Tasty Riblets

Next week I get to spend an entire month in St Louis for work. This would be the longest time I have spent from the family, ever. Luckily with the Wifey's flight benefits, we plan on seeing each other every weekend; either home or in Missouri.

Not a lot has changed. The Baby is thoroughly enjoying the day care even though she does cry and pout when she gets dropped off. But she will come home and grab her toy phone and have an animated conversation with her friend Chloe. She even takes her phone and hides in her playroom tent to talk. Obviously her fake conversation is far too private for her father to be within an ear shot.

The Baby's communication skills have vastly improved. The interaction with other children has really helped her vocabulary. She no longer just points and whines, she can almost clearly say what she wants. We're hoping she can get to the point she can tell us what she wants for dinner so her parents don't have to have another argument over what's for dinner.

One of the things that the Baby does that makes us proud is her overall courtesy and manners. As long as you're not a stranger (unless you're the baker giving her a free cookie at Target) she will always say "please" and "thank you" and "no thank you" and "you're welcome." And she will say it without being prompted.

Everyday when I pick her up from daycare, she will hand me the remote control and say "tv" and as soon I turn it on she will thank me. In fact, she will say thank you just for turning it onto the Sprout channel. And then she begins her barrage of snack attacks. The other day she kept grabbing my hand and saying "Applebees" and pointing towards the door. There was just an Applebees commercial on the television, so I assumed she wanted some tasty riblets. I soon realized she was saying "apple, please" and was pointing to the fridge.

The next month will be trying for me just because the Baby has become really fun; with her immense appetite for knowledge, curiosity, and the fact she mimics everything we do, I am going to miss the time spent with her. I am going to really miss when we go to bed at night and she will proactively give us a hug, a kiss, and say "goodnight daddy, I love you daddy". At least I'll have wi-fi and FaceTime is a viable alternative.