This boy is too funny!  As I’ve said before, I could swear he does stuff developmentally just to give me more worry wrinkles on my face.  Like the baby that would not roll over (at all) until he was 6 months old.  And then was running by 9 months.  Turns out his speech patterns are identical.  This child wouldn’t say “mama” or “dada” until just recently.  While everyone else’s babies were saying “bye-bye” and lots of other cute, normal baby things, he just yelled.  And cried.  And laughed.  And said “ooh”.  And now at 18 months he’s speaking in complete, coherent, meaningful sentences.  “I ont wadee”  (I want water),  “It hurt” (pointing to his ant bites), “I onna pay” (I wanna play [with his siblings]), you can ask him about any question and get an answer that is appropriate and definite.  Do you like this show?  And you get an emphatic head nod or an absolute “no” head shake.  Offer him 2 different popsicles and he’ll always choose “puh-ple”  (purple).  And he means it - don’t try to give him another color.  Who is this child?

Lately, his two cutest habits are “nuhse.  nuhse.  i onna nuhse.  nuhse.  NUHSE!”  (need i really tell you what he’s demanding with this one?!)

And, “watch.  watch.  watch.  watch.  watch.  WATCH.”  While waiting for us to watch him do whatever trick he’s come up with now.  Usually something daring, dangerous, and so cute that it makes everybody laugh.  Of course.  Like just before he does head over heels flips on our bed.  Or off the back of the couch.  Or while daddy and all the others wrestle on the floor, jumping from his daddy’s back and landing on daddy’s head - “watch.  watch.  watch.  watch.  watch.  watch  WATCH.”

His daddy and I were discussing this newest phase the other night laughing about how he never just says, “Watch.”  We can be looking straight at him the first time and even say, “Ok, go.”  But he must say it at least 3 more times.  Because his siblings feel the need to say “Watch” or “Mama” or “Daddy” 15 million times in a row.  Because, of course, we’re always busy and distracted.  And they think they aren’t being paid attention to even when they are.  And my honey said, “You know, it takes at least a 3rd baby in a family to be a ‘watch-watch baby.’”  Your first child has your undivided attention.  They don’t say “watch” at all because you’re analyzing their every move.  Your second child has to say “Watch” but you can turn your attention fairly quickly to which ever child is requesting it.  Have a third child talking age and you get a chance at a “watch-watch” baby.  He hears the first two vying for attention with repetition.  oh the repetition.  And he thinks that’s just what you say to get everyone to stop and look at you.

“watch.  watch.  watch.  watch.  watch.  WATCH.”