Chipper Pip(per)

Pip is babbling up a storm these days, and mixing in more and more understandable words. Yesterday he added, "Look!" and "Flower," and "Jesus." Today at the beginning of our walk he looked toward where the retention pond lies behind some trees and called, "goose!" We were all, "Did he just say, 'goose?'" On we walked, and on the return loop we approached some geese across the street munching on grass. Pip waved his arms and legs and called, "goose! goose! want goose!" So we took him closer to see them. He was really into looking at the geese, and continued to call back to them till we were almost home, when he switched to reminding us that he wanted a bath. "Bath!" he said in his adorable baby voice. The child loves playing in the water, just like his Poppa.

Speaking of whom, today Pip started calling for his Poppa by loudly calling, "Andrew!" while leaning over. Pip usually calls his Poppa, "Poppa," but he caught on to the fact that I call him "Andrew," when he's in the hall or just out of sight. With "Jesus," Pip may not have made the whole religious connection yet, because so far he only says it (or sings it, rather) every time I start to rock him to sleep. It's his way of initiating his lullaby, which has "Jesus" in it. Pip now sings, "Jesus. Alleluia. Alleluia. Jesus," instead of just repeating, "Alleluia." I'm also not sure he knows his Poppa is called Andrew, because he started out a few days ago calling to both of us by leaning over and loudly saying, "Ah! Ah!" while reaching out a cute little hand. So he may think you summon a parent closer with the word, "Andrew," and he may think "Jesus" is a lovely song title. We'll have to wait and see. One way or the other, he uses about 20+ words appropriately now, with about 12 of them used regularly each day, and new discoveries to boot. We're having lots of fun learning his language and teaching him ours.

Pip, as seen previously, is also a climber. He has taken to moving his little scoot car in front of the couch so he can climb up on the couch and look out the window. Then, today he scored a coup in his ongoing quest to get to an electrical cord blocked by his diaper pail and changing table. He pulled everything off the bottom shelf of the table and climbed in. I got to him just in time. I admit I can't help admiring his cleverness. And now for a classic milestone of babyhood:

I will eventually get back around to posting more of my thoughts. Right now I am so overwhelmed with musical preparation that I only have the time/energy to do baby-book type updates. But I'm still thinking and thanking, and I'll be back around soon.