But wait, there's more!

Matt and I realized this morning that I neglected to mention several more words that the babes have been working on, lately. They almost always sign the word that they are trying to say, so our odds of guessing correctly are higher than they would be, otherwise. For instance:
Potato -- tha-tu
Down -- dow!
Broom -- boom
Bread -- breah
Bear -- bayer
Bubble -- boble
Thank you -- ta-tu
Block -- blah
Sit -- ssss! (while signing sit)
Ball -- ball, or baw
Cracker -- Ta-tur
Uh-oh -- Ah-oooo!
Oh (the cereal) -- Oooooooooo!
Peach -- psh (while signing peach)
Banana -- nanananan (Carmen's version) or anananan (David's version)

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Today Carmen gave me a case of the warm fuzzies. We were outside playing with a doll and I told her that the doll was crying and needed milk. She cradled it, nursed it, and then held it to her heart and signed sleep. David wanted to play with the doll, so I brought the second doll from inside, as well as the camera. Then I told Carmen the doll needed milk again. It's sleeping, she said. Then she held the baby like this:

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Later, David gave the dolls a ride in the stroller:

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We don't play with our rocking horses as much as we used to when we go outside, now. A few weeks ago David rocked so hard that his horse bucked him right over the reigns. The horses have attachments that allow them to become ride-on toys, but the babes can't push the horses as ride-ons with the same wild gusto that they could rock. I'll have to keep checking the consignment store for a rodeo-worthy ride.

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Speaking of rodeo-worthy, I finally found a hat that Carmen will wear for more than 10 seconds--a straw cowboy hat from the George Ranch. Yee-haw, little lady.

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Carmen has learned the power of "ow." The other day she and David were horsing around on the futon. David opened his mouth wide and contemplated taking a bite on her fat little thigh. Carmen looked around for Mommy to the rescue. "Ow, bi(te)!" she said, putting her fingers together to sign hurt. Poor David. She won't let him get away with anything, anymore.

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She's even figured out how to climb the tower that a few days ago he was able to enjoy all by himself. David's favorite activity is to climb the tower, turn on the clock radio on the counter, and dance a little jig. When he's hungry he can just help himself to whatever I've left on the counter, a box of crackers, or some freshly-washed grapes. I don't mind, although I do wish he wouldn't bite into his grapes, suck out the juice, and then drop the pulp and skin on the floor. It's messy. I might rather he do that, though, then climb from the tower onto the table or the counter, which he is capable of doing.