16 months old

The three of us are slowly getting over jet lag.  We had a few very slow days, getting into the home routine again, and then on Tuesday we drove down to Plant City to visit Mom and Dad at their dance studio.  They have been having a week-long training course, and they had the afternoon free.  We didn't quite make it in time to see them dancing, but we did get to meet a lot of their dancing friends at last.  We went out to lunch and then they took us to the famous Parksdale greengrocer where we did some veggie shopping and plant browsing, and had a strawberry shortcake and a mocha shake.  MMMMMM, now I see why that is a weekly tradition for them!  After that, we wandered around downtown for a while and watched a train go by.  The conductor even waved at Thomas!  It's funny how excited I 

get for Thomas when that happens!  I get even more excited than Thomas does!  It was a lovely, hot afternoon and we spent the rest of it chatting with their good friends who they stay with who have a cat and two dogs.  Thomas was very diverted.  

This week, Thomas has figured out how and when to clap his hands, tap his knees, and stomp his feet for the song, "If You're Happy and You Know It" on his Japanese International Baby video.  He grinned so widely, it really looked like a lightbulb went on!  Today he came to us, holding the video DVD and stomping his feet and clapping his hands.  As clear a message as any!   Also, his appetite was pretty nonexistent for the past few days, but it seems to be back on track again.  Tonight we went out to eat with 

some of Matthew's flying buddies and Thomas had a lot of rice pilaf, broccoli and fish with tomato-mango salsa.  We asked for it unseasoned and they did a great job!  After a week in Japan and its soy sauce-based foods, it was a surprise to remember that some foods can easily be modified like that.  And that it's okay to ask for it. 

 

Well, after a week of falling asleep on our shoulder for naptime or bedtime, Thomas is protesting vigorously the cruel practice of leaving him in his room alone to sleep.  Perhaps it is separation anxiety, too?  He seems to be equally attached to the two of us after the three of us being joined at the hip for almost a month.  When it's just me and Thomas, he'll often ask, "Dada?  Dada?"  Matthew reports the same when it's just him and Thomas:  "Mama?  Mama?"  After two and a bit weeks vacation, I'm scheduled to go back to work on Saturday, and Matthew's flying out of town for his trip on Monday.  Back to the usual life.  Oh well.