Lyre, Lyre, pants on fyre.

The lyrebird.

Its not all big tails, fox and/or cat food and adornement of 10 cent pieces. It's also one of the worlds great mimics. We've heard them do kookaburras, whipbirds, currawongs, and others swear they've listened to them pitch a perfect chainsaw or a person banging in a tent peg.

Its all pretty impressive stuff.

Much like the boy. See, we appear now to be at hardcore mimic stage. Ok, he cant do a grey thrush or a bloke with a band saw just yet, but he is amazing us daily with new words that at first appear to be just a copies of what mum and dad say (this morning it was "biscuit", soon shortend to "bikkie" - relating to his newfound ability to open the biscuit tin and nibble a corner off half the contents before mum found him), but then a day later it's used again in perfect context.

Case in point.

Master M's Nana and Grandpa had just arrived home from a 6-week journey to parts unknown, and hence Mike was into hardcore showing off mode.

"Who am I? said mum.
"Mummy!" replied the lad.
"Who is that?" she said, pointing at dad.
"Dada!"
"And thats Nana..."
"Nana!"
"And Papa..."
"Papa!"

All were very impressed. But the word 'Papa' had never even been used before, so it was pure lyrebird mimicry.

But...
A few days later at home, dad points to a picture of grandpa and says "Hey Mike, who'se that?"

"PAPA!"

Crikey...

The current fave, though, is his new found expression for goodbye...

"SEEYA!"

(He's such an dinkum Aussie.)

He's also got most body parts sussed out too.
"Where's your toes Mike?
Touches his toes.
"Where's your tummy Mike?"
Touches his tummy.
"Where's your ears Mike?"
Touches his ears.
Where's daddys nose Mike?"
Rams finger up daddys nose, drags down septum, draws blood, dad goes bolting off to the bathroom wildly flapping arms.
(As Yosemite Sam would say, "That'll learn ya.")

The other thing he's learned is "lolly".

Yes, for a mum that was brought up on gruel, its come as a bit of a shock that the rest of the free world seems to think that young kiddies and sweet things go hand in hand.

Case in point II. (And another first.)

Mike's decided that this walking about at home caper is all a bit of a drag. So he likes to head off down the street.
Only heading down the street, in the past, meant about 2 houses and then it was time to go home.

Now, however, he's discovered that "Jenny from the block" and her 3 y.o, or more importantly, 3 y.o's toys, lives 5 houses down the street. So he wants to go even further.

But then he discovered that if you hold mum and dads hands the world is indeed your oyster. You can now (and for the first time last weekend) walk all the way to the corner shop.

"Fair enough... but how does this relate to gruel?" we hear you cry.

Well once he arrived at the shop the two wonderful owners were so glad a potential new customer had made the long journey from the wilds of the other end of the street that - like a dealer giving out a free hit - gave him (no matter how much mum protested - and she did indeed protest) two, gratis, jelly snakes!

And try prying those babies out of his hands on the walk (well, carry on dads shoulders) home.

As the Mythbusters would say (and we really should send this in to their show...)
"Easy as getting candy from a baby - BUSTED."

Finally - and we leave the cutest till last - his first phone call.

No, not just playing with the phone, or looking into the earpiece as if to say "how did such a big daddy get into such a small plastic thing"... but a genuine phone call; well, a little mum-assisted.

See, the lad was a bit bored and fractious, so mum rang dad and put him on. Its a distraction thing.

Only this time Master M didn't push it away and stare at the handset, rather he listened.
And babbled a little.
Then Mistress P suggested he give dad a kiss.
So he pashed the earpiece.
Said "BYEEEE!"
Gave it back to mum and ran off to play.

A regular Alexander Graham Bell.
(Sans funny beard.)



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