Spring quickly rolls on...

Stewie has been working on lots of words. He tries to say "cheez" with coking when we take a picture. Everything is now an "uh-oh!" We're working on "Who want's a drink?" Stewie tries to mimic "I do! I do!" Though it sounds more like "I d'! I d'!" On our way to see the fam' we taught him to say "Nani," but he only did it once in the car, and has yet to really repeat it. He's trying really hard, and has lots of great vowel sounds. He even tries to say "Max," and is so close to the "x" sound. But not quite. I listen to other people's kids, and wonder how in the world their parents ever understand them. The power of parenthood is mystical... I can hear everything he isn't saying. If only I couldn't hear the constant tantrum screaming. If the terrible twos are happenning at sixteen months, do you think we'll get lucky and they won't last as long? Does this mean my child is advanced? He wants so badly to be like us. To converse and be free. Meanwhile we're doing everything we can to keep him off of the walls, counters, tables... he's so strong. He just grabs on and swings his feet right up into a chair and the pulls his body up. I mean, if I were to commit the same feats of strength as he, it would be like swinging my entire body over a 4ft. picket fence in one leap. I don't think I could do that even in high school. Michael and I were remembering when Stewart first became mobile... right around this time last summer. For two weeks we were on tip toes afraid of where he would go next. Then we all adapted and it was no big deal. I hope it happens that way again. If he doesn't hurt himself in his attempts, he hurts himself in the tantrum from being stopped. He's got so many brusies on his head... I'm afraid to take him out in public.

In other news, we went to visit family over spring break. That's always nice. Stewie loved running all over Nani's backyard... and her brick patio. His little viriginal knees quickly filled with scrapes and bruises. He is such a boy, and such a toughie! The kids had a blast... more so Stewie... he loves the big boys. They love him, except for when he tries to break in on their video games, which is his whole goal. He and the girls love to ride the baby bikes and chase each other around. We stayed at the cousins' house one night... that was like waking up on Christmas morning for Stewie... what a toy room with four kids! We saw baby Natalie... though Stewie had relatively no interest, I swooned over the STILL, CALM, infant.

Sleeping Stewie has become more angelic than ever.

A couple of days of sun and he's already more of a blondie.

We got new summer time shoes.