The Chatter Increases

Delenn has really improved immensely in speaking. Her signs are
excellent too; she has been adding some of the more intricate signs.
Meanwhile, she can talk in three to five word sentences (though
they're word by word, rather than fluent as an adult would string them
together). She is very interested in letters and colors, but cannot yet
identify them on her own (without help). Delenn understands and uses
the word *time* as in 'book time,' 'nap time' or 'bed time.' Mommy
chuckles when she also announces when it is 'eat time' or 'Mommy milk
time.' Delenn is quite the little singer -- doing a nice rendition of
Old MacDonald: "E-I-E-I-O horse neigh neigh" or "E-I-E-I-O moo moo cow."
We often hear her singing when she's in a room by herself. She enjoys
singing Row Row Row your Boat as well, which is quite funny because she
sings "Row row row row Happy" because Mommy sings and signs the song
and uses the sign "happy" for "merrily."

Just before we went away to Cairns to meet up with Daddy, Delenn did
something funny. One evening Mommy told Delenn that it was time for bed
and there were no more books. Delenn started fussing and Mommy said,
"Oh, Delenn is sad." Delenn looked at Mommy with a wrinkle on her
forehead and said "NO! Lenny MAD" (and signed it by bringing her hand
up to her face and pulling her fingers together to make a claw shape).
Mommy was so surprised, she had a hard time not bursting out into
laughter! Delenn had never used the word or the sign (for mad) before
that -- but now Delenn will frequently tell us how she's feeling.
"Lenny crying" she'll say as she signs the word, tracing imaginary tears
down her face. Or "Lenny MAD" -- with the proper 'grr' kind of
inflection and that sign I mentioned above.

The biggest challenge here in the DingoDen has been naptime. Most days,
Delenn has decided that she WILL NOT NAP! AHHHhhhh... (That's Mom
screaming insanely in the background!) We think it's a bit of rebellion
("you can't control me!"). So we've resorted to taking afternoon walks
(and she'll fall asleep in the double stroller) or letting her sleep in
the car. Thank goodness the highs are around 70degrees F rather than
105! Today, Delenn actually *did* nap (gasp!), but she insisted on
sleeping in Logan's bed. She went to sleep after Mommy carried her back
to bed four times. We will probably request a 'big girl bed' for her
from Intown Housing next week.

Bedtime is better. As always, Delenn is quite easy to put into bed. She
no longer nurses at night, but she climbs out of her crib most every
night around 3:45, traipses down the hallway picking up a portable
glowing egg/night light in the hallway as she makes her way down to Mom
and Dad. Mommy immediately picks her up. Delenn plops her head down
on Mommy's shoulder as she is carried back to bed. She snuggles back
into her crib and goes back to sleep until 5:30 or 5:45am when she gets up
for the day.

Logan is as creative and imaginative as ever, but unfortunately he uses
this creativity to stretch the truth. We have now had to begin dealing
with small lies -- like yes I brushed my teeth already or that kind of
thing. He's also uses a word he shouldn't (luckily Mom and Dad don't
curse!) -- he is often saying "pooh-head" and knows that it's impolite
and not acceptable, but still pushes the boundary as much as he can.

We've enjoyed getting together frequently with the Melissa, Jesse and
the boys. Most every morning Logan asks if he can go over to Bradon's
house to play. He really enjoys spending time with his buddy. We've
done all sorts of things together -- like going to the park, playground,
Sammie's Pizza, Show Days, on a bike ride (for the older boys)/walk (for
the younger ones) to feed the geese, a hike and so forth.