ten (continued)

#6 as mentioned in #3, E observes pat & I very closely. a few days ago he started to carwfully manipulate his
placemat as a hot pan holder. he now meticulously uses 2 washclothes my sister made him months ago, as "hot pan holders" in his play kitchen. nothing enters or leaves the oven without careful handling. "hot"

#7 an inner monologue shared. since E has learned the
most rudimentary of words, he has strung them together with occassional grunts. these "sentences" are like absent-minded ramblings meant for noone but himself. as his
vocabulary has broadened, we are able to understand
more & more of these monologues - although the grunt is still quite pervasive. the content usually involves a trip to the store, construction equipment, messes or "owahs" (owies). but sometimes neither pat nor I have a clue what je is taking about. & that does not
matter because he is truly just
talking to himself - I think!

#8 "fee/rop bop" - I adore the fact that several times a day E will bring up my parents. often to reference my dad's beard, my mom's love for him or a shared experience - it is precious.

#9 every day I see more & more of pat in my little boy. not only in his facial expressions but in his personality & disposition. E is a very intense little boy who is simultaneously inquisitive, cautious, adventurous & silly!

#10 The rocker. I am so happy to be reunited with our rocker. when I was pregnant, I was so excited to get our rocker. I
would daydream about rocking, feeding & loving my sweet little babe in that chair. well... the stinker hated the rocker. he never liked for pat or I to sit. but for the past 10 months or so that rocker has become that special place I had originally hoped it would be. since I worked so much, bedtime was often E's & my special quiet time together. a time where he, all snug in his jammies & comforted by his blankie & sitting relatively still, would share a snuggle & some books with me. that tradition now continues in our new house - although for now, pat & I get to take turns. we sit together, explore together & enjoy each other. it is amazing to think of this nightly tradition has evolved as E has. the parts are the same - chair, book, mama, boy -but the experience is
different each time. sometimes we laugh & share, other times E sits attentively & listens, sometimes he is content & others he goes to bed asking for
more. the size of the child on my lap continues to evolve as well - yikes!


boy meets puddle!