Baby's Log: Stardate 120508.2200

Having mastered language -- both verbal and signing -- I have decided to take it up a notch and try telling my first joke. So far, it has worked beautifully. Here it is: "Armadillo!" Said at full volume when Mommy and Daddy aren't expecting it (like when they think I've fallen asleep in the back seat of the car), it never fails to crack them up.

Yes, I am a funny little man. For the record, I can thank my Titi Karin -- who I just call "Titi" to differentiate her from "Titi Yawn" (Lisanne) -- for teaching me the joke. She said it to me when reading one of my favorite books, and when I said it back, she laughed. It IS a funny word!

And not to be stopped at just jokes, I have added a whole new set of words to my expanding lexicon: adjectives! I have been assigning ownership for some time: "Daddy's chair." "Mommy's towel." etc. But this one caught Mom by surprise when, thanks to facing forward in my car seat, I saw a bus cross the intersection in front of us. The conversation went like this:
Me: "Bus!"
Mommy: "Yes, Rigel, a bus."
Me: "A Yellow Bus!... I want more Bus!"

Unfortunately, Mom and Dad have yet to master summoning of busses and other large non-food items on command, but they assure me they are working on it.

In any case, lest anyone think I am just sitting around playing with words, I have been on the move as well! A return trip to the farm, several trips to my library, and even a trip to the museum with lots of animals where Dad used to work, have helped keep Mom and Dad entertained. And that's just been when we've been in town! While out of town, I took Mom and Dad to the place where they got married in New Hampshire so they could take me canoing. Then we decided we had so much to be thankful for we celebrated Thanksgiving twice!

First we want to Albany to celebrate with Mommy's family: lots of good food, fun, and my cousin Jared. Then the next weekend, it was off to Hanover to celebrate with Daddy's family: more good food, fun, my cousin Amara, and more pies than I can count (and I can now count to twelve when I don't start looping at three and four, which might be my favorite numbers).
But when we have been home, I have been working hard to keep Mom and Dad in shape. I have them help me stack blocks in the living room (I like stacking everything... though grapes are a disappointment), and when they sit down, I challenge them to chase me around the kitchen.

And when all else fails... "Armadido!"
-Rigel Samuel Louis Vélez