Babies, Blocks, and Trees

What a fun-filled day we had!! Sarah and Luke came for a visit this morning. Luke had a few fussy minutes at the beginning of the visit but after having a good meal was a happy little baby boy. It's interesting to watch Kalin interact with other babies. Kalin was really interested in Luke while he was crying. He would just stare at him and I could see his little mind working, trying to figure out who this little person was and why they were crying. I've been told that in the nursery at church, while most of the other babies are crying, he'll just be sitting on the floor, content as can be to play with blocks. I'm glad that so far, crying doesn't stimulate the same response in him. Although, I'm also hoping that it doesn't signal a lack of empathy on his part. I guess it's too early to tell.

I did find it funny and amusing that while Sarah was sitting in the rocker feeding Luke, Kalin walked over and tried to hand her a blanket that was sitting next to the chair. I didn't think much of it until after Sarah was gone but then I remembered earlier this week Kalin had been a little fussy and he walked over to the chair and grabbed the pillow I always use when I nurse him (which sits with the blanket) and tried to hand it to me. It was like he was telling me he was ready to nurse and he connected that pillow with nursing. So when Sarah was feeding Luke and Kalin handed her the blanket I imagined him saying, "Here, I use the pillow, but you can use this blanket." Of course, I really have no idea what he was thinking, but this scenario makes him sound like such a sweet and smart little boy!!

Later in the afternoon my parents came up and Kasey got off early so we could get our Christmas tree!! My aunt also joined us up at Crest Ranch so she could get in on Kalin's first Christmas tree experience. He seemed to have fun walking around, sitting in the dirt and playing with the sticks. I was glad to see that he finally warmed up to the trees too. We've noticed in the past that when he's near plants, bushes or trees that he gets scared of them if they touch him. He would reach his hand out, feel them, then whine and hide his head in Kasey's chest. I guess because they're prickly. Kind of a funny thing to be scared of though. He wasn't a fan of the first few trees but after awhile he got used to them and would walk up and play with the branches. Of course, it would have made life easier on me if he didn't want to get near our tree, but I don't really want to raise a wimpy boy who's scared of a Christmas tree :-) It thrilled me beyond even my imagination to share this day and experience with my little boy. The trip was everything I hoped it would be, and more!!

A few observations about Kalin from the last week (with Christmas tree pictures mixed in):

He loves it when I stack blocks for him and then knock them down. Of course, I don't just knock them down, I make them go flying through the air. He'll squeal and giggle with delight. He doesn't try knocking them down yet but he likes to try and take the top block off the stack, and right when he puts his hand on it, is when I'll knock them all down. So he started playing a game with me. He'll reach out and let his hand hover over the top block and then pull it back really quick, waiting to see if I'll knock them down. But of course I'll always wait until his hand touches the blocks to knock them over. I'm always rewarded with smiles and laughs. I love that he plays and initiates games with me.

He can almost roll a ball back to me now. He used to just pick it up and let it fall out of his hand but now he'll put his hand on the ball and make it roll (kind of) towards me.

He shakes his head "no". I'm not sure he knows exactly what it means yet. I'll ask him if he wants more of something: he'll sign "more", get all excited, then shake his head "no". I do a double-take every time before I realize that he's not sure what he's doing. The contradictory actions tend to confuse me for a few seconds. So we're trying to teach him how to nod his head for "yes" and shake it for "no".

I can almost hear him say "thank-you" when I give him things. I guess he's heard me say it enough to him that he's picked up on the inflection and the basic sounds. It's weird but thrilling to give him something then hear him "say" something that sounds very much like English!! Every once in awhile it sounds like he's saying "Hi" as well. I'm hoping our first words are just around the corner. Of course, he's been saying (or babbling) "mama" and "dada" for awhile, but never actually saying them, and meaning Kasey or I. I'm not sure I'll call it a true "first word" until he looks at one of us and says it. But I doubt there will be anything quite as thrilling as having him look at me and say "Mama". I'm looking forward to it.