For all those who asked, Chase climbed IN the dog door for the first time the other afternoon. He crawls out because he really wants to be outside, and usually we scoop him up and bring him back inside. Or we go out with him, but use the screen door instead of the glass one, and he can open the screen door. But the other afternoon, I sat out with him for a while when it was too hot to leave the screen open. At some point, he must have had enough, because he climbed back in! He came straight back out again, then five or so minutes later, he climbed inside to stay. Such a smart and clever boy!
Speaking of smart and clever, he's getting faster on his feet, though not actually running yet. One interesting thing we've noticed is that his "talking" has really increased since he started to walk. He chatters and babbles all the time, but nowhere is he more loquacious than on the changing table! We have quite the conversation there a couple of times a day.
He has started trying to climb on furniture, but he's still too little to actually get on the couch or anything tall. He has taken an interest in pens and other writing implements; I guess we'll need to buy some crayons and BIG paper soon.
Best of all, for Mama anyway, is that he now nods his head "yes". He's been shaking his head "no" for a while, so now I can ask him YES/NO questions. What a world of communication this opens! "Chase, do you want a banana? No? How about blueberries? Yes? OK, here are blueberries." It is SO much nicer than the old grunt-and-point!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Escape Artist
We kinda sorta thought he could, but now we know for sure.
Chase can - and will! - crawl through the dog door.
I saw him do it twice today. Or rather, once today, I saw him half in/half out, pajama-striped leg sticking up in the air as he slithered to the ground outside. And later he went from being in the kitchen to being in the porch in the blink of an eye (or the time it takes to read half an article in Sunset - you choose).
----
We had a lovely and successful family outing this afternoon, and took some great photos. Unfortunately, I can not find my camera cable and James is putting Chase to bed and likely to stay there himself. So I'll say no more, and write all about it when it can be a proper photo-essay and not just some rambly text.
Chase can - and will! - crawl through the dog door.
I saw him do it twice today. Or rather, once today, I saw him half in/half out, pajama-striped leg sticking up in the air as he slithered to the ground outside. And later he went from being in the kitchen to being in the porch in the blink of an eye (or the time it takes to read half an article in Sunset - you choose).
----
We had a lovely and successful family outing this afternoon, and took some great photos. Unfortunately, I can not find my camera cable and James is putting Chase to bed and likely to stay there himself. So I'll say no more, and write all about it when it can be a proper photo-essay and not just some rambly text.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The cuteness never ends
Chase is growing and changing SO MUCH. Every week, he is a different kid. And truly a toddler now that he is (occasionally) walking on his own.
His understanding of the world increases by leaps and bounds, and I'm constantly amazed at what he knows. Last night I had a great example of what he truly understands about the way the world works.
We've been having hot weather, and Chase took a late nap yesterday, so he was up later than usual. Up after dark, in fact, which is saying something since it doesn't get truly dark here until sometime between 9:30 and 10:00 at night. I'd been out knitting last night, and dumped everything - keys included - on the chair when I got home and realized the Boy was still awake.
Chase climbed on the chair just enough to get the keys. The he held up his hand and grunted - his way of letting me know he wanted to go walking. Keys in one hand and my finger in the other, he led the way out the front door and down the driveway. At the bottom of the driveway, he let go of my hand, sank to the ground, pointed the remote at the car and started pushing buttons. When nothing happened, he asked to walk again, and we moved forward about two feet. Again, he sank to the ground and started pushing buttons. Nothing. Forward again, each time a bit closer to Daddy's car.
Ah! This time something happened! He managed to pop open the hatch above the tailgate. He kept pushing the same button, and nothing more happened, of course. So I encouraged him to push one of the other buttons. Eventually, he unlocked all the doors, and popped the hatch several more times (with Mama closing it in between).
Now, I could have been annoyed at this. After all, he was up way past his bedtime, I was tired, it was dark out, we should have been winding down. But instead I simply watched in awe as he showed an understanding far beyond what I thought he possessed - he not only went to the car that matched the keys, he seemed to know that he had to be close to the car in order for the remote to work.
Kids really do pick up on EVERYTHING that you do. Everything. Chase will mimic behaviors I'm not even aware of until I see him copy them. The learning capacity of the toddler brain is truly astounding.
His understanding of the world increases by leaps and bounds, and I'm constantly amazed at what he knows. Last night I had a great example of what he truly understands about the way the world works.
We've been having hot weather, and Chase took a late nap yesterday, so he was up later than usual. Up after dark, in fact, which is saying something since it doesn't get truly dark here until sometime between 9:30 and 10:00 at night. I'd been out knitting last night, and dumped everything - keys included - on the chair when I got home and realized the Boy was still awake.
Chase climbed on the chair just enough to get the keys. The he held up his hand and grunted - his way of letting me know he wanted to go walking. Keys in one hand and my finger in the other, he led the way out the front door and down the driveway. At the bottom of the driveway, he let go of my hand, sank to the ground, pointed the remote at the car and started pushing buttons. When nothing happened, he asked to walk again, and we moved forward about two feet. Again, he sank to the ground and started pushing buttons. Nothing. Forward again, each time a bit closer to Daddy's car.
Ah! This time something happened! He managed to pop open the hatch above the tailgate. He kept pushing the same button, and nothing more happened, of course. So I encouraged him to push one of the other buttons. Eventually, he unlocked all the doors, and popped the hatch several more times (with Mama closing it in between).
Now, I could have been annoyed at this. After all, he was up way past his bedtime, I was tired, it was dark out, we should have been winding down. But instead I simply watched in awe as he showed an understanding far beyond what I thought he possessed - he not only went to the car that matched the keys, he seemed to know that he had to be close to the car in order for the remote to work.
Kids really do pick up on EVERYTHING that you do. Everything. Chase will mimic behaviors I'm not even aware of until I see him copy them. The learning capacity of the toddler brain is truly astounding.
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