Big Sister

It's been a while.  I have been so busy.  At the end of October and beginning of November, we went up to Baltimore to visit Mom's side of the family.  I met lots of her Aunts and Uncles and cousins.  On the first day I was terrified of the family dog, but within two days I was calling her, "Maaaaa-deeee!" (Maddy) and chasing her around the back yard.  I had a great time with Patchoo (Patrick).

Right after we got home, Mom started feeling bad.  She didn't have the energy to play with me like she used to, almost like she was a grown up instead of a kid or something.  Then she peed on a stick and said I was a big sister.  I don't know what that is, but it sounds bad.  Now her energy is back and her appetite too, maybe a little too much, but I don't want to hurt her feelings so I pretend not to notice her huge belly.

I switched from Happy Acres daycamp to New Dimensions a few weeks ago.  For the first few days I was asking for my old friends and crying a lot.  Now I'm getting into the groove.  They are teaching me about shapes.  I can draw circles!

Mana (Grampa) and Mana (Grandma) Moore visited over Thanksgiving weekend.  That's when I started using two word phrases.  Now I'm up to 3 or more words.  Like when Daddy changes my nappy, I tell him "No touch booboo" so he doesn't bump the scab on my knee from two weeks ago when I fell.  In addition to learning new words, I am learning how to request different songs.  My favorite requests are: Skidamarkink a Dink a Dink, Shark Attack, the Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Old McDonald (I love it when he has a duck or a mouse, and I'll tell you which animal for each verse).

I have totally mastered puzzles.  Well, the puzzles with pegs to pull out the big pieces and each piece has its own slot.  I'm still pretty impressed with my fine motor coordination for my age though.  I now stack blocks and can truly jump like a pro.  Lots of hard work and dedication.

A nice lady who visited our Korean congregation made this dress for me.  It's beautiful, but if the crinoline brushes my legs I start bawling.  

This is in Washington, DC at the hotel where Mommy had her big work conference in October 2012.  Longest we have ever been apart.  She left me for three nights.  

Sometimes I just pass out in odd positions.  Good thing my bones aren't set.

In November Mom and Dad took me to visit family in Maryland.  This is on the choo choo train at the Children's Museum in Baltimore.

I flew off the end of the slide and cried.  Then ran around to do it again!

Family photo on the day we found out I would never again be an only child.  

Dad said to smile.  I did it, right?

This is at the playground where Mommy used to play when she was little in Lutherville, MD.  

I love to help Daddy make breakfast on the weekends.  We specialize in waffles and pancakes.

Mommy said to smile.  Did I do it this time?

Chillin' by the window and reading in the sunlight.

On a sad note, we are moving back to the English congregation at Baymeadows.  I will miss my Korean friends, but Mom and Dad say we will still visit and do things with them.  In the English hall, there are tons of kids for me to play with.  I am learning to obey and to sit and do quiet activities until after the meeting, like draw with invisible markers that only turn color on special paper.  After the meeting, I know that there is no running at the Kingdom Hall, so I walk very quickly over to my friends.  My favorite is Parker.

My First Word

Ok, I have been saying real words for a while but how boring is that?  I have invented my first custom word: Numma.  It is for a very important thing.  I love num nums, which are tasty snacks.  If mom says we're having num nums, I climb into my chair at the table.  Then we geedo (pray), and I will bow my head and hold Daddy's hand while he prays.  Of course I love Mama, since she gives me hugs and milk.  So Numma is the word I use to ask for her to nurse me.

I now say the word "Car" quite clearly.  I love the lizards in the neighborhood, but have trouble saying their name.  I also try to say "playground", but even though it sounds right in my head, it comes out more like "dub dum".  Mom seems to know what I mean.  When I want to get in the swing, I say "wee!"  I kinda say "slide" now too (sounds like "sigh").

Reading is becoming a favorite passtime for me.  If mom asks me if I want to read a book, I will go over to the library bag and choose one or two stories, then sit on the couch.  She reads to me, and I read to her.  I especially love pointing out "the baby" in the story for her.  She always seems astonished at the stuff I can point out if she asks me to, including the fox, banana, cat, book, pillow, and more.

I am learning to be gentle instead of just smacking and grabbing at people.  If you tell me "be gentle" I will open up my hand and stroke softly.  I am also learning not to poke dogs in the face, but to hold out my hand and let them sniff me.  It is rather off-putting for them to lick me, which I find simply uncouth.

Swimming is my new favorite thing.  I love for mom to dunk me under the water and will ask her to do so repeatedly.  I am learning to paddle a bit.

We went to the Cummer Museum for family night.  They have beautiful gardens and a huge area just for people like me (you know short and curious).  After that we ate falafels and hummous then played in Riverside Park.

And a One and a Two and...

I went pee pee in the potty for the first AND second time on Sunday, June 17, 2012 at the age of 15 months old.  Mom and Dad did a happy dance.  On Tuesday, June 19, 2012 I put my first poop in there too!

Sitting on the porch with Dad, having a conversation about life and stuff.

Mom took me on a walk to see the ducks by the lake.  She asked, "Can you see that duck?" and my reply was a nod of my head...as I nodded off to sleep.  She had to drag me half a mile home in my bike.

Fell asleep in my car seat on the way home.  Some details you might miss on first glance: holding a pencil in my right hand, a bag of cheese fish crackers in my left, and have a few crackers stowed under my chin.

When Mom says "OMG!" (which stands for Oh my goodness), I slap my hands on my face in shock.   Dad almost died the first time I did it.  

I don't care about stacking blocks, but stacking cans is a lot of fun.  I help  rearrange the pantry and the  lower shelves of the fridge often.  Mom and Dad love playing hide and seek with ingredients.

I am up to nine teeth.  I started day care last week and love Miss Debbie, who takes care of me.  In the past week I have mastered how to use a spoon and a fork to scoop or spear food and then deliver it to my mouth; next stop training chopsticks.  I can identify all sorts of things if you ask me to, 

Num Nums

When I get hungry, I ask politely for num nums now.  Then I say yum yum and eat.  Sometimes I say thank you when you hand me something.  I wave my hand to let you know when I'm all done.

Dad and I try to match when we can.  We want people to know we go together.

Mom is teaching me how to make flower wreaths from weeds.  Dad says I look like a Buttycelli, who is some famous painter.

What's over there?  Haha, while she's looking I'll grab her necklace.

Nutella is supposed to be healthy hazelnut spread, but it tastes like chocolate to  me!

Blue Steel

All in grey.

Big shoes to fill

My first time truly feeding myself with a spoon, and it's a MickD's yogurt parfait.  As you can see, it got messy.

My bag of tricks

Mommy left me today.  She is at the airport while I'm fast asleep.  I know what you're thinking, and yes, I am so tech savvy that I blog in my sleep.  She is going to Boston for work and won't be back until tomorrow night!  Dad and I are planning a fun day at the zoo.

My language comprehension is really surging now.  I can point to many body parts if when asked, and if I'm in the mood:
nose
belly
hair
eyes
feet
hiney (Dad's favorite)

I actually say: 

mommy 

daddy 

hi

baby 

ball 

done 

hi 

bye 

shoes 

numnums (when hungry) 

no 

yeah 

up 

m'aider (French for "help me".  I pronounce it d'aider, but it makes Mom and Dad do just about whatever I want, like open some snacks, help me with a door, show me how to use a toy.)

I'm working on thank you.  It sounds like "Dack"

I understand and will point to: 

monkey 

giraffe

dog

hippo

If I feel like it and you ask me, I will:

stamp feet 

clap hands 

nod head (even if you just hum the tune to the song "Nod your head") 

hands up high 

touch your toes 

gimme five

Mom often asks to sniff my feet, and I put them over there for her, even though every stinking time they are, well, stinking.  She says, "Pee yoo!" and almost falls down.  I find this amusing.

I am starting to sing along to songs by singing "do do" and also open up books and run my fingers over the letters and read "do do do".  I recently said "amen" at the end of a prayer, and clap when others do.  I also clap if you say "good job" or the Korean version "jahl han da".

I am starting to enjoy drawing and do so more with my left hand than my right.  Dad says I hold the pencil just like a grown up. 

I will also give kisses if you ask for one, or sometimes just because.  Mom and Dad call them "kisses", but I call them "mm mm".  I give kisses to mommy and daddy and Unc, and also to Aunty Mimi (Jamie) and my sock monkey and baby doll.  I like to give water and food to monkey and say "num num" for him.  After he takes a drink, I say "Ah" for him.

The most exciting ability I have developed is that I can not only open household doors, but the oven door.  Mom doesn't seem as thrilled about this as I am.  

Chicago - My First Vacation

Day 1 - Lincoln Park.  They don't call it the Windy City for nothin'.  This town is cold.  I had to wear serious clothes like a scarf and hat, even though I went swimming a couple of weeks ago back home.  In the park, some old men were feeding the birds and game mom a roll so I could feed them too.  But most of the time if I saw her throw some bread down, I'd scoop it up and eat it myself. 

Day 1 - Lincoln Park.  Playing in the dirt.  We went to the zoo and the conservatory, but my favorite part was a little dusty patch.

Day 1 - Lincoln Park.  Sharing a rock with Mom.  We saw roaring lions and giraffes with tranq darts in them at the zoo too.

Day 2 - Garfield Conservatory.  So many cool plants inside, and then a huge field outside.  I need a break with Dad on the lawn now and then.

Day 2 - Garfield Conservatory.  I love running free, especially up hills and then back down to challenge my balance.

Day 2 - Navy Pier.  We rode the ferris wheel and had amazing views of the city.

Day 2 - Navy Pier.  Getting sleepy, guys.  I took a nap and woke up at Adams Park, which is a cool local playground.  I learned how to steer using a push toy there, and this is the first time I've ever loved being in a swing.  Mom stood in front while Dad pushed me, and she pretended I was kicking into her and knocking her back, which I think is comedy gold.

Day 3 - Chicago Children's Museum.  I can play the piano.  I am a musical genius!

Day 3 - Chicago Children's Museum.  Dad and I sat here together for over 20 minutes.  I really got the whole concept of a slide today, too.  There was a slide that would make chiming noises as my hiney slid down.  I would get off, run around, climb the steps, then sit down and slide again. 

Day 4 - Millenium Park.  Mom and Dad dared to spend part of one day at the Art Institute, which was not an activity that revolved around me!  Then we went to the Cloud Gate, also known as "the bean".  It was cool and all, but I enjoyed chasing a pigeon.  It was very surprising to me that he didn't stand still for me to touch him.

Day 5 - Shedd Aquarium.  I'm a penguin.

Day 5 - Shedd Aquarium. In addition to learning how to slide, this week I popped out tooth number seven, learned how to open a zippered bag, say "Toot toot!" when I hear a car horn, wave my hands back and forth for windshield wipers, and steer things when I'm pushing them so they don't bump into anything.

We're Goin' to the Zoo zoo zoo

I run to Dada.

Then back to Mama. I repeat this a lot, because inclines make me giggle.

I pressed the goat to see what would happen. Poke. Oh, some berries fall out!

At the zoo, I showed Dada the animals.

This is at Boston Children's Museum. I spent hours there.

Unc said, "Tickle tickle!" and grabbed my belly. I laughed and ran into a plastic tub of toys. I blame him for what happened to my lip.

The zoo has a water park that is just right for me. I get to run around and grab at the jets of water. Nice way to cool off. I got very excited about the birds and also liked some monkeys and a bongo. The butterflies were pretty, but calming for me.

So, I've had a surge of comprehension. If asked, I can now point to my nose, belly, and foot. I now say Ball and Book. My favorite word is "Dohp" which means "give me that" or "do this for me". If you sing "Doo doo doo", I'll often sing back to you.

Mommy asked me to put some clothes from the dryer into the hamper, and I did it for her. I also like to help put food on the magic sliding thing at the grocery store that takes it up to the lady who slides it over something that makes it go beep, boop, beep.

Strangers are fun. When we flew to Boston, I crawled into a nice lady's lap on the airplane and we played together for a while. Then on the way to the zoo, we stopped at a gas station and I ran up to a man who was eating a sandwich and jumped up into his lap. People seem to like me.

I like to take the broom around the house and push it back and forth on the floor. I carried around some cinnamon Life cereal while sweeping this morning. Mom called it counter productive, but I call it delicious!