English is Tricky

The English language is tricky.  There are sayings and phrases that are figurative, not literal.  There are words with multiple meanings.  There is past tense, present tense, future tense.  There are pronouns and plural nouns.  I don't know how we learn all the nuances of this language as children, but we do.  I feel like Staley has done an amazing job understanding and communicating using the 'rules' of the English language, but it can still be confusing.

Yesterday, I went to a wedding shower for my cousin in Indianapolis while Zach spent the day with Staley.  When she would ask about where I was or what I was doing, Zach explained that I had gone to a wedding shower for my cousin.  He also tried to explain to her what a wedding shower is.  Today at lunch, we had this conversation.

Zach:  "Where did mommy go yesterday?"
Staley:  "Wedding shower."
Zach:  "Who was the wedding shower for?"
Staley:  "Cousin."

(Long pause.)

Staley:  "Mommy get all wet."

So close.  So, so close.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

The other day, Zach and I were playing with Staley in her playroom.  Zach left the room for a minute, and Staley and I had this conversation.

Staley:  "Daddy doing?"
Me:  "I don't know what daddy is doing."
Staley:  "Staley call him."
And then in her loudest Staley voice, she yelled, "ZACH!"

Helicoptors and Fireworkers

Last year was Staley's first 4th of July.  She wasn't quite 6 months old.  She watched the parade, hung out with family, and was alseep well before any fireworks exploded into the air.  I'm assuming that her memory of her first 4th of July is pretty foggy.  So this year we reminded her about what she might experience on the 4th of July.  We talked about parades and fireworks and cousins and fun.

Yesterday morning, Staley woke up talking about the parade that she was going to see. We had mentioned to her that she would probably see fire trucks and maybe some horses in the parade.  Apparently, this triggered a memory of the Emergency Expo that we took Staley to a few weeks ago where she got to see fire trucks and police horses, along with police cars, ambulances, police dogs, rescue boats, and a Life Flight helicoptor.  So when we asked Staley what she thought she would see at the parade, she responded with, "Fire trucks.  And horses.  And police cars.  And dogs.  And a train.  (Not sure where that came from.)  And a helicoptor."  Surprisingly, the parade lived up to all Staley's expectations (including the train) with the exception of the helicoptor.  Unfortunately, there was no helicoptor in the Eureka 4th of July parade.  Maybe next year.

After Staley's nap in the afternoon, she was finishing up her snack and said, "Go outside.  See workers."  Zach and I were confused.  She continued to talk about seeing the workers.  And eventually we figured it out--Staley was excited about seeing the fire-workers that we had told her about.  So Staley got to stay up 2 hours past her bedtime, trek down to the Eureka Lake, and watch the fireworkers.  I'm not sure what Staley had envisioned--guys on tractors?  fire fighters?  Whatever it was that she expected, I hope that the actual fireworks surpassed her expectations.  And I hope that I never forget this time in Staley's life where, still today, she is excitedly telling us all about the fireworkers.

The Bradford cousins

Watching the parade

(Notice the tight grip Staley has on her parade 'treats')

Watching the 'fireworkers'

Happy 4th of July

Best Friends

Staley loves Jake and Elwood.  I mean, LOVES them.  She always wants to know what they're doing or where they are.  She looks for them, calls to them, and finds nothing more exciting than giving them treats.  Elwood has not put much of an effort into building a relationship with Staley.  When she shows up, he leaves.  If you ask Staley what Elwood does, she answers, "Jumps down."  Because anytime she tries to pet him or see him or walks into a room he is in, he jumps down from his perch (the bed, the table, the couch) and runs away. 

Jake, on the other hand, has decided that Staley is here to stay, so they might as well get along.  Staley has taken Jake's tolerance to signify that they are now best friends.  And what do best friends do? 

Best friends share toys and clothes and objects of signficance.  Staley is always trying to hand things to Jake--toys she's playing with, clothes she has removed from her dresser drawer, her cup of water.  She will say, "Here you go, Jakers" as she holds something out to Jake.  She will wait a few moments and, when he doesn't reach up to take it, she will drop it on him or around him.

Staley offering Jake a giraffe and a wipe.

Best friends play together.  Staley is always inviting Jake to join her in playing.  She will say "Jake.  Playroom." as he is walking through the living room.  Then she will run into her playroom, wait expectantly for Jake to show up, and then when he doesn't, say a little more forcefully, "JAKE.  PLAYROOM."  (And yes, I have resorted to bribing Jake with kitty treats, just for the look of joy on Staley's face when he does, indeed, join her in the playroom.)

Staley helping 'clean' Jake with a diaper wipe

Best friends share the love.  Staley loves to pet Jake, hug Jake, and occasionally will even try to pick him up or sit on his lap.

Staley sitting on Jake's lap

Friends are great.  And having a best friend--well, there's just nothing better.  Unless your best friend is a toddler who drops things on you, squeezes you, and sits on you.  In that case, jumping down and running away may be a better idea.

Walles Family Pictures

Our last official Walles family pictures were taken a few years before Elliott was born.  He's 3 1/2 now.  It was time.

The whole fam

Our little happy family

The whole fam + one big rock

Grammie, Grandpa, and the kids

Elliott

Liam

and my sweet Staley.

Okay.

Staley used to say 'yes.'

Me:  "Do you want to go outside?"
Staley:  "Yes."

Me: "Do you want to have some crackers?"
Staley:  "Yes."

Then she started to make her own requests.

Staley:  "Yellow bear."
Me: "You want yellow bear?"
Staley:  "Yes."
Me:  "Okay.  I'll get you yellow bear."

Staley:  "Cow movie."
Me:  "You want to watch your cow movie?"
Staley:  "Yes."
Me:  "Okay.  We'll put on your cow movie."

Finally, she realized that after she said 'yes' to something, we usually answered with 'okay.'  Staley decided to streamline the process.  She dropped the 'yes' and started using 'okay.'

Staley:  "Go beach."
Me:  "You want to go to the beach?"
Staley:  "Okay."

Staley:  "Eat blackberries."
Me:  "You want to eat some blackberries?
Staley:  "Okay."

My favorite part is that she says 'okay' as if it was my idea in the first place.  As in, "Okay, sure.  Blackberries sound good.  Glad you thought of it."  Or "The beach?  Good idea, mom.  Sure, I'll go with you."

Let's see if you've caught on.

You:  "See picture."
Me:  "You want to see a picture?"
And your response????

Okay.