Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

Busy days! Part 1

Many of my loyal readers have asked me what a typical day is for me, so I thought I'd tell you.

Part 1: Mornings

First, I get up. If Mommy wants to go somewhere in the morning, I sleep until after 8, but if she wants to sleep in, I wake up at 6:15. I like to keep her guessing!! I usually lay in my crib and call out "Mom! Mom!" or "Daddy, Daddy" and then "I want some-ting to eat!" I call it softly at first, and then if no one comes, I get louder until they do. Sometimes you have to shake the gate on the crib to really get their attention.

Sometimes we go and lay in Mommy and Daddy's bed for a little with Mommy, but recently we just go downstairs. I'm not allowed to bring Bear. I ask pretty reguarly, but they always say no.

Then I have a nutritious breakfast!

My favorite is a mix of banana, tahini, vanilla soy milk, and Quinoa! Daddy says it couldn't get any more "Boulder" than that and what ever happened to Fruit Loops? I don't know what Fruit Loops is, but it can't taste better than "my favorite cereal" which I ask for all the time.

Then I generally relax by asking Mommy to read about 300 books to me. Sometimes after the 30th time I want to read "Wacky Wednesday" she suddenly lets me watch "Bob the Builder" . I LOVE Bob the Builder!

I then get dressed and generally try to squeeze in a fit about something important like my trains not fitting together or Mommy not giving me milk in the right Big Boy cup. It's important to throw at least one fit per morning, just to keep in practice! Ever since I turned 2, I have kept in practice a lot!

Then if it is yucky out, I play with my trucks and trains.

If it is nice out I play outside.

Then a nutritious lunch, with only a few tears. Usually from Mommy or Daddy!

Sunflower farms

Well, Daddy finally found the cable to upload pictures, so here's a few from my adventures. We went to some farm where there was lots of animals, and I got to take a pony ride. But the stupid pony wouldn't go where I told him to, he only followed the lady.

They let me drive a bulldozer, but I couldn't figure out how to turn it on. That would have been a lot more fun!

The also had all these hay bales I could climb around on. It was a lot of fun, and I hope I can go back some day.

Lazy days

Sorry I haven't updated my blog lately. Sometimes I don't feel like doing much. Plus daddy can't find the cable that lets him upload pictures to the computer.

Halloween

So I don't get this Halloween thing. I mean, I like it, but it makes no sense. First, we went to a big pumpkin patch, and I got to pick ride on a wagon full of hay bales with Momma,

and then pick out a pumpkin. Pumpkins are heavy!!

Then daddy carved silly faces in them. I helped, but Daddy wouldn't let me use a knife. I tried to help scoop the goo out, but it was too hard. Then Mommy dressed me up with my own construction helmet and tool belt!

Daddy took me out with some friends from playgroup, and we would walk up to a house and people would come out and put candy in my bucket! I wasn't very sure about the whole thing. I made Daddy carry me, and ended up way behind everybody. I don't even know what candy is! But the best part was when the fire truck came and stopped right beside us with it's lights on! The firemen threw candy out the windows, but I didn't care. I just watched the firetruck. I LOVE firetrucks!! But the entire thing was strange!!!

But I got to keep the toolbelt!!

Singing in the Bathtub

Everyone sings in the bathtub, right?

Swim Lessons!!!!!

I started swim lessons this week!!!!! Daddy took me. We went to a building with a big pool in it. There were about 8 other little kids like me. We sang songs while Daddy held me so I floated on my belly and then on my back. I told him I wanted to "go under", but I still can't seem to close my eyes and mouth, so we only got as far as up to my nose. It was FUN. They had a basketball hoop there that I wanted to play with, but Daddy said we had to stay with the class. I even pointed out where I saw a ball that no one was using, but Daddy still made me stay with the class. There was a great big yellow sliding board too, which Daddy wouldn't let me on either. Daddy doesn't let me have any fun sometimes!
Afterwards Daddy and I took a shower in a big room full of showers, and I put soap on myself and washed my own face and hair and everything. Daddy says I'm getting to be such a big boy! He still wouldn't let me drive home though.

Naps

I've been taking long naps! Mommy and Daddy have been coming in to my room and making noise if I sleep much past 4. I don't always want to get up!

Mommy says if I sleep too late in my nap I won't go to bed at night. That's the whole point! I don't want to go to bed at night.

Sometimes life makes more sense this way.

It's too confusing sometimes. The world makes more sense when I look at it like this!

Mountains

Daddy and I hiked to the top of James Peak. It's 13,300 feet high. I don't know what that means, but it was a BIG hill, and there was snow! I threw some at my friend Dylan's Daddy. It was fun. I was a little uneasy at the top. I don't want to be as high as the clouds. I think my favorite part was riding in Daddy's truck. I never got to do that before. We got up early and drove a long way, then we hiked up and had some almond butter and jelly on raisin toast. I don't know why daddy was so tired afterwards, I thought it was easy.

Basketball

I LOVE basketball. I can already shoot a basket, throwing it up and everything. If I miss I say "almost"! Maybe someday I can play professionally, and make lots of money so Mommy and Daddy can retire early. I don't know what any of that means, but Daddy says it.

Jelly Toast

I LOVE jelly toast! Daddy stands beside me with a wet washcloth whenever I eat it though. I don't know why.

Big Boy!

I'm getting to be a big boy. Today I walked down the steps all by myself without using the railing or Daddy's hand. I regularly use full sentences. I asked the neighbor kid "let's go play in da back yard" and when Mommy said it was bed time I said "One more minute. Mommy need to sit down and talk."

Brudder!

I am going to have a brother! We went to the doctors, and the looked at mommy's belly with this funny looking thing that they wouldn't let me touch. It took a long time and Daddy had to take me outside to walk in the halls for awhile because I'm not good at sitting still. There weren't any toys there either. Then they said I was going to have a brother. I wanted a sister. Specifically, I wanted "Sarah". She's my friend. I like to kiss her goodbye. Sometimes she doesn't want to, but I keep trying. Daddy said that Sara's daddy won't think it's so funny in about 13 years.

Staying Cool!

When we were at Poppop's cabin house, it was really hot. But I found a way to cool off. Sometimes it is nice to be small.

Dwums!!!

My cousin's have drums. Real ones! I'm really good at it. Daddy says I can have my own set as soon as I have my own apartment. I wonder how long that will be? I can't wait!!!!

Lympics!

Mommy and Daddy have been watching the "Lympics", and letting me watch too! I usually only get to watch animals on the tv for a little bit after my naps, but I get to watch lots of tv right now. I ask to "watch Lympics?" It's not that interesting, although Daddy has watched enough beach volleyball that I can say "beach wolleyball" very clearly now. I watched people fall down into a pool too, and kept saying " Dey fall down!" after each one. I am already practicing for the 2028 Olympics. I am going to do the one where they hang. I love to hang!

Leaving PA

We had a good time in PA. Pop pop has the best slide! It’s big and fast. Plus they have animals. There were two kitties and three doggies there. I actually will let doggies come close to me now. I love the kitties. I try to pet them, and put bicycle helmets on them, all the normal fun stuff. They don’t listen to me when I say “Go down kitty. Kitty wear helmet? Kitty wear helmet?” I say it in my softest, sweetest voice, but they still won’t wear the helmet.
We eat a lot here. I think daddy must have a baby in belly, because his belly is getting bigger too! He said his baby is peach pie. I don’t want a peach pie for a sister or brother. When Mommy asks, I still always say “I want sister” although sometimes I say I want Sarah, my girlfriend, as my sister.
When it was time to leave PA, I hugged grandma and pop pop and crawled into my seat to play with my fire engine. Grandma and Pop Pop cried. So did Mommy and Daddy. I didn’t see anybody fall down or bump their head, but everybody cried.

I love Michigan!

I have gotten to see a lot of Michigan. Most of what I see is the inside of the back of grandma's car, but when we stop, there is always a lake, and I LOVE to throw rocks in a lake! I ask Mommy "throw wocks? throw wocks?" When she says yes I get very excited. We stopped at this great big lake, so big I couldn't see the other side, and went in the water. I got upset because they wanted me to go in naked, and I know that you need a "Swim diaper". I can say it very clearly, and repeated it over and over again till I finally got one.

Then we drove again and stopped at more water with a big bridge. We rode in a boat! I was a
little scared, but it was okay.

Then it was in the car again! We stopped at another lake and I got to see sailboats. Daddy took me to this place where they park the boats just like the cars at the grocery store, and showed me motor boats and sailboats. The first time I saw a sail boat without a sail, I called it a "screwdriver boat" because it had a big thing like a screwdriver sticking straight up!
After we saw all the boats, I saw this very funny one up on the grass. I asked Daddy "What kinda boat dat?" He laughed. It's called a "dumpster" apparently.

Swimming

Auntie Sue has a pool! Not the little one like I have at home. My pool the water only comes up to my knees, and Daddy fills it with the hose. This is a big pool! I get to go swimming for real. Daddy takes me in. He used to let me jump from the side. I would say "my jump!" and jump to him. He said I could only do it if he was standing right there and I asked first, but I got so excited I sometimes forgot. So now I am only allowed to jump from the steps inside the pool. It's not as much fun. I asked Daddy in my sweetest voice possible "Can I dive?" because I see my cousins go under the water and I want to do whatever they do. Even though I asked nicely, he still said no. He's like that sometimes. He asked me to show how I would close my eyes and mouth if I went underwater, so I squinted as best I could but I think I left my mouth open because he said I don't look like I'm ready to go under the water yet. But I am 23 months old! How old do you have to be? It's not fair being the youngest! Mommy says that that will change soon. I know she has a baby in her belly. I hope they come out soon. Then they will be the youngest and I will be allowed to dive! I can't wait!! I wonder if I will have to share my "cars and twucks" with them?

Airplanes!

We flew in an airplane to Auntie Sue’s house. Airplanes are fun, but hard. We got up in the middle of the night and drove to the airport. I was very good, and Mommy let me have my bear and my pappy on the way down. When Mommy said we were going on an airplane I said “up in the sky” and then “have apple?” because I remembered that the last few times I’ve flown Daddy gave me an apple to gnaw on. Daddy says I have a good memory.

We sat by the window on the airplane, I got to look out but it was boring after a little bit, just clouds. It is hard to sit still for so long. We read books and talked. My diaper leaked on Mommy. It was just pee, which is better than what I did to Daddy last fall! The best part was when I got to take my sesame sticks from my snack cup and put them, one at a time, in to an empty water bottle. I heard Daddy ask Mommy why they didn’t think of that earlier.

When we are in Detroit, we stay with my Auntie Sue and Uncle Brian and cousins Dante and Anton and Jeremy. I like to play with my cousins! When I’m at home it’s either Mommy or Daddy all day. They are ok, but they are boring sometimes. My cousins are fun, plus they have lots and lots of trucks and cars to play with, and even a drumset!!! I remembered that the basement has lots of toys. As soon as we arrived I said “toys? Toys?” and then I'll say "My need go downstairs". I’m no dummy!

After all the excitement, I told Mommy I "want read books"(we always read books before bed) and "need go sleep". I have started asking to go to bed pretty often now. I've never really fought gone to bed, I like my crib and my bear and pappy.

My Buff Body

Many of you have asked how I stay so fit, given that I can eat my weight in blueberry pancakes three times a day. I have a good workout program. I carry rocks from the neighbor's flower bed to my bicycle.

Plus I "run Mommy ragged" every day. I don't know what this means, but I know my fitness program must be pretty hard, because Mommy always looks tired after following me around all day.

Father's day

For Father's day, I took Daddy and Mommy on a walk up to Brainard Lake. He carried me on his back in the baby carrier since I take too long when I walk. I like to play in the water that runs along the road, and in the mud too, and he says it would take us 30 years to get to the lake if he let me walk the entire way. But that's ok, I like riding on his back.
At the lake, my friend Dylan and I threw rocks into the water, and splashed and got our feet wet. We had lots of fun. We had a picnic. I know what a picnic is, and I can say it too, so it's even more fun. And the best part is, I got to skip my nap!

I love being outside. I think Daddy does too, he seems to get grumpy if he's been inside too long. I used to cry if Daddy didn't take me with him every time he went outside, but now that I'm a big boy, I don't cry every time. Just most of the time. Sometimes I lay face down on the floor and cry, just so that he knows how important it is to me. I have just started to do this, but so far it doesn't seem to help me get what I want. It just makes Mommy sigh really loud.

Going to bed

Every night before bed we do the same routine. First we brush my teeth. I sit on the counter in the big bathroom, watching myself in the mirror while we brush. It usually starts out as "mommy's turn" then is "my turn". I don't enjoy it much, but I like the taste of the toothpaste. Then we read books, usually 3. I like to pick them out, but if I take too long Mommy just picks them out for me. She likes "Snuggle up little one". After we read, we turn on some music, turn out the lights, and "cuddle, chair", cuddle on the rocking chair beside my crib. Either with Mommy or Daddy. Last night I picked Daddy. I then tell them about my day. "Play. Play twucks. " etc. Then we cuddle. Last night I snuggled in on Daddy's lap, belly to belly, with my head under his chin, and we just cuddled. We didn't say anything, just rocked in the dark, feeling warm and snuggly. Daddy held me a long time, two songs worth, before laying me in my crib. I think it is because tomorrow he works all day and won't see me until supper time. I think he misses me on those days.

"Damn it"

Mommy says that I am saying it wrong, that it is "Darn it, darn it!" That isn't how Mommy says it though.

Baby Showers

Daddy took me to the park Saturday because Mommy was having a "baby shower" for the lady across the street with the really big belly. I wanted to stay, because I love to "take a showa". I sometimes get them in the morning after my diaper change. I can usually tell I'm going to get one when Mommy makes that face like she just ate something yucky, and then pulls my onesie off down over my legs instead of over my head. That usually means shower time. But I didn't mind going to the park with Daddy. We rode thse two little slides that are side by side, and I would climb the ladder all by myself. Then I would wait and say "Daddy's turn" and he would climb too and we would ride down beside each other. Then I would say "again" and we would do it all over. Daddy seemed to slow down after the 15th or 16th time.

Moo Cows

Mommy says thank goodness I sleep till 7 now. When I was a little baby, not the big boy I am now, I usually wanted out of bed at 4:30 in the morning. Daddy always would tell me as he changed my diaper that we did not own any dairy cows, there was no reason to get up this early. I wish we did, I like moo cows, only not too close. Daddy has less lines around his eyes now that I sleep later, but I miss seeing him in the morning before he goes to work. We would sit in the comfy chair by the front window and watch the sun come up. One time he took me out in the back yard and we saw a big owl in the tree. I liked clinging to his arm as he carried me around. Now I walk mostly, since I'm so good at it, plus I weigh 5000 lbs's according to Daddy.

Boogers

I try very hard to talk. I practice and repeat words constantly. I'm getting pretty good with some words. Yesterday, when Daddy got home from work, he asked me what I did all day. Usually I say things like "Play truck" or "Play sandbox" But yesterday I said, "Booger. Big bigger upim nose. Mommy get it." I thought it was very clear. But Daddy started laughing and laughing. I don't understand why.

The Croup

I am finally over the Croup. I still cough stuff, which my Momma wants me to spit, but I try and swallow, and get "boogers", but I feel much better. Daddy took me to the park yesterday and I rode the slides and the baby swings, and even the big swings with Daddy. Then we shared a muffin and coffee (he won't let me drink the coffee, it's too hot).

I'm glad I feel better. I get very grumpy when I'm sick, and throw temper tantrums. I even lie down on the driveway concrete if I don't get to push my bicyle where I want. Now I'm back to my normal pleasant self. I know Mommy and Daddy still love me when I'm grumpy, but they don't smile as much.

Whenever I say "damn it" they smile, but then they don't look at me. I wonder why?