Where'd my candy go?
I know Halloween was 5 days ago, but my mummy and daddy were too hyped up on something they call a "sugar high" to post this before now. I don't know how they got that way because all I ever saw from my Trick or Treat bag were little cardboard boxes of raisins that my parents gave me after taking out a whole bunch of other brown, gooey, nut-filled things they said they were confiscating for "safety reasons," along with all the apples. Later, I saw them carefully tasting each one (except the apples). They told me it was just like in my children's book where the court jester tastes the king's food to make sure it's not poisoned. (That must be why I sometimes hear people refer to my Daddy as a "fool.") I sure am lucky having parents who would make that kind of sacrifice for their baby.
As for trick or treating, it took me a while to really get the concept. At the first house we went to, mommy pointed to the porch where our neighbours were waiting and said, "Go up there and say 'trick or treat'". Always happy to see new people, I toddled down the walk, up the steps, across the porch - and right through the front door, down the hall, and into their living room. I don't know why mommy looked so embarrassed when she came running after me and dragged me back to the front door.
When I went out with daddy, everybody whose door I knocked on said, "Oh, what a cute ladybug," and let me take extra treats. But that's not what Daddy said to Mommy when we were picking out my costume and he said a boy in a ladybug costume is something called a "cross-dresser." (Is that some kind of religious thing?)
Speaking of religion, I miss Maria, but am loving my new Catholic daycare. With all the other kids around, I pick things up so quickly. And the caregivers are teaching me all kinds of new things, like finger painting and crafts, as well as new skills like potty training, holding banisters, and brushing teeth. Mommy and daddy sometimes say that if they play their cards right, they may never have to do any real parenting again.
In other news, my vocabulary has expanded by leaps and bounds since my last update. Here are the words I can now say:
No!
Hi
Da Da
Ma Ma
Uh Oh
Num Num
Na Na (for banana and Margaret)
Shoe
Go
That
My first sentence: What's that?
And my latest word, picked up this week: Dora
According to parenting books, a 21-month old toddler should have well over 12 words by now and I can see my Mummy fretting a bit. But last week, Grandma paid a visit and brought me a puzzle with 15 different shapes. And right away I put all of them exactly where they're supposed to go. I also pointed out each picture on the puzzle correctly when asked. Since then, Mummy has stopped referring to me as "special" (although I thought that was supposed to be a good thing.)
Speaking of Mummy, she finally got a new job -- also in the government, doing policy work about people with disabilities. She is very happy because she wasn't enjoying her old job, which was working with a lot of numbers, and has wanted to get back into policy work for a long time. And best of all, she'll be able to spend more time with me!
As for Daddy, he just got finished organizing a big rally on Parliament Hill to help refugees, as part of the national Drop the Fee campaign he's been coordinating. You can read all about it here.