Pizzum and Bye-Bye

Gabriel has really hit a new verbal peak recently. Lots of new words keep coming up, and he often remembers something to repeat after only hearing it a few times. We had frozen pizza the other night, and wowsers, did he like that pizza. He ate a whole slice, which is a lot for a little tummy like his, and then he turns to me with his bowl in hand, tomato sauce smeared all over his face, and asks for "Pizzum? Pizzum?" Yogurt is "go-gu". Fly and butterflies and ladybugs are "fie". Airplane is "Ennnnhhh" (that's an airplane flying through the sky). TV is "tee-gee". He also has just recently captured the whole "ot" (hot) and "ach-ee" (ouchie) scenario too. Ohhhh - and the beloved drumsticks are "dwum". Guitar is "gak-ee".

The other aDORable thing he does is tell everything bye-bye on his way to bed, or when he is leaving it. He takes his little hand and opens and shuts it to wave. I was taking him for his afternoon nap the other day after lunch and took him into the kitchen to kiss Tim nighty-night, and he goes "bye-bye chickie" (we had chicken for lunch). "Bye-bye tea" (we had tea, too). "Bye-bye tea." "Bye-bye, tea." "Bye-bye, cah" (We passed his push car in the living room). "Bye-bye tea". "Bye-bye tea." It is absolutely precious to hear him. It is a helpful routine, though. It helps him to go to bed, because he likes to say bye-bye.

Yesterday I had Gabriel in the bathtub and was standing in the bathroom door talking to Tim, and I look back and see Gabriel take this flying leap on his stomach over the side of the tub and slide to a stop on the bathroom floor. Not quite the landing he had imagined. He's a slippery little seal in the tub.

One other helpful routine we have found involves brushing his teeth. Gabriel used to HATE to brush his teeth, and I wasn't sure why. I thought it might have to do with the toothpaste, so I switched toothpaste, but no difference. I finally decided it was because he knew it signified that he was going to bed. But it was kind of a traumatic experience every single night - he would cry and scream and screech and hold his mouth shut. THEN, one fateful night Tim brought out his Oral-B spinny whirry toothbrush...and all has been peaches and cream, mixed with lots of anticipation since. He "brushes" with the whirry toothbrush, while I brush with his normal toothbrush. And everybody is happy. Phew. What a relief that is!