Cool Car

Time has really gotten away from me and I have been wanting to blog this latest story for almost a month now! Sorry for the delay-

Uncle Tom drove out to DC early in June in a black Mustang Convertible. When he arrived, he came in and started telling us stories about his 12 hr drive with the top down. Robert and Tom went outside to check out the car and get Tom's luggage and after they stepped out, Owen, having been listening to the whole story, said "I see cool car? Please Mama?" How could I resist? So I took him outside to see the "cool car." I left him outside with the boys and they showed him how the roof on the Mustang opens and closes. When Owen came back inside, all he could talk about was "cool car, roof up, down, up, down."

Every day, as Tom came and went, Owen wanted to see the "cool car." We decided on a nice evening it would be fun to take a drive to our favorite ice cream spot in the "cool car" with the top down. Robert went outside, got the car seat all installed and put the top down. I was inside telling Owen we were going to go get ice cream in the cool car and getting him ready with his hat on and everything. When we got outside and started to put him in the car seat he flipped a lid! He could not understand that we were going to let him go for a drive in this freak car with no top on it! HA! After a few minutes of reasoning with him, finally we convinced him it would be ok, Tom was going to drive, daddy was going to sit in front and mama would be right in the back seat next to him. Still a little upset, he let us buckle him into the car seat.

As we drove down the street, he was sceptical at first but slowly began to realize this could be fun. He would hold his hat on his head as we accelerated after each stop and say "hat, wind, mama!" He ended up really enjoying the ride in the "cool car."

After arriving home from our ice cream adventure we went inside and Owen looked at me and said "I ride cool car? Please mama?" And now, every time we pass a convertible on the road or in a parking lot, Owen is sure to point out the "cool car!"

Owen-isms

Now that Owens language is in full bloom its always fun to hear the things that come out of his mouth as he tries to figure out this very difficult language we speak. Most of the time we can figure out if not fully understand what he is saying, so it is very fun to have him around and take him places now that he wants to point out and talk about everything he sees!

He still has somewhat of a limited vocabulary but I must say, he does a very good job making due with the relatively few words that he does have. Take, for instance, the word heavy. For the longest time I have told him he is getting so heavy when I have to carry him for long periods of time, so he has been familiar with the word. He has been known to use it when trying to pick things up out of his toy box but often asks for help saying they are "too heavy." When we were in Mississippi in March we heard for the first time his very creative use of the word. On the playground there was a small bridge connecting one area of a climber to the other area. He crawled across it the first couple of times because he couldn't figure out how to get onto it. After I showed him how to hold on and step down onto the bridge the light bulb went on and he realized he could do it himself. The first time he went across all on his own he got to the other said, looked at me very proud yet out of breath and said "Its so heavy!" This is one of those things that I know I must correct and give him the proper words to say, but I just don't want to because saying things are "heavy" instead of "hard" is much cuter!

Another Owen-ism we are working with has to do with eat vs drink. Lately he needs to eat everything, crackers, yogurt, cereal Kix and milk. Yes, that's right, milk! He comes to me doing the sign for eat and says "I eat milk mama, peas (please) mama, I eat milk!" How do you say no to that? When I say, "Owen, do you mean you want a drink?" he says "No! Eat milk mama, milk cup!" as if I don't understand what it is he is clearly stating to me :) Love it!

And finally, its been a few months ago now that Owen started telling me "Bless You" when I sneezed. Ever since he was a tiny baby and it was just he and I at home all day, if I would sneeze I would then look at him and say "Owen, say Bless You Mama!" Finally, one day I sneezed and he looked at me and said "Baa Mama" Once I figured out that he was not trying to imitate a sheep, I quickly said, "Oh, thank you Owen!" Well just this week we turned another corner in that little exchange when I was in the kitchen making dinner and he sneezed out in the family room. I said "Bless You Owen" and quickly heard "Thanks Mama!" in response. Awe, its just too precious.