Grandparents Are Visiting

The grandparents are visiting! John seems now to have a memory of Chris' parents and on this visit is fluently calling them by name ("Granmom" and "Pop" for Grandmom and Pop-pops). Chris' mom swears she heard John call her Granmom on the last two visits, but this is the first time the rest of us have heard it. And we couldn't not hear it--John is talking of nothing but Granmom and Pops!

Here John was showing Grandmom ants on the porch:
And chatting with Pop-pops:
Riding on Pop-pops shoulders after dinner (taken with cell phone camera):

Jeep! John is very interested in all things transportation, so when he points to different vehicles, I've begun trying to give him exact names. About twice he has pointed to a classic Jeep and I've told him, "That's a Jeep." Yesterday we pulled into the grocery store and he suddenly pointed and screamed "Jeep!" I didn't even realize what word he was saying until I followed his finger to see a Jeep sitting three rows away. I don't know why, but that exactitude really impressed me!

His duck: John might finally be attaching to a transitional object. I've never pushed one on him, like a blanket or teddy, and he's never had any interest whatsoever. But recently he has been clinging to a rubber ducky, of all things, when he goes to sleep. Obviously, it wouldn't have occurred to us to offer him a rubber toy as a comfort sleeping object, but one night he began demanding, "duck! duck!" and he's been loving it in the days since. At least it's easily sanitized and I can replace it exactly and easily if he loses it!