T-minus 2 months

Dear 22 month old,

My how time has flown!!! I still wonder when you first started growing up, but subtly as it has been, it is happening. (and yeah for more fun ahead!)

This past month there are a few new things to note.

1. You have been teething like crazy--it is really hard to keep track of how many teeth you have now, but there are at least 2 new ones on the bottom and some more back molars coming in (I can feel the bumps). Your whole hand has been in your mouth much of the time, but not much complaining. Sweet boy!
2. You have started eating like more of a grown-up. As you have become a bit more adventurous (sometimes yes, sometimes no), we have begun eating together as a family. You have mostly eaten what we have eaten. The same veggies, fries, beans and rice, mac and cheese, steak, chicken, etc... This makes mealtime quite a bit easier. You are more fascinated with eating food that comes off of Mommy's plate. So depending on your mood, either I will be starved to death shortly or a tub-o-lard eating your portion too (still often the case, little fickle eater).
3. Cars are by far your favorite toy. You will tear through the house on your dump truck ride-on toy. (all ride-ons are favorites) You also love your matchbox cars and will play with them for hours. Along with the basket of easter eggs that get dumped on the floor several times a day. Your hand/eye coordination is getting better though as you practice putting the eggs back together again.
4. This month, we headed back to the neighborhood pool for the first time this year. Your first several times you clung to me for dear life (even with a floaty on) and were pinching me so hard I almost cried. You have since calmed a bit but still far more cautious than last summer. You do enjoy the small pool with slide we bought for the backyard.
5. You have worn Huggies diapers mostly this month. They fit much better than Pampers and so you can even wear size 5 overnight (vs. size 6 and constant leaks). We have begun talking about potty training. You have let me know several times after you have gone potty in your diaper. First step. And the second step of getting you used to sitting on the potty has been accomplished too. Many more steps to go though.

6. You love to be tickled. I will tickle you. You will laugh. We take a breather and then you say "'gain," and the game starts all over again.
7. You are such a big helper (sometimes). You will often take trash and throw it away for me. You love to pick things up that I have dropped. You even, unbidden by me, got the laundry basket from the other room and picked up the dirty clothes that were on the laundry room floor! You love to help mop and vacuum too. What a sweetheart!
8. We went to the church 40th anniversary festivities this month. You enjoyed the kiddie rides a bunch, not a huge fan of the bouncy house (did your daddy give you a warning on the dangers?), and tolerated the pony ride before a complete meltdown and bedtime.
   
9. You LOVE to read books (or have them read to you). You actually mostly listen intently and look at the pictures and point out "balls" and such as we go. You have read some of your books back to me though-- single words on each page memorized and repeated back (without prompting) as you turned the pages.

10. You love to order us around- "out" or "bye bye" when you want to go somewhere, "down" when you want me to sit down and play with you, "up" when you want me to get up and go somewhere with you, "milk" or "juice" when you are thirsty. Sometimes you will add "please" or "thank you." Sometimes you do just mean to inform us that you are "running off" as you say "bye bye" and make certain we respond before you toddle off into another room or your hiding cupboard. Your language has begun to blossom--you often surprise me with new words, including many animal sounds that I did not even know you knew.

What a joy you have become! We love you so dearly, silly little boy!!!

apple bobbing champion

What prompts our children to do what they do? His first plan was to stand up in his chair and double over to get the peas. After Mommy put a stop to that, he stretched out as far as he could while remaining seated to do the same.

the mysterious case of the open dryer

Yesterday, I was quite sure that I had closed the dryer and turned it on. It read 76 minutes left. I then left and went to run some errands. Upon returning home, I left David in the car to put a few frozen groceries away. I came into the laundry room to find the dryer door open. I was puzzled. I rethought the situation. I was sure I had turned it on. Sure enough, the dryer was "paused" and now read 42 minutes left. What had happened? Do you think that a cat once gotten in could get back out? It seems more logical that David opened it, but I could have sworn that I had my eyes on him the whole time for the very few minutes before we left for errands. Certainly I was not at the house for 30 minutes before leaving? Are dryers built to be "cat escape friendly?"

Oh, and PS this is not our kitty...ours would never allow themselves to be caught in the act.

PSS when I asked David about opening the dryer, here's what he said, "Keey cat, nauhey." Which translates, "kitty cat, naughty." Hmmm...wonder if there is something he knows we do not.

a date or two

the first being an Astros game several weeks ago attended by several other couples in our Sunday school class, and my bro and wife.

the second was last Friday night when Michael planned our date, dinner and entertainment at the Aquarium restaurant downtown.

The calamari was good, but the dinner was quite possibly the worst I have had in a long time. I ordered one of the "favorites," as advertised both by the menu and our waitress. It was a soggy lettuce salad that was absolutely, positively bland...a few kernels of corn, even fewer black beans, tasteless avocado, and bland wonton strips were all that were in this salad. The shrimp on the top were edible but also very bland, despite their tortilla out-crust. (and anyone who knows me, knows that I prefer my food more bland than heavily seasoned...that means this was BLAND) Michael was equally unimpressed.

We agreed that some of the fish were interesting. Our favorite was the Shovelnose Guitarfish, which had an irridescent snout. Sorry the pictures are so blurry...camera phone.

the bent of man

I know all man is born into sin, but it has been never more apparent than recently. David has picked up a new word "Mine!" And this I think I can safely say he has not learned from us (since we rarely use it and never in the context he does!) What makes a child grab a toy (his or otherwise) and yell "MINE!" at any threat to his own desires?

Proverbs 22:15

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Jeremiah 17:9

“ The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

And what is the solution?

Jeremiah 24:7

Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

Ezekiel 36:26

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Only in Jesus' power!

Fashion sense

You tell me...do David and I match? When I look at the pictures, I suppose it is harder to tell how different our outfits were yesterday, but honestly! We had 2 separate people comment on how we were wearing matching outfits! (his was blue plaid and khaki shorts, mine black and white checked and black top).

Barbies and GI Joes

I woke up this morning (as I often do) wishing that I were a doll whose waist twists. As soon as I got my legs comfortable, my upper body was uncomfortable but as soon as the back was flat and comfortable, the legs were not. Why can I not just twist my legs one direction while maintaining a rigid upper body???