Cruising and Talking

Artimus has finally stood up on her own last week and Ethan has finally started stringing words together to make simple sentences. Their daily development continues to marvel me. Artimus aims for the bed board as soon as I put her down on the bed. Then she has gotten so expert at pulling herself up that it only takes two to three stretches and pulls, and she is up on her own smiling and cooing. Soon, she will be taking those little steps to walking. Unlike Ethan, she will walk without ever crawl.

As for Ethan, he is a sensitive little one who hides his feelings. The other day we were all in the car, along with my mother-in-law, talking about how Ethan needs to stop hitting and trying to bite other kids when he can't get what he wants. After about ten minutes, I looked over to Ethan and he started to cry. It was then that I realized Ethan is no longer oblivious to other people's feelings and words. Yesterday, when daddy was "crying" about the splinter on his big toe, he rubbed daddy's back while saying, "It's okay, it's okay." That's what I do when he cries in the middle of the night!

Ethan is also in love with his little sister. He imitates her koos and her baby movements, and he kisses her hands and cheeks whenever he feels like it. He also kisses Artimus when she cries but of course Artimus is not very approachable when she is crying . . .

All is all, the siblings are growing up like siblings already. They like to play what the other is playing and they laugh intensely together over nothing. And of course, Ethan takes all her cheerios because he could and Artimus complains about it but could do nothing at 9 and 1/2 months . . . other than crying really loud to get the parents to intervene.

As for day-care, Ethan is adjusting but he doesn't like it. The day is just too long for him. Nonetheless, it is apparent to me that going to school has become the norm so when we don't go, he questions it.

JW