i'm nervous.

the family is travelling soon to attend a wedding in chicago. flying with caleb has always made me a neurotic mess... now, with this liquid ban at airlines... i'm probably going to drive victor crazy with my anxiety. thankfully, he's gotten to be the age where he doesn't eat baby food anymore, and can drink regular milk... but still, what a PAIN! i always bring a sippy full of water and another full of milk with me just in case. well, i guess not anymore. then, on top of all that, with the heightened security, how long will it take to get through all the lines? sigh.

yes, i want to be safe. yes, i know they're just doing their jobs... but man, what a headache when you've got a little kiddo hanging off your hip.

the last time we flew (to NYC), the flight going out was delayed 3 1/2 hours, and the flight coming back was delayed 2 hours. we had worked things around caleb's nap schedule perfectly, but the delays threw everything out the window. there's just no perfect planning when traveling with a young kid, i suppose.

anyway, on a separate note... caleb has suddenly become so much more communicative lately. (thank God!)

he has been saying "bao bao" (carry me) since he was about 10 or 11 months old, but for a long time, that was the extent of his communication skills. at about 11 months, he started pointing to show us what he wanted or where he wanted to go. at around 12 months, he started signing "more" to let us know he wanted more food, and swatting things away if he didn't. at 13 months, he could say "bir" for bird, and "ba" for ball... which subsequently, also included balloon and bubble. he also learned the ever useful, but dreaded word "no". then suddenly, within the past week or so, he started signing tons of new things... well, "tons" meaning 3... but to me, that's "tons". (now, as a side note, i've never really been vigilent in teaching him sign language. it's just something i had read up on and thought might be useful, but i never had the patience to really sit down and teach it to him.) fortunately, he's at the age where he is picking up on it quickly. he realizes now that i understand what he wants when he does the signs. the first time i responded to his request, he actually started laughing. (as if to say "mwa ha ha... i've discovered i have power.") he now signs "milk", "water" and says "wa wa" along with it, and "eat" (which he uses way too often. that's all he ever wants to do).

if only i could say that life is easier now that we can communicate better...