So Smart and Full of Teeth

Andrew's latest things are that he:
brings you toys to play with
will take your hands and pull to get you up to play
will offer you food to feed you
will shake his head no when he does not want something you offer
will sign for milk more often when asked if he wants it
he is fascinated with buttons and snaps on my clothing
loves to give you the spray bottle and have you squirt water in his mouth

Andrew took 2-3 steps like it was nothing on the 13th to bring me his sippy cup. He thinks its funny when I pretend to drink out of it.  On the Wednesday the 15th - he took 4 steps toward me like he'd been walking all along! He was bringing me a toy we'd been playing with. I've been trying to walk with him holding one hand, but I barely hold the wrist of his other hand so he gets the idea that he doesn't have to hold onto something. He panics sometimes when he thinks about it, and other times I almost completely let go and he doesn't notice and walks just fine. It is definitely a mental thing.

He has discovered he can take the vent cover out of the floor in his room. And guess what goes in the hole? toys! I pulled a book and an animal bowling pin out of the vent. I dont think anything else has gone down.. yet.

He has learned to mooo like a cow. Most of the day on the 15th, he was saying "Oww.. Moooo"  which I think in translation means "Cow.. Moo" because you can ask him what a cow says and he says "Mooo". Its so cute.

He also knows the number one. I asked him what One was at dinner to see if he'd show daddy. He made an O shape with his mouth and said "Ou" and held up his pointer finger.  I have counted to three with him in English, Spanish, and French, and also with my fingers each time I've changed him and had snaps on his onesies since he was probably 3 months old. We count the snaps. I'm kind of getting away from that since he doesn't have very many onesies anymore, but I can only guess that is where he picked it up.

Yesterday he kept chasing Flash around. He thinks the bare pink skin of Flash's backside is a button or something I guess and keeps trying to poke it. Twice he leaned in with his face but I was able to stop that before he made contact. Poor Flash. I let him outside out of pity since Andrew wouldn't leave him alone.

I love that he understands so much. It really is amazing how much they learn the first year if given the opportunity. I can say, "let's go read your words" and he'll follow me to his chair so I can set up his reading video. I can ask, "Do you want to go for a walk?" and he'll crawl toward the door. He'll also get impatient and concerned if I'm not already ready when I ask.The same goes for when we tell him we are going to go somewhere in the car. If you pick him up like you're going to head for the door, and have to put him down because you forgot something - he bursts into tears. Or if you walk toward the door and turn around to go turn the light off he starts to complain. You have to mean what you say for sure!  And like I mentioned already, I can ask him if he wants something and he'll shake his head no. I know he understands most of the signs I use even if he doesn't use them all back, and that is nice.

My son will be one year old on Friday... and guess how many teeth he has. Sixteen! SIXTEEN!? I know one year olds who have zero, most have 4 to 6 by now, and I have a two year old friend who has sixteen.  He got 8 teeth in about 4 weeks. I'm glad they come in so fast when they come, not just one here and one there. Bring 'em! He's such a champ too... rarely fussy and disagreeable. I forget sometimes that he is teething and when he gets clingy and is asking for something it makes him so happy when I figure out he just wants some teething tablets.

This morning I was standing in the kitchen eating the last few bites of my bagel and hummus, and he came over and started tugging on my pants.  I reached down with my hands and he took a hand in each of his and started pulling and walking backwards. I dont think he knew where he was taking me though. He did that yesterday or the day before too - just took my hands and pulled me as he walked backward.

I've just been told that he did the sign for 'finished' when he finished his milk. A few minutes later he said, "more" and Nana made another bottle for him and he's happily drinking it. yeay! Then they went to the bathroom and sat him on the toilet (we have a kid potty seat that fits into the adult seat) and when he was done he did the sign for 'finished' again! Wow.. what an amazing kid I have.

He is reading! Today, Nana let him get his flashcards out, and without even saying anything, she'd show him a card and wait. When he saw Elephant, he said, "Eh". He saw Cat, and he made a "T" sound (when you say Cat and emphasize the T - that is where he is getting it.)  He saw Dog and made the D sound like he was starting to say Dog. He usually says Dog without the g. Or he barks. I have already forgotten the others.  And Flash was just up here bugging me and crying and Nana said that Andrew heard Flash crying and said "At" and assumed he is saying Cat.

Last night at meeting Joy asked him where his nose was. He got his pointer finger ready and tried to get my nose.  Today when he saw the word Nose on his cards, he tried to get his own nose and nearly poked his eye.  This morning when I was walking with him, I mentioned his toes and he picked a foot up and pointed at his toes and ran his finger across them. He sure loves to learn!

I forgot to mention that the other day we were coming in the back door and he saw all the magnets on the side of the fridge. He was not interested in all the picture character ones, but went for the magnet that had only words on it.


 video of daddy squirting water in his mouth:


Video of Andrew jumping in the crib.. its black for the first 8 seconds because I'm opening his bedroom door and have to turn on the light.