some generally cute stuff from the boys

My camera is too slow to really capture these new actions on film, although I will keep trying. However, I don't want this phase to go by without recording this in some way, so words will have to suffice for now.

The boys are entering into the Months of the Mimic (which means I may end up having to wash my own mouth out w/ soap soon), in both words and actions. Other than the requisite 'Dada' and "Mama", neither of which is entirely tied to the person (although Dada is typically used when happy and Mama when sad), the first 'real' words to come from either of the boys was William's attempt at Uh Oh.

And I tell you, he uses it correctly and often. He says it when he throws toys out of the play area, throws his bottle on the ground, steals Michael's bottle/toy, and very carefully pitches his blanket over the side of his crib. But according to William, there is no "O" in Uh Oh. It sounds more like Uh oehhhh (where the oe is really one of those funny sound-letters) or Uh uuhhhh with the dot dot over the 2nd two U's.

Their newest action mimic is to "Oh My". Michael either squeezes his cheeks or covers his eyes. William covers his ears or his head. Sometimes Michael will do the action un-prompted, but more often than not, in perfect context (like when William smears food all over his face).

William's also clapping - he claps when we say clap, when we say Yay, when we say "good job Michael/William" or when we clap. He also claps for himself when he's decided he did a good job. Michael's learning to clap too, but he is a little more judicious. We've only seen him thrilled enough to break out the applause twice so far.

Now if I could only get them to mimic laundry folding...

My little monkeys

Several years ago, I was in a Mission Valley parking lot on a Saturday afternoon when I got a call from my brother, Chris. I'm fairly certain Chris had been watching football at Wills that day. Chris said "Tina, I think you should have a kid. And I will call your kid monkey. Then I can tell people 'I'm a monkey's uncle'."

So we had kids. And to support Chris, we decorated their rooms with monkeys. They have monkey toys, and for the first 6 months, nearly all their onesies had monkeys on them. Well, the evolution is complete. As of this week, I am certain they have evolved into monkeys!

Gone are the days where I was wishing that Michael would be just a little more engaged in playtime, maybe at least trying to crawl or pull himself up on my lap. Gone are the days when I would think "won't it be cute when the boys start really playing together." Oh no, now I wish "Couldn't they just sit quietly and read books." For yes, my children are now monkeys.

Last week, they DID start playing together. Michael crawled (yes crawled! on his hands and knees...not army style!) over to the fireplace, pulled down the basket of bibs that sort of 'hides' the allure of the fireplace, and I swear turned and winked at William. William promptly ran (yes ran!) over, climbed right up and started banging on the fireplace wall.

I am fairly certain that this is the conversation that Michael then had inside his head over the course of the week:

"Hmmm...that looked fun. I really want to do that. I mean REALLY. I have never REALLY wanted to do anything, but I REALLY want to do that. How can I? I mean, I don't even REALLY know how to crawl except a little bit. And I can't REALLY even stand up, unless I try hard. But Wow, I REALLY want to get up there. And bang. Oh, and there's glass that looks like a mirror. Oh fun. Oh I need to do that. How?" And then some crying ensues and Michael gets taken up for a nap.

Next Day: "Ok, I can't climb up there, but I think I can climb in other places. Like mommy's leg. And maybe on the toybox. And a little bit on my little chair but not really. Oh well, I will just suck my thumb instead."

And for about a week, these conversations rotate in Michael's head until one day...

"Ok, today when Mommy comes and gets me from my nap, I'm going to be standing up. I'll try and I'll try." And he did. In fact, he and William were both standing in their cribs on the near ends, reaching across the gap, holding hands and giggling when I walked in.

And when it got to playtime, he very decisively crawled (on all fours) over to the fireplace (where William had already removed the basket of bibs), and just climbed up. Like there was no struggle at all. And then proceeded to bang on the doors, gaze at himself in the mirror and 'invite' William up to join him.

Now I wish I could tell you that was the end of that story, but something this exciting and 'off limits' doesn't get boring too quickly. Neither does climbing on the couch and throwing toys into the kitchen (William) or diving off the furniture and fireplace (both). Or climbing into the back of the dump truck (William).

So Uncle Chris, you got your wish. You really are a Monkeys' Uncle.