The Dynamic Duo

Just an update on Linc while I’m thinking about it.  He has, for a couple of months been talking up a storm, but with very few words that we can understand.  Some of the words in his early vocabulary (many translations from Japanese):

• Daddy
• Food
• That’s Enough
• I don’t like that/stop that (in a playful context)
• kissy noises
• siren noises
• Bean Paste Donut Head Man
• Grandpa
• Grandama

You may notice that Mommy isn’t in there.  It seems like Mommy is sometimes referred to as Daddy and sometimes as food, it is a little unclear.

Anyway, the new development is that Linc seems to have suddenly gotten confident in his ability to copy the sounds he hears, and he has started repeating us a lot of the time and incorporating them into his vocabulary.  UltraGirl could give a much better list of his recent new words, one that comes immediately to mind is bye-bye.

He has also started in the last month or so to throw minor tantrums when he is tired or things aren’t going his way.  He stomps his feet, but for him this involves extending his leg waaaaay out and giving the floor a heel kick.  The video in the sidebar of playing with Uncle Mitsu might give you some idea, suffice to say it is way too adorable.  The other big one in the toolbox besides crying and slapping is much less adorable: he will get on his hands and knees and bang his forehead on the floor.  Of course that never improves his mood, and it almost gave me a heart attack when he did it on the cement floor in a shopping center.  He is, on the whole, a much better boy than we had any right to expect.

He bows to say hello and he also bows to say he’s sorry.  He is very quick with the apologies, but this stems much from the fact that I’m sorry means something more along the lines of “I know you are unhappy, stop telling me about it now.” Of course that is what it means for a lot of people, so I think he’s got a pretty good initial grasp of the concept.

He LOVES powered conveyances, particularly those equipped with sirens.  His favorites are ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks.  Recently he has shown increased interest in planes, trains, and police motorcycles.  Most of his favorite daytime toys are cars, and he is almost always carrying one.  At night he has two reliable companions.  Dee O. Jee, the pet dog Aunt Heather gave him, and Scout the new talking and singing dog he got for christmas from Grandma and Grandpa.  His bedtime routine usually includes some kissing Dee O. Jee and Scout, some snuggling with one or both of them, and letting Scout sing lullabies to him.  It also often involves bedtime stories, but he has interesting tastes in narrators.  He seems to prefer that I read Japanese books to him, and that UltraGirl read English.  I am allowed to be the reader for Goodnight Moon, but otherwise my repertoire is コップちゃん (little cup), a Japanese book about cute puppies, and a slew of Japanese books about “working cars”.

Linc watches a train come in, clutching his near constant companion

I am acutely aware that at no future point in time will he love me as much as he does now, so I’m trying to bask in it while I can.  I had no concept of how much I could love someone until Linc came along, and I’m trying to give him the best start on life that I can.  I tend towards the overprotective, but I’m trying to keep it under control.  One thing I need to get better at is planning outdoor activities on weekends. 

Only one photo to go with this post.  If you would like to see more regular photo postings, I encourage you to comment and tell UltraGirl how much you would enjoy seeing them.