Do you remember this post? It's the one about Lucas pushing away all the books he doesn't want to read at bedtime until I pick the right one. Well, things have changed a little.
I talked about how I was looking forward to when Lucas could walk to the bookshelf, and pick out the books he wants to read himself. Lucas is quite mobile on his feet now, so our bedtime book routine has changed to look something like this...
Mommy: Let's read a book!
Lucas: hmmm (points to book)
Mommy: (picks up book after book until she gets the right one)
Lucas: (gets excited and giggles)
Mommy: In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red balloon, and a picture of...
Lucas: (wiggles down from Mommy's lap and toddles over to a toy to play, giggling)
Mommy: Lucas, walk back to Mommy. Let's read a book.
Lucas: (walks back to Mommy, picks a new book himself. Repeats several times, getting off of Mommy's lap and picking a new book.)
Mommy: Five shiny stars were twinkling at the cat.... looking very pretty in the sky like that...
Lucas: (turns to the last page, where Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star plays... bobs his back and forth to the music)
Mommy: All done? Okay. Night, night. Time for bed. (turns out the light, begins to sing Lucas a lullaby)
Lucas: (rips his ear off before Mommy finishes singing...)
Hmmmmm... do you think he's trying to tell me something? Maybe I shouldn't quit my day job and become a singer, but am I really that bad? Well, it's at least become evident that Lucas wants his sound off as soon as the lights go out, a little to my dismay. I put it back on to say "I love you," and then it comes back off.
Bedtimes are my favorite time of day with Lucas. I love the extra special Mommy/Lucas time that it provides. I love the language opportunities. And I love to watch him toddle around his room, especially with the extra big nighttime diaper that makes him look so cute in his pajamas.
Here are a couple of things Lucas is doing now with books. In addition to walking to get the book he wants and bring it back to me, and rocking his head back and forth to the music he hears in certain books, he will also point to objects when prompted. His favorite thing to do is look for the mouse in Goodnight Moon. He thinks it's hysterical when he finds it. So cute! He will point to objects and say and/or sign them too.
He doesn't like to cuddle quite as much as he used to before bed (as is evident with him pulling his ear off and wiggling around), but he still lets me get in my 500-a-day kiss quota, so I'll take it for now.
Yep. My baby is growing up. But I love this new stage!