Keeping Up With Baby

I am back at home after spending time with Baby Girl. I may sit still in front of the fire all day today. Just because I can. There surely isn't much sitting when you are keeping up with a 22-month old. Unless she was sleeping and that didn't happen as much as you might think. Certainly not as often as I wanted

I was hoping to get lots of cute photos. I ended up with a collection of pink blurs. She is perpetual motion. And after watching her in a hospital bed a few months ago, so still and so quiet, that running at full speed is more than okay. I can rest here at home.

What I did get (instead of photos) was a collection of her words. So funny to hear this tiny person chatter away. If anything happens to you—head bump, cough, anything—she always asks, "You okay?"

So after she swallowed wrong and coughed a little, I asked her...
        Me: Are you okay?
        Baby Girl: No. I'm not. (Like, seriously? Can't you see I'm choking?)

Baby Girl is extremely well mannered. The "please & thank yous" are well in place. And she never misses a "you're welcome" or a "yes, m'am." The NO is just that, though. NO. NO. NO. We did hear that a lot. She's almost two. She's supposed to say that.

She is completely clear on what she wants. "Mimi, I want 'nama." (That's banana.) Or, what she doesn't want. "No, I don't want that." (Usually water.) "I need 'nack, (snack) now." "Teebee on. Mee Mou Mou!" (TV on. Mickey Mouse!) Some of her speech requires understanding toddler-ese.

But other phrases are perfectly clear. "Mimi, sit here. Chair." (As she pats the seat.) "Daddy-O, come. Follow me." (Into trouble, probably.) "Mimi, stay here." (As she tries to go do something sneaky.) "I don't want any." (Beans.) "No nap!" (That one needs no explanation.)

I heard "I tyin." (I'm tired.) "I going." "I hungry." I thought, what an economy of words. She doesn't use verbs. Then I realized that she doesn't need the "was" or the "am" or the "will be." At her age, she lives totally in the present. No need for past tense or future tense.

Well, this morning, I'm "tyin." Very "tyin." But give me a day to catch up and I'll be ready to go again.