Ball!

Daniel went into the nursery by himself this morning, and started rooting around, chanting "Buh! Buh! Buh!"

He couldn't reach his big red ball (under his crib), so I shimmied under and got it for him.

He has spent the morning running around with the ball, cackling, and bouncing it onto the floor. Then he does a little tap dance of happiness each time.

As I recall, Christy took him to Toys'R'Us a few days ago, and he was obsessed with the balls. Also, Elmo was thinking about balls last week on Sesame Street. So the time has come.

Two Word Phrases

Daniel has started using two word phrases. This afternoon, on the couch, he rested upon some pillows and said, "go sleep." And Christy reported that, this morning on the changing pad, he said, "milk please."

Cautiously Optimistic

I hesitate to write this post for fear I'll jinx us. Here goes... Daniel has been sleeping through the night, consistently for about a week now. He ended up in bed with us only one night this week. As a trade-off, the bedtime routine has extended from 30 min to about an hour. Recently, if I try to put him down for the night while he's still awake, he throws a fit. So we sit together until he finally nods off which takes some time. He still goes down for naps while awake without too much fuss.

Sandbox

In honor of his 1.5-year "unbirthday" on 6/13/11, a new turtle sandbox has been installed in Daniel's honor in the backyard, after Daddy cleared out several acres of creeper and bushes.

Daniel's 18 month Dr. Appt

23 lbs, 3 oz
34" tall

1st Haircut

For Daniel's 18 month birthday, I decided to schedule his first haircut. There's a place called Cool Cuts where kids can get their haircut while sitting in race cars or fire engines and watching movies. I figured Daniel would be so entranced by all the toys and fun stuff that the haircut would be a non-event. Not so.

We signed in at our appointment time, and the stylist was just finishing up with a customer. After the other kid left, we had the whole place to ourselves. The stylist was uncommunicative almost to the point of being surly - not a good sign. She looked at Dad, camera at the ready, and Mom, red-eyed from crying in the car, and asked if this was his first haircut. Duh.

Daniel was seated in a fire engine, and Thomas the Tank Engine was playing on the TV in front of him. By then, he realized something very different was about to happen. As soon as the smock went on, Daniel started crying and reaching for Mommy. Tears rolled down his cheeks, he held my hand and tried to thwart all hair cutting efforts.

Though she wasn't the most personable, I have to give the stylist credit. She managed to cut off all those adorable curls, and Daniel looks like a well-groomed little boy. We spent some time playing with the toys afterward. I'm hoping that's the part he'll remember when we go back!

Cheyenne Mountain Trip

Daniel visited his first State Park today. Daddy dragged everybody down to Colorado Spring to look at the campgrounds at Cheyenne Mountain State Park.

On this trip, Daniel learned that if he holds onto Daddy with one hand, and Mommy with the other, he can life up his feet and doesn't really need to walk at all.

Daniel's Obsessions, Revisited

Daniels obsessions, as he approaches his 18-month mark...

1. Tashi's food bowl & water bowl
2. The potty
3. The diaper genie
4. The trash can (in the kitchen)
5. Daddy's squirt-bottle (for Tashi)
6. The remote control
7. The recycling in the pantry

Water, Fire... Illness

Our family unit has been under the pall of sickness since before Memorial Day.

Christy went down first, Daniel followed several days later. I held out for five days before finally descending into illness.

I wanted to make a note that, for three days, I couldn't swallow anything, not even water, without fighting through gags. Water, trickling down my sore throat, felt like fire.

We are now on the mend, although Daniel had some vomiting last night and Christy and I are still coughing like Dickens' orphans.