There were too many little things to list, so I'll stick with the big ones:
- He used Rachel's name to beckon her over and play with him. He initiates play, but he always goes up to her and joins what she is doing, never before has he tried to pull her into his activity. And with the exception of me (and even that is only recently) he's never used anyone's name to get their attention.
- There is a little girl at playgroup that often antagonizes Spencer. She has a strong personality and Spencer is so laid back that I often beg her mom to not intervene just so I can see how they figure each other out. Her mom is really Johnny-on-the-spot with correcting her behavior (in a good way, I mean). So today I had a balloon that I had been blowing up and letting go of all morning. I had put it in my pocket and forgotten until I found it there during playgroup. So I blew it up and let it go. Both kids went after it, but Spencer got there first. Normally, when he has something she wants - which in typical 2 year old fashion is anything anyone else has :oP - she takes it and he just picks up something else and carries on. Not this time, he held onto it and they were almost wrestling for it. She did end up getting it away from him, but it was really cute to see him assert himself. He's been doing that a lot lately with me, it's nice to see it manifest in other ways too.
- At lunch we were sitting on the floor eating and he excitedly pulled me into the other room and wanted to sit with the other kids at the little picnic table. Of course, right next to the little girl from the balloon incident. He sat there and ate and drank his water with the other kids, they looked just like miniature adults having a nice meal and conversation lol. I actually heard him talking to them, but I couldn't hear what he was saying, just his voice carrying.
- When he refused to take a nap, he came out helped me cleaned, using a circular motion on the tables and even had his own rag. That's not new or anything, but it was damn cute.
- I told him the T/L were coming and for a half hour all I heard was gammy-gampa over and over until they arrived. He was practically bouncing to the ceiling he was so happy to see them arrive.
- Same when Mike got home, he was running around saying 'daddy car' and said Hi to Mike as soon as he walked in.
- Apparently he ran for 20 minutes straight at the park with Tom. Poor kid has been couped up inside for too long. It's gonna be a long winter :o(.
- This morning we played with Play Doh for the first time and he loved it. I've gotten it out before just for the sensory experience, but this was the first time we got out the tools and the press and he was really enjoying it.
- He's been singing to himself (with pretty decent pitch too, not tone deaf like me) lately. He had a rousing chorus of 'no no no no noooooooo' tonight and predictably turned to 'yes yes yes yes yeeeeeeessss' when I started singing the 'no song' as well. Even Tom joined in a bit.
- Along with the no thing, I said "Spencer, do you like ice cream?" and of course, he immediately said no. Then he stopped in his tracks, turned to me quizzically and said, "yes, ice cream? IIIICCCCCEEEEEE CCCRRREEEAAAMMMMM!!!!"
- Tonight when I was in my bedroom folding laundry, he ditched Lucy and walked around calling for me. I didn't respond because I wanted him to stay out in the main room so I could finish folding. So after he'd looked everywhere but my room he said "where are you?" Totally new for him. Like a whole new level of language. Honestly, I barely understood it (though I'm positive that's what he said) and I guarantee that no other person on this planet would have understood it, but that's not the point. The point is that he said it, and meant it and came running when I responded.
- When he found me he kept trying to drag me away from laundry folding, until I gently asked if he was ready for bed. He said yes, and off to bed he went lol.
Rachel is picking up new words like crazy too. She said several things today very clearly that I didn't think she would be able too. She was in a pretty good mood. Kept running back to me every few minutes at playgroup, needing comfort and reassurance. And sustainance, she wouldn't relax until I got her some food. She had a good time with T/L also. When it was her bedtime, she walked around to everyone and waved 'nigh-nigh' and then scooted off to her room as if she was going to climb into her crib all by herself. She's got the men in this family so wrapped around her finger that Tom automatically went to find her bunny for her. Wish I could train them that well. I'll never have those big adorable brown eyes though.