Saying New Words, Eating With Utensils, and Trying Hard To Be Like Big Sis

Sarah's vocabulary is beginning to flourish. She says things we had no idea she could say like: apple, banana, Rah-Rah (Sarah), See-Nee (Sydney), ONE (and holding up her pointer finger), and several other words she's been saying for a while. The funniest is when she has a dirty diaper she lets us know by saying "puppoo." She even says it with such a soft and sweet-sounding voice. Only Sarah could sound so elegant saying such a word!

Sarah is also beginning to notice that she's the only one who doesn't have a fork or spoon at meals. She insists on using a utensil. Much to my surprise, she actually uses a fork quite well for a 16-month-old! I had no idea!

She's now showing much interest in doing whatever Sydney does. Syd has always enjoyed putting a doll in her high-chair, locating a spoon and bowl, and feeding her doll. This lasts usually 5 minutes, tops. So, now, Sarah has started doing the same thing. When Syd puts her doll in the high-chair and begins feeding her, Sarah starts rummaging around the kitchen til she finds a bowl and spoon and proceeds to stand alongside Sydney and take turns feeding that poor, over-fed doll.

From time-to-time, Sydney will set up a doll or two on the couch or in a chair, then ask me to take a picture. I know she's just imitating what the rest of us do when we're posing the kids for pictures. Anyway, here's the latest photo shoot. Syd decided to be in the picture, too.

During a trip to the zoo the other day we met up with a number of our friends from the Green Hills MOMS Club. We spent most of the afternoon in the Bouncey Room (a pavilion where the floor is one big, thick rubber mat.) Now, I've noticed for a long time that when we get together with playgroup friends, Sydney can rumble and tumble with the toughest of little boys. She's even made a few of them cry. While in the Bouncey Room, Syd spent much of her time rough-housing with the boys and was more rowdey and aggressive than I've seen her. A couple of girls Sydney's age arrived (they were wearing their pricey, smocked dresses and hair all in well-placed curls while Sydney was wearing her "extra-change-of-clothes" from school, hair wet with sweat and her cheeks bright red and it was interesting to see that stark contrast that I've just not noticed before. Since the other girls were just kind of standing around, Sydney had no interest in playing with them. She said "hi" to them, but continued to run, jump and play with the wilder kids. But, what's more interesting, is that in the very same day, Sydney will be feeding a bottle to her dolls and rocking them to sleep. I hope she'll always have this perfect balance. Here's a picture of Sydney and one of her best buddies, Mack.

Check back next week after we visit the fire station, the pumpkin patch, and who knows what else.