A year and a half

Since the last time I wrote, we moved out of our apartment of 10 years, lived in a hotel for 6 weeks, and moved into our new home. It was kind of hell. Also, while we were adjusting to living in a hotel, Beast Boy was teething: two molars. Why?!? And when we moved into the house and we were still adjusting to a new place, two more molars popped in. Double why?!? Yep, hell. But all that explains my absence.

In the meantime, the Beast learned to walk, says all kinds of new words, and has all kinds of new expert skills. We've got some catching up to do interwebs.

Skillz:

Scooter riding

Level: expert

We bought him this scooter for his birthday in May and from that time until he learned to walk, it was glued to his behind. He would ask to get on it, and (rarely) ask to get off. He never did figure out how to get on and off by himself, but all the better.

Walking

Level: intermediate

In July he took his first steps solo. He practiced for about an hour walking back and forth between TC and me. And after that he decided that he wasn't interested for at least another month. In August while we were living in a hotel he started practicing again, walking between the two queen beds in our room, walking from a bed to me or TC, or walking from TC to me. And then, on Labor Day weekend he decided that walking was his thing. 

Although he's been walking for a few months now I peg him at intermediate because he still hasn't figured out how to pull himself up, and can't do stairs. Having never crawled, he's no good on his belly. 

Confidence on the stairs? It's all an act for the camera.

Walking in socks on a slippery wood floor is no problem for this guy. Kind of.

Dancing

Level: super expert

Take a look for yourself (upside down for some reason).

He's got the booty shaking, arm moving and shoulder shimmying down. Whenever and wherever he hears a beat, he gets down. Church hymns? No problem; there's dancing to be had (gogo arms, usually). Elevator music in the store? Let's do this.

Spinning stuff

Level: expert

This kid loves anything that spins. While we were homeless we spent a lot of time at Home Depot, because where else do you go when you're desperate for your home to be finished. I handed the kid a caster while we were there to entertain him, and quickly learned my mistake when I realized we wouldn't be able to leave without it. So, I stood in line to buy it. But it wouldn't scan, and the cashier was impatient so she told us to take it, free of charge. Did she aid and abet us in shoplifting? Perhaps. But the kid was in hog heaven. The caster was his favorite toy for months and months.

He sniffs out all things that spin or have the potential for spinning. 

First day with his caster.

A new use of the scooter: spinning the wheels. Hours of entertainment.

Watching the washing machine, cuz it spins.

TC taught BB to spin balls, and now everything spherical he sees he has to spin. 

Waiting for a tire change at Costco he found that spinning the wheels on the flatbeds was his thing.

Steering wheel cart at Lowes? Umm... YES!

In October he was obsessed with pumpkins. In December it was ornaments. All because they are spherical. My produce drawer is no longer mine. No fruit is safe from his grasp. No balloon is left un-pointed out and un-begged for.

Posing for the camera

Level: expert

Beast Boy has discovered the art of posing. If you point a camera at him, he will most likely pose.

Cleaning & Organizing

level: beginner with the passion of an expert

This child loves "cleaning." I have a hard time sweeping when he's around because he demands to use the broom. I give him a smaller broom that we have, and he uses that for 35 seconds before he demands the one I'm using. So I give him the one I'm using and he demands the smaller one that I am now using. Fickle, this one.

If I mop, he wants to use the mop. If I'm wiping down the cabinets, he wants to wipe them down too. If I'm vacuuming he wants to "vacuum" too using his toy lawn mower. 

He also loves to put things away in drawers. It's fairly often that I find a ball or a toy car in my underwear drawer. Or a book in the drawer with my pots. He's organized. If only I understood his organization.

Using a sign as a broom.

Organizing our belongings in the hotel.

Helping us pack and organize before the move.

Riding escalators

Level: intermediate

Obsessions

Spheres

Level: borderline psychosis

This kid is obsessed with all things "ball." The third or fourth word he learned to say, he points out every ball he sees. AT&T logo: ball. Globe: ball. Pumpkin: ball. Orange: edible ball. He loves walking into Target thanks to their giant red balls. 

(sidenote: I am actually an 11 year old in an adult body and every time I use the word "balls" in a sentence I chuckle; because I'm a child.)

Now that's he's figured out that at Harmon's and Sprouts he can get a balloon, he asks for every balloon he sees. 

Mom Tip: (this is probably the only good mothering idea I'll ever have, so I've got to share it) I keep balloons in my purse, so when he really REALLY needs a balloon and I'm not willing to spend a few dollars on one, I can inflate one on the spot. 

I have a photo, which I will not post because I'm saving it to embarrass him with later, of the Beast Boy in the tub surrounded by no less than 10 balls, a full sized basketball and a beach ball among them. 

A pumpkin ball.

Dogs

Level: psychosis

BB loves dogs. LOVES them. If he sees a dog, he excited says/yells "Yeah" and points and whimpers until I acknowledge that I also see the dog. In his world, dogs do not bark; they whimper. Sometimes they pant. 

Our neighbors have a dog that BB is over the moon for. Complete and utter love. And they are nice enough to stop to let our little Beast pet and pat and pant at the dog. Their dog, luckily, is patient and tolerant of Max's squeals of delight and "gentle" pats. 

He has a plush dog we picked up at Ikea, and is obsessed with it. He asks us to wrap the dog in his blanket and offers his dog food, his lovey to suck on, and drinks. He is soft and loving with his dog, and even seems remorseful when he throws the dog in a tantrum. 

It was love at first sight for these two.

Wherever Beast Boy is, Dogatello Verpoochie is not far behind.

Speech

Hi [hī]: a greeting of arrival

Bye [bahy]: a greeting of departure

Yeah [yah]: affirmative; also a call for attention or help

Papá [paBAH]: father, progenitor

Mamá [baBAH]: mother

Ball [Bah]: any object which is spherical in nature

Car [Cah]: a vehicle

Cookie [gooGEE]: a sweet treat made with butter, flour and sugar

Coke [CōCAH]: a carbonated drink made with high fructose corn syrup

Lolo [wōwō]: his friend Harlow

No [nah]: a negative used to express dissent or refusal

Don't [dah]: a negative used to express extreme dissent or refusal

Auto [ah u to]: a vehicle

Upa [boopBAH]: please pick me up

Down [dahn]: please put me down

Boo [doo]: an exclamation meant to surprise or startle someone 

Wee [wee]: an exclamation denoting delight, especially in the car when TC takes sharp turns

Whoa [woh]: an interjection used to express interest

Wow [wow]: an exclamation of wonder or pleasure, especially used around Christmas lights

Ooh [oo]: used to express amazement; frequently used

Uhoh [uhoh]: used to indicate concern or chagrin, especially when something falls to the floor; used several times per hour

Actions

Gives kisses: always accompanied by "MWAH"

Blows kisses: "MWAH" accompanied by a hand at his mouth

Waves bye

Wags his finger to indicate displeasure

Gives bones/knuckles

Gives high fives

Plays peek a boo/doo by covering at least one eye and then uncovering it while exclaiming "DOO!"

Checks his wrist to see what time it is (it's always "besito" time in our house, meaning it's time for a kiss attack)

Folds his arms for prayer (for three seconds before he is playing with something)