Things we do at 2!

(Note: Computer got fixed Saturday, but then Internet went down on me. It's up now, though! yippee! Camera is working! yippee! But video's do not seem to be downloading properly. All said, in a few more weeks, when Gary's schedule (hopefully) returns to normal, I'll be a real live blogger again!!)

Austin and Logan are writing their first book. Well, at least most days with the amount of communication going on - that's what I feel like is happening.

Their language skills seem to be quadrupling each day. As they tackle harder words and sentences, I am sometimes left baffled and am quickly becoming a tri-linguist: English, (some) Spanish, and now adding "Toddlerish" to my repertoire.

For those of you on the cusp of this - it can be drooling trying to determine what great big thoughts are lurking inside these little Einsteins' heads! For those of you who have gone ahead of us - where's the Toddler-English dictionary!?!

Words we say in Spanish: It amazes me, things I ask them to repeat in Spanish, their "diction" or "natural ear" is wonderful. They can roll their "r's" with the best of them!
patos (zapatos for shoes)/hola/adiosh/bah-zitos (besitos for kisses)/Guan-te-mahn'e-ala (Guatemala)

In Enlgish:
dawnwanna (don't want to)
my do (I do) (Austin says this much to my Mom's delight cuz that's what I did!)
Momma-k'mon, k'mon (Momma, come on, come on)
up on momma/ up on daddy (when they want to be picked up)
cher (share)
ma'turn (my turn)
tank you (thank you)
chur wel-kun (your welcome)
chwem'ming (swimming)
Watchdababies? (when they want to watch their baby videotapes)
Watch me!! Watch me! (what they shout before endangering their lives)
rockdababies or rockaminute (they want to be rocked before naps/bedtime)
keepitindamoufnotinebehwii (You have to guess this one!)
unceuponathyme (They're favorite Barney video "Once Upon a Time." They ACT out all of the scenes - not kidding! I'll try and get a video of it, it's hilarious!)
umbrellika (umbrella - a prop I had to buy for two of the scenes in above said favorite movie)

They have great color recognition (thanks to their favorite bag of candy: Skittles and also the colored bathtime alphabet/number set: wed, bwoo, geen, are'ange, yeh-wo, pur-pul, bowyn, back, pink, g'ey)

They can count to ten in English and in Spanish. They'll count to ten (in English) with minimal help. But if I'm handing them chips or cards or whatever, they can physically count the items to about 4 before they just start yelling out random numbers. Spanish, they only count "with" me. (uno...uno, dos...dosh, tres....tresh)

They sing their ABC's and recognize maybe 6 or so letters, ( T E A M and maybe L, R) lol!

They recognize some shapes: chr-eye-gle (triangle), chir-cle (circle), s'tar, k'aire (square), hurt (heart)

They know/love all their ahn-ni-mals and their corresponding sounds! Tiger/ella-pant/al-wi-ga-ters/kamel/zee-brah/horsh/pehn-quin and many more!

All this knowledge sure keeps a momma on her toes!!

Here's an example of a recent interaction between Logan and Mommy:
The other day at the pool, Logan says "Fishy, Momma, Fishy!"
"Yes, baby, yes. Fishy. I know." Much in the way you pat a dog on the head not really paying attention.
L: "MOMma! FISHY"
M: "Yes, baby lots of fishy in the water, right?"
L: FISHY!
M: "Oh" (now I start paying attention) "Are you being a fishy, Logan?"
L: "FISH-EE, peez! Momma! Peez!

And before I know it, I am catapulted into a (get ready for this) a conversation with my baby!!

L: (clearly frustrated with me), "I cho you."

WHAT!?! " I show you??" This he has gotten from my "show me" when I don't understand what they want. This is the first time it has been said uncoaxed back to me.

M: You'll show me?
L: "k'mom, Momma" (as he takes me by the hand and pulls me)
M: (Stunned) "Okay baby - show me."
L: "Fishy, Momma"
M: "Fishy where, Logan?"
L: "Momma's bag." (At this point I realized that we have actually been conversing. I'm asking. He's answering. It's not the normal "repeating." And yes, I did indeed bring some plastic fishy in a ziploc bag to the pool.)

M: (befuddled, we head towards our table. I pick up the plastic bag from the ground and say:) "Hereyago, these fishies, baby?"
L: (He ignores me, lets go of my hand and keeps walking and points up on the table:) "Momma's bag."
M: (Thinking, 'Oh right, you did mention that.') "No baby, here are the fishies." I show him the plastic bag again.
L: MOMMA'S bag!

And then it dawns on me (idiot!). "Oh right, baby. Momma's so sorry, honey, you had to work hard for that didn't you? Here are your fishies, baby. Your Goldfish."

L: "Tank you, Mommy." And then looking at me expectantly, "Austin chum (some)?"
M: "Yes, baby you can take Austin his bag, too, sweetie. Thank you."

He walks off, and I mourn the loss of my baby. ;-(

Gary keeps saying I need to write all this down and this is the only baby book my boys are getting. I know it was yet another long post, so for those of you who made it this far. Here are some pictures!



Future GQ models
Hey! How about that chwem'ming!?! Or am I gonna hafta hold thee diapers ALL day?
Dining alfresco y al-natural!
Dad: "Sit together, boys."
A and L: "Okay"
Dad: "Look-up"
A and L: "What's up, dude?"
"CHEEZ!"