Even though Dylan can see the effects of a light bulb after flipping a switch, as the whole room is illuminated, still he must look directly into the bulb itself, in order to confirm that the bulb is the source of the light. And he must do so not once but each time the switch is flipped. Dylan takes nothing for granted.

Jake and Dylan after a fight.

Last week Dylan approached the box of tissues on Clare’s night stand, carefully removed a single tissue (yes, just one), blew his nose perfectly, and then threw the used tissue into a rubbish bin. He did this as though it were his ordinary behaviour every day. We were astonished.

Dylan says 'spider' ("bider") when he sees a spider and 'strawberry' ("trawby") when he wants a strawberry.

August 2009

Dylan appears to have an in-born tendency to dance when music is playing. He sways from side to side and bounces on his bum while grinning, whenever his favourite song plays.

He also points to the computer screen (where Nana usually appears through the webcam) and says, 'Nana, Nana'.

Dylan can say 'Mama', 'Dada', 'Nana', 'Papa', 'Buhbuh' (Brian), and 'Nibnab' (Karen).

When we say 'Nana and Papa', Dylan often repeats the word 'Papa'. (We're not sure why he says 'Papa' instead of 'Nana'. Maybe it's just easier to say.) He is definitely using the letter 'P' instead of 'B', most of the time. Sometimes he says 'Baba' by mistake.

The word 'papa' doesn't seem to be used in British English quite like it is in America; to Britons the word appears to be European. Mummy (when she read the word in email) pronounced it 'pah-PAH' (as the French might, Daddy thinks) not POP-uh (as Americans do). Dylan, however, is using the American and not the French pronunciation.

Dylan's first haircut
After

During - Dylan didn't like having his hair cut!

Before

Dylan trying on Daddy's shoes

Dylan climbing