My notes aren’t so well organized and I missed several events in the past month or so, guests over, family outings, and other good times. We are so thankful for the close friends and family we have here and for their love and support.
22nd: Joseph says “ma” along with his perfect sign for “more.” Cracker is “kaka”
25th: We went to the library and the toy library today. Joseph loved both. We came home with a Fisher Price workbench for 2-Fr for a 4-week loan. I think toy libraries are a great idea. Do we have them in the states? Or are people too afraid of germs?
26th: Joseph says pear, plum, wolf, and can name all the farm animals/pictures on his memory cloth cards (rooster, hen, house, tractor, pig, sheep, cow, dog, cat, goose, etc.). I can tell which memory card he is holding based on what he says, but it took some time. I doubt anyone else (besides Stephan) could get more than a few. He signs and says bread, but it can also mean peanut butter. He signs help, play, potty (but he doesn’t use it enough!), and banana, to name a few – it’s getting hard to keep up!
-Mom sent me the bear that she gave me when I went off to college. She re-loaded it with hugs and Joseph knows it. Now when he wants a little Mommy time he brings the bear to me and we sit down and take turns hugging the bear and having a group hug. He also comes to me for kisses if he’s fallen and hurt himself. I know have the magic kiss! (And so does Stephan.) We only got the bear yesterday, but already today when Joseph was particularly upset about a bump and taking longer to calm down I asked if he wanted to go get his teddy and have some hugs. He stopped crying, went to the other room (sniffling) and brought the bear back for hugs. I asked him once and in a very normal tone of voice and speed. It is amazing what he understands. It’s time to stop thinking we can talk about all kinds of things in front of him and assume he doesn’t understand!
We had a toy library that we used a little bit, but I think it wasn't used much and disappeared. We used it a little, but the toys weren't all that interesting, more like people's cast-offs than a collection deliberately put together. Perhaps like the difference between a library and a library book sale.
Another thing Joseph will now almost always do when asked is come and give a kiss.
There is a toy lending library in Pittsburgh. I have never been, but lots of moms that I know really like it.
