Wilf at 8 months, Mabel at 2.6

Wilfie boy is changing loads at the moment.

He has started pointing at things (I have been playing to his interests and he will recognise pictures in a book, namely banana, apple, you see where this is going...) His signing is ace, he signs for drink, all done and 'clean hands'. Hmm, all food related again. Turns out he doesn't actually sign for 'all done' regularly enough. I sign for 'all done' and he gets cross. 

He is also starting to love toys that actually do things which I personally find a bit more fun.

He rolls across the floor at some speed and is right on the verge of crawling. He will pull himself up on things and does the same thing Mabel did which is climb onto any thing or one that has been silly enough to sit close to him. I found him wrestling Mabel the other morning. They were laughing but it was only a matter of time. And I don't reckon our 8 month old was going to be the one crying.

They still get on really well. Only once this month have I had to rush through to find Wilf screaming on his back and Mabel looking sheepish on the sofa. I resisted the urge to judge too soon asking, "what happened?" rather than, "what did you do to him?"
"Wilfie fell over and banged his head"
"Yes I see, how did that happen"
"Was an accident"
"So how did it happen?"
No answer. Continues to look sheepish standing well away from the scene of the crime.
Wilf continues to scream, think he must have got a fright since he is usually pretty hardy. The screams obviously hit a nerve.
"Sorry Wilfie"
"You don't need to say sorry if you didn't do anything. Did you push him?"
"Yes"
(hmm thought so. At least she has a conscience!)

Mabel's current obsession is 'favourites'. I think she has just got the hang of this concept since she now asks and tells you her favourite everything from colour to song. If you try and give an opinion she will normally tell you that can't be your favourite and then tell you what is. Hasn't fully got the concept then. 

She continues to be 'spirited'. The best only way to channel this is to let her think she is the one making the decisions and give her lots of responsibility. I am thinking we can just carry on this way until school when we can let someone explain that she can't always be the leader. Good luck with that. 

She has also taken to talking to anyone and everyone. Nice in the shop when it is an old lady and it clearly makes their day. Less so when it is the 18 year old at the reception desk at the pool who she is clearly making feel very uncomfortable (when does social awareness come?) or waves like the Queen from her pram saying "hello" as we pass random strangers on the street. I was pretty shy as a child whereas when at a recent birthday party she was dancing for a group of people she didn't know, asking another to help her get a plate from the buffet and showing another person her 'fat tummy'. It makes me uneasy watching her. It is hard because I'm not sure I like the trait of 'showing off' or wanting to be centre of attention but should you try and stop it? She hasn't learnt it from us so it must be nature. I am conscious that I don't want to dampen her natural confidence and social side because I don't always feel comfortable with it.

Although the changes are less obvious as they get older I am still fascinated and amazed by how much she knows and learns every day. She recalls events now from some time ago,
"We went to the museum and then went to the cafe and I had a banana and climbed into the chair my own self"
(er, yes we did)

It is really strange that we are slowly not becoming the centre / most popular people in her universe,
"No, Aunty Fee feed me my beans" the other day was met with a, "what the hell?" under my breath.
Thinking this will be something we need to get used to. Particularly with Uncle Al around, they spend time making magic potions using wooden sticks and he whips up snappable play dough in about 5 minutes. 

Here is our boy with his Pierre Duck. Notably I couldn't get him to keep hold of it this month for launching himself forward, which I thought told a story in itself: