A Note about Phones

A quick follow-up to Jarl's last post. Daniel's been obsessed with phones (specifically Mom and Dad's iPhones) for many months. But it's only been the last few weeks that he's started "answering" phones of all sorts - toys, cell phones, TV remotes. Last week he began answering his hand when he hears a phone ring. Daniel and I went out for lunch and each time the phone would ring, he would answer his peanut butter & jelly sandwich, leaving smears of sandwich guts on his head. Now if he hears a phone ring (even on TV), he'll answer it.

Yellow Phone, Read'n'Sign & the Potty

I was watching Daniel in the nursery tonight, and scrolling through the news on my iPhone. Daniel came over and started groping for my phone. I noticed that his yellow toy phone was across the nursery, in a pile of toys, so I said, "Daniel, where is your yellow phone? Can you go and get Daniel's yellow phone?"

And, much to my surprise, he crawled across the room, picked up his yellow phone, brought it back over to where I was sitting, and handed it to me. I was shocked!

On a separate but related "phone note," Daniel is now picking up his phone (or, alternatively, one of the TV remotes) and holding it to his ear, and when he does, he says, "Hi! Hi!"

Christy reports that she was reading Daniel the Halloween "lift the flap" book (Where is Baby's Pumpkin?) and when they got to the page where the candy apples are hidden behind the bowls, Christy asked Daniel, "What do you think is behind those bowls?" Daniel replied... with sign-language, "fruit." And on the next page, she asked, "What's under the bed?" Daniel signed "hat," for the witches hat which is, indeed, hidden under the bed.

And... (cue the '2001' music), Daniel has discovered the potty. We go and visit it many times a day now, and Daniel will make a flushing gesture and say, "Whush! Whush!" Also, on the changing pad this morning, I would sing, "Do the..." Daniel would clap twice, and I would finish, "Potty Dance!"

Things I Said Today...

"Cookie goes in mouth, not on head!"

"Please don't whack the kitty with the remote."

"Are we passing on the raspberries?"

Causality (On/Off)

This week's hotness in "the hidden life of Daniels" is: the on/off switch. The on/off button on the TV is topping the charts this week, with it's singular and enticing roundness beckoning any & all babies to "push me!" Running a close second is a perennial favorite, the white noise machine in the nursery. When neither one of these are available, going back to favorites of yore, like lamps, will scratch that on/off itch. Like Daniel's Grandma Denny says, "Cause and effect!"

Games Babies Play

Daniel invented a new game for us today on the changing pad. He was pursing his lips and blowing a stream of air in my face as I was changing his diaper, so I'd act like it was a strong wind blowing me away. He thought this was hilarious.

A few nights ago, I also tried out the "creep up" game on him, too - while his mom was changing him. In this game, I'd slowly get closer and closer until he couldn't standing it anymore, and then he'd smack me with his hands and cackle with laughter.

In other news: Daniel ate some "big people food" for lunch today - specifically, Mommy's lentil soup. The lentils met with his approval. I should also note that he was stuffing blackberries into his mouth at M'nK's superbowl party. Other recent foods include pesto & egg pizza, Mexican-style beans & rice... and he has developed a real affinity for french fries.

Also - he has recently begun to express his dissatisfaction w/being parked in the playpen by throwing out all of his toys. Another form of protest that he has instituted regarding either the playpen or the crib is the miraculous removal of his pants, which are then quickly tossed over the side and out.

New words: "hot" and "cold."

Climbing the South Face... of the Dresser Drawers

This week has been all about Daniel climbing up on stuff. Wednesday, 2/02/11, was the first day when the urge to climb seemed to kick in and go pretty strong all day. I can't leave him unattended for more than a few seconds because he is usually pulling himself up, precariously, on something. Yesterday, he was trying to climb up the knobs on his dresser like it was a rock-climbing wall at the gym.

We are also getting longer runs (6 steps or so) of "one-handed walking." I got all excited about this, and bought him a kids-walker at Target, but he got afraid of it when it started moving as he was leaning on it, and so we have abandoned that toy for now.

This week, Daniel has also picked up the word "turtle," which comes out as "Tur-Doh," and dog, which comes out pretty much like it should. I think he is also trying to say his name, which some comes out as "Nan-No."

Both of his classes, signing & music, were cancelled this week due to the current sub-zero temperatures (but none of Daddy's classes in Boulder were cancelled, of course).