All Butts Stink

While attempting to get Elijah down for a nap today, he decided it was time to talk about butts. He told me that Emily's butt stinks, and then proceeded to sniff at her rear end to confirm this statement. Then he leaned forward like he was going to do a summersault, and with his tush about 6 inches from my face, he looked at me from between his legs and said, "Smell my butt, mommy."

If nothing else, Elijah's full fledged emersion in speaking has been a blast. In fact, it's been rather fascinating. He doesn't simply repeat back what is said to him, nor is it necessary to play 20 questions with him to figure out what he wants anymore. He actively participates in conversation by verbalizing his own thoughts in his responses. Experiencing this transition is so exciting! He uses words for the first time on his own without them having been mentioned previously in the conversation so I'm able to really see his brain working. A few mornings ago when we woke up I wondered out loud about what time it was and Elijah answered "It's ten o'clock." He was so sure of himself, it was adorable. And at the same time I'm staring at him curious as to how he pieced it together that ten o'clock is a time that marks where we are in the day. He is just marvelous .

Emily is totally smiling now. I read that at this age babies smiles are called "social smiles" and it demonstrates their social skills at work. Well go, Emily! Perhaps she'll be a social butterfly because she smiles at everyone! Check out her head control in this picture; I'm not helping her at all. She is incredible! She has head decent head control at two weeks and can hold her head up completely now as long as I'm not moving around too much. The other morning my Grandma was holding Emily and Emily heard me talking and was craning her head in my direction. My Grandma asked her if she wanted to see me and when I poked my head in Emily's line of sight I was greeted with an enormous, open mouth smile with a corresponding sparkle in her eyes. I feel it in my heart when she smiles at me and I could just cry every time. And oh does she love to watch Elijah. She smiles at him a lot, too. He's just so animated, she soaks it all in. I can't wait until she is old enough to be around Elijah without the fear that he might accidently hurt her. They are going to have so much fun together. But for now I have to steer him away from her on the bed (and everywhere else) because he's so bouncy and clumsy.