We are walking Bugs around the neighborhood in early evening. Julian is riding on my back in the Ergo backpack. Multiple dogs are barking in the neighborhood.

Me: "Those doggies are talking. What does the doggie say?"
Julian: "Ruff! Ruff!"
Me: "That's right. And what does the cow say?"
Julian: "Moo! Moo!"
Me: "Yes. And what does the owl say?"
Julian: "Hoo! Hoo!"
Me: "Wow, you know all the animals! So what does the BABY say?"
Julian: (Pauses, thinks for a while...) "Duck!"

Which is actually true, because "duck" was the second word he ever said, and it's right up there with "doggie" in popularity.

This boy is FUN lately! We have been having a blast playing, talking, reading books and throwing balls. He understands most of what I say to him, and he's quite the little conversationalist in return.

Today I was cutting some fabric on the floor while J was playing nearby. I stood up too near the table and scraped my lower back on the table edge as I came up. Hurt like HELL, so I was yelling "Owwwwww!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!! UGGGHHHHH! OUCH! OUCH!"

Then I realized that Julian was staring at me, very concerned. I made the "hurts" sign to him and pointed to my back. "Ouch, Mama hurt her back!" He stood up and came around behind me to look at it, then gently touched the red scraped spot. And then, cutest boy ever that he is...he gave me a kiss on it to make it feel better.

What a SWEET boy. I am so proud of him.