Take time to smell the roses

Somehow, it has been a very very long time since I updated you all on the little lentil.

After he turned one, we just had a snowball of events - work trips to Maryland (me) and Colorado (Sam) and soon Minnesota (both!), illness, three new teeth, weaning, a sleep regression that is kicking my butt. I have thought up blog posts nearly every day but haven't committed myself to coming here and getting them out. I don't think I can catch up, but I will give a quick run down of what's new with Baby Zayd since he is now 13 months old.

New "tricks" and the things we've learned

• "Zayd, whats an elephant say?" He raises an arm and squeals - adorable. He likes to do this first thing in the morning because he knows I find it extremely impressive!
• He minds me (sometimes!). "Zayd can you sit on your bottom?" And he does. I always feared having a child who would ignore my every request since I believe in a much softer version of parenting but it seems you can teach with love just as well, thank you very much.
• He actually smells the flowers that I buy every week. We smell them all at the market before we pick some out. (I think he is technically just sticking his face in them, but whatever.)
• He is getting pretty handy with a spoon and fork. :)
• His sign language is going fantastic. He signs "more" when he wants to eat, "milk" when he's thirsty, "doggie" when we see the neighborhood dogs, "all done" when he is finished with his meals. We are working on "home" and "diaper". Its amazing how fast he (toddlers) pick stuff up!
• He gives the cutest hugs and kisses. Really he just bends his head down and put the crown of his head to your lips, but he thinks it counts and I'll take it. "Can I have a kiss?" He never says no!
• He is still a skinny mini but we are working on it with lots of whole milk and its fat-full relatives - greek yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese - you name it!