I Got a PUMP!

Speaking of Nana and Pops' arrival... what a spectacular welcome they got from Cael. No sooner were they in the door, than Cael was racing ecstatically around the house, pulling out every single toy from every single tidily-stowed basket to show them to Nana and Pops.

"Look, Nana! I got Elmo! He dances."

"Look, Pops! I got tools!"

Racing to the living room, he dumps out an entire bin of building blocks. "Look! My blocks!"

"This is my monkey sock!" (Referring to his Sock Monkey jack-in-the-box.)

Then, racing back to the hallway where we have stowed miscellaneous toys in baskets, Cael hauls out the pièce de résistance -- a plastic pump for Adam's exercise ball.

"Look! I got a PUMP!"

???

Waving Bye-Bye

Colton impressed me the other day. Nana and Pops had arrived in town and were leaving our house after dinner to return to the RV Park and some well-deserved rest. We stood on the front porch, and I watched as Cael gleefully jumped around the front yard, waving and yelling "Bye-Bye Nana and Pops," at the top of his lungs. As the truck drove away I looked down to see Colton, arm outstretched, apparently waving goodbye.

I didn't want to get too excited. I mean, I'd been working with him, shaking his arm when I said goodbye on his behalf. But he'd never done that before!

Then, on another occasion, he did it again. And again. And again! This morning, Colton waved goodbye to me! How sweet is he?

Walking and Talking and Driving Carefully

Colton is walking! In the week leading up to Thanksgiving (11/26 this year), he started taking tiny, shuffling steps. Now, two weeks later, the kid really walks. He still crawls when he wants to cover some distance. And man, that kid is a fast crawler, even if he still looks like he's limping -- left knee, right foot, left knee, right foot. Cael crawled the same way -- you wouldn't think something like that would be genetic, but apparently so. But I digress. Did I tell you Colton is walking?! So exciting!

And Cael? Cael is talking. Which is nothing new. But oh, the things he says! The latest cute thing is to drag out the good nights.

Me: Good night, buddy. I love you. See you in the morning. (heading for the door)
Cael: Good night, Mommy
Me: Good night buddy (standing in the doorway)
Cael: I love you
Me: I love you too, buddy (reaching for doorknob)
Cael: See you tomorrow
Me: See you tomorrow (trying to close the door)
Cael: Drive carefully
Me: Thanks buddy. Night night. (closing door)
Cael: Mommy! Mommy! Drive CAREfully!
Me: (opening door) Drive carefully, buddy. Good night. (closing door and running)