Hooked on Phonics

"Look at my new house, Mom!" cries Liam, very anxious to show off the beautiful home he just built out of colorful low-density polyethylene plastic. Thanks to Bob the Builder's influence, of course.

Liam in an after nap-time fugue

This week Liam has taken to shaking his head "Yes" or "No", but mostly "Yes." However, in Liam's developing brain "Yes" oftentimes means "No, I do not want to go to sleep and if you try and make me I will wake the neighbors," or "No, I do not want my diaper back on and when I see the thing I will spray your face so fast you won't know what hit you." Accept I do know what hit me, every single time . . .

But no, seriously, Liam's vocabulary and communication skills are expanding at a rapid, Proud Momma rate. New words in Liam lingo are "dog", "cat", "keys", "hello", and "yeah". When we ask him where his belly is, he quickly pulls his shirt up to the heavens, and when Billy (and only Billy) exclaims "give me five!" , Liam will slap his hand three times.
As with most children, Liam's favorite thing to do is go outside. But do all 14 month olds grab their mother's shoes and delicately place them on her feet? Do they then beg to be held and once victoriusly in her arms do they point to the front door with one hand while pulling on her arm sleeve with the other? After absconding with the car keys, do they attempt to insert them in the car door key hole while wildly humming a tune strangely similar to a car purring?
Or am I just a simple-minded first timer on her high horse. You be the judge.