead of "appa," "one" instead of "wa," "ten" instead of "te," "slide" and not "sa-sa." In terms of language development, this is big. It means words no longer have to be made of repeated syllables. The next step is three-syllables. I know his teacher Diana will be thrilled the day he calls her that and not "Anna." Of course, it will be some time before he stops calling her mama!

Condo update

We decided that trying to sell our condo by ourselves just isn't working, especially after the realtor who came to see it two nights ago told us how quickly he could sell it. He also told us he could get us what we want — cash in our pockets. What could we do? We listed with him and just over 24 hours later he was showing it.

Now we sit and wait for the bidding war, I guess. Or the one good offer.

The cutest thing. Ever.

Last night we were all sitting on the couch, gearing down for bedtime: Randy and I slouched symmetrically at either end, Brett content in the middle, sitting up straight. Brett suddenly rocks to his knees, crawls over to me and climbs on.
I ask him if he wants to bounce.
"Yeah!"
I bounce him a bit, then stop. He gives me a big smile then leans in with little pursed lips and says to my lips, "maaaah!"
Off he goes onto Daddy's belly to repeat the whole thing.
Then back to me, and Dad again before settling back in the middle of the couch.
Randy and I looked at each other like, "did that just happen?!"
It was the cutest thing. Ever.