October 2000
Sophie is almost 16 months old. She loves to explore and is big enough
to open our top desk drawer so we are doing a new round of baby-proofing.
We feel like we are constantly taking pens and other objects away from
her. She can reach doorknobs but hasn't yet opened one or locked herself
in the bathroom. She is still nursing and sleeping with us most of the
time. When she was sick for a few days she stopped eating grownup food and
reverted to a diet of breast milk. Her teeth are coming in with a
vengeance - she has fourteen and has been teething
nonstop.
She now counts along with us to 10, sings the notes of the scale in "Doe a
deer", and tries to say the alphabet along with us! She enjoys
singing along with some of her children's song tapes in the car, and will
request that we put on one of "her" tapes when she's bored or
tired. She makes vroom
noises while pushing a toy truck. Plays nicely with her dolls, likes to
undress them and hold and hug. Rides on her toy school bus; likes to
stack blocks. She tries to use a fork and spoon by
herself - likes to poke at the food. Her favorite foods are cookies,
pretzels, bread, and mushroom soup. She shares her food and likes to feed
us morsels. LOVES to read. Getting really
good at opening boxes, containers, drawers, pens, etc. She has her own, big-girl bed (mattress on the floor) now,
used mostly just for naps
She weighs 24 pounds and is 31 inches tall. Still very musical and
loves to dance and "conduct" to music. One of her endearing
traits is to hug, pat and kiss when she is in a loving mood. She is
getting much better at talking on the phone, now often will say hi and bye
appropriately.
Words she can say reliably: all do(ne), baby, babies, cookie, cracker, boo(k), cup
(also used for bottle, bowl, and I'm thirsty), apple, daddy, mommy (which means
mommy or daddy, depending), car, boobie, nana (nursing), nana (banana), hot, bread, umm, nummy (tastes
good), dadoo (thank you, said for herself or for others), dipit (likes to dip
bread in liquids), ni(ce) (while patting something - "make nice"),
goo(d) girl, elbow, eye, down, no (frequently means yes), hi, bye-bye, diaper.
Understands: lie down, lay keppie, poopy, peepee, step back, sit back, sit
down, shoes,
socks, feet, toes, tickle-tickle, kiss-kiss, belly-button, and many others!
She just completed a sign language course (BabyFingers) in NYC - the last day
she showed off her skills by signing along with the song "Skinamarink a
dink a dink..." We're still taking a course locally at the Garrison
library and hopefully
will be able to keep up our skills in this great new hobby. We
occasionally attend a "local" ASL playgroup in Suffern. She uses
several signs daily: milk, more, book, please, butterfly.
Noel is getting ready to dance in a performance in NYC mixing modern and
Balkan folk dancing. There will be four shows, Nov 9-12, in St. Marks
church in Greenwich Village. He is also singing in a Jewish liturgical
suite scheduled for Nov 10. Datacap recently won contracts with Arizona
Blue Cross Blue Shield and Capital Blue Cross. Noel's software baby Paper
Keyboard 2000 was FINALLY fully released this month.
Judy has learned to bake delicious bread recently. She has been
enjoying learning a new language (ASL). Taking care of Sophie is her full
time job - Sophie still goes wherever Judy does, with few exceptions. Judy
is still co-organizing Hungarian dance practice several times per month.
Just had to show off her dimpled tush.