23 Months & Things

1. We just returned from a whirlwind trip to MN, and you were the picture of dream-toddler-traveler.
2. A few more molars are making their way through.
3. You  haven't physically grown a ton in the past few months - still wearing 18mths-2T shirts and shorts.
4. The words phrases sentences that fly out of your mouth astound me sometimes.
5. Empathy is beginning to develop; the other day you brought a stuffed animal over to the iPad, "doggies turn iPad," you said. Patting his head, you said, "nice doggie, happy doggie."
6. Whether you push a doll or a stuffed animal around in your toy stroller, they must be wearing sunglasses.

Hey Ma, look, it's only $27,000!

 7. We learned the hard way while in MN that you are a park connoisseur. A park or playground structure is deemed un-playable if it doesn't have swings and a steering wheel. Apparently slides are negligible.
8.  You love having people imitate you at the dinner table - hands on head, stick out tongue, chew with your mouth open. It's like Simon-Says, but no words are spoken.

9. The fact that wheels still excite and entertain you amazes me.
10. Most times you look forward to seeing "friends!" at daycare.
11. Some days I feel like I've known you for so much longer than 23 months; other days I wonder whose kid you are.
12. We've had to resort to a "no drinking bath water or bath is over" rule. I'll let you fill in the blanks of how this came to be.
13. Although we have asked your input, you haven't been much help in naming baby sister.
14. Haircuts remain torturous for everyone involved.
15. Your belly laugh is the epitome of pure joy. It reminds me of how innocent, how unencumbered we begin life. What a blessing you are to remind me of that.
16. You are already gearing up for your birthday. We may have had a practice cupcake while in MN. You may have said, "more happy birthday!" after eating the whole dang thing.
17. My current favorite sentence: this shoe on next, mama. (Next? Where do you get this stuff?!)

18. Oh the emotions of a toddler! Joy! Fun! Rage!! "Teddy happy." And all that in a 3 second span.
19. Watching you "run" through puddles is one of my new favorite activities.
20. We had our first "we're going to Target and Teddy is not getting a new toy" adventures. Not to say you always get a new toy, but rather this was the first time you asked directly ("Teddy new toys, mama!") and were denied. Repeatedly. ("No new toys Teddy today.")
21. At the library story time, you are starting to interact more with the songs' actions. You are still a pretty shy little dude in public though.
22. You really hate stopping in traffic.
23. Some days I can't wait for you to take a nap, some days I can't wait for you to wake up. Every day I somehow love you more than I ever thought I could.

* All pics from the Great MN Get-Together, aka The MN State Fair, aka The Best Place to Waste an Hour at the John Deere Exhibit