Month 16: Comic Book Baby

I'm not sure when or how, but Daniel has learned sound effects.  We started noticing them in the past day or two - crashing sounds, or bonks, or motor-esque hums, or whatever... he sounds like a walking comic book!  

I just glanced over my last post and I think I may have understated his energy level.  That or it's tripled in the past two weeks.  He is absolutely hilarious to watch - he does laps around anything sitting still and stops running just long enough to look around and determine where he's running to next.  He almost never looks where he's running (lots of crashing) and almost always runs until exhaustion makes his knees buckle and he face-plants on the ground.  (How sleepy he is determines if the face-plant evokes tears or laughter).  

The really fun part about this is getting down on the ground and playing rough and tough with him.  Sounds like a no brainer, but as he's become more independent, he's able to play on his own, with us in the next room, or working on our own project in the same room.  Last night I was cooking dinner in the kitchen, and he was playing about ten feet away with his giant legos.  Then he hauled a few into the kitchen to play closer to me.  Then he stood up, came over and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the stove and into his lego pile - he pulled me down until I sat with him, then he resumed play.  

This morning, I was editing some photos on the computer while he and Fernando played in the living room.  He came running, saying "ma ma!  ma ma!", wedged himself between me and the keyboard and pushed my legs until I stood up.  With one hand on each of my legs, he walked me into the living room where I sat down and he tackled me in a fit of giggles.  

There's something so special about him expressing a desire to play with us.  He hugs and kisses us... cuddles with us... wants to read with us... but there's a special bond that only develops through physical play - and a new closeness that ensues.  

Daniel is mastering a new skill: jumping!  He loves watching us jump then trying it on his own.  We all hold hands and jump together.  This morning, he climbed onto a stool and attempted to jump off the stool.  The result?  His first somersault/flip!  

Dancing is become even more of a favorite past time - largely due to the very physical nature of Daniel's dancing :)  There's lots of stomping, violent arm swinging, bouncing, and sometimes spinning.  He has favorite songs - a few specifics that always send him into delight dancing fits.  A few days ago, Fernando put on a techo version of the "Hokey Pokey" that he had just downloaded.  We started dancing (put your right arm in.... you put your right arm out...) and low and behold, Daniel was dancing along.  He put his arms in and shook them all about... then he did the HOKEY POKEY!  He had his arms up in the air and he was spinning around!  Apparently they have been dancing to the hokey pokey in daycare, so he had been practicing.  But we had so much fun dancing and spinning until we (read: Daniel) got super dizzy and crashed into a few walls!  Family dance time is the best.  

...and THAT's what it's all about!  (sorry... couldn't resist...)