The Chimp Is Becoming a Human

...And just like that, like millions before her, and millions more to come (how can it still seem so miraculous?), the chimp is becoming a human.

It walks. Yes, it walks. It's been taking tentative steps for weeks now, but in the last week, it has gone from walking for shits and giggles, to walking with a purpose, a vengeance. It scrunches it's shoulders and lifts it's legs high at the knees, and holds it's arms at right angles for balance, like it's signaling a right turn on a tiny, invisible bicycle. It has been working hard to achieve this milestone, and it feels very proud of itself. It walks around the house smiling and panting "ha, ha, ha." I did it!

Also, it talks. It's words are chimp-like in their simplicity, but still ring clear as a bell. "Nuh" for nurse. "N-n-n-n-n-" means NO, and is accompanied by vehement head shaking to drive the point home. "Dah" for down. "AAAaaa-wa" is water (agua). "Nah" is snack. "Muh" is more. "Dada" is Mike, and everything else it wants or recognizes (blankie, baby, Hazel, Zoe). Sometimes the humans cannot respond to and/or acknowledge what the little chimp is saying right away, and if we're not quick enough, it screams at us. At top-notch volume. For a long time. The chimp sees the small human in our house doing that a lot, so I guess it thinks that's how we humans do. At least it doesn't throw it's own poop at us. Yet.

The chimp's evolution really picked up speed right around the time a new baby was born to our good friends. It seemed to instinctively know that it wasn't the smallest one in the tribe any longer, so it really kicked the development up a notch. And just in time for it's first birthday, too. Wow.

Bye bye, little chimp.

Hello, big girl.