Baby to Little Boy

Rob and I were looking at pictures last night spanning the time from our November post (new job, staying at Dad & Gwen’s, selling the house in Oakland, not walking but crawling, sort of eating solids, definitely wearing baby clothes and that precious, round baby face – well, he still has that!) to now and having that immediate, simultaneous realization that our baby is now, definitely, inarguably, a toddler.  Leo is walking.  He took his first steps in Houston, at Paula’s house a couple of weeks ago.  We applauded for him when he did it and got in the habit of clapping (something else he does quite well, particularly to indicate that he wants something) when he took a few indpendant steps.  He now will make it from coffee table to fireplace and look back with a huge, very proud, grin as if to say, “Aren’t you going to clap?  Where is my applause?”  He demands an adult finger to walk wherever he pleases but can make it quite far, if he chooses, without assitance.  He eats just about anything that we’re eating and likes most everything.  We know he’s done when he starts, very casually, dropping food on the ground.  As of this evening, I became certain that he has mastered the nonchalant, “You didn’t see that, right?”, stretch-and-drop-fish-behind-my-back-while-making-full-eye-contact-with-mom maneuver.  Topping the list of favorites are probably watermelon, fish, peas, cheese, avocado and vanilla milkshake (based on a one time experience :), in no particular order.

We are getting settled in the new place.  Leo has the lay of the land – knows exactly which drawers are his.  He still laughs and smiles so easily but he has also mastered the art of protest.  We should work on getting a video of him protesting to show at his wedding someday – something tells me this trait will carry through a long, long time but I hope the manifestation continues to evolve!  He currently puts his hands out as if to shrug and say, “I don’t know?!” and yell – your basic “AHHHH!”.  He has several other methods of displaying his displeasure – all of which are equally funny. (I wondered where he learned to look at you with a deeply furrowed brow until I realized that I do that.)  We learned the hard way not to laugh and are now trying to back-track toward being reasonable disciplinarians.

Leo does not talk yet, per se.  He knows “dog” and makes an “arr arr” sound everytime he sees one – in person or on paper.  He also does not yet differentiate dog from bear so those get the “arr arr” too for now.  He has a sound for kitty and thanks to his Auntie Moo, has mastered the “accck” which is a derivation of “yuck”.  He is quite the communicator.  It will be nice when he uses words more readily!

Leo had a wonderful Christmas at G’pa and Gi Gi’s – where else?  We were living there!  Auntie Missy and Uncle James were a wonderful part of the festivities.  G’pa and Gi Gi got to take Leo to meet Santa which, as you can see from the pictures, re-created that child-like wonder for all involved.

Leo and Auntie El celebrated their birthday at El and Danny’s to much fanfare.  Leo got to open his stuff, including “Thunder” from El & Danny, while wearing the awesome vest that Auntie Miss knitted for him.  He got his do-over cake, too which he seemed to enjoy much more – thanks Auntie! – than his icky spice/carrot/blah cake that mommy tried to feed him in Hawaii.

Leo had his first taste of Matzah during his and Uncle Jame’s first seder at Auntie El & Uncle Danny’s this April.  Both behaved reasonably well but Leo had the advantage, he had the great wind-up caterpillars and back-flipping frogs that Auntie had for him to play with at the table.

We all had a fantastic trip to Tahoe with Nicole, Nick and Zoe where Leo had his first experience with snow and we just returned from a Houston visit which was a lot of fun.  Aunt Kacky and Isa watched Leo – with help from Jason and Harrison, no doubt – while M&D got to celebrate the 59th Anniversary of dear family friends, Sybil & Ralph Balasco.  When Rob walked into the house with a completely asleep Leo on his shoulder, Harrison stopped me and said, “Baby Leo said he wants to play with me.”  I assured Harrison that he was right as soon as Leo woke up, he would want to play with him and am still touched at how adorable this was.

We are so lucky to have amazing people around us at every turn.  I see so many things in our families, in our friends and in their children that I want Leo to feel and experience.  May he always feel the joy, warmth and love that surrounds him and that he offers to all of us every single day.

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