Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk

Zane has had a pretty exciting week full of adventures. Monday morning we biked down to Golden Gardens beach and park. It was a nice long bike ride, and when we got to the park we got to see dogs and kids and ducks. Zane also got to have his first experience of walking in and feeling sand. Unfortunately it was cold and blustery, so we didn't stay very long.

Wednesday we got out some crayons and tried to do drawing, but Zane was not that interested. He made a few marks, but mostly he wanted to figure out how the crayons came out of the box and how they fit back in and how they tasted. The result was some very purple teeth!

Later that afternoon we went to the zoo for a short visit, which is extra easy now that I have a membership. The zoo is nearby so we can just drive over for a short walk. Zane loved the penguins and the big cats most of all. At a bear exhibit he spent more time looking at a man with long red hair and a bushy red beard than at the sleepy boring bear.

Saturday we went to two parties! Such a social whirl we live in. Zane's friend Uma turned one, and we went to her party and met up with two other babies Zane knows from story times. Zane helped with the birthday gifts and of course refused to eat any cake or any food for that matter. He did have his first orange juice and his first drinking straw experience, both of which were very good. That evening we went to a neighborhood party to say goodbye to some long-time neighbors who are moving out. There are a bazillion little boys on our block, and most of them were there. Zane loved it, and I felt bad making him leave early, but I knew he really needed to get to bed. He was tired but had a very hard time going to sleep, I think due to all the excitement in the day.

This past week has seen a big improvement in walking and talking. Zane had been saying a few words but not always in the right context. All of a sudden he seems to be using them correctly more often than not. He definitely says Momma, Daddy, JoJo, and up. He says boo for balloon. I'm pretty sure he also says car. One day I was changing his diaper, and he was looking intently at it. He's been paying attention to what I do with them these days, especially while the contents are getting flushed. I said, "Zane! Oh, you pooped!" Zane said, "Poo." I got excited and said, "Yes! Poop in your diaper!" Zane said, "Diapah." I was floored. He never said those sounds before, so I don't think it was random. He hasn't repeated the performance, but it shows how much he is paying attention these days.

Zane is also surely a toddler now. He can walk quite a ways on his own and no longer needs sticks or hands, although he still likes them. Saturday I scored a $2 mini scooter that converts to a stroller/walker, and he loves it. Two short videos of his prowess!



And finally, we leave you with a little bit of dancing and singing to the B52s.