weekend ends

This has been such a great weekend with Elias.  He's been so endearing and entertaining and active.  His language is exploding along with his exploring and making sense of teh world.  His ability to learn new things and memory is simply amazing.  I recognize my own mental processes have slowed considerably over the last 15 years or so, but it's hard to believe I was ever like that.

Elias' speech is getting clearer.  He loves yelling out his entire name:  Elias Daniel! AshenAFI! ****!  He's also pretty pleased that he learned how to say "banana" tonight (rather than "nana.")  "Computer" is now "pooter" rather than "abu."  I still like "burrito," though:  "bee-doe."

He has some definite favorites. 

Chickens:  the rooster, Verdi.  Incidentially, he's the least favorite of all of my friends.

Shapes:  a semicircle.  He'll often nibble off 1/2 a cookie and hold it up, declaring semicircle!

Treats:  He loves vitamin D's, and now daily requests them by color:  White D?  Red D?

Body parts:  elbow

Song:  "The Bear Hunt"--a partcipatory song/story, part of the "Kids in Action" CD

Food:  green beans or cookies.  More often than not, when we get home he immediately starts begging for beans, then carries the can lovingly from garage to kitchen, where he fishes out the can opener and follows me around asking me to open it:  Beans!  Mommy cut?  He eats the whole can at a sitting, then sucks out any liquid at the bottom of the bowl:  I drink bean juice!

I cut my thumb pretty badly tonight and have it all wrapped up.  When reading books with Elias I warned him that Mommy has a hurt thumb, so be very gentle.  He immediately became very concerned and upset.  He showed me one of his fingers he said hurt, too.  Mommy owie? I'm sorry Mommy!  Thank you, welcome, Mommy.  (He often crowds all his "polite" words together for emphasis.)  He kept stroking it, asking if it hurt.  It's sad to think how our hearts get hardened as we grow up.  For now he's still blessedly compassionate.