Home Sweet Home

What a relief to be home again. No more living out of suitcases. Let's hear it for sleeping in our own beds, sitting on our own furniture, and cooking in a well-stocked kitchen! Not to mention being near our Madison friends again! We are settling into our "Home Sweet Home" once again, reminiscing about one year ago, when we closed on our house, were handed the keys, and could start building our home!

Our time in Richland Center was a challenge near the end. Being transplanted into a small town community, where we didn't know anyone, for 6 weeks was a little difficult. Henry and I spent our days going to the park where they had a slide the perfect size for Henry to master on his own. We also enjoyed a few old-timey pieces of equipment, like merry-go-rounds, teeter-totters, and metal slides. We visited the library and occasionally window shopped downtown. Thank goodness we had beautiful weather so we could get out of the apartment and explore!

That's right, dumper goes EVERYWHERE with us.

Our "neighbors" had rabbits.

Henry was enthralled with them and visited every day.

After the annual resident retreat, we visited Governor Dodge State Park for a quick swim. It was a gorgeous park on a gorgeous September day. We'll be back next year, I'm sure!

Word list

Henry's word list grows exponentially each day. He is like a parrot and repeats the end of your sentence constantly. (Mommy is now trying to be very disciplined about her choice of language!)

Here are the ones that George and I are most impressed with:

- banana (it's so clear, no nanas served here!)

- zucchini (sometimes shortened to "kini" but it's a favorite that bears repeating, emphasis on ZU)

- window

- umbrella (we keep practicing -- some syllables get rolled around a few too many times "elella")

- egg (really, complete with an ending "g" already?)

- pizza

- acorn

18 Months

18 Months. I like the sound of that.

It seems like such a good age to be. It's "I'm old enough to grab the world by the tail and start making sense of it," but not so old as to be truly responsible for anything, or have great expectations for behavior. For example, completing a request is still simply a bonus, and sometimes a complete surprise. "George, get this, I asked Henry to go get a new diaper so I could change him, and HE DID!"

Henry sometimes exudes a strange confidence for his tender age.

At his doctor's appointment, he marched down the hallway after the nurse called his name. Swinging his arms as he walked, he looked like he'd done this a thousand times and was ready for anything. His expression didn't change to a heart wrenching sad face until the door swung closed behind him in the exam room. I believe that's when he recalled the experience of being poked and prodded during his prior visits.

Occasionally, when I answer questions about his milestones, I feel like the staff believes I'm overestimating Henry's ability. Like they're thinking "Yes, every parent thinks their child is the best and brightest." And naturally, Henry takes on a shyness in the new surroundings which leads him to develop jelly legs, when I've told them he's already walking. Or he remains mute when I admit that he's mastered many new words recently, casting a shadow of doubt upon his true ability. This time, however, when the doctor was trying to edge the tongue depressor into Henry's mouth he pushed it away and clearly cried out "acky!" So the doctor learned first hand, that indeed, Henry is already using his words.

Speaking of "acky" here are a few other items that deserve the title, according to Henry:

- sidewalk chalk

- sticks

- macaroni salad

- tiny particles found on the floor (he'll even take them to the trash can when coaxed!)

To my relief, some of these items are entering his mouth less frequently. After a mere 18 months of training!