Liam Update: 2 Years, 2 Months

What a cute kid. I always just stare at him, trying hard to remember just a year ago when he was still a really little guy...or back to the time when he was Violet's age. It's so hard to recall. It went fast. But I love this time too. He's my little guy growing and learning so much everyday. He's so talkative that when people meet him they always think he is 3 years old and are surprised to learn he recently turned 2. Three people we met this past month in fact, all thought he was at least 3.

When he wakes up in the morning I am usually already awake with Violet. We tiptoe around the house until I hear him moving around, then I'll close the bathroom door and the gate to the computer room loudly enough so he can hear. Then I hear "Mommy"? I open the door, he smiles and says hi. He starts talking, usually saying "Play ABC's" while walking past me with a big wet bulky diaper. I say "Liam, do you need your diaper changed"? Sometimes he'll say "Oh, diaper change" and run to our bedroom where the supplies are...and sometimes he'll shout "NO" and run away from me. I usally give him a few minutes to realize how uncomfortable that super wet diaper actually is. No is usually his automatic response to everything. And when he realizes he said no to something he meant to say yes too...he'll kind of start bouncing up and down with a frown and whine to follow because he wants me to ask again. Sometimes he'll just say "NO, uh-huh" and then I'll ask again and give him a chance to say 'yes please'.

He'll ask for "cereal bowl" after the 'diaper change', and sometimes he gets a bowl of cold cereal. Sometimes he'll get applesauce, yogurt, chocolate milk and toast...and sometimes he'll get pancakes or waffles or french toast. I was so happy because the other day he ate some of my scrambled eggs. Usually he'll spit it out, but this time he ate it! My hope is that someday he'll once again eat eggs on a weekly basis and also someday that he will give oatmeal or cream of wheat a shot. I guess it depends on how strict I want to be.

He doesn't eat again until after 2...and then sometimes he won't eat a whole lot...too much to do (same reason he hates getting his diaper changed). So lately I've just given him a snack of apples, peanuts, pretzels, pickles and carrots then feed him a whole meal at around 4:30. This seems to be the most effective way to get him to eat a healthier dinner. He's so hungry he'll give anything I serve a shot.

When he gets boo-boos, he'll have me kiss them then he says "Oh d'ank d'you mommy, your welcome" in the same sentence.

Potty training is going well...except the last two days he hasn't mentioned the potty chair and neither have I. I guess I better step it up.

Same with brushing the teeth at night. I need to remember to do this every night! He's so good about it too, when I let him do it he sucks on the toothbrush. But he will also let me brush them, we make sure to get them clean. He laughs the whole time.

He started to climb down the back of the couch. He gets on top of it, only when I'm holding Violet and feeding her so I can't catch him. And it makes me nervous. I imagine he'll fall and really hurt himself and I think 'what if he does and I didn't even tell him to stop?' so then I'll tell him to be really careful and to please come down from there because he might fall. He slides down the back, comes running around the couch laughing...it's hard not to laugh with him, he's being such a little kid after all.

Earlier this month he pronounced Xylophone perfectly. It was so cute. He also said Banana perfectly. This was during our bedtime routine. He's also learned how to make the Sh and Sl sounds thanks to Word World. Speaking of bedtime routines...the other night I was writing the alphabet for him and drawing pictures to go with that letter. And we were at G-Goat and he just comes over to me, kisses me on the cheek and says "d'ank d'you mommy". That's the stuff that really touches me. I would be happy to do this with him even if he never said thank you, but it sure made me happy that at such a young age he felt and expressed his gratitude for our little routine. I love my little man.