happy 21 months, and other things.

wait, do i have that right? 21 (counting in head: may, june, july, august, september, october, november, december, january, holy cow, what happened to the last six months? i feel like i'm still looking for a dress to wear to nicole's wedding -- maybe that's because i'm now looking for a dress to wear to amy's wedding? -- but really, my god, time, you're fooling with me!) yes! TWENTY ONE MONTHS.

oh little arlo, in just a few short weeks, i will be able to toss aside this cumbersome month counting. by summer, i will be able to, all footloose and fancy free, dash off, "he's two." or, "he's two and a half" or, eventually (dun dun dun), "he'll be three soon!" but...i suppose i'm getting ahead of myself. for now, you are twenty one months old. much more than halfway to two, but not so close that i feel comfortable saying that you're almost two. and thus, with the month counting. sometimes, i toss caution to the wind and say, "he'll be two in april. at the end. of april. then, he'll be two." but really, i think saying, "he's 21 months," makes me sound less stupid. and of all the goals i've ever made, this year, last, any year: trying to sound less stupid is a really good one, and one that i should work a little harder to adhere to.

so, you. 21 months. have i told you lately, how much you look like a big boy? 
because, god...

also, words! so many words! what i can think of right now:
"hum" (home).
"dir dawg" (dirty dog. don't ask, we have no idea.)
"cri cheez" (cream cheese).
"melmo" (elmo).
"shuz" and "sock"
"ahside" (outside).
"apple" or "ah-RAH!" (arlo).
"AAAHHHnnn" (on).
"ufff" (off).
"duhsees" (daisy, the chihuahua).
"buut" (book).
"BUTT" (butt).
"AHmal" (oatmeal)

you still say "more" with your hands. and instead of saying please, you do  a little japanese bow. you also have taken to answer yes or no questions with "mmhm," except you rarely say the first syllable, preferring to just say "hmmmm?" which ends up sounding more like you're hard of hearing, rather than that you are in agreement. you also, and lord knows where you picked this up, seem to talk in a bit of a french accent.  i am "maMA."  andy is "daDA." Three singing pigs say "la LA LA"

we had a few steps back in the sleeping department last week, but that seems to have remedied itself (very afraid, now that i just typed that out loud). i think your last molars are coming in. holy cow, will i go marching through the streets when this whole teething thing is over (at least until they start to fall out....).

you are getting to be super super independent. and you like to be naked a lot. you also like to get into bed -- anyone's bed; yours, ours, ava's, nolan's...if there's a bed, with covers and a pillow, you're thrilled. you also like shoes.

after a very hectic end to 2011, 2012 has been a lot of fun. we're going to a new toddler play group with all of our sanctuary mama and baby friends, we went to the art show and looked at all kinds of brightly colored things and/or naked people, we've had a ton of playdates and found some new parks, and we almost made it through half of your great-great aunt phyllis' surprise 80th birthday. i'm having a ball keeping up with you.

you, mon frere, are the coolest.

xo.