Talking

Sometimes I forget that I'm using this blog in place of a baby book...so I need to note some important things.  Mikey has finally started talking.  Before he would randomly shout or say words then never say them again.  He was able to communicate very effectively by pointing, signing, or just showing you what he needed, but wasn't saying a whole lot.  Most everything was just "ga", "ca", or "aiyiyiyi".  Most of his friends were little girls, and we all know that girls usually speak earlier than boys, so I was feeling like he was way behind on the speech development.  Within the past couple weeks (21-22 months) he has started talking.  Nothing to exciting yet, no full sentences, but he is clearly saying words.  He says hello, night night, hey you, gotcha, Asher (first friend to be referred to by name), a bunch of animal sounds, nay nay (my mom), mama, dada and daddy, on,  some numbers and letters (which he can also identify), IU with the correct arm motions, he knows the "boom, ahh" part of The Rocket (with appropriate arm motions) and a few other things.  

He has also started legitimately jumping without holding onto things.  Before he would jump on a trampoline while holding onto a bar or bounce, but no actual jumping up and down hands free.  Now he does, he enjoys jumping on the couch, the bed, jumping off of the engine block on the boat, jumping off of things on the playground, climbing up just about anything possible, and just jumping up and down on the ground.  

Mikey is really starting to find his balance on his strider bike.  He's riding faster and has decided that it also functions as a mountain bike.  He pops wheelies, goes up and down curbs, and rides on grass and dirt.