Two steps forward; one step back
Genevieve has been advancing so fast that it is hard to chronicle her development. She understands so many words and concepts that we haven't bothered to write them down. She babbles incessantly though not in any language we can understand.
While she has plenty of words that we know dinner has started to feel like playing charades with an orangutan. At some point in the meal she'll point at the table in obvious distress. My first thought is that she must be thirsty. Like a good father I bring her juice glass to her so that she can have a sip. She waves me away with a firm backhand and a vociferous "Noooooo" nearly upsetting the glass. Perhaps she wants my drink, but that too is waved away by this irritable traffic cop. Now I've angered her. She's been pointing for at least 30 seconds and I haven't gotten her what she wants. She starts hooting at me; struggling to break free of her high chair so that she can get it herself. Meanwhile Carrie is busy naming things on the table in hopes that G will nod her head when the right one is reached. "Juice, water, peas, cell phone, pepper mill, cheese grater...." Sometimes we hit upon the right object early. Other times it'll take a few minutes. It could be as simple as 'I want your fork' or as complex as 'put some more ketchup on my burger pieces and leave the bottle on my tray'.
Her athleticism has also improved greatly. She can run around the house very quickly though she doesn't really have the whole control thing down. Now when she runs into a wall or the couch instead of just bouncing off and continuing on her merry way she'll send herself tumbling to the floor which inevitably ends in wailing. We're thinking of replacing the hardwood floors with nerf.
She also loves to climb on the furniture. She looks like a really small mountaineer. She'll approach the coffee table from the eastern slope (the most dangerous) and carefully begin her ascent. One hand grabs across the table, fingers feeling for purchase while she lifts her leg just enough to get a toe hold on the ridges of the surface. With a struggle she'll pull until she can get a second hold with her other hand. Now secure in her first position she proceeds to finish the ascent in a glorious move that ends with her standing proudly on the table. If she had a flag, I'm sure she would plant it right in the middle. The descent is sometimes graceful but can often be quick and end with a thud. More wailing. Climbing isn't just a living room activity. She's learned the wonders of her rocking chair and can also climb into it. Though her maneuvering often leaves her in a standing position which will get her yelled at unless she remembers to promptly sit down. I just watched her spend thirty minutes climbing in and out of her rocking chair.
With all her advancements she seems to have lost some skills that she was previously good at. Snack time used to involve Genevieve grabbing as many pieces as her little hands could hold and shoving them into her mouth. She's apparently cut out the middle man and decided to use her mouth to hoover the snacks out of our hands instead. It is like feeding snacks to a farm animal. You have to hold the snack in the palm of your hand. If you use your fingertips you might get nipped.
While she has plenty of words that we know dinner has started to feel like playing charades with an orangutan. At some point in the meal she'll point at the table in obvious distress. My first thought is that she must be thirsty. Like a good father I bring her juice glass to her so that she can have a sip. She waves me away with a firm backhand and a vociferous "Noooooo" nearly upsetting the glass. Perhaps she wants my drink, but that too is waved away by this irritable traffic cop. Now I've angered her. She's been pointing for at least 30 seconds and I haven't gotten her what she wants. She starts hooting at me; struggling to break free of her high chair so that she can get it herself. Meanwhile Carrie is busy naming things on the table in hopes that G will nod her head when the right one is reached. "Juice, water, peas, cell phone, pepper mill, cheese grater...." Sometimes we hit upon the right object early. Other times it'll take a few minutes. It could be as simple as 'I want your fork' or as complex as 'put some more ketchup on my burger pieces and leave the bottle on my tray'.
Her athleticism has also improved greatly. She can run around the house very quickly though she doesn't really have the whole control thing down. Now when she runs into a wall or the couch instead of just bouncing off and continuing on her merry way she'll send herself tumbling to the floor which inevitably ends in wailing. We're thinking of replacing the hardwood floors with nerf.
She also loves to climb on the furniture. She looks like a really small mountaineer. She'll approach the coffee table from the eastern slope (the most dangerous) and carefully begin her ascent. One hand grabs across the table, fingers feeling for purchase while she lifts her leg just enough to get a toe hold on the ridges of the surface. With a struggle she'll pull until she can get a second hold with her other hand. Now secure in her first position she proceeds to finish the ascent in a glorious move that ends with her standing proudly on the table. If she had a flag, I'm sure she would plant it right in the middle. The descent is sometimes graceful but can often be quick and end with a thud. More wailing. Climbing isn't just a living room activity. She's learned the wonders of her rocking chair and can also climb into it. Though her maneuvering often leaves her in a standing position which will get her yelled at unless she remembers to promptly sit down. I just watched her spend thirty minutes climbing in and out of her rocking chair.
With all her advancements she seems to have lost some skills that she was previously good at. Snack time used to involve Genevieve grabbing as many pieces as her little hands could hold and shoving them into her mouth. She's apparently cut out the middle man and decided to use her mouth to hoover the snacks out of our hands instead. It is like feeding snacks to a farm animal. You have to hold the snack in the palm of your hand. If you use your fingertips you might get nipped.
posted by daniel @ 9:56 AM
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