this kid (favorites, volume 5ish?)

My Jo-friend. She's been such a gem lately. Alright I kind of have always thought she was, but you know, she's had her moments. The Mariah ones. Lately though, gosh dangit, she has just been doing me in - in the best of ways. So here we go: here are some of my favorites about this girl of mine. If you are so super bored, the rest of them are labeled under "favorites" in the right hand column.

First mention has got to be her talking progress. It's slow-going in the technical sense; that is to say, the real words are relatively few. Her earnestness, though, and her belief that she's totally conveying her meaning like a boss: it's pretty great. We've gotten a few phrases strung together, and we've acquired a couple of two syllable treasures, but basics be our bread-and-butter right now.

A couple of the good ones:
"bye poo'! (pool)" or "bye beats! (beach)" - because she's been seeing A LOT of those two lately.

(in response to "Jordan do you want to go see Mimi?" <---that's what she calls my mom): "YAH. MEEM." *really emphatically and dead seriously*
"wahgopoo'" = pretty sure this is "I want to go in the pool." Sean and I both heard this, and agreed upon its meaning, with the aid of emphatic gesticulation in a poolwardly direction on the part of the girl
"beenty" = binky
"meattttt" = yeah, just meat. This is Sean's contribution to her vocabulary
"howch" = house
"doo, figh, eigh, doo, free, ...... *you do the rest, Mom*" = counting to ten

She has a few hefty handfuls of other words, but those are the goldies.

Jordan's taken to pointing to my belly, regardless of surroundings, and announcing "baby." Yes, that's true. She then sizes up her own belly, rubs it, and again advertises "baby." I guess I can understand the confusion...

the sultan of solid

Recent development: foreign and/or louder-than-normal noises have been FREAKING her out. If she hears the bell outside her window from the school down the street from us, she takes a flying leap into my arms with the most pathetically panic-stricken adorable face. It kinda breaks my heart. Lawnmowers, RC cars (compliments of the park), honking cars, the blender, the garbage disposal - they all earn the same melodramatic reaction. The other day Sean was changing Jordan's diaper in her room, and he called to me in the living room, and his raised voice scared the crap out of her. Thankfully not literally, because that would have been a real waste of a new diaper. So I'm not sure if this is just fallout from her super-cling status she's been sporting the last couple months, but the hugs have gotten much tighter, is all I know.

Books - finally!! Jordan has never never never I-won't-grow-up ever wanted to sit through a story. And I was so excited for this part when I was pregnant with her! All the ladies at my baby shower were encouraged to bring a book as part of their gift, so that we would have a healthy, hearty library - and we do! But no. Not my child. Books are boring. Finally though, here we are at nearly two years of ripe old age, and Jordan is obsessed with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. (She calls it "booboom.") I got that saga straight memorized. Hey, I'll take it. If it means she's actually sitting through a story without turning all the pages to the end and throwing it aside like it's bound for Goodwill, I'm okay with reading that dirge til my dying day.

not plugged into anything. she just like putting things in her ears. (e.g.: flower in the ear, not behind the ear)

I have to tell you one more. I'm sorry, I know. I'm getting all mommy-blog on you and it's not okay...

My mom taught Jordan...well, essentially how to make out. When I was little, my mom and my aunt would get on either side of my cheeks (or any of my other sibling's cheeks) and go "mmmmmmwwwuuuuaaaahhh" for like 5-8 seconds. It was quite an ordeal. It would go on for minutes because they would do it over and over. My family is really affectionate? Point is: my mom does this to Jordan, and now Jordan does it to everyone on the lips. Oh but the best part, she puts each of her hands on each of your cheeks. It. is. awesome. You're probably like "ew" right now but let me tell you, when you get kissed by a 21-month-old like a total pro, it is about the most hysterical/disconcerting thing ever.

That's the round-up. Oh wait, and since it's summery now, Jordan is solely sans clothing in the apartment. That's definitely a favorite. NAKED BABIES.