Thanks, Auntie Sarah!

Marley got a "just because" package in the mail today from Sarah. The first thing he pulled out of the box was a lion costume that Sarah got on clearance. Notice how he goes right past it to get to the books. He LOVED the pop up book, and was actually quite gentle with it (read: hasn't torn it to shreds yet). He had me read him all the books several times (once he got past the book cover confusion). Later, I tried to put the lion costume on him, but he was afraid of it. Luckily we have a while until Halloween!

Is it a baby or a hat?

Well, we all survived our time apart. In fact, Mars seemed kind of surprised to see me again. I think he was getting used to his new life at Nai Nai's house. Things went so well, in fact, that Jeff and I decided that we need to do an overnight where we actually sleep in the same room (and where we aren't responsible for 75 5th graders!).

Marley is 18 months old today! He is becoming so grown up and developing quite an imagination. He will pick up a stuffed animal and hug it and rock it and say, "Baby". The funny thing is that he does not limit this behavior to stuffed animals. Today, for example, his babies included Jeff's shoe, his sippy cup, a block, a pair of shorts, and the shampoo bottle.

He also likes to pretend various things are hats. He will pick up an item and say "Hat" and put it on my head or on his own head. He finds this quite hilarious. It's so cute!

Going Away

Jeff and I are leaving Marley overnight this week for the very first time since we brought him home from the hospital. He will be enjoying two fun-filled days and nights at his Nai Nai's house. And where will we be going for our first night without our son? Somewhere tropical? Somewhere romantic? Some place where we get to sleep together in the same bed? Not even close. Jeff and I will be spending Monday and Tuesday at Camp Seymour with the 5th graders. It will be a blast, I'm sure. It always is, but it's definitely not a relaxing vacation. And although Marley will be fine without us, I'm not sure the reverse is true.

Put your fingertips together for More, More, More!

We have discovered that the Seattle Public Library carries the Signing Time DVD's that were highly recommended by my friend, Carol. I picked up Volume One of Baby Signing Time, and Marley absolutely LOVES, it! I have to admit, the songs are really catchy. Jeff and I have to be careful not to accidentally start singing or humming any of the tunes or Mars will run to the TV room and plop down on the couch, ready to watch. The library has all four volumes of Baby Signing Time as well as the entire regular Signing Time series. That should keep us busy for a while.

When Marley's not watching DVD's, he's playing with Uncle Troy in Jada's new swimming pool.

Or tormenting Ginger, the neighbor cat, in the back yard.

As of Late...

For some reason, I've been having a really hard time uploading videos and images lately. Here is some of what Marley has been up to.

Helping in the Garden

Helping at the 5th Grade Car Wash

Playing at the Beach

Our Little Yes Man

Dancing to his Favorite Tunes

Word Up

Me: Look Mars, a doggie!
Marley: Daw-daw!
Me: Yes, a doggie!
Marley: Daw-daw!
Me: That's right, daw-GIE.
Marley: Daw-daw!
Me: Say, "gie"
Marley: Gie
Me: Good! Daw-GIE.
Marley: Daw (pause, pause, pause) daw.

Alas, even with his less than perfect pronunciations, Marley's language skills are exploding! I will now attempt to list all the words that Mars can say, or sign, and uses regularly on his own without prompting.

People: Mama, Dada, Jada, Nai Nai, Grandma (Ba-ma), Grandpa (Ba-pa)

Animals/animal sounds: Bird (sign), Doggie, Moo, Baa, Roar, Meow

Food: Milk (sign), Water (sign), Banana (sign), Cracker (sign), Cereal (sign), Eat (signs and recently says), Dinner (Ninner), Juice, Ice, Strawberry (Fraw-fraw), Cookie (Ki-cky), Cheese

Exclamations: Whee! Cool! Wow! Yeah! Ahh! Phew! Yuck! Uh-Oh! (Uh-ah)

Other: Cold (sign), Again (sign), More (sign), Socks (sign), Shoes (sign), Music (sign), Help (sign), Rain (sign), Poo poo (signs and says), Pee pee, Hot, Bye, Hi, Pretty (Pee-pee), Baby (Bee-bee), Boobie (Bee-bee), Bath (Ba!), Bus (Buh!), Up, Down (Nown), Let's go! (Hmm hmm!), Teeth, Light (ight), Bubbles (buh-buh).

I'm sure I've forgotten some. Check back this week and I'll add any I may have left out.

Marley can read!

David Shannon is the author and illustrator of some of my favorite children's books: Duck on a Bike, A Bad Case of the Stripes, and Good Boy Fergus. Encounter, written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Shannon, is one of my all-time favorites. It's the story of the first meeting between Christopher Columbus and the indigenous people of San Salvador as seen through the eyes of a young native boy. (No, it's not what Marley can read.) I read it to my class every year - the illustrations are beautiful. Which is why I think Shannon's David! books are so strange. The illustrations are almost scary. I guess the childlike drawings are supposed to appeal to little kids. Well, I don't get it, but it works. Mars absolutely loves the David! board books!

The book reads, "David's first words were: Ball, Uh-Oh! Dog, Oops! Ride, Whee! Eat, Yum! Bath, Ahh! Mama, Zzzzz..." What sounds like "dada" is actually "doggie". This was not their first time through the book in this sitting and, as you can see, Mars was really excited for his favorite page!