News from the William Front

Two items of notable news from the William front today.

First, William and I fell down the stairs this morning.

Oh, we're okay now. We just fell down the short little jaunt of stairs that leads to the landing, and it's all carpeted. But my left leg hurts, and my neck and shoulders are sore. William has a dandy little bit of carpet burn next to his right eye from (yikes) sliding a little bit on his head.




















It was pretty traumatic, even though it became apparent pretty quickly that we were both okay. He cried and clung to me for a few minutes, while I hyperventilated--where are all the paper bags when you really need them?--and checked him out all over to make sure nothing was broken. Needless to say, when all was said and done, he wanted to walk down the rest of the stairs. He didn't want to have anything to do with me carrying him! Can't say I blame him, myself.

Since he's watching me while I type this, I just asked him how he was feeling. He said "Semma?" which is an all-purpose word that means...something or other, we're not really sure. Then I said, "What happened to your face, William?" And William pointed to his eye and said, very solemnly, "Bruise. Bruise." I'm so sorry, kiddo. At least it's only a bruise.

The second notable news item is that William asked for a diaper change today. I was talking on the phone with my friend Jennifer, and he toddled into his room, chose a diaper from the pack on the floor next to the changing table, then walked back into the office and laid the clean diaper on my lap and gave me a big smile. It doesn't get much more direct than that, does it?

So I am very very proud of the fact that my son is starting to understand that maybe it's not so good to have a poopy diaper because maybe one day we will actually be able to potty train him. And I am still hyperventilating a little over the whole fall. I may have nightmares about it for a long time.

Late breaking news: It is SNOWING here. It's been snowing for about three hours, in fact. William was nearly beside himself with wonder. We bundled him up and took him outside to walk in the snow. And he got to take off his mittens and touch the snow on the bushes. He even got to "throw" a snowball, and we went to visit the small snowman that some neighborhood children built (by scooping up all the snow in their backyard in a big bucket). I don't think it will last until the morning, but at least William got to step out in the snow, real snow, tonight!