Ollie was able to hang out with Erik (2) and Sophie (2 1/2). Even though none of them were proficient at their first language, it was amazing to watch them communicate and play in the universal language of toddlers. I think Ollie has even picked up some German words over the weekend.
Every experience that we've had with Germans (okay, they are friends and not just random people off of the street) has been great. Although we were the only non-Germans at the wedding, everyone that we ran into spoke very good English. It speaks to their good manners, but many times someone would apologize for not speaking proper English (and invariably they had near perfect fluency).
Overall, we had a very relaxing and long weekend. Tim was able to take Friday off, so we relaxed and enjoyed some quality family time. Ollie finds lots of pleasure in throwing rocks and identifying every thing that he can. He runs an almost constant commentary on what he sees, what he's doing, what he has just done, what he's about to do, and if all else fails he will talk about his favorite things. We'll ride along in the car for a little while and hear, "Freight cars. Naughty freight cars." (Thanks Grandma M for the Thomas videos!) Freight cars sound a lot like white cars. It was an exciting moment when Tim and I realized what Ollie was saying, because Ollie will often repeat the word or phrase until you acknowledge what he's saying. A good strategy when you're working on diction. A quick note on all of this chatter, by the way. I remember hearing, many times, that I would be so excited to hear him speak his first words (very true), but very ready for him to stop talking once he started. I must say that the second half of this statement isn't true. The exploding vocabulary helps he and I communicate better, which cuts down on temper tantrums (always a plus). So, I love the talking. Ask me again in a year, and maybe I'll feel differently. I hope not.
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