Icing Guy

James had a great time on his first birthday. (Thanks, Mimi, for coming to visit us!)

Prominently featured: the traditional Horsey/Ridley family first-birthday personality test. I understand there are cultures in which a child, on his or her first birthday, is presented with a variety of objects; the baby's choice of what to reach for first represents a key future personality trait. We are...not that high-minded. We present the birthday boy or girl with a big slice of cake and watch to see whether s/he goes for the cake or the icing first. James went for the icing, putting him in the distinct majority on my side of the family. (I'm a lonely cake person.)

Other recent James activities include (1) having all the separate components of walking down pat, but deciding not to rush into this new endeavor; (2) cutting molars (ow!); and (3) learning new words. He now likes to point at objects and call "Dis?" ["What's this?"] to get us to name them for him. I have to be careful how I refer to things, though; the other day I was eating a cup of yogurt and, in response to his stare, asked, "Oh, do you want some of that?" He's now convinced that yogurt is called "that," and will exclaim "Dat! Dat!" whenever he wants some.