say again?

We're at that lovely language development stage with Pudge where we find ourselves repeatedly responding to him, "Huh?" Dude loves to talk (just like everyone that's blood related to me...), but a good chunk of the time a conversation with him resembles a game of charades, complete with random wild guesses and a fair share of frustration for all involved parties.

But, with his 2nd birthday just around the corner (what??), I'm enjoying the small increase of understandability that's making its way slowly into our lives. I just had to record for posterity two of his latest doozies.

After JAM boarded the school bus the other day, we began walking back to the house, and this was the conversation that Pudge initiated:

Pudge: "JAM go?" (with his actual first name in there, of course)

Me: "Where did he go?"

Pudge: "I don't know." (which is jumbled into one long mumbled phrase)

Me: "Yes you do. Where did he go?"

Pudge: "School bus." (again, one mumbled, less than articulate response)

Me: "Where will the bus take him?"

Pudge: "Hmmmm..." (his new habit in response to questions, and it makes me giggle every time.)

Me: "Where do you think?"

Pudge: (giggles first, then answers) "IKEA!"

Can you tell who loves swedish meatballs?? And then there was last night's fun interaction. We were waiting for Red to join us for a bedtime book, and Pudge was looking at a Little Golden Book. You know how they have all those classic illustrations all over the back cover? Well, Pudge was pointing out ones to me, and this was our back and forth:

Pudge: "Look, Mommy, look! Choo-choo!" (which is more like "Yook, Mommy, Yook!")

Me: "Ooh, a choo choo train! What does the choo choo train say?" (yes, I'm quite the conversationalist)

Pudge: "CHOO CHOO!" (he's a genius, what can I say?)

*pause*

Pudge: "Look, Mommy, look, a different one! A lion!" (substitute those L's again, folks)

Me: "Wow! What's the lion say?" (apparently I'm an interrogator, now)

Pudge: "ROAR!!"

*pause*

Pudge: "Look, Mommy! Elephant!"

Me: "Ooh, that's a tricky one. What's the elephant say?"

Pudge: "Hmmmm..." (told you, still makes me laugh every time)

*pause*

Pudge: (adopting two alternating funny voices) "Hi Elephant!" "Oh, hi Elephant!"

Seriously, this kid just might be the funniest of them all. But you didn't hear me say that.


Appreciating almost-2 year old cuteness,



**How am I doing on my gratitude challenge?? Come check up on me here since I'll be adding new entries each day!**