Pucker Up

While I do think parenting the year between ages 1 and 2 takes a lot of energy and can be very challenging, it's also an awesome period. Every day Nick is learning or achieving something new. I'm constantly surprised by the new things he can do or understand. In the past two weeks, his vocabulary has more than tripled (okay, so not a HUGE number when he was at about three words before, but still). He understands questions and can answer with a clear nod of the head (not quite saying "yes") or a very verbal "no" (usually accompanied by a vigorous shake of his head). It's great finally to understand what he wants through "conversation," instead of playing the pointing/guessing game and trying to figure out what he wants before his whines turn into screams. He also has picked up quite a few animals noises, which is always a fun game to play. He can roar, oink, moo and does a mean elephant trumpet.

He knows when he's not supposed to do things and understands "no" means "stop." Although instead of STOPPING, he usually gets a mischevious smile, wags his little finger and says "no, no," right before returning to his "no, no" activity--like messing with the controls on the DVD player. It's so adorable when he says it that it's hard to take a hard line and show him we mean business. Usually we just act like idiots, repeating back "no, no" in a sing-song voice, hoping he'll wag his finger again. Yes, we're chumps.

My favorite, favorite, favorite new trick, however, is his kisses!!! We ask for a kiss and he puckers right up and lays one on us--a vast improvement over the sloppy, open-mouth face press we used to get. After a kiss, I usually get a great big hug around the neck. Love, love, love! So far, he doesn't get sick of giving them, unlike Lainey who will sometimes ration me, "No more kisses for you today, mommy. You can have one tomorrow." Now Nick can keep me supplied with the love!

Pucker ready...

...smackaroo!

"No, no!"