Phragments from Phyllis for Feb. 5, 2009

Life for Cade is currently a bit frustrating. He got his first 12 teeth so early and never showed any signs of teething. But now he's trying to get his canines and, I think, his two-year-molars. (Like his mother, his teeth have come in very early. Cat actually began to lose her baby teeth by the time she was 4.) Anyway, for the first time Cade has been fussy with the process. He's not sleeping well. He wakes up chewing on his hands. And he doesn't want anything to eat.

So when Cat and Scott had planned to go to Scott's mother's house for a Super Bowl party, we offered for Cade to come to our house. That way he could go to bed if he tired and could fuss if he needed to without their being concerned that he interrupt the party.

They decided Cade would need to go to bed at a reasonable hour, so they came with Cade to our house for dinner and stayed to watch the first half of the game. And Cade was absolutely delightful. He did fuss a little every now and then, but by and large he was his typical delightful self.

At this age -- amazingly, he's now 16 months old -- he is babbling more and more, carrying on a conversation that only he understands. But interspersed with the Cade-speak are more and more words that we do understand. At Cade's last check-up, the doctor mentioned the baby language along with 3 to 5 "real" words. I think Cade accepted the challenge. In the last week he has perhaps doubled his vocabulary.

For a while now he's been saying "ball" (which sounds more like "bawl" -- He is a Southern baby, after all), kitty and Jezzie (our oldest cat), mama and dada, hot, thank you (more like "tank-ee") and cheese -- His Uncle Mac says, "Buddy, show your 'grill,'" and Cade gives a toothy grin and says, "Cheese." He's also has mastered "YaYa" very well. Just this week, I came home one night, and as I opened the door, he ran across the room and threw his arms around my legs, all the while yelling. "YaYa, YaYa, YaYa." What a feeling that is!

But in the last week, he's added so much more -- Brodie (the dog), "ittlebawl" (little ball), bi-bawl (big ball). He picks up the phone and says, "Hi, hi, hi ..." and to go with it, "bye-bye-bye." And of course, his best word of all -- the one he uses absolutely correctly every time -- is "No." Dr. Tiffany noted the terrible twos are not when a baby reaches 24 months, but more like 16 to 20 months -- when they test the limits but aren't always capable of understanding the consequences.

Meanwhile he's doing all those adorable things that babies who can walk and begin to talk do -- He loves to bring you the ball. He sings "EeI-EeI-O" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider." He answers questions: Want to go to bed? NO. Are you hungry? NO. Let's change your diaper. NO ... Want a banana? MMMM.

He seems to have a very good grip on the world and his place in it -- He is the center of the universe, of course.

Now my only concern is what is going to happen at the wedding. Cat wants him there and I wouldn't have it any other way. But it may make for an interesting ceremony.

Luckily there will be plenty of people willing to take him -- Then again, he may just say "No."