He's the BEST Valentine .....
....after his daddy, of course.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Hat, Nap, Milk Mustache
Kian went through a hat phase. Actually, it was more of an improvised headband, but he called it a hat!
He would take the velcro strap that is supposed to hold this blanket together when you roll it up and put it on his head like so:
He would take the velcro strap that is supposed to hold this blanket together when you roll it up and put it on his head like so:
He doesn't really do it anymore. I miss it!
Here he is sleeping. Those hands folded behind his head demanded a photo op...
And so did the milk mustache!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Using words and making stuff happen
Kian is getting good at using his words to get results!
This morning he woke up super early (I have no idea what time, but it was dark) and called for his mommy and daddy. When I went in to his room he wanted to be picked up, and then he kept asking "lunch? lunch?". I gently (and sleepily) told him "it's not time for lunch, honey, it's sleepy time". He then made a face like he was thinking and went "hungry? hungry?". He had a small fruit squeezy and then proceded to sleep in like a champ. Other times he has told me when he is "sleepy" too. Good communication on getting his needs met!
He also cracks us up by holding a conversation with himself on our behalf when he wants something. Like he's demonstrating to us how the conversation should go. It sounds something like this: "Walk? Walk. Yes? Yes. Ok." He asks the question, answers it for you and then confirms the agreement that the two of you have now reached. It's a pretty good negotiation strategy. I might have to give it a try sometime myself.
He's a pretty powerful little dude. Used to be we could choose which books we were going to read to him and what toys we were going to play with. No longer! He asks for them by name, pushes away the ones he doesn't want, and insists that we read and re-read the parts that are of most interest to him (usually the parts that have the coolest sounds or most excitement). He also tells us what food that he wants to eat and which drinks he would like to have - although he doesn't always get them on demand.
All in all, he's becoming a toddler who knows what he likes and how to get it. We do realize on some level that we are pretty much in for it now that he's got a taste of his personal power, and that our days of placidly deciding how things are going to be may be over before we know it - but we wouldn't have it any other way!
This morning he woke up super early (I have no idea what time, but it was dark) and called for his mommy and daddy. When I went in to his room he wanted to be picked up, and then he kept asking "lunch? lunch?". I gently (and sleepily) told him "it's not time for lunch, honey, it's sleepy time". He then made a face like he was thinking and went "hungry? hungry?". He had a small fruit squeezy and then proceded to sleep in like a champ. Other times he has told me when he is "sleepy" too. Good communication on getting his needs met!
He also cracks us up by holding a conversation with himself on our behalf when he wants something. Like he's demonstrating to us how the conversation should go. It sounds something like this: "Walk? Walk. Yes? Yes. Ok." He asks the question, answers it for you and then confirms the agreement that the two of you have now reached. It's a pretty good negotiation strategy. I might have to give it a try sometime myself.
He's a pretty powerful little dude. Used to be we could choose which books we were going to read to him and what toys we were going to play with. No longer! He asks for them by name, pushes away the ones he doesn't want, and insists that we read and re-read the parts that are of most interest to him (usually the parts that have the coolest sounds or most excitement). He also tells us what food that he wants to eat and which drinks he would like to have - although he doesn't always get them on demand.
All in all, he's becoming a toddler who knows what he likes and how to get it. We do realize on some level that we are pretty much in for it now that he's got a taste of his personal power, and that our days of placidly deciding how things are going to be may be over before we know it - but we wouldn't have it any other way!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Joojeh Dreams
What does an almost 22 month old dream about?
You have to wonder. We know we have certainly asked ourselves that question many times! But we do have some idea.
On many evenings a couple of hours after he goes down, Kian talks in his sleep. What does he say? Lines from his books! Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel: "bing! bang! crash! slam! louder and louder - faster and faster! and then suddenly it was quiet.....", Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb: "one thumb, one thumb....", Trucks Go: "Rumble!....Rumble!" and others. He must be processing the stories and the language, the sounds. What an amazing process that must be!
The other day we realized that the majority of his vocabulary comes from the books we read. I guess it's a testiment to the role books play in our lives. I remember the stories I enjoyed when I was little, too. I wonder which ones Kian will remember?
You have to wonder. We know we have certainly asked ourselves that question many times! But we do have some idea.
On many evenings a couple of hours after he goes down, Kian talks in his sleep. What does he say? Lines from his books! Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel: "bing! bang! crash! slam! louder and louder - faster and faster! and then suddenly it was quiet.....", Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb: "one thumb, one thumb....", Trucks Go: "Rumble!....Rumble!" and others. He must be processing the stories and the language, the sounds. What an amazing process that must be!
The other day we realized that the majority of his vocabulary comes from the books we read. I guess it's a testiment to the role books play in our lives. I remember the stories I enjoyed when I was little, too. I wonder which ones Kian will remember?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Miscellaneous Sweetness + I LOVE YOU
(***NOTE: This site has been having some problems with videos. Hopefully it's working again now, but please let me know if you have any problems viewing the movies.***)
Here are some random joojeh pictures and videos that don't really fit in to any group. They are all so sweet though, I couldn't not post them.
Here are some of my FAVORITE VIDEOS EVER. In order to get it on camera, we had to prompt him, but he now says it spontaneously and from his heart while giving us affection! (We love you too, Kian!!!)
Here are some more fun videos of Kian at the table, hanging out with his daddy:
And here are some of my favorite pictures. In the first ones he is playing peek-a-boo in the shutters at grandmother Floria's house. Peek-a-boo Kian, I see you!:
I couldn't begin to make a complete list of all the new things he does, but some of the big ones are: (1) spontaneously telling us "I love you!" without being prompted and stroking our face and saying "love"; (2) counting past ten in both English and Spanish, (3) singing songs (like Here Comes the Sun), (4) memorizing his books (pause in the middle of a sentence, and he'll fill in the blank - Mary Ann; bow wow; meow; cock-a-doodle-dooo), (5) knowing and saying people's names (Grandfather = "fajur", Choate, Floria, Karen, Homa, Ghazamfar!, etc.), (6) saying "thank you", (7) knowing the animal noises, (8) knowing the names of most of the alphabet letters, (9) asking for his favorite songs and books by the name he calls them (Oh God Guide Me = "oh gan gan", (10) knowing when he's tired and telling us "sleepy!", (11) hopping and leaping, (12) saying "jooneman" and "daddyjoon" and "joojeh", and as of more recently, (12) swearing in Spanish (we had to have a serious talk with the nanny about that one!).
Here are some random joojeh pictures and videos that don't really fit in to any group. They are all so sweet though, I couldn't not post them.
Here are some of my FAVORITE VIDEOS EVER. In order to get it on camera, we had to prompt him, but he now says it spontaneously and from his heart while giving us affection! (We love you too, Kian!!!)
Here are some more fun videos of Kian at the table, hanging out with his daddy:
And here are some of my favorite pictures. In the first ones he is playing peek-a-boo in the shutters at grandmother Floria's house. Peek-a-boo Kian, I see you!:
He can say and do sooooooo many new things now. Over the past month and a half or so his language skills have really taken off. I feel like I am amazed all the time these days!
I couldn't begin to make a complete list of all the new things he does, but some of the big ones are: (1) spontaneously telling us "I love you!" without being prompted and stroking our face and saying "love"; (2) counting past ten in both English and Spanish, (3) singing songs (like Here Comes the Sun), (4) memorizing his books (pause in the middle of a sentence, and he'll fill in the blank - Mary Ann; bow wow; meow; cock-a-doodle-dooo), (5) knowing and saying people's names (Grandfather = "fajur", Choate, Floria, Karen, Homa, Ghazamfar!, etc.), (6) saying "thank you", (7) knowing the animal noises, (8) knowing the names of most of the alphabet letters, (9) asking for his favorite songs and books by the name he calls them (Oh God Guide Me = "oh gan gan", (10) knowing when he's tired and telling us "sleepy!", (11) hopping and leaping, (12) saying "jooneman" and "daddyjoon" and "joojeh", and as of more recently, (12) swearing in Spanish (we had to have a serious talk with the nanny about that one!).
Again, these are just a few, and I am positive I am leaving out some really great ones that I just can't think of at the moment!
We are so grateful for this wonderful boy's presence in our lives, and it is so much fun watching him learn and grow. We love you, Kian!!!
L.A. ZOO
In between the various Christmases, Kian's grandmother took Kian and me to the ZOO!
It was Kian's first trip there, and I think he really enjoyed it. We now have a Family Membership for the year courtesy of Kian's doting grandmother, so anyone who wants to come to the Zoo with us just let us know! We plan to go a lot. :)
Here are some pictures of the animals we saw:
Flamingos!
Gorillas!
When we stopped to eat Kian got to choose an animal shaped lunch box.
I would have probably picked the cheetah, but when mom asked Kian which one he wanted, he immediately and without hesitation chose the bear. He didn't change his mind later, either. He knew what he wanted. A simple enough concept I guess, but for some reason I was really impressed by it!
Before I know it he will be making all sorts of choices about what he wants and doesn't want. This moment brought home to me how much his own person Kian already is. (You can sort of see the bear lunch box open on the table in the picture immediately below:)
Kian and his grandmother, eating animal crackers at the ZOO!
It was Kian's first trip there, and I think he really enjoyed it. We now have a Family Membership for the year courtesy of Kian's doting grandmother, so anyone who wants to come to the Zoo with us just let us know! We plan to go a lot. :)
Here are some pictures of the animals we saw:
Flamingos!
Gorillas!
Zebras!
Lions!
and Giraffes!
When we stopped to eat Kian got to choose an animal shaped lunch box.
I would have probably picked the cheetah, but when mom asked Kian which one he wanted, he immediately and without hesitation chose the bear. He didn't change his mind later, either. He knew what he wanted. A simple enough concept I guess, but for some reason I was really impressed by it!
Before I know it he will be making all sorts of choices about what he wants and doesn't want. This moment brought home to me how much his own person Kian already is. (You can sort of see the bear lunch box open on the table in the picture immediately below:)
Kian and his grandmother, eating animal crackers at the ZOO!
On our way back to the entrace, we passed by Santa Claus and his reindeer. We were even able to take a picture with him! (I'll insert a link to the zoo's website when I can find the photo number.)
Here are Kian and his grandmother, checking out the reindeer:
Thank you grandmother, it was a really fun day!!!
Christmas 2009
Sorry Joojeh fans, I've been on blog-break! Time to catch up....
Christmas has always been a lot of fun, but it's beyond wonderful now that we have Kian to celebrate with. I know it will just get better and better for the next several years, too. This was his second Christmas, and I still don't think he really got the idea, but that didn't stop us from making the most of it.
Here we are getting an early start on the holiday festivities with the Smith side of the family at Geoff's house (as soon as I can get people to send me more pics I will add them!):
Christmas has always been a lot of fun, but it's beyond wonderful now that we have Kian to celebrate with. I know it will just get better and better for the next several years, too. This was his second Christmas, and I still don't think he really got the idea, but that didn't stop us from making the most of it.
Here we are getting an early start on the holiday festivities with the Smith side of the family at Geoff's house (as soon as I can get people to send me more pics I will add them!):
And here are some short video clips:
On Christmas Eve, we celebrated with the Choate side of the family. Again, I got caught up in the moment and didn't take enough pictures. I didn't even get one with Dad and MKC! Sigh. We had fun though!
Finally, last but not least, on Christmas morning we celebrated at home!:
Opening stockings.....
Unwrapping and playing with presents (and the wrapping paper).....
Unwrapping and playing with presents (and the wrapping paper).....
And modeling new footwear!
Sausage the Christmas Cat:
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