Baby Talk

Patrick is learning so many words and phrases we can hardly keep up. Sometimes in the morning he talks to himself in his crib. Recently his morning "conversation" consisted of a rundown of his various balls: "football, basketball, tennis ball, soccer ball..."
When we were out driving the other day he was running though the phrases he must hear 100 times a day: "don't drop it," "be nice," and "don't rip it." He's also picked up the phrase "happened," which has multiple applications--spaghetti spilled on the floor, a shoe fell off, a balloon floats up to the unreachable heights of the stairwell. He'll look at me and sheepishly say "happened."
A great many of his phrases are related to balloons, and the various fates that can befall them: "let it go," "way up high," "reach it," and "don't pop it." Basketball also has a well-developed vocabulary, with Patrick constantly wanting to "dunk a ball" and have us set the hoop "higher" at a level that is more appropriate for "big kids." He's even learned the hand motion for calling "time out."
He's learning that he is his own man, and as a result I've gotten a lot of "Patrick do it" and "self" comments as he pushes my hand away when I try to help him walk down the stairs or get up into his high chair. He takes great delight in sharing "Mommy bites" and "Pac-rick bites" and offers me everything from sodden "chips" (he always wants the "whole bag") to half-licked cupcakes.
He loves reading books, which is a joy, especially when he says "lap" and gives us a book and says"read it." Donald thinks there's nothing better than when Patrick says "I love you," but I most love when he hands me a basketball and says "Mommy dunk it." I live in dread of the day he discovers I am not the athlete he thinks I am.