Reading today: Um, paged through the new Talbots catalogue
Music today: 96.3 "80s at 8pm"
TV today: Sesame Street
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First, to apologize. I shouldn't be writing to you like this. I found that the liquor establishment down the street sells a particular Russian beer import. So of course, I bought a dark for Doug and a pale for myself. Since this is the start of a 4-day vacation for us, we partook this evening in drinking our 1 liter, .9 oz of beer. Now, if you know me well you'll know I'm a light-weight when it comes to alcohol. So my typing may not be A-ok. :)

Roman is just over 13-1/2 months old and changing every day. His new skills amaze me. He can almost handle our step down to the living room without holding on to anything. He knows what to do with a spoon (but a lot of times, just chooses not to). He understands so much of what we're saying now and follows simple directions (go to the kitchen, upstairs, give that to Mama, drop your item, throw the ball, stand up....).

He is a stubborn little beast. He wants to do everything on his own. Once he thinks he's mastered something, he doesn't want us to touch him or assist him at all. This includes climbing the stairs (he crawls up himself now), walking, and even swimming! He keeps trying to pull my hand away from him when he's in the water now.

He does things he knows he shouldn't, of course. Sometimes he grins at us as he does them. Other times when we warn him, he shakes his head like "right, I'm not supposed to do this"... and continues to do the behavior.

He laughs at us constantly. He tries to do things now to make us laugh, like gurgling, blowing bubbles, playing peek-a-boo. He has also begun to sing in the last few days. I mean, it's just an opened-mouth "ahhh" but it's sustained, and it's along with the music. He is fascinated with music. He used to press the "music" button on a magnet to make Doug and I do our silly dance. Now he presses that button, the music button on another toy, and the music button on his stroller, so he can hear it all at once.

But for all this... we're leaving him. Only for 2-1/2 days! My brother-in-law is getting married (some would say finally!) in Atlanta this weekend, so my parents are going to watch Roman. We're a little nervous about ourselves (we'll miss him SO much!) and even for him. We're concerned slightly with the ol' attachment issue; or why these wonderful people who took me out of Russia now left me in the care of my Babushka and Dyedushka. He'll have a great time with them, I know. But we're still a little apprehensive. But on the other hand, 3 whole mornings without being woken up by a child yelling will be a nice thing!