My amazing boy

From the time Jacob was brand-new, I kept a journal of his accomplishments, funny things he said or did, and favorite things. I intended to do that for Ian as well, but time has escaped me and I find myself forgetting the things that he did yesterday. So, before I forget again, here are some of the amazing things I find myself marveling over, things that I want to remember tomorrow, or 5 years down the line.

You said three new words in one day. You awoke from a nap and suddenly, it was as if the gift of speech had come to you. You picked up a rubber duck and said "duck". Then you pointed to your pail with blocks and said "bucket". While we read a book, you said "clock". All the words, clear as day and completely understandable. An amazing feat, from the boy who hardly speaks.

You jumped with two feet. The first time you tried, you jumped about 3 inches off the ground and then fell back on your bottom. That surprised you but you got back up and tried again. I can't believe that you are able to jump so easily. I teach 3 year old children in the tumbling classes that can't even jump with two feet.

You pointed to my eyes, nose and mouth and said them outloud. You can already point to all of your body parts when asked, but you've never tried to say them outloud.

We were listening to N'Sync in the car and you sang along to the song, "Bye Bye Bye". Jacob and I just laughed, amazed that you picked it up so quickly and right on cue, I might add!

Grandpa gave you a piece of food off his plate. You said, "brok brok", meaning chicken.

When we go in your room, you point to the Cd player and start jumping around, dancing, indicating that you want music!

Maybe not so amazing to anyone else, but it makes me smile:) And I want Ian to have these memories, like his brother does. I'll try to do a better job of journalling. Once those moments have passed, it's difficult to recall them. And the moments are passing quicker than I stand.

Sound speech

Sheep are "baa", cats are "meow" and butterflies are mearly a fluttering of the hands over his head. Ian refuses to say an animals' name. If he sees a cow, he says "moooo". If there is a dog barking in the neighborhood, Ian barks too. When he sees an elephant in a book, he raises his arm to his head and rears back, trumpeting.
"Look, Ian! A monkey! Say 'MONKEY', Ian!" Ian will just look back with his enormous brown eyes, bring his hands up to his chest and grunt, "Ohh Ohh Ohh" and sign for a banana.
"Ian can you say HORSE? Say HORSE, Ian!" And Ian will whinny, "Neigghh!"
"A dinosaur, Ian! Can you say DINOSAUR?" Ian drops his chin and lets out a terrifying growl.
Animals aren't the only things that just have sounds. Airplanes are signified with the ASL sign and a gutteral sound. Motorcycles get more of a throaty voice. The trash truck is more of a worried look, with furrowed eyebrows, and a louder, deep sound, as he is nervous of the real sound of the trash truck.
But mostly this "sound speech" is centered around the various animals he sees around him and in books. Fish are signed, and though "ish" was one of his first words, he seems now to have abandoned it. There are three animals that have names: mouse, duck, and bird. Why, I don't know!
I know that soon enough, Ian will start calling a pig, a pig, instead of sniffing like he does now. And a frog will no longer be the deep "ribb" and the chicken won't be a "brok-brok". But the sound I will miss most will be his tiger/lion/dinosaur sound. A wonderful, low, long and loud "ROAR!!!" that seems to come from some primal place inside him. He'll know that everything has a name, himself included. And that somethings have many names, like Ian can also be called a son, grandson, brother, toddler, then boy, soon to be teenager, man, father, and grandfather. All in the blink of an eye.

1.5

We're halfway there...seems like so long ago that he was digging into that first birthday cake, even longer ago thinking of a time when he didn't run all over the house, and longer still when he relied on just breastmilk to fill his tummy. We were looking at his baby book last night, to see where cousin Owen is on his milestones compared to Ian.

At 7 days old, you held your head up and looked up at Grandpa. Today you will nod your head "yes" or shake for "no". At 3 weeks old you had your first bath and you screamed and cried like a little lamb. Today you take your bath, happy to play with a bucket, pouring water out, crying only when the water is dumped on your head for a shampoo! At 5 1/2 months old you had your first taste of food, mashed bananas. Today, you will sign "banana" and say "nana" if you see one on the counter. You will try every food, which surprises me, being the pickiest person on Earth! You gave your first kiss at 6 months old. Today you give kisses to anyone who asks, puckering up and smacking, "mwah"! Your first tooth appeared at nearly 7 months, a battle we are still fighting today, with various tooth buds appearing and molars painfully and slowly creeping in. You said "mama" at nearly 8 months. Though speech is not coming quickly to you, you are great at communicating what you want. You know many signs and your sweet voice and new words are music to my ears! I love that you say "hot" for anything that you know is forbidden to you, from Grandpa's cup of coffee, to the fan, to the computer! You waved for the first time 10 months, something that still makes me smile when I see you wave good-bye, in your stiff armed-flat handed way. On November 20th you took your first step in this world. The first step of many milestones to come...and I can't wait to see them all!