It's been a wild summer, but we've officially crossed the two year old mark! Amazing. Some days it feels like the time went so fast, and other times it feels like he's actually 3. Definitely not a baby anymore.
The biggest most obvious thing to report is that Ethan is one heck of a talker. That's really par for the course for him, but his speech is definitely a notable quality of his. At his two year check-up, the pediatrician almost fell off his stool when he heard Ethan start talking. All Ethan said was "Where are we going?" You know, typical Ethan speak. The pediatrician said that sentence structure and clarity of speech is more that of a three year old (yup, knew that). I have a theory that he has always slept so little that he's probably had the equivalent awake time of a 3 year old...making his total language exposure that of a three. I laugh about it..but there may be some truth there? Of course, I know that there are many other things at play here. I used to dream before Ethan was born that I had a talking infant. Funny how that's not too far from the truth.
Common Ethan phrases lately? "I'm sorry but..." As in "I'm sorry Mommy but we're going to Aldi first THEN we're going to Panera." If he doesn't like what you're doing he'll say "Mommy, STOP!" (I hear that a lot) or "Walk away!" (I think that's a daycare thing). "I do it like a big boy" is one I hear a lot too. He frequently says "Can we...?" using the "we" even if he means "I." He says "excuse me" if you or any of your items are in his way. And "I dunno" which sounds more like "I duhn-no" is the response to everything, know it or not. He says it a lot!
It's typical for Ethan to speak in 8-9 word sentences. Often one sentence is followed by another that continues his thought. He has a good grasp on chronology: First, I'll do this. Next, I'll do that. Then I'll do that. He asks questions and asks you to define words that he doesn't know. He narrates his play (which is very cute). This week I picked him up at daycare and he was sitting with two younger kids around as he "read" them a story...pointing out objects that were on the page and telling the boys about them. He knows a lot of songs and rhymes in completion...occasionally teaching me some that I don't know. Last week he sang the whole "Ba Ba Black Sheep" for his whole class and yesterday he went over to the infant room for a visit and sang it for the babies.
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| Ethan's birthday |
Speaking of daycare, Ethan is back to being the oldest kid in his class again. Not sure when he'll change classes again, but he is definitely ready. I'm still getting feedback from his teachers about how absolutely interested he is in everything they do. That's been the story since he's been in the infant room, but it really describes Ethan's attention. There were two projects in the classroom yesterday that sparked his teacher to comment on it again. First, they were making "duck feet" prints using a spatula. He was totally into the project, and on his own he decided to quack every time he hit the paper with the spatula. She said he had a blast. Then when I got there, they were putting stickers on paper. He was on his second sheet and he was so into it. His friends all barely finished a sheet of stickers before they got bored and were on to the next. She pegged it when she said "he's just so curious about everything."
We're happy to report that Ethan is both eating and sleeping better lately. We had some bumps in the sleeping road between the move and cutting that last set of molars (yup, last set done at 24 months. Pure crazyness, but a happy end), but things have been better--most nights. Still have our share of nights where we're up a few times between 1:30 and 3:30. Bedtime is later now pushed back about an hour to between 9 and 9:30. That's been nice for everyone and makes the evening so much less rushed. It helped back up wake up time from 5:30am to 6 or 6:30 am, although lately he sometimes even makes it until 7!!! OMG that is pure heaven. Naps are longer although it's still a juggling act to get him to fall sleep. He's eating better. Possibly his favorite thing right now are mandarin oranges. I think he could turn into one. He loves beef and chicken nuggets. Sometimes he loves fries. He's hit or miss really. Loves it one minute, doesn't want anything to do with it the next. What he doesn't like is anything with a skin (like blueberries or grapes). He picks his food apart and pulls off pieces saying "that's yucky." He's growing taller and gaining weight, but he's still wearing those 12 month shorts, 2T shirts, and size 7 shoes. We've also successfully stopped his acid reflux medication which is pretty cool. Definitely makes travel easier when we don't have medication that needs refrigerated (and remembered)! And although he exercises his two year old right to push buttons and boundaries, he really is well behaved. I hear it from strangers in public all the time. He really does try hard and knows how to behave. Also in two year old style, many many times a day I have to undo what I did to let Ethan do it. Close the door I just opened so that Ethan can open it. It's the way of the world. Pushing the garage door button (both in the garage and in the car) is a real big deal. Seriously, it's a big deal. Don't forget that it's Ethan's job. In fact, he was sleep talking/yelling about it the other day. It's that important.
Things Ethan loves right now. Puzzles or any toy he can play pretend with. Everyday on the way to daycare he talks about how he's going to do puzzles. We get home and he wants to do puzzles. He loves to pretend in his playhouse outside. He climbs on his castle climber and pretends the ship wheel is a car steering wheel. He drives to the "chicken nugget store" and takes the chicken back to his playhouse. He makes dinner on his play grill and picnics inside with his play food. He really likes to read. He easily sits through reading a whole book...even long ones like Corduroy. There are lots of books that he "reads" to us because he knows them so well. Possibly one of his favorite things is mowing with the bubble mower. It's not about the bubbles. If the bubbles run out it doesn't matter. It's about the mowing. He mows with a pattern. Straight lines along the edge of the fence and up and down the lawn. Last night he mowed right along side Daddy for an entire hour. It's big business for him. Also, he can't stop talking about Knoebels. He loved it there. He likes to watch the episode of Kipper where he goes to a fair. He calls it "Knoebles Kipper." He also likes to watch Bob the Builder and Driver Dan right now. Likes Wheel of Fortune too if I can remember it's on. He likes to hear the letters called out and will repeat "Two R's!" with excitement.
He's able to peddle his trike a little bit (although steering is hard). He's getting better at putting on his pants and shirt by himself. He told his teacher last week that he wants to be a teacher. So I asked him "Why do you want to be a teacher?" He said "So I can open doors." (Because only teachers are allowed to open the classroom door at school). Well, he's honest...and tricky! He's working on coming down the stairs "like a big boy." He holds the railing and comes down very carefully on his feet. Last night he did it for the first time and was so proud of himself. OH, and he does crazy things like climb playground climbers (5 years and up playground rating--ha!)
Oh yeah, and did I mention that we moved. ;) New grown up house. Lots of play space inside and out. Big back yard with a fence. Of course, within a week Ethan had figured out how to work the gate latch. #gatefail. We're loving our place in suburbia. Sidewalks, driveway, shed, two car garage, finished basement elementary school playground down the street. And did I mention there's no HOA? :) Compared to our old place it always seem so quiet!
So that's "lately" in a big nutshell
