Walkie Talkie.

Walkie Talkie.

Ollie has been "walking" for over a month now, taking steps ever since a few days after his birthday, but he really started to opt for the two legged method as his primary mode of transportation just about two and a half weeks ago. And you're just hearing about it now. I know. I never write, I never call.

His language has also taken off. He's kind of gotten lazy with the signs lately, which is slightly frustrating because I'm like a freaking puppet sometimes with all of my examples of signs. I have to stop myself from saying "look at mama!" all the time trying to get him to look at me doing the sign. Listen, self, it's more important that he enjoy the tree than watch you wave your arm about, my less-interesting, flesh-colored tree. Actually, he can sign "tree," so that was a lousy example. But I think he's making up for signing with actual words. I'm happy with either. Actually, I'm 100% content with the "baapdabaaavvffba" he says after interrupting himself nursing to look me straight in the eye, and then he gives me a giant sloppy kiss on the mouth. Oh, my heart. I baapdabaaavvffba you too, little man.

So, since language is both verbal and sign-y at this point, I'll list all of his words in both forms.

sign language (asl) he will do himself
- nurse (milk)
- more (although he's more likely to point at what he wants to eat)
- eat (again, he's just going to point. but we have seen this sign)
- stars (oh god, this one is adorable) (and kind of much more useless than the above signs? but for some reason, it comes up ALL THE TIME).
- car
- dog (we use a non-ASL sign (panting), and is always coupled with a loud DOG ("DUH")).
- mouse (kind of. he moves his finger over MY nose)
- tree
- hat
- music (again, non-ASL. I do use the ASL sign all the time, but ollie just stands in front of the silent stereo/instrument and "dances," indicating that he wants the music turned on.)
- drum (I don't think this is an ASL sign)
- airplane (kind of - he doesn't quite do the intricate finger work)
- light

verbal words
- cat (although he hasn't used this one in a while)
- hat (sounds exactly like cat)
- hot
- ball (repeatedly, all day long with the ball-ing)
- dog (repeatedly, all day long with the dog-ing)
- woof woof
- toes/toast (these things are exactly the same in his mind)
- shoes (it sounds like "shits") (i'm totally serious)
- mama
- dada
- rock
- pup
- bat (he said this once)
- water (more like wawa, of course)

I'm only partially bragging. I'm mostly just writing it all out so I'll remember.