Because I'm Two

I need to continue with the last post because of course, there is more to add.

Ethan insists on having Peanut Butter on a spoon before he and Daddy mow...EVERY time.

I completely forgot to mention the Olympics. Ethan had such a great time watching them. He liked swimming best. Followed by gymnastics and running events. For a kid who doesn't sit and watch tv, he sure liked to sit and watch the events. He'd get excited if you had on the radio and they'd mention the Olympics. He'd shout "OLYMPICS!" One morning in the car he told me that he wanted to go swimming, that he'd swim faster than Daddy. We would go to be easily watching them every night...sure missed them when they ended, although we're occasionally watching baseball or Little League World Series or football now. Or we're back to Sprout, and that's ok too. 

He loves to make up words...because he thinks it's funny. The one that really stuck is "nin-ya." It all started one day when I asked him to give me a high-five and he said "That's not a high-five, that's a ninya" Ok, I'm still not sure what a ninya is, but it makes him crack up if you ask "What's a ninya?" For awhile I thought it was when he pushes his face into your hand instead of actually giving the high-five, but I'm not sure! It's a bit of an inconsistency, but it's quite funny! He likes to make jokes, and sometimes, he's quite good at it. It's fantastic. Sometimes he makes up songs to go with the made up words. Other times, he just makes up songs. I think I mentioned in the last post...he sings a lot.

Another big word that's making a presence this week is "because." "I don't want this one because it's too big." Yup. I love it. Hearing toddler rational is fascinating. Similarly, he's using "so that." "...so that Ethan can do it." The other thing I love hearing is when Ethan calls people "silly." He says it more like SIL-ly. Like when I work Charlie's flip flops he says "Silly Mommy, those are Daddy's shoes!" Really, it's the best. Having a hard time getting it on video though. Nothing like getting out the camera to halt an activity.

Having fun at Little Gym

Ethan's working hard on jumping. He has in endearing "ho-down" type of one leg, then the other leg. My favorite is when he stomps like a dinosaur (especially when he's wearing his "dinosaur shoes." Each step is so giant and deliberate. Speaking of jumping, in July we broke Ethan's fear of air bounces. They use what they call the Air Track at Little Gym, it's basically a moon bounce base where they practice skills. He's always been terrified of it. Well, maybe not always. It didn't bother him as in infant, but more around the one year mark when he realized it might be something to be fearful of. Right before we moved I took him to That Bounce Place and we faced the fear once and for all. It took about an hour, but now he's one heck of a bouncer and LOVES it. You'd never know that it ever bugged him. In fact, he jumps and runs and has such a great time. The other day he threw a ball and it bounced and he said "It's bouncing..just like the bounce place." Yup, what a connection!
This month or so he's really mastered skipping. Now he skips just about everywhere. It's awesome and fun to watch. He looks so happy to be flying through the air like that. And fast.

His favorite color is blue. It's evident that he favors blue (he downright refuses to drink chocolate milk from anything but a blue sippy cup with a blue lid). And of course, that's what he'll tell you if you ask him. He'll also tell you that he likes purple. He also seems to favor green. The artist in me thinks it's quite interesting how they're all cool colors.

HAD to have one of EVERY drink in the fridge. If you're wondering if I taught him that...I did not. (I made the same request as a toddler) He even sips them on after the next the same way.

Speaking of favorites. He tells me almost every day that "Yellow Submarine is my favorite song." I'll tell you what, it's been loudly requested to be on repeat in the car for the three weeks...so I had a suspicion. He'll also say "Make it louder!" The Buggies sing it-- if you were wondering. He likes to repeat the line "is all we need." He also thinks the part with the echo-y dialog "full steam ahead..." is really funny. When it's on, he says "He's in a submarine!" He has a little yellow submarine toy that makes his day, and he'll let you know that he has two red submarines at his Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Not so favorite? Buttons. Not sure why, but he's got quite the aversion to buttons. For days he refused to wear a pair of carpenter shorts because they had buttons on them. I have to unbutton the flap to hide the button or he won't wear them. I took him cloths shopping with me and he starts very firmly telling me "I DON"T LIKE those button pants!" I wasn't even looking at the pants...I guess they were breathing his air? He even reiterated it to Charlie when we got home and we told him that we'd been shopping for cloths.  I'll tell you what...it's been a challenge to find clothing for the cooler weather with out buttons. I sure hope this phase is over soon! Wonder what he'd do if we crafted with buttons.

Ethan and Lilly (and some random guy)

We went to Knoebles recently and he now knows who Kosmo is. He saw him riding in a golf cart with another staff member. Now one of the verses in Ethan's version of "Farmer in the Dell" is "Kosmo in the golf cart with the peoples gets the cheese." Funny stuff! We met his bestie Baby Lilly that day. He loves her. Face lights up whenever he sees her or we talk about her. Amazing.

OBSESSED with Matchbox Cars. He calls them just that, "Matchbox cars." Obsessed. He always liked them, but since we got a bunch more at the yard sales on Labor Day he has to take them everywhere. He loads them into his "Ethan bag" (the one that came with last years school photos--Ethan's big smile on the front), and lugs them around the house, in the car, next to the bathtub, outside, on the bed. Wherever Ethan goes. They fill the bag, and he will tell you that it is to heavy for him to carry. It really is--just about pulls him over. He especially likes to play with them on the other yard sale find, a Fisher Price garage. You have to be very careful though, he'll tell you "No, those are mine. I got them at the yard sale." Very protective. Oh yeah, and he "zooms" them. Not drive, "zooms." It's a much more fun adverb anyway.

Oh, and don't try to peel his banana for him. He can do it...he is two you know!