Is this a case of the pot calling the kettle black???

Little Lima Bean has received his first report card. Needless to say, Daddy and I are beaming at his progress. Okay, really, it’s a developmental checklist, but since it’s our first official one, it’s definitely something to celebrate. We have been so pleased with the care he’s gotten at his daycare/school. He has learned so much, so quickly, and he just loves Miss Wendy, Miss Hillary, and all his good buddies. We affectionately call it the Boys Club, as the group has grown from 4 to 6 wonderful infant boys. Well, 5 plus one toddler — little LB!

It’s great that his teachers are seeing the same kinds of skills there as we are at home, and we couldn’t ask for a better place for him to socialize and learn how to play and be with other adults and kids.

Of course, there are some skills that we’ve noted at home. These you probably won’t find on any progress report:

• Snarfing apple pie
• Cuddling 2 teddy bears at once
• Climbing up onto his window seat and his new table and chairs all by himself
• Ascending stairs in record time
• Understanding the phrase, “Ready, set, go!”
• Gobbling down a gigantic night-night bottle
• Growing out of his baby tub
• Wearing shoes daily

And a host of other amazing things. The other day, he learned how to sip out of a straw AND blow kisses IN THE SAME DAY! “Wow!” you exclaim. We couldn’t agree more.

If you’d like to peruse LB’s current report, click below. I’m not sure he’ll always want up posting his “grades”!!!!

Click here to see it

We’ve enjoyed listening to LB babble away in his little baby-speak for much of the year. Daily, we hear mama, dada, hi, gobble (???), good, and lots of other random fun noises. Some of them include adorable, breathy utterings and clicks. But today, we took pride as he repeatedly called our cat, Maxine, “gata.” Just so you know, that’s Spanish for “cat.” We even called up LB’s Mamita in Guatemala to have her confirm his new word!

Ahora bien, si el dijera “Te amo” en español, imagino que mi corazón se derretiría.

Update(from Daddy): And we have 2 more words in Spanish :  Pato (duck) and Vaca (cow).  The Vaca word is pretty exciting since it will open up to a family classic joke.  The return of Gando is imminent!

Dancing to the counting song.

Then playing with trucks.

Then more dancing…until spotting Mommy with a camera.

Enjoy!

There is a window high in the sky.
This is true my friends, I wouldn’t tell you a lie.

Visualize a large golden window opening.
The window is opened for God’s love to be outpouring.

The window enables us to catch a glimpse of the Divine love.
It will gently flow out of God’s window from above.

It enables mankind to connect with God on high.
Our souls will gently go through the open window when we die.

God opens the window and stretches out his hand.
Myriads of Blessings flow out through the window like grains of sand.

The window of Heaven is a glimpse of the divine.
When the window is open, a rainbow appears. This is God’s sign.

–Andrew Pell

And so our 2009 Halloween adventure began. A little monkey, exploring the local N-ville neighborhoods.

We waited by the door to greet trick-or-treaters.

And laughed at all the silly folks stopping by for candy.

We even enjoyed quite a bit of outside time in preparation for the evening. Mommy says in a few years, I can help carve my own pumpkin. For now, this one will do!

Hope you all had a spook-tacular Halloween, too!