The boy is 15 months old today!

Lately Guthrie talks up a storm, with lots of multiword sentences like “more cheese please” or “more book please.“ He also likes to wash his hands and say “wash! wash!“ and he’s lately fond of “mine! mine! mine!“ He also has begun eating with utensils, including a fork, making lots of little stabby motions. It’s mostly about the little stabby motions, but he does sometimes spear his target and get it into his mouth.

He now loves going up and down steps (“steps! steps!“) and he says “thank you” whenever you give him anything—and whenever he gives you anything. He’s become an excellent mimic and can often repeat a word after it’s been said just one or two times, though it doesn’t always stay with him. That includes faces: he likes to make a little surprised face and then giggle and he’ll imitate just about anything Mama and Papa are doing or saying, especially a broad sweeping motion or a loud, weird noise.

Also, just today he discovered that it is HIGH-larious that you can pause and resume a Muppets video. Just the funniest thing ever. Really. He also finds it amusing to have his Papa rock him back and forth in his little rocking chair with great big motions.

And, of course, he’s still the friendliest baby around. He says “hello” and waves to everybody. He says “bye-bye” to everyone and everything, multiple times, such as when he’s putting down a book or when he wants somebody to leave.

In less than two weeks he’ll start full-time daycare, as Mama has landed a full-time job that starts June 30th. It’ll be a big transition for everybody. The boy will be away from Mama for the longest stretches ever, Mama’s starting a new career outside academia, and Papa won’t be able to step outside of his home office and see everybody whenever he wants.

The daycare is just an eight-minute walk from home, though, and the ladies running the place are very nice and have it kitted out with lots of new toys.

At the end of May and at the beginning of June the boy and Mama went to Iowa to attend Mama’s college reunion and worked in visits to two sets of grandparents at the same time. The boy, of course, is very different than he was when he saw them about seven months ago.

...

With his Grandpa Parsons (Sarah’s dad) in May.

Sliding down the slide in Central Park in Grinnell, Iowa, near the end of May.

Left to right, Poppy (his grandpa Barrett), Grammy (his grandma Barrett), and Granma McDonald (Sarah’s mom) at the beginning of June.

Things with wheels must be pushed. The Baby’s Local 101 says so.