Before and After

For those of you who have been able to come see our new house, you'll be happy to know that our game room is no longer filled with boxes. (Halleluja!) Finally, a huge, empty room just like I wanted, (for about 10 minutes), then it became just like Daddy wanted! Just kidding. We're both really enjoying the new pool table. Actually, all 3 of us are! Jimmy is much more involved than I expected. Daddy plays pool around him every evening and he gets to play with the first ball that was pocketed. Not a bad deal! Aren't they cute?

colors

**After trying to post this 15 times, it finally worked!**

We're also working on our colors. We really only worked on them at restaurants when they gave him crayons, but suddenly, he was identifying red objects. So, we've been going over them a few times a week. Coloring so much on the easel has really helped! They're not perfect, yet, but he's getting better at them every day. (By the way, he gets more right toward the end of the video clip, so don't give up after the first two.)

Jimmy knows all of his facial features in French, thanks to Gran-Gran Bunyard. She showed him twice and a week later, he told them to her. Such a language sponge! He's known them in English for a long time, now. I wish we could find a way to cram some Spanish down him like crazy while he picks it up so easily!

Jimmy's new easel

We ordered this easel online last July and hid it for Christmas. We worried about him being old enough to use it. (Back in July, he was a whole different kiddo! He'd just started walking.) He seems to love it, don't you think?

We've really been thinking that he seems to be left handed for a while now. We started noticing some tendancy when he started eating solids. Now, he often colors with his left hand . . .

. . . and his right, so who knows?!?!?!

Well, that didn't take any time at all! Christmas morning, Jimmy surprised us with an unprompted, "7,8,9,10." At my dad's house that day, when asked to count, he did 1-10 for Grannie, with no assistance. Now, we're having some trouble with 6, but it's because he thinks he's finished after 5. Still, pretty amazing!

Jimmy Counts to 5

Just in case Jimmy (a.k.a. the performing monkey) will not perform for everyone at Christmas, I finally caught him counting to 5 on video! NO, the numbers aren't pronounced precisely correctly, but these sounds are listed as sounds kids should make by age 4 - so we're OK! He was just repeating the 5 numbers, but it's starting to be actual counting. He recognizes when there's 2 of something. He told Daddy "Two airplanes" the other day and he showed me balloons in a book and when I asked how many there were, he pointed at each and then said "Two," so the concepts are getting there too. It's not just a performed tricked! Can't wait to see everyone at Christmas. Sorry, no Christmas cards again this year. Maybe I'll get the timing down for next year!