What can children do? A guide.

I've started watching the neighbor's little girl while her mom is working. Said little girl is 1 year-old and I've been wondering what she is capable of... and what the little peanut can do and when. And then this post appeared:

Like Mother, Like Daughter: What can children do? A guide.

We've been working on putting the toys back in the box and saying 'please'. Actually, the second is working out to be more difficult. Little Bobble, as I will call her, is quite strong willed and isn't in the habit of picking up anything or saying please. But then, she is only a year plus a few months. Perhaps I hope for too much? Currently, I'm working to model and demonstrate what I want her to do. I aim to pick up the books with her, and will often ask her to pick up the book, then walk with her to the basket and then say (and physically indicate) "put the book in the basket". Today, when I said, "put the book in the basket", she did it! Yea! some success. Later, however, she threw a book into the basket; I think she was tired at that point, though.  As for 'please', either she doesn't understand what I want, or she utterly refuses to even try and say the word, or she such horrible pronunciation, I just can't tell its 'please' that she's saying. I know this will improve over time, and I will learn her unique pronunciation.

Peanut has reached a new stage in communication. He's at about 3 1/2 months, and in the past few weeks, I've noticed that some of his cries sound more 'angry' than anything else. The sound of the cry is different, much higher pitched, screechy and irritating. It really seems he is throwing a temper tantrum. Drat. How does one deal with that in a 3 month-old?

In all, life continues... some days its a slow meandering pace, and others life moves at a break neck speed.