Santa Baby...

"...I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me..."




Not as successful a visit with Santa this year as last year. Santa had warned us about that, but I think we stressed him out. He says that next year will be better, and that he'll bring Rye a few surprises anyway.

Full Service Operation

Rye was quietly playing with the groceries while Mommy did some housework today. Later, I figured out he was playing with a six of beer I'd picked up for Daddy (it's going to be a long week—our basement studio with the new flooring we put in last year is seeping water with all of the rain...but that's another story entirely). He parked one of the beers in Greg's shoe in the living room, near where Greg has been leaving his bag after work.

When Greg walked in the door, Rye was very excited to see him, and started chatting with him in an informative, yammering way. He toddled over to the beer he had set aside, picked it up in his two little hands, and hauled it over to Daddy, who was watching in delight. Rye said a few more words, handed the beer to Daddy, then escorted him into the house to play.

(no pictures)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Rye's Nana sent some Santa jammies and he took them for a test run as soon as they came out of the wash. They were much more popular than the real Santa this year. He had a chance to open a few gifts this weekend—we are spacing some things out so that Christmas Day isn't so completely overwhelming. We'll space out the toys he plays with after Xmas as well, to keep things interesting and part of the regular rotation.

Today's conversation: Stars

"Stars?" Rye asked, looking at the limp string of lights across the mantle.

"Yes, they look like stars. Would you like mommy to turn the lights on?"

Rye looked at the Christmas tree.

"Dark," he said. Yesterday we had talked about how it was dark outside, but you could see downtown glittering in the distance.

"I'll turn the lights on, on the tree. One, two, three, GO!"

When the lights went on, Rye grinned.

"Stars," he said.

About a half hour later, he was eating Os in his special stool at the counter. He pointed to one of the wall tiles that has a sun painted on it.

"Stars," he said, touching the tile. And we talked about how the bright sun was a star in the sky that was really close.

And he happily finished his Os.

(no photos)

Pre-Christmas roundup

Ye Ole Home Depot, where the trees are so standardized we didn't even shop around or look at them, we just chose a wrapped bundle and threw it on top of the car. And you know what? The tree looks just fine. No bald spots.


Mommy had to run out and get some more lights. Guess our tree was smaller last year.

photo by Tio.
Rye's second cousins; group shot of the great grandkids. photo by Tio.

Rye creates a plate with very little help from Daddy at the climbers' Holiday party

Contest winners.

A full conversation

This afternoon, Rye looked at me and clapped his hands together, in his own sign language for, "I need help."

"What can Mommy do to help you?" I asked.

"Socks," he said.

So I went and got his little fleece slippers and put them on his chilly bare feet, and he grinned and stared down at his feet and said, "Socks." Then he toddled off to play.

(no photos)

Rye, 15m

Rye uses a lot of signs now: he's added tapping one index finger on his open mouth for "water," clapping his hands together for "help me" (which he used with Daddy to indicate he couldn't get the baby lock open), and he has picked up approximations for the signs for banana, raisins, grapes, He's pretty reliable with "more" and "eat," helicopter, "go out," and now "siren."

It's been tough finding a good online ASL dictionary for foods. If you know of one, please message us. This book and this book are helping, but neither are all that comprehensive.

He's making sounds with his vehicles: tsuh tsuh tsuh for the train, and small vrooming noises for cars, and bzzzzzzzz for the buzzy bee and the bee chant.

He likes to turn the lightswitches on and off, and he has figured out how to work the dial dimmer switch.

Sometimes, after he asks for a book, you can give it to him and he will open it up, point his finger to the text, and start talking some organized gibberish in a low tone as he moves his finger across.

He has at least four molars coming in, after two new ones at the end of last month. He's drooling a lot.

I'm sure there is plenty more to talk about, but the milestones come fast and furious. I'll update if I think of others.


Rocking out at home.

Lunch with Mommy at Islands.

Rye loves straws.

Finding his sea legs on the wobbly bridge with Daddy.

Creating Christmas gift artwork.

Scenes from Thanksgiving

Mama took it easy with the camera, so the scenes are a bit random. Rye's favorite things right now are WALKING, reading, and eating Os+raisins. Playing with cousins in Grandma's OT gym isn't so bad, either. Here's three out of four:



Reading The Fuzzy Duckling teeny tiny book

Avid Reader

Rye pulled out the Richard Scarry book, climbed up onto the couch and read to himself for a while this afternoon. He does this frequently—always with Richard Scarry.

Discoveries about Cheerios and Joe's Os

1. Os fit in the slats of the heating vent.
2. It's quite a show when the heat turns on and Os come blowing up out of the floor vent.
3. Guess whose next weekend project is to get screens made for the vents?
4. When you teach the child that an O will stick to the tongue, remember that when he shows you that he can do it, he will have three chewed but unswallowed Os on his tongue already.
5. When getting the child ready for bed after dinner, and Os fall out of his clothes, he will eat them immediately regardless of freshness, then suddenly become inspired to have an early breakfast with many more.

More camping

Another great weekend in the desert with the usual suspects. Rye rocked his faux Robeez in a Royal Robbins impression, shoved his wagon through the sand, and poured gravel back and forth between cups. He missed the late-night drum circle, which included a Persian Daf, a dumbek, djembe, a couple of digeridoos, several plastic egg shakers, some castanets, and other various noisemakers. It's a pretty international group—and some are more musical than others, especially once you factor in handcrafted beer and homemade French apple whiskey.

Rye, 14m and a half

Peek!

Snacking at his cousins' place.

Interacting with peas, which apparently aren't eligible for eating, at an outdoor restaurant.

Playground with Grandma and Grandpa

He's walking!

Rye finally feels like his walking is ready for public viewing. At the playground yesterday he actually let go of his wagon and toddled over to the slide (which he then tried to walk up). This adds a new dimension to his skills, beyond climbing up on chairs and the couch to get into mommy's stuff on her desk. The video is from Sunday.



Reading Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go with Daddy.

Early reader

This morning, Rye requested a book by signing "book" and asking "buh?" I gave him Curious George Goes Fishing, which is what was right there in the bed. He opened it up, then traced his finger across the text, mumbling some type of organized gibberish in a steady, low voice. Does this qualify as his first read aloud?

Reading Richard Scarry's classic I am a Bunny, while stylishly sporting the handknit sweater that Aunt Baba sent from Vermont.

Bathtub pouring

Rye worked on his pouring skills tonight. Mommy gave him the metal pitcher after he'd asked to work with the glass (family antique!) one that he usually uses with the barley. Wasn't safe enough for the bath, so he was able to carry the metal one to the tub, and he worked until the water got cold, the bubbles dissolved, and Mommy pulled him out, screaming. Literally.

Happy Halloween! **

The baby giraffe and Super Daddy set out to trick-or-treat. Super Daddy holds the reins so the wagon doesn't go to fast.

Baby Giraffe got the idea pretty quickly that, at each door, you hold your hand out and someone will give you something colorful. He liked the red ones. But mostly, he wanted to push the wagon and go-go-go.

Photo by Grandpa
After a while, Baby Giraffe got a little Halloweened-out and enjoyed touring the neighborhood in style.

Front row: Rufus the dog, as a caterpillar. Second row, from left: Masquerade Ball attendees, Mary Ingalls, Pa Ingalls, Laura Ingalls, Ma Ingalls. Back row: Baby Giraffe, Super Daddy, Spider Lady. Not Pictured: Super Mommy, Grandpa.

Here's a roundup of some Halloween fun this week:

Rye plays with the spoons as his cousins work on their jack-o-lanterns a couple of weeks ago.

A family of Halloween fun.

Trick-or-Treating at local shops. The costume from the superhero party was a big hit. Rye seemed to like the pencil favors the best, but really was angling to get into that bright red Kit Kat wrapper...

Head-butting La Dia de los Muertos while trick-or-treating at local shops.

We went to a great carnival put on by a local school. Rye won a lollipop playing the Plinko game--you roll a flat eyeball through the pegs and try to land it in the calavera at the center, below. He also enjoyed "digging for bones" in the giant sandbox, using potato stamps with fabric paint to decorate a tote bag, and playing in the "sound garden."

The school has a fish tank!

More Halloween pictures from an outdoor concert here and playing with a suspicious battery-powered singing dog here.

* Updated with trick-or-treat photos 10/31, late, and 11/1.

Walking

Rye goes shopping at the local library last week. No still photos, sorry.

Rye, 14 months

Rye is using the signs for "book" and "more" more often, asking for the Richard Scarry books by saying "Buh?" and putting his hands flat together. He's also added the word "cheese" to his repertoire, and the sign for "eat" (food, instead of milk). He says "trusssch" when the trash truck comes to get the garbage, and gave a more convincing rendition of "truck" when an old Land Rover pulled up next to us in a parking lot once.

He can climb onto the couch by himself now. He thinks this is awesome. Mommy, whose chaotic desk is just behind the couch, isn't as excited. Rye also can let himself off our big bed, going feet first and sliding down to the floor. He likes to stand up at the kitchen counter and snack on grape pieces or Joe's Os cereal, or lunch.

He is getting accustomed to walks in the neighborhood with Daddy to fall asleep. During a particularly trying night, Daddy went to his room to try to soothe him, and Rye met him at the door. "Shoes?" he asked, hopefully.

Rye could walk if he wanted to, but since he wants to do it perfectly and feel secure, he's not doing much walking yet.

He LOVES to play cars and likes his bulky wooden cars the best, and his Viking Toys cars second best (these are better for the sand and outdoors, anyway).



Rainproof.

Enjoying the waterfall at the Arboretum.



New music class