garrett this month

Sitting where I am at the end of October, I'm realizing that Garrett has been a incredibly busy boy this month. Here's a sampling of what he's been up to:

- He's become very polite. He says please and thank you like it's going out of style. Can I just tell you how endearing it is to hear him say thank you when I open a door for him?

- He has pretty much completed the transition from the crib to his bunk bed (though sometimes we still use the crib as a method of convincing him to stay in his bed after we've tucked him in).

- At least once a day, and often more, he'll sit next to me on the couch and let me read him books. He has lots of favorites, but the one which right now will guarantee to get a good laugh out of him is The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too!

- He's figured out how to break through the child lock on one of the kitchen cupboards and likes to help himself to uncooked spaghetti:

I love how he goes straight past the box of goldfish crackers in favor of the dry pasta. What a weird kid.

- He's talking more. It's a language that very few people can understand, but he speaks it and and uses it to actually communicate what he wants, so I'll take it. A few samples of Garrettese include:

• "Da boo" for that book (as in, read me that book right now or I'll flip out)
  
• "wa" for water, milk, and sometimes juice
  
• "can-ee," for -- you guessed it -- candy
• "boppa," for apple
• "whun," as he holds up one finger to mean he wants one more
• "ite" for turn on or turn off the light, and
• "ee-whun," said in a singsong voice, which, because he says it as he picks up his toys, I'm pretty sure is the "Clean Up Song" he learned in nursery.

- He's also suddenly decided that he likes to talk on the phone. Like actually talk on the phone instead of just holding it up to his ear, grinning, as he listens to whoever's on the other end talk to him. Of course, in order to get him to talk you'll need to prompt him by asking him questions that are sure to get an answer -- things like, "What does the cow say?" Several times a day he'll ask to call either Dad or Grandma. He's usually sitting down next to me when I let him make the phone call, but, just like his father, he prefers pacing around the apartment as he converses.

- He is recently obessesed with things being hot. "Da hot," he'll say pointing to the oven or the radiator or, more frustrating, his food. We never give him a plate of dinner too hot for him to eat (in fact, there are many meals we eat served cold), but no matter what it is or its temperature, he'll hover his hands carefully over it, pronounce it too hot, and then won't touch it again. (I think he's just using this as an excuse to get out of eating something he doesn't want to because he'll inhale a glass of hot chocolate.)

- Speaking of obsessions, his latest VHS favorite is Chicken Run. I love the way he tells me he wants to watch it: he sticks his hands in his armpits, flaps his "wings," and says "run, run, run."

- He has always been interested in our piano, but lately he has taken that interest to a new level -- the level in which he thinks he's actually playing. He's figured out not only how to turn it on, but how to get the demo songs started. Then he'll set some sheet music up on the stand, pull the rocking chair over, and "play."

- Not only did he not flinch for his flu shot, but for the first time in recorded history, he didn't scream during a haircut.


- He climbs on our windowsills, which he knows very well not to do. But of course he does it anyway. I have never been more grateful for the guardrails we have installed on our windows.

- He's learned how to whistle. Well, sort of. He can do it, but it hasn't yet developed into a talent that he can turn on and off at will. In fact, I'm not completely certain that he knows exactly what it is he's doing (see video below -- but watch quick: he only whistles during the first 2 seconds. My favorite is what he does at the end when I ask him to whistle again).