Growing Up

Last night, I watched the Cuddler playing with his cars. He's been doing that more and more. Actually playing with a toy, creating some sort of game or story-line in his head and going for it. I can remember thinking this summer that I had no idea what to buy him for his birthday because he just wouldn't play with it any ways. He was happier with a couple of sticks, than any toy designed. He's also been spending time playing with Lala and her pretend food. They cook it, eat it, line it up on the floor, hide it from each other and cook it again. He's still working on what to do with play-do (likes it, but no clue what do with it besides mash it up) and we cannot keep a crayon around for more than 2 minutes without it being eaten or snapped into multiple pieces, but it'll come, I'm sure.

It's also a little sad to watch this stage, because I missed it with Lala. She returned to her BM still not really playing with toys and came back fully into pretend play. I didn't get to see her day to changes like that... now she's into the "when did you learn that?!?" stage. All of sudden she started singing jingle bell rock by herself or wrote the letter "L". She hears or we practice something, but it doesn't seem to click, until one day it just does. It's not gradual changes, it's jumps and bounces. There's a lot more thinking going on inside her brain, rather than physically trying it out.

It's so amazing to see them growing into this amazing little people. I just wish I could hold on to the cuddly baby stage a little longer.