The New Dog's New Tricks!

Dear Thad:

I forgot to mention a couple of other wonderful things you started doing this last month or so! How could I forget!!!?!!

First, you do this really cute thing when we are reading books, which you LOVE (praise God!!)!! Because your daddy wants you to learn words, he runs his index finger under the words as he reads the book to you (and I do, too, now). Well, now you do it, too. You don't run your index finger under the words . . . it sort of goes all over the page, but usually in a straight left-to-right line! It is so funny. You hold the book with your left hand right next to mine and you take your right index finger and run it along every page. We can't turn the page until you are done.

And then!!! You TURN THE PAGE with your thumb and index finger! Whether it's a board book or paper pages, you get one page and you turn it. Sometimes you know when to do it, like when the reader pauses. Other times, I simply say, "Do you want to turn the page, Thaddy?" (I call you Thaddy sometimes, but I am programming my brain already not to call you that out in public or around your friends because c'mon: THADDY??? No little boy needs that kind of headache.) When I ask, you snap-to, kind of like "Oh yeah! I need to turn the page!" Then you turn it! It is TOO CUTE.

Second, you have started clapping your hands in your sleep! You learned this trick last month and you love to do it. Now I've caught you a couple times rolling over and clapping your hands. They don't always meet each other (YOU try and clap your hands in your sleep, Dear Reader!), but in your heart you are keeping the beat, Baby!

Finally, you wave bye-bye! You smile really big and wave your hand to let people know that you are happy they stopped by and you are wishing them well on their journey onward. Plus, you love that I am praising you like a crazy woman while you are doing it. You'd think you had cured cancer (which I know you are not far from doing) or something.

Still--you are communicating!

I didn't want any new schtick to go unnoticed.

Because I am your biggest fan, Son. Always.