Reading is the best!!

Simon has a new favorite toy/hobby/job in life.....Reading! (I wish I could do the cute sign he does to tell us that he wants us to cuddle up and read but I am unable to describe the cuteness, I will have to try and get a video) We love all of the books we have and have now transitioned for our weekday naps into reading quiet time right before we lay down with chilly (chili) dog and go night night. This is usually the only time Simon will lay back and enjoy the books, but usually he is the best page turner, spot finder, and book closer! We have found a few new books that we have picked up to read at some of our favorite play spots around town or on our playdates.....I wanted to mention them here in case anyone is in search of a Simon gift soon or wanted to contribute to Simon's new favorite hobby :)

First, we had a casualty this week with our favorite book....(I'm sure you have ALL read it to him)- Hand Hand Fingers Thumb   I think the actually do make it in a board book which is ideal for little fingers.
The Ear Book (so many dogs to pant at)
That's Not My Monkey (a fun touchy book and they have a whole series of 'That's Not My' books that are cute)
Hands Are Not For Hitting (Colleen's neighbor who we have become friends with suggested this series, she said they are great for her 15 month old boy)
We're Going On A Bear Hunt (loves this!)


I also wanted to mention a few new things that Simon has done this week...
He is getting so good at animal noises, especially when reading his books and meowing at the cat in the hat by his changing table. Some examples...
"Simon what does a cat/kitty say?" - Oowme (high pitched and adorable)
"Simon what does a dog say?" - HHHH (pants like a dog)
"Simon what does a bear say?" - Arrrgh (growl)
"Simon what does a lion say?" - Raarh (very similar to the bear growl)
"Simon what does a snake say?" - Ssssss (this one is new)
"Simon what does a lizard say?" - Sticks tongue in and out (we learned this today because he had on his lizard shirt and Jenn doing it was the funniest thing)
"Simon what does a cow say, can you moo?" - Mmmmm

and my personal favorite is that he now gives Eskimo kisses if you ask. He loves giving regular kisses and now will rub his little nose with yours and expect real kisses and lots of nose rubs after to get the tickles out. SO cute!

Trip to Boston: July 6-10

In early July we flew back to Boston for Auntie Lisa's surprise 30th birthday party.  It was the first time Simon had been on a plane since mid-February and flying with him was a much different experience for everyone than it was when he was smaller and less mobile.  He didn't get an afternoon nap since we were traveling to the airport, and we hoped that meant he would fall asleep in Emily's lap during the flight like he did on all the previous trips.  No such luck though... he was way too fascinated by the plane, and the sliding window cover, and all the magazines in the seat pocket, and the fact that people were sitting in front and behind us.  Those things were all much too interesting to let him fall asleep, but sadly not interesting enough to keep him busy for the whole flight (except for bugging the people in front of us - he would have been happy to do that all day).  But in general he was very quiet and well-behaved.  It took a lot of patience and Cheerios to get through it, but we landed on-time in Boston and met Grandpa Ken and Grandma Cindy who drove us back to their house.

They have peas here too?  I'm giving this place 5 stars on Yelp!

Tons of pictures after the jump...

Simon Says Banana

Jenn posted one video earlier, here's another of Simon saying Banana...

Eating with a Spoon

Simon loves spoons. Actually, he loves all utensils, but spoons are the ones we let him play with most frequently (also forks with corks). We haven't really spent a lot of time letting him feed himself with the spoon because you need time to devote to something like that ... both for the eating/figuring it out and the cleanup afterward. Today was that day. He did great. Fed himself a quite a few spoonfuls - notice he holds it with his left hand. I'm not sure if that's because he's actually left handed or because he wanted his dominant hand free to stuff food in his mouth with his fingers (see later pictures).

The green stuff is mashed potato with asparagus - just the right amount of sticky to hang on to an upside down spoon. There is ham beside it (sometimes stuck into it). In later pictures there are carrots with a bit of rice cereal to thicken them.

This isn't so hard! Why'd they wait so long to give me this darn spoon!

Spoons are ok, but hands still work too.

Morning at the Park

We went to the park this morning and had some fun. Here's a few photos and a quick movie. We climbed up the stairs and slid down the slide at the very end of the movie (not the one that he bangs on).

Last week fun

Walking down the side of the garage in his cute sweatshirt.

Beach day!

We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo and saw the cows, Simon calls them "mmmmm"

And Zebras!! (which he thinks are dogs. so cute)

Blowing the Zebras kisses.

Playing the piano at Family Grounds

One man band

Simon drinking from a straw for the first time! What a big boy!

Simon saying banana "nanana" SO cute

Simon sign update

We've focused on words the last few posts, but Simon still communicates a lot with signs and we're continuing to teach him new signs. He picks them up really fast and it reduces the wining and crying faces because he can say exactly what he wants. Here is an update on the signs that Simon knows and the new ones we're actively teaching him.

Signs Simon knows:

1. More
2. Milk
3. Drink
4. All Done (cross hand/wrists in front of you and move apart)
5. Food/Eat (which we also use for hungry)
6. Book (as in 'Read it to me')
7. Please
8. Dog (Simon just does the pant part that we put with it)
9. Diaper (as in 'change my diaper')
10. I'm sleepy, time for bed.  (This is one we made up. Simon touches his head with one hand for 'I'm tired' and with both hands for 'I'm really tired.')
11. Where'd it go? (Amy/Lisa taught him this in early July and it's one of his favorite signs. He puts both hands up in the are and makes a question noise with his voice, usually while looking down around for whatever he dropped or we took away.)
12. Jenn (Also one we made up. We were trying to teach him Jenn's name and it turned into a sign. It's Simon tapping his own chest!)

New signs we are teaching Simon:

1. Airplane
2. Swing - put your first and second fingers pointed down with the other fingers and thumb tucked up, like you're making little legs and swing your hand at the wrist. This is much simpler than the one on baby signs. Learned it from a speech therapist mom at the park!
3. Shoes
4. Swim
5. Wind
6. Happy
7. Hurt
8. Monkey
9. Down - point down