The world according to Zac – June 2012

So much to write, so much longing for bed!

Leaps and bounds, leaps and bounds at the moment. Let’s see if I can remember everythi’ve meant to note down this past week and a half….

• Walking – huge!!!! He is practising walking Every. Day. Concentrating for 5min or 20min at a time just on standing and walking. Yesterday he even tried to run a couple of steps!
• Naps – down to one nap a day in the morning. Hugely freeing for our afternoon activities, though alas, still not conducive to going to Rhyme Time at the Library or Storytime at The Little Bookroom
• Cats – He is patting, properly patting Shakti now and she is being so patient with him. Jai still won’t let Z near him. He loves seeing Shakti play with string and even had a go at playing with her. So cute!
• Eating – He eats everything but has preference for fresh vegies and fruit. Yes! *arm pump* On the weekend he went off food when faced with pub meals, stole my peas and beans instead of eating fish and chips and nommed anything home-cooked or fresh. (I know that really it is all to do with him what he will and won’t eat, and that we’ve yet to enter the fussy eating stage, but I’ll take any satisfaction along the journey, even if the next day it all changes. And I like to think that we are having *some* influence on his eating habits)
• Sitting – He has learnt how to sit in chairs, on steps, on couches. I bought a mini-armchair for him and he loves it. Any step, any chair, he will proudly sit in.
• Words – So many new words. Up, down, yes, done, gone
• ESCAPE!!!! – Rafe really wanted this to be one of Z’s first five words, said whilst waving hands madly in the air and shaking head from side to side. It would be an appropriate word for him given his penchant for escaping (from highchairs, yards, parks, us) but so far it just gets us lots of giggles when we try and teach it to him.
• Laughter – so much laughter now, for all sorts of reasons. I will do anything to get this boy laughing. Peek-a-boo in the boot of the car? Done it. Putting a toy/towel/phone/sock on my head? Done it. Many, many times. Tickle fights? Done them. Squirting water on him in the bath, in that sensitive spot behind his ear? Done it. Charleston and random swing dance moves? Done it. Waggled my tongue side-to-side and up and down? Done it. Tipped him upside down whilst singing “Gulumph Went The Little Green Frog”? Done it. Done all this in public? Yes, all except the bath water squirt game!
• Singing – Zac sings. I still can’t quite believe it. Just one little phrase, “Do wa do wa do wa do wa”, which is the chorus of a song his granddad sang a couple of weeks ago, the chorus being “Do wacka Do wacka Do wacka” etc. Rafe and I have now learnt the words to the song and sing it often.
• Cleaning – Yesterday Zac saw a puddle of drool that he’d just left on the floor, grabbed a chux and wiped it up. Just like I would do. He also puts his spoon and sippy cup and stray food in his bowl when he’s done eating, and likes to be given the facewasher to wipe the tray and his hand and face himself. I only found that one out today when he grandma said, “Oh yes, he likes to clean the tray himself”. Jaw, floor.
• Comprehension – He is comprehending so much more of what we say, and Rafe even had a proper exchange with him yesterday. Rafe asked if Zac would like to go home and Zac said yes, and looked extremely chuffed when Rafe picked him up and brought him home. Rafe looked elated and disbelieving that that had really happened!
• Climbing – Anything he can. Actually, not quite. He hasn’t tried bookcases yet, or dining chairs. Just armchairs, beds, couches and anything else not too high off the ground. He LOVES climbing across from Rafe’s armchair to mine and back again.Especially if you add to the challenge and ask him to take the cushion from mine to Rafe’s chair!
• Mischief – The start of walking seemed to start off more misechief and getting into things. He crawls faster, is reaching higher and insatiably curious about EVERYTHING. This makes for some great fun times and challenging times. I now know it’s not the actual act of walking which everyone is warning you about when they say you’re in for trouble once they walk, it’s the developmental leap that goes with it. The putting together of things, the connecting the dots and the putting knowledge and observation into action which makes it a full on development.

I know there is more I want to record, to remember but bed really is calling. Every day just astounds me. It really is the most amazing thing watching a little human being grow up, master skills that we take for granted, learn how to express themselves and show a little more of their personality with each new achievement.