In Denial...

Andrew,
     How is it even possible that you are going to be a two-year-old this month this week?! If the evidence wasn't staring me in the face at every moment, I wouldn't believe it. But it's so hard to deny! You are getting so big. Sometimes it seems you grow taller from one day to the next - you fill up your crib, you fill up the tub, you fill up my arms when I hold you. Sometimes I think back to the tiny newborn days when I could cradle you one one side - I could fit all of you in one arm! Today you sometimes lay your head on my shoulder, and your legs dangle almost all the way down to my knees. We are running out of places that you can't reach - I'm often shocked when you bring me things that I didn't know you could get.
     You are so talkative now! You are still a little parrot, but will say many more things on your own. You love to name things for us - especially body parts - you will grab our nose and say "nose" or poke your little fingers in our eyes and say "eye". You still sometimes launch into these dialogues (lectures? diatribes?) where you speak all in toddler babble. We have no idea what you're saying, but you have a very serious demeanor and use lots of hand gestures. I can't wait to know what you're telling us, although I suspect it's probably some sort of commentary on our parenting skills.
     You have turned into such a sweet little guy - you love to share, and often are forceful about it! You will shove cheerios and goldfish into our mouth, and have also offered your pacis and sippy cups to us. I often see you "sharing" your sippy cups or pacis with your various stuffed animals. It is precious. One day I watched you in the pantry and you were holding your bear and a paper plate and feeding the bear pretend pieces of food off of the plate. It was so sweet! You are also into pretending. You will often mimic behaviors that you see from us (wow! I better watch what I do!). Earlier in the spring I had a cold and was often blowing my nose. You started wanting tissues also and would pretend to blow your nose on the tissue. One day you were trying to put your cell phone (an old phone that we don't use) into your pocket. You got it in there and started walking around saying "daddy", because that's where he puts his phone. You are constantly asking for a napkin to wipe your face during meals.
    You are into TV now... and by into it, I mean full-on obsessed! I don't know whether to mourn or rejoice. Luckily it is only one show that has caught your eye - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We have it on our TV On-Demand, and it really has been great to be able to prepare dinner or clean up while you're occupied. What's not-so-great is that you are constantly wanting to watch it. You will walk into the living room and go "Mouse?" or climb up onto the chair to try to reach the counter to get the "momotes" (remotes). I think you'd watch it all day if we let you. Luckily, you are still a big reader. You love to read, and seem to have pretty varied taste in books. You will often get books and sit by yourself and read them, and you still love to be read to. We read every night before bed - lately you've been requesting Baby Signs, Goodnight Moon ("Night Night Mo"), The Pout Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark, and Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? Even though I think your expressive language might be a little bit behind other two-year-olds, I can't wait to see everything you've picked up from all the reading you are doing.
     We haven't really made any headway in the eating department. You are still a picky eater and will eat about one good meal a day. I don't know why I expect any different... I was a picky eater and your dad still is. You still love fruit, although you've decided that you don't like blueberries, which were a favorite a few months ago. You'll pretty consistently eat chicken and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You've come into a phase where you really love pasta and rice (can't say I blame you!). You still don't really use utensils consistently (are you going to go to college still eating with your fingers??). You are a clever little guy, though, and when you don't want to eat something you'll hold your hands over it and look at me and say "hot!" like I do when something is too hot to eat. I think that your reasoning is we can't make you eat it if it's too hot. Oh, Andrew, I have a feeling you're going to outsmart us when you're older!
     The past couple months have been wonderful, Andrew. You are developing into this great little person with a sweet, happy, fun-loving personality. You can be dramatic (that's from me!) and stubborn (daddy!),  but you overwhelm us with your intelligence, affection, and good nature. We love you sweet boy and look forward to the next year!

Sitting in his mail cart

Being a ham!

One night he found an old iPod that didn't work and was fascinated by it. He called it a "momote" or a "momo", which is his word for a remote. He kept pointing it at the TV to try to change the channel. Grandpa Ray would change the channel every time he pointed it at the TV. Andrew was so excited that he kept shouting "Works!", as in it works!

No pictures please!

One day our little ham was playing on his play piano and then decided to go over and get a hat on and pick up his drumstick, which he pretends is a microphone. He went over to his piano and started playing with one hand and singing into his "microphone". I wish I would have had a video camera - it was precious! Unfortunately when I got the camera he wanted to come over and look at me rather than ham it up with the piano. But he's still adorable!

Sing it, Andrew!!

Easter Loot, waiting for him...

Reading

Caught Daddy trying to take pictures!

What a cutie!

Wishing...