Charlie was walking around the house with just one Croc on. I asked him where his other one was, to which he replied, “It’s in the room where my Croc is.” I guess I was asking the obvious without knowing it.

Charlie adores crossing railroad tracks while driving, and I’m pretty certain he knows where every track crossing in Boulder, if not Larimer, County is. “Go this way, mama, this way!” “Here comes another one!” (And I’ve yet to see any signs or tracks, but lo and behold, there is one!) Yesterday he asked me to make the choo-choo come and I told him I couldn’t just make it happen. He said, “I could make the choo-choo come if I had a screwdriver.” (Several days ago he could do it with a stepstool. He’s clearly improving his tool choices.) Then he muttered off something to the effect that he’d get behind the choo-choo, turn the screwdriver, and it would come.

I’ve been wanting to do this ever since Charlie started speaking in sentences, but it’s always felt too daunting of a task. I’ve decided to break it up into bite size pieces, like a good goal setter, and give you a taste of what I hear every day. Here is Charlie’s first language sample, spoken while driving his new shiny Coupe from Grammy all around our house yesterday morning:

C: I’m going get you some coffee, mama. Here it is. [Exits car and walks to me with open hand] Is it yummy?
K: Yes, it’s delicious. Thank you.
C: I’ve got some gas for you, mama. I’ve got some gas. Now I get out of the car. [Exits car] I brought some gas for you. [Hands me pretend gas, because that's how we get gas of course] Now I’m going to get back in the car. I’m going to get back in the car. [Sits back down in it] Oh my goodness, there’s me in the car.
K: [Typing away...doesn't say anything. Whoops. Bad mom, ignoring child while documenting his life.]
C: [Turns key] Look Mama. Can you do that noise? Can you do that noise?
K: That’s pretty cool!
C: [Drives away] Mama, I’m going to honk the horn for you. Honk, honk. [Pushes horn]
K: Thanks, honey.
C: [Drives into another room...I believe headed to the grocery store given what follows]
K: Hello again!
C: Hi mama. I was driving the car. I was driving the car and… Look what I have for you…I have some red peppers. x3.
K: Thanks, Charlie. I like red peppers.
C: That is red peppers.
K: They are spicy.
C: They are spicy. Mama, do you want to get in my car?
K: I’m too big.
C: I put my feet in and then I go “wooooo” [while pushing car].
K: I can’t do it, sweetie.
C: Mama, can you put your hand in right here?
K: OK, sweetie.
C: I can ride in it like this [now backwards in car]. I am a little too big, but I can do it. Whoa. whooooaaaa. Look, mama. I’m backwards.
K: [Left to take pictures, no longer able to type]
C: [Exited car. Moved on to another new toy, "Muziek TV", given by a dear Dutch friend]

I need to learn how to type faster!

This morning while driving to church, I said something to Charlie in Dutch. I asked him if I sounded silly to him and he answered, “Mama talk like Babcha.” This is the Polish word (at least as I spell it) for grandma. One of Charlie’s playmates has a Polish grandma in town for awhile and we’ve spent quite a bit of time with them, so he’s hearing a lot of Polish. There’s a Dutch playgroup meeting regularly in Boulder and I’m now really motivated to go. I will get to speak Dutch and Charlie will get to learn to talk like Babcha.

Charlie’s own language skills continue to explode, with little surprises on a daily basis. He’s starting to pose his own arguments and make more sophisticated requests. I tell him no and he says, “Mama, did you hear my answer? I said yes.” Harry installed a new ceiling fan today; Charlie asked, “Can I have a ceiling fan in my bedroom?”

The mistakes are getting funnier, too. He’s really into using “cause” (short for because) lately, and his conditional clauses are often reversed and sometimes expanded. “I was hungry cause I eat strawberries cause I was hungry.” “I was cold cause I was crying.” “I fell down cause I got an owie.”

Finally, I write this so as to not forget about it in ten years, I love that Charlie is making up his own songs. He’s mostly inserting his own lyrics into familiar tunes, but sometimes makes his own harmonies, too. These songs are usually about food, sung while he waits for something to arrive on the table in front of him. And they’re often just a word or two, like “blueberry, blueberry, blueberry, blueberry.” Maybe someone taught him the watermelon trick already.

Harry’s maternal grandmother, Gretchen Tadlock, passed away this weekend, just days after her 82nd birthday. Harry is with his family in Louisiana for her memorial service tomorrow. I am really sad to not be there, but thankful we get to visit for a cousin’s wedding over Labor Day weekend. We are so sad that MawMaw won’t get to see Charlie during that visit. She would’ve adored him at this age and I think he would’ve loved many of her antics. I think she would’ve made him laugh and have no doubts he would’ve charmed her.

The part of Charlie that reminds me 100% of the Tadlocks is a piece of his personality that usually comes out at dinnertime. He completely lets his guard down and tells silly stories, makes faces and enjoys his company. After Harry and I became engaged, the Tadlocks threw a lovely party for us. Afterwards, MawMaw and some of her children and grandchildren played cards, all the while teasing each other and having a great time. I knew I was in for fun. I absolutely adored this playful aspect of the family and was charmed and entertained by MawMaw’s continuous attempts to change the card game rules while her sons lovingly kept her true.

So, MawMaw, this video is for you. Charlie’s telling Steve, Harry and I made-up stories while we eat dinner. We wish he could’ve told you some in September. We will miss you!

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