Shapes and Smashed Fingers.

Pat was closing the door on Sunday and Elliot's little fingers got in the way-- the first time of many, I'm sure. It was a little scary, as the last two had lovely purple indentations and immediately swelled. We were headed out for a walk and were all bundled, so we decided to still go, thinking the cold would be the best thing anyway, as well as the distraction. He was fine in a short time and was bending them right away, so we knew he was really ok.

A few new developmental notes:

Elliot is still insisting on us naming everything, over and over. He is starting to try sounds, but at his own pace (not good at performing on demand!). For example, if you say, "Let's take of your coat," he'll follow with a "keh" sound for coat. I think I hear a little lisp in his "s," but who knows at this point.

He has a shape puzzle from Grandpa Papczun at Christmas. And, just like everything, he'll point and want to know the shapes. He has them down pretty well now, but it's not anything like "Oh, he knows his shapes!" but just assigning a name to something just like other items. What is fun (and, bias-us, we think is impressive!), on his own, he started matching those shapes in his puzzle to other items of that shape in his books. Ie- there is a diamond on his puzzle. He'll get up, and go turn to the page in one of his books that has a kite on it, a diamond shape, and point to it. I think it's pretty cool that he's making these connections-- he seems to apply the label to more things than just that specific, one object where we name it.

I've been trying to get this on video, but of course, when the camera comes out, he immediately wants to sit on my lap and look at the images instead of letting me capture what's happening.

Also, a bit ago, it started snowing outside and I pointed that out to him. He got all excited, then went and got his book, "The Snowy Day."

One other funny story-- Claire, Martin, and Diane came over the other night. Elliot was on the other side of the dining room, and we were talking at the table about Diane moonwalking and that the pediatrician, at his 15-month check up, had asked if Elliot was walking backwards. We weren't talking to him directly, but as if on cue, he turns around, and starts to show off how he can walk backwards. What a ham.