Happy 2.5 birthday, Blake!

Well, actually I'm late by over a week, but since it's only a half birthday, it doesn't really matter. It's really all about Christmas and we've already started stockpiling presents for him. Blake is now officially closer to three than two. 

It's still mind blowing that this little human being has been around for such a short period of time considering the effect he had on my life. I just can't imagine life without Blake. Correction, make that Blakes. In this short period of time I got to meet many different Blakes, most of whom I only get to see now in photos and videos: newborn Blake, six months old Blake, one year old Blake... If only I could have a little reunion and have all of them together in the same room. Well, now I'm just being stupid. Well, stupider than usual.

The last six months were quite amazing in terms of his development and I can't wait to see what the next six months have in store. Actually, I'm lying. I can wait. Blake can take his time growing up, there's no rush on my part. I cherish every second and dread the moment when he'll suddenly be a sulky door slamming teenager who shouts "I hate you!". Where was I? Oh yeah, Blake's development.

We were a bit worried when Blake decided not to speak. He said his first word Sunflower (well, it came out more like safla) and then decided it was boring to talk. Being good parents we considered the worse. Was he deaf? Autistic? A Republican? Now that he proved to us that he can read around 100 words we're far less worried (as can be seen in the video posted a couple of months ago). Over the last couple of weeks Blake started showing interest in verbalizing, mostly mimicking animal noises, but also saying lion and tiger (at least trying, and getting better gradually). If I show him a card he can associate with a sound he can make, he'll do it. So if I show him the word CAT, he'll meow. KISS, he'll blow me a kiss. Etc. So it seems the only thing I have to worry about regarding his intellect is him being smarter than me by the time he turns 14. Heck, make it 10.

Blake is inflating in an alarming rate. I used to carry him on my shoulders on the way to the nursery, but nowadays I prefer the buggy since he's just too heavy. He used to open the only few drawers in the kitchen that couldn't be baby-proofed (you can say they were baby-proof-proof, but why would you?). He could barely reach in blindly into the drawers and take out whatever his tiny hand could grab. Now he can stand by the drawer and actually look down into it. It's little things like that that alarm you when you notice them. 

Blake still loves his iPod. I must say that I give the little device some credit for Blake's development. Blake often watches cartoons on it (his cartoon diet courtesy of Papa includes Thomas the Tank Engine, Smurfs, Winnie the Pooh, Dexter's Lab, Muppet Babies, Animaniacs, Spongebob and Ren & Stimpy), but often I'll catch Blake drilling various educational applications and if there's a voice saying names of animals or making animal noises, Blake will try to mimic them. And to think all I had when I was a little boy was a Little Professor. Oh, how much I loved practicing math on my Little Professor. I even took it with me outside. Once I left it on the pavement when I ran to see a near-accident that happened nearby and when I came back it was gone. I cried so much. The only other time I cried so much was when a power failure happened during an episode of the Snorks (underwater Smurfs knockoffs). To this day I don't know how that episode concluded. Where was I?

1980's

                              

  

 2010's

Oh yeah. Blake. I love him so much. Here's to many more half birthdays little guy!

Here's a picture of Blake's first mall Santa trauma.

--Mickey