Subject to Change

The universe just got heavier.

Cole learned a new word today and it took his mother and me both by surprise. He had just amazed me by pointing to the stove and saying “hot, hot.” When I took him to the kitchen for yet another stalk of asparagus he made it clear that he didn’t want one and pointed then tapped the stove. When I put on the oven mit he screeched and started dancing. I laughed so hard his mom came running. She was just in time. I opened the oven and pulled out the broiler pan, with bacon wrapped turkey medallions on it. I said “turkey?”

Cole repeated it perfectly and immediately. Kelly and I stared at each other, jaws dropped. Cole picks up words regularily now, but its amazing to see him do it without being prompted. He repeated “turkey” all through dinner tonight. 

This reminded me that I needed to get Cole’s words documented ASAP, before we forget what he knows. I plan to keep this list updated on [this page] when I have time. We think it might be useful for babysitters and family members. If you’re interested, please feel free to check back from time to time.

Before 15 Months

Ya – Yes
No
Bubba – Bottle
Mommy – Mommy. Also used as a general cry for attention
Daddy
Ball
Puppy
Kodi – Our dog
Nookie – Pacifier. Often sounds like “kiki,” “geekie,” or bankie/binky
Blankie – THE blanket, with bears on it, specially knitted for him by a friend
Jackie – Kelly’s cousin
Doggy
Tickle – Often sounds like ticka-ticka-ticka
Poopie – Woke up one morning at 16 months and said “I poopie” after having removed his diaper
Baby
Hi – A favorite
Bye-Bye – “buh-bye” with Princess Diana wave
Num-num / Nummy-nummy – used to ask for food or say that food is good
Mine – Dear, God. No! Sometimes sounds like “my”
Owie – Ouch. How do you spell that?
Down
Up – Much preferred to “down”
Thank you – Sounds like “keek que”
Fish
Wee – Used to say he wants to ride something. Cole once approached a bright green crotch-rocket motorbike saying “Wee! Wee!”
Goat – Learned spontaneously while visiting a goat farm
Uh-oh
Go get it – Has not been repeated much since the day he learned it
Cookie
Go away
Kelly - Mom. Not encouraged.
Why
Where ya going – Not used often

15 Months

Book – Learned spontaneously and is now a favorite. Cole takes books off of shelves and sits with them open in his lap.
Slide
Car – Unmistakable. He loves cars.
Water – Sounds like “wa’er” or “why”
Food – He still uses Ffff-Ffff sounds, like blowing on hot food, to say he wants to eat
Cheetah – Learned spontaneously at the zoo
King - Kelly’s mother’s dog
Kitty
Nose

16 Months

Foot
Hot – Points to stove and huffs “hot, hot”
Turkey – Learned spontaneously while waiting for dinner. Repeated on first hearing it and kept saying it through dinner

On my recent trip from Columbus I stopped at a rest stop on the Indiana Tollway. I pulled up next to a van, with three shaggy looking twenty-somethings on top of it playing guitars and singing. It’s got to be about the strangest thing I’ve seen on the Indiana Tollway, and I’ve seen Amish people in the rest stops.

Maybe it’s just me, but when I stop at a rest stop on the Indiana Tollway the only thing I’m thinking about is how soon I’m going to leave the rest stop on the Indiana Tollway. I’m certainly not about to take time out to climb on top of my car and sing. That sort of thing hasn’t been cool in several decades. I thought to ask if there was any free love in the van and decided against it.

Dudes, make war, not apologies.

The Columbus Zoo is open late on Wednesday nights during the summer. As new members of the zoo we’ve been taking advantage this to go after I get home from work. Yesterday, we chatted with a docent who told us about some of the things we can do in the Columbus area. She also told us that the zoo doesn’t shoe its guests out at closing time, like they do at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

As it turned out, this tip came in handy. Our last stop for the night was the aquarium. Cole loves fish. He’ll even tell you if you ask him. This was our way of getting all the energy we could out of his system before bed.

No one was in the building when we arrived, except the zoo worker who was packing up the petting pool. She left and we had the building to ourselves. We sat down in front of the aquarium at watched the fish. Suddenly, there was a loud click and I saw a zookeeper locking the doors to the building with us still inside. When I ran over to make sure he’d seen us he told me not to worry and to take my time.

For the next twenty minutes Cole, Kelly, and I watched the fish with no one else around. The only screaming child was mine and we didn’t have to try and see around anybody. Cole was free to roam without fear that he would disturb anyone else. I know that Kelly and I both really enjoyed those few moments. It was about as peaceful as life can get with a sixteen month old around.

I decided to return the favor on our way out of the building, by cleaning up all the garbage in the area. I figured that it was the least I could do to return the favor.

I’m curious to know why there’s such a different attitude at the Columbus Zoo. Milwaukee closes its buildings early and can’t seem to get people out the gate fast enough. The Columbus Zoo has a waterpark and golf coarse, which makes me suspect that it’s privately owned in some way. Milwaukee County Zoo, I believe, is not. We also learned yesterday that the Columbus Zoo only recently unionized. I hope that doesn’t change the way they operate!

I just spotted the headline on the USA Today that has been lining the floor of my car for two weeks: Sweeping study finds blacks in U.S. diverse, optimistic. My sarcasm bone went into overdrive

A study found that blacks are diverse? What PhD needed to be reminded that they don’t all think alike?

Has anyone informed Carlos Mencia or Chris Rock yet?

They’re diverse, yet optimistic. Maybe they’ve all got something in common after all.

When I was in school being black was required for diversity. Now there are lots more options: Latino, Asian, female, handicapped. The list is virtually endless, so long as you can subdivide the population into small enough groups.

I didn’t think there would be much value in reading the actual article, based upon how lame the headline was.

Grow up, Terry.

You may have read on the BBA that the bank financing my mortgage has gone belly up. The FDIC is stepping in on Monday. Most likely, some other bank will buy my loan for pennies on the dollar and nothing will change from my perspective.

So, just to get this straight: I’ve been way over extended for years now and I’m currently researching my “options,” meanwhile sub-prime borrowers are getting a bail out and now MY BANK? Hell, even Hillary Clinton has people raising cash to pay her bills.

You know something? You all (see above) can go to hell.

Oh, and I’ve got that hospital telling me that they know they’ve been paid, but they really want more money. More on that later.

Alcohol pets? Glass grilling?

Another blogger is sticking his neck out to report a potentially breaking, yet unconfirmed, story. An old friend may have returned to Milwaukee.

As someone who is currently housing a cancer patient, I’ve got to say this struck a nerve. If the report is right, information that is critical to me is being withheld. If it’s wrong, then I’m sharing this so others in my situation may decide for themselves.

Rollin’ With Bob Sagat:

Goodnight, Michelle!