...On a Saturday Afternoon

Because It's Friday

..and because he's been napping a lot today and because I miss him:







Moo.

Best Buds

Imaginary Mommy

I am listening to Michael in his room as he is winding down trying to fall asleep.

Usually I hear him singing Beatles songs to himself, but this time, I hear him having this conversation with his imaginary Mommy..the Mommy who apparently always says yes to everything:

"Movie?" "Yes?" "Ok...."
"Hot Chocolate?" "Yes?" "Ok...."
"Mangos?" "Yes?" "Ok...."

This happens several times a day. I think he is trying to persuade Real Mommy to be as nice as Imaginary Mommy. "Well," Real Mommy thinks to herself, "Imaginary Mommy is giving in to his requests, and I don't want him to like her more than me...so Ok...."

Scary thing, is that he carries this conversation on so sweetly and earnestly, I think it works sometimes!

The Taste of Summer

Mamoo want a cracker?

Matthew is eating solid foods



Michael loves having Matthew at the table



It seems like Michael likes Matthew eating solid food so much that he his stashing crackers in places where Matthew can reach him.


Sound crazy?

Then why would we find Matthew laying on his back eating a CRACKER?!



Michael Sr saw it and asked me urgently: "Is Matthew supposed to have a cracker?"

If it wasn't so dangerous to see him lying on his back sucking on the corner of the thing, it would have been funny!

I mean, I am not the best housekeeper in the world, but if I saw whole crackers lying around,I certainly wouldn't have left it there!

So what other option is there except Michael stashed it for him?

I am glad Michael found it before Matthew got more than a little corner! What a nut!

May Update Part III: The Big Boy

Michael, Michael, Michael.

What can I say about this kid?

Michael amazes me with the things that fly out of his mouth, from the talking...


....to the singing....

and funny things that fly out of his mouth like:


"Where'd Mommy go?" If I leave the room...he'll ask Matthew.



"What're you doing Mary?" Looking at the picture of the Virgin Mary on our wall.



"What happened?"

"I'm sorry water" when his water gets confiscated because he was rolling it around the table and now he wants it back.

and

"Hola!" as I walk into the room.



Michael loves to sing. His favorite songs are:



"Hello, Goodbye" by The Beatles

"Obla-dee, Obla-dah" by The Beatles

"ABCs"

"ABCs" in Spanish, which sound like the English ABCs, except he sticks his tongue out really far when he says it....where he got that idea, I honestly do not know.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star" (which comes out "tinkle tinkle witt-ah stah!!!)

"Baa, baa black sheep" (I guess the last three songs are the same tune, so I guess it's easier for him)



We set up a little sandbox in the porch. Best $15 ever spent!

He plays outside for long periods of time distributing sand all over the porch...

...and other places.

He really does have some sort of plan as he sets about his work moving sound all around

I just don't know what that plan is.

All i know is that it started out as a 50lb bag of sand, and it's probably down to about 15lbs...so somewhere around our porch

and the entryway of our apartment

is a whole lotta sand.

Michael is really doing well learning to control his feelings. Sometimes he gets worked up (like anyone does!)

but he is pretty good if we work to talk him down.

We're really proud of him! He still gets set off at things, but keeps it together fairly well.



He is really a sweetheart. He'll spontaneously say "I love you" to people/things he's thinking about.



Most typically, it's "I love Daddy" (sometimes it comes out "I Daddy!" but we know what he means.





But I'll get an "I love you" too and so will Matthew.



Of course, Snoopy gets one.

Michael makes requests for breakfasts and lunches. Most often it's mangos with something; like waffles ("toffles"), bagels or "O'meal." He knows what he wants.

It's amazing how much he understands. We speak to him in pretty complete and grown-up sentences, and he seems to follow along and keep up. We give him directions, or explain things to him, and he seems to understand.

I also notice the little things, like how he knows to add an "s" at the end of words when there are more than one. I mean, it's a really sublte thing to pick up on, but he did! My favorite is when he says "light on" and then if I turn on another light, he'll say "two ons!"



We love to play "hide Ele-fountain." His stuffed animal, the elephant, has a pull-string that plays a song. It's so much fun to pull the cord, hide it and watch Michael find it. He loves that game and I love the expression on his face when he finds it.



So, that's our little Michael!