I have great news! Dylan, who’s
independent attitude and cut-throat demeanor earned him a “mean baby”
reputation, has finally come around to fancy me. My affections are being
reciprocated and his cuddles are no longer reserved exclusively for dad. I’ve also
exploited Dylan’s cracker addiction to teach him the valuable skill of working
me. Thanks to our training, Dylan now offers me kisses in exchange for snacks and
says “thank you” by resting his head on my shoulder (aka the precise moment I
will say “yes” to anything).
Dylan’s new-found affection is one
of the few ways he’s able to express himself without words. Despite Dylan understanding
a lot of commonly used vocab, he can’t say much and it’s bringing his
frustration to an all-time high. I’m currently relying on hand gestures, finger
pointing, and my translation skills to decode Dylan’s messages. Unfortunately, my so-called “skills” are comprised of educated guesses and the process of
elimination; a sure fire way to ensure buckets of tears, misunderstandings, and
tantrums. I can’t wait for the day Dylan is able to effectively use his voice
even if all he says is “MOM, you’re embarrassing me!”
On a lighter note, Dylan had his
first park experience and was thrilled to rumble tumble in the sand. His initial,
second, and third reaction was to pick up a handful, eat it, spit it out, and repeat.
I figured 2 sand-eating attempts would be enough to deter him from further
consumption, but never doubt the longevity of a 1 year olds’ learning process. Had
I not intervened, this blog post would be about the day Dylan became a sandbag.
The kid is fascinated by the stuff and I don’t blame him. His curiosity increases
as he gets older and despite the icky factor, I love to encourage his explorations.
Though I’m sure my facial expressions and goofy jingles set off the freak
factor, I love channeling my inner toddler and acting a fool. It's
where I shine! And until Dylan can tell me how humiliating it is for mom to
imitate a monkey, I have no plans to shut down the freak show.
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