3 months

We're finally starting to experience the "language explosion" everyone told us would knock our socks off. My socks are still quite on, but Taye is finally beginning to mimic our words, try his best to explain things to us (although 95% of the time we have no idea what he's saying, we definitely encourage all the intense chatter complete with hand motions he uses when he puts his mind to communicating something to us), and add a word or two daily to his little repertoire. We're also experiencing the "normal" challenges that come with his newfound language--such as we tell Taye to do something and he uses his words to tell us "no" while also shaking his head back and forth. Taye also spends a lot of time in timeout.

I'm going to give him another week or two before deciding whether or not he needs another stool test to see whether or not we've finally conquered the giardia bug. I was discouraged that he had lost some weight (down to 23 1/2 pounds from his previous 24) when we took him to the doctor's office for his second round of vaccinations and flu mist. I'll be very happy to add dairy back into his diet and start packing on those ounces and dare I dream pounds?

I've seen some great advances in socialization. Although he turns up the decibels on the scream chart when I drop him off to nursery or Moppets, that is such a good sign of attachment and bonding. I have not been called out of church/MOPS at all to come get him (Liam never made it longer than 20-30 min when he was a baby) and his caregivers assure me he settles down and enjoys himself. This is a huge relief.

We've tried to teach Taye to put his hand out and say "stop" when something is upsetting him rather than hitting. And sometimes I think he is over-using his new-found "weapon", but I'll take that over the previous hitting, spitting, and biting any day.

Taye is a CHAMP at learning routine and picks up kinesthetic things super fast. He dresses himself, puts his dirty clothes in the laundry chute, dirty dishes in the dishwasher, climbs into his car seat by himself, and is getting better at brushing his own teeth. He runs around with his siblings frustrated only that he's not as big or fast as they are and that he's not able to do all the same things they are doing.

I'm able to put him down for an afternoon nap and walk away. Occasionally there's still a whimper and cry, but a reminder that I'm here and that it's naptime and he is to go to sleep quietly now does the trick. The nighttime routine is all Dan, who still chooses to sit in his room with him. Personally, I think Dan just likes a little quiet time to himself or a quick nap in a dark room on a hardwood floor.

We all thoroughly enjoy laughing at the many "funny faces" Taye makes at us. This little guy is chock full of personality--which assures us that he is definitely one of ours! Liam lights up when he gets off the bus and sees his "little buddy" and the girls and Taye are starting to play *gasp* together.

We cannot wait for snow to see how Taye reacts to the cold, wet, white stuff. It's fun looking ahead and anticipating things with Taye rather than just surviving an hour or a day with him. I'm starting to feel the cumbersome and heavy mantle of transitioning shift to actual living.