Learning Fast!

Recently, Cian's been advancing so fast it's hard to keep up. He's 15 months old tomorrow (I know! Where did the time go??) and he's now absolutely mobile. He walks, runs, jumps, climbs, grapple-cuddles - cute but also kinda painful! - and gets himself into all manner of trouble.

We live in a first-floor flat (that's second floor to you people across the Pond), and have a floor-to-ceiling window in the sitting room. Cian likes to toddle over to it first thing in the morning and open it - only the top bits open and not enough to be a safety risk, before anyone goes white - before determined posting as many toys as he can out of it. We're deeply thankful for the window box balcony out there, without which I'm fairly sure we'd have had a lawsuit on our hands already from a badly-bruised neighbour, injured by a flying shape-sorter piece.

Matt installed window locks yesterday. Muahahahaaaaa.

We've also had to move the wastepaper basket into the hallway, to stop him climbing into it and getting stuck. He'd then wail until I lifted him out...before starting to climb back in again. There's only so many pulled muscles I can take, so the thing had to go until he's learned more common sense.

He loves the little wooden trike we bought him, and cruises around the wooden floor of our sitting room like a pro. I can't help but sing "Born To Be Wild" while he does it. Close your eyes and imagine the sight, and you'll giggle too.

He's getting more vocal now, though he obviously understands more than he says. If you ask him where the cats are, he'll point to Maliika, any on the TV, and the cat print on our wall. If you put up your hand and say "high five?", he'll toddle over and oblige. If I ask him to give things to me, he will...if he's in the mood. He says and understands a few things, though I probably understand his "words" better than a stranger would - mama, dada (or often DADADADADAAAAA!), Nana, 'at (for "cat"), hi, and nini (for "night night"). He sometimes just sits and practices sounds, repeating little "shh" or "st" noises until he judges himself competent by some Cian benchmark. It's very cute.

Talking of Nana, Matt's mum Pat is currently staying with us to help out, as I came down with the Dreaded Swine Flu. I'm fine now, just a few residual issues such as inflamed ear canals, wheezy lungs and rottenly painful sinuses, but the help's been invaluable. I've been able to rest and recover, knowing that Cian's being looked after by someone who adores him. She's returning to Bedfordshire on Friday, but will return at Christmas to spend it with her beloved grandson.

So...that's about it from the Full Moon of Motherhood camp! More news next time I have the time to sit and type, but for now I have to go and serve dinner. :-)