Second Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. So much more fun now that you are older. We left cookies out for Santa and in the morning we asked you who came last night and you said "Santa!" (all day I said "Who comes tonight? and you'd at first always say Erica!!") You very cautiously opened your first present and it was a drill. At first you jumped back in fear and said "Sharp! Ouchie!" because we've taught you not to touch Daddy's tools. But we had to explain that THESE tools are for Alistair. I hope you can tell the difference because they look incredibly real! Maybe not a good gift idea, but it sure was a hit with you! You got a drill, saw, jig saw, and chain saw! After the first present, you got excited and said "More!" You opened two gifts, took a 2 hour nap, and then we waited until about 2pm when Cathy and GG Ruth showed up to finish the rest. The slowest moving X-mas I've ever had! Normally kids rip through gifts in about 2 minutes! But you had to appropriately play with each toy after you opened it which I think is a great idea.

I forgot a few other things going on at 21 months. You know your numbers 1-10. I discovered this because I was snapping your buttons and counting them as I went. After I said 7 I stopped counting outloud and then you said "8, 9!" You also know your colors of the rainbow. Sometimes purple and green end up being labeled as blue. And at first your automatic answer when we asked what color something was was "Yellow!" but then you'd look closely and say the right color.
You also are singing songs! You love Raffi "Apples and Bananas" and sing "Oot Ooot oot!" You are singing part of your ABC's and sometimes out of order like "a b c x and z" You sing EIEIO and on that barn..." and in the car you sing along to anything!
You are also putting 2-3 words together "Go Tutu's house" "P U Moki!" "Open door please"
You are also very good at saying please and thank you. If you demand something like "More More!" we say "More what?" and you say "More please!"
Last night we did a good job at eating dinner so I said "Give me 5!" and you slapped my hand and they YOU said "Up high!" and put your hand in the air. I guess dada taught that to you today, just one time! You have an amazing memory!!
You are really into smells. Fragrant flowers. You notice bad smells too! This week you've been taking 2-3.5 hour naps! You have been waking up really early. And we are having some tummy issues with going to the bathroom. But hopefully this too shall pass! You are a funny hambone and you are very friendly and outgoing. You imitate every word you hear. We just think you are a genius!

21 Months

I remember last Christmas thinking "This time next year you are going to be 21 months old! Almost 2!" and I couldn't even picture what that be like. And yet here we are! I can't believe how fast time is going by. You are a full on toddler now. My little baby is no longer a little baby (but you will ALWAYS be my baby even when you are all grown up!) Here are the latest stories from 21 months old:

At the bank, I let you roam around on your own (I normally strap you to my body in the ergo when I run errands). You never stray too far from mama. But you walked up to the front of the line and turned around and smiled at everyone standing in line. Then you turned your head and saw at eye level, a perfect miniature porcelaine Christmas village on display, just open for touching. You stood there and admired the scene, quietly examining the village from a safe distance. Then you turned back to me and in front of everybody you stuck your little finger in the air and wagged it back and forth and said "No no, breakable". It made EVERYBODY laugh!

You were in the high chair eating breakfast and you had 2 forks in your hand, one was slightly bigger than the other. Dada asked you "Which one is bigger?" and you held them both up and closely examined them and then held the right one out and proudly exclaimed "Bigger!" We were both very impressed.

You parrot back ANY word we say. It's pretty funny at times. Dada and I will be having a conversation and dada will say something like "I'm talking, full blown!" and you will chime in and excitedly say "Full Blown!" You also understand everything we say too. I said to dada "I think Moki is stuck in the stairwell since the door is closed" and you immediately stood up, ran into the living room, opened the door and said "Moki!"

You are still terrified of Santa. We saw him at the foodcourt, and at first you were giggling at him, but then when you realized I was bringing you into the santa room for a photo, your giggling turned into nervous laughter and you cling to me for dear life. One day you won't be scared of this man. You LOVE your snowman (no man). We are borrowing him from the neighbor girls since it's your favorite toy at the moment.

You are saying "tutu" instead of "dudu" and today you said "Tutu how! Tutu how!" (meaning let's go to Tutu's house!)

You know how to use the ipad and our iphones. You know exactly which apps are the ones you want to play with. You love the pbs kids apps and can pick out your shows like Curious George "George! George!" Thomas the train "Thomas! Spencer!" Elmo, Wyatt, Daniel Meow Meow Tiger. You don't watch too much tv, but when I'm cooking dinner sometimes you like to relax and watch your shows.

You LOVE local aunties. You gladly say "Aunty!" and want to be scooped up by any Auntie who wants to hold you. You are a super friendly outgoing boy who gladly holds new friends by the hand.

When I mention play dates with other friends you are quick to pat yourself on the chest and say "Alistair!" We play the laundry game and as I fold the clothes I ask you whose they belong too. You say "Dada. Mama, Alistair" all at the right times! I mentioned we were going to see your friend Phoenix and you quickly pointed to the toy of his we are borrowing and said "Phoenix!" You know what items belong to whom!

You just got over a horrible stomach virus (you threw up 3 times!) but luckily you are never sick for very long.

You love to say "Woah! Biggun!" (big one)