Getting Lyrical

A few weeks ago during our family road trip, Django literally woke up and counted to 10+ and started listing the alphabet (see description in that earlier post, whenever I manage to get it written, that is!) This week he spontaneously began reciting the lyrics to songs.

The thing that has me most baffled about it is that I never heard the skills in-the-making. He didn't ever chime in while I was singing, or throw out a line or two, just to let me know he was working on memorizing them. Nope. All of a sudden, there they were in complete form -- or as complete as an almost-20 month old could be expected to get.

While I was videoing him car-chasing with his friend Zoe, he recognized the Itsy Bitsy Spider song was playing, so I took the opportunity to ask him to recite it, and then Twinkle, Twinkle. Under the pressure to perform he mixed them each up a little, but I still think you'll be amazed. I know I was.

A Surprise Every Time

I love these goldfish days of summer, the ones where the world-at-large is actually quite small, and even when swimming the same set of swishes over and over again, the little plastic castle -- or playground, in this case -- still comes as a happy little surprise, every time.

Django's no longer content to talk just about what happens to him or me over the course of a day. Now his replays are also full of the trials and triumphs of people we never met -- "Big boy lost blue car sad cry" / "Dada up carry girl shoulders ride." This week he's been intently focused on the right thing to say to get other kids to do what he wants -- "Please orange ball Django back." (He's been practicing different versions of that line for days now.) And he spent at least an hour one afternoon holding out a toy toward anyone within reach, saying "Want to play?" only to immediately retract his hand & toy if anyone actually became interested in the offer.

I've been really trying to do my part to help Django along this curve of social development, but he makes me laugh so much with the way he looks at me so seriously while I'm talking/modeling and then turns his head and looks away, as if to say, "No, that's not really where I'm going with this idea. I'll try to tell you again. See if you can keep up this time." If nothing else, I suppose I'm teaching him one great truth, which is that being human is funny!

Here's what I've been great at showing him these days: how to drink from water fountains, how to eat popsicles. how to run downhill, how to joyride on public transit, and how to take a long nap in the middle of the day.

Our summer travels were truly wonderful, but I must say just being home is pretty nice, too.

4th of July in Park City

Just decided I'm going to try a different method here. Since I've been avoiding/stewing on the difficult process of finding the right words for this amazing week, I'm going to stop trying to post it as a finished product. I am hereby beginning it as a work-in-progress.

I think most people simply give a whole number in response to the question: How many siblings do you have? I suppose I could, too. (I mean, most people also skip the details and say "great" or "all right" or "not so good" when asked: How are you -- right?) But my answer has always been more complicated than that. Lately, it starts with the words, "It depends..." And I have a feeling that's how Django will end up starting his answer, too.

Family Road Trip '09

Little Bit Manic

I remember back in college, my happiest days were always the ones spent planning the next quarter. Somehow, the reality of actually taking the courses wasn't near as much fun. And the strange let down immediately after final exams was jarring, to say the least. Almost twenty years later I'm pretty clear on the pattern. I love looking forward. I don't feel so well when I do too much looking back. Things coming to an end is always my Kryptonite. So now I compensate. Or over-compensate, as the case may be.

The first week of summer vacation Django & I circumnavigated the Bay Area, twice. We saw Andi's newly remodled dream home in Point Richmond, finally met 3-month old Baby Ian in Novato, rode the steam train with Brad in Tilden Park, went back to Novato to swim with Mama Rae & Baby Ian, rode the ferry with Mama Hina & Little Simran to Sausalito and back, hiked at Land's End with Billy, whooped it up at Dada Hunter & Mama Irene's house in Oakland for Annabelle's 2nd birthday--then, we hightailed it out of town.

You'll have to forgive me for not writing about it sooner. My mania got the better of me. I did, at least, have the presence of mind to snap a few photos. Here are my titles for them:

1) Parallel Parking This Thing's a Bitch

2) Next Stop: Chorus Line

3) Naked & Wet 3-yd Dash

4) I'll Check My Calendar

5) At Least One of Us Enjoyed the Ride