9/08/98, Tuesday
On Sunday Nicole called from the bathroom that she needed help. I was in the kitchen and replied that I'd
be there in a minute. Christopher was in the living room and he started yelling "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
and running towards the bathroom. I followed and when he reached the bathroom he yelled "Here!".
I guess he thought he could help.
Last night Christopher and I were playing a computer game. Christopher was really getting into it. Here's
what he started saying: "Amy Doggie. G'job. Hooway!". The translation is "Amy Doggie.
Good job. Hurrah!"
9/01/98, Tuesday - Even More Communication Skills
Christopher continues his voyage into conversation. Here's a conversation he had with Tina yesterday.
Mommy: "Do you want a hot dog?"
Topher: "Yuck, dirty!"
Mommy: "It's not dirty."
<Christopher eats a couple of hot dog pieces>
Topher: "More, ha ha hot dog."
<Mommy cuts the hot dog into pieces in front of him>
Topher, with each slice: "Ouch, ouch, ouch ..."
I was playing Christopher's favorite computer game, "Amy doggie", with him last night. Without
any prompting at one point, he pointed to the screen and counted from 1 to 6 without any trouble. He has more trouble
with colors, though. I was asking him what color his markers were. I'd point to a green one and he'd yell out "Red".
I'd point to the red one and he'd go "Yewwow". He does know blue, though. I did notice that if
I just asked him what the color was, he'd have some trouble saying it, but If I said "point to the red one",
he'd get it right more often.
8/29/98, Saturday - More Communication Skills
Christopher is still talking up a storm. Today, I was walking away when I heard this plea from behind "Daddy,
WAIT!". He also likes one of the songs from Veggie Tales. It's actually one of the "bad" songs,
but I'm sure he doesn't know that. He sings it "Da Bunny, Da Bunny, Ohhh...". Also today I told
him I loved him and asked him if he would say I love you to me. He said "loves me..so". From the
song "Jesus Loves Me". In the morning he'll say "Morning, 'Cole" to Nicole. He really
loves his big sister. He tries to hug her whenever possible. He also likes throwing things at her when he can't
get her attention. This morning he threw his sippy glass at her which earned him "time-out" in his crib.
Afterwards, Mommy told him to say he's sorry. It was so cute to see him saying "Sorry 'Cole" and
giving her a big hug. We also ask him why he was put in time-out before taking him out of the crib. He'll point
his finger, get a scowl on his face, point his finger accusingly and say "No. no throw". Or if he's in
there for screaming he'll say "No. no. Aaaaah".
Christopher loves going to play area's like at McDonalds or the Q
(excersize place). But for some reason, he's picked up on the term
"Chuck E. Cheese" to mean any place with a playland. He'll look at us
with an expectant face and say "Chuck E. Cheese" (wanting to go to
McDonald's to play). It's funny because we really don't go to Chuck E.
Cheese's that often.
8/17/98, Monday
I've been trying to get more pictures of Christopher. It's REALLY hard. Much harder than with Nicole. He is always
on the move and he moves faster when he sees the camera. I have lots of pictures of his back, side or a ducked
head all in splendid blur motion. I'm trying now to sneak up on him while he's playing. Wish me luck.
Christopher always makes sure everyone is together after picking him up from Sunday School at church. I usually
pick him up. He yells Daddy, Daddy and runs to me, we hug and then he goes "Mommy?". We go find
Mommy and then he goes "Sissy?" And when he sees us all together, he's very happy.
8/13/98, Thursday - Talkative
Last night Christopher woke up and wanted some cereal, so we made him some. After eating he started talking about
owls and night-night and dinging and all sorts of things. He was talking our legs off, but we never really figured
out exactly what he was talking about. He mentioned balloons popping and he seemed to be talking about Nicole's
birthday party and was even pretending to blow out candles. It was pretty wild. Maybe a dream. After that he went
to sleep well.
8/4/98, Tuesday - Swimming
Last Saturday was my company picnic. There was a swimming pool there. Nicole and her friend Rachel were swimming
around like fish, but Christopher was another story. I think Nicole has scared him by splashing too much in the
past, so he didn't want to get into the pool. Finally, I convinced him it would be okay (Mommy was in the pool)
and we went in. We also have this inflatable dog ring that we sat him in and he liked it so much that when it was
time to get out he screamed to stay in. The caricature drawing above is from the company picnic as well.
7/31/98, Friday - Counting to Three, Singing
Christopher can count to three! He was eating grapes and lining them up along the edge of his tray going "one...two...three".
He did it several times and Tina and I held our breath waiting to see if he would say "four". He didn't,
but Tina counted some 1-2-3-4-5, when she said five, he immediately said six. He's getting the hang of it.
Christopher is also getting better at singing. Yesterday, hours after watching the move, he began singing (notes
and all) "Big, big, big, big.....Water" from the Land Before Time movie.
7/28/98, Tuesday - Singing Jesus Loves Me, Bedtime, Seatbelts
Christopher is now singing "Jesus Loves Me". He's really cute. He sings "Jesus..So"
I guess those are the two words we emphasize in the song since those are the only two he sings. He also associates
my playing the piano with that song (It's one of the songs I practice). So regardless what I'm playing, I'll hear
Christopher start repeating "Jesus..So". Most of the time, however, when I start playing the piano he
runs up to me in a panic yelling "Daddy, Stop!" Other than bad playing, the only reason
for it we can think of is that we sing it to him at bed time and he's telling me he doesn't want to go to bed.
Most of the time Christopher goes to bed very easily. In fact, if he's really tired he'll sometimes come up
to us and say "Nap" or "Sleep". I love taking him to bed
too, because usually he'll lay his head on my shoulder, wrap his arms around me and pat my back.
Christopher is fascinated by seat belts. He plays with the belts on his high chair all the time and can snap
them together very well. He also like to help fasten his car seat belts. He scared me one time when he started
really working on the release button of his car seat. But I checked it and it's very stiff. There's no way he'd
have enough strength to release the belts.
7/24/98, Friday
There is a tub filled with books in Christopher's room. Last night he went to the tub and pulled out a card, started
looking at it and repeated "Oma, Oma". He even opened it and pressed his face against the card. It was
a card sent to us by Nicole and Christopher's Oma (Grandma). I couldn't believe he remembered who sent the card.
7/23/98, Thursday
I think Christopher has the Noun-Verb idea down. He's using lots of two word sentences. "Lap sit",
"Eat food", "Daddy stop!". That last one he saves for one
special occation. It's when I'm playing the piano. I guess he doesn't like my playing.
7/21/98, Tuesday
Christopher woke up in the middle of the night crying. I picked him up and he started saying "Car,
beep, beep". He was pointing to the hallway, so I knew he wasn't talking about a car. He must have
had a dream about the time, a couple days ago when Tina accidentally set off the burglar alarm. He thinks the alarm
sounds like a car horn. After seeing Mommy and me, he then asked to see Sissy (Nicole). When we showed her sleeping
in her bed he got the biggest smile. He was so happy to see the whole family he started to giggle. It was really
sweet. Especally the way he loves his sissy.
A couple days ago, Christopher said his longest word so far. He said "Oklahoma".
I think he can really say anything if he wants to. He repeats a lot of what we say.
7/17/98, Friday - More Vacation Highlights, An Awrnery Christopher
At one of the hotels we had put Christopher to bed. We brought a collapsable playpen he slept in. The kids were
pretty wound up after a long day of travelling and Christopher wouldn't go to sleep right away. He kept popping
up above the playpen rails and giggling. Nicole would then giggle as well. It was a live game of pop-goes-the-weasil.
Christopher has been getting pretty awrnery lately. We don't let him have a pacifier (aka Binky) except when
he sleeps. He also sleeps with a cloth diaper he calls "blankey". Now he likes to tease Mommy by going
and getting binky and blankey and parading up to her with a smile and a glint of naughtiness in his eyes.
In the speaking category, Christopher continues to improve. He is getting very good at naming objects. For example
yesterday he pointed to some coins and said "money". Also, I was dressing him in his
pajamas and he said "snaps" as I snapped his shirt closed.
7/15/98, Wednesday - Vacation, Counting
Last week we went to the Grandparents for vacation. Christopher immediately fell in love with the neighbor's dogs
and cats. I can still hear him yelling "Toto", one of the dog's names. His favorite seemed to be one
of their cats. It was very patient with Christopher and he was pretty gentle with her. One time, though, Christopher
went to give her a hug and misjudged, slambing his forehead into the cement driveway. As usual, it only phased
him for a minute or two.
Christopher has been talking more and more. One of his favorite computer games teaches numbers and counting.
This week I heard him counting with the program. Saying most of the numbers between one and ten.
Rice baby cereal made
with apple juice and formula powder. He can spoon this himself.
