This is Little Man's third Halloween. For his very first spooky holiday, he was still a squish baby and had no idea what was going on--except that he did NOT care for the pumpkin costume I squeezed him into. We did not go trick-or-treating for his first Halloween, but we did attend a Halloween puppet show at the theater where Husband ran the front of house. Little Man dressed up as his Daddy--little blue jeans, collared shirt, tiny house manager flashlight. He was quite a hit, and it was quite enough Halloween excitement for a three-month-old.
Last year, his second Halloween, Little Man continued his preference of not being put in an adorable costume. And so he dressed up as Charlie Brown, which suited his little curl of hair and his round little face perfectly. We ventured out with friends, trick-or-treating around their neighborhood.
But this year, Little Man really started to get into the action.
He doesn't like Jack O Lanterns, so I've spent the month avoiding creepily cut pumpkins all over town. We sought out fall activities rather than Halloween ones. We went to "Boo at the Zoo", where the highlight was the trick-or-treat train. We continued our tradition of going to the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival, adding the train ride to our adventure this year. Little Man enjoyed that train ride so much that we took a road trip to North Carolina last weekend to go on the "Great Pumpkin" train--a nice long ride on a real train out to a pumpkin patch where there were tractor rides, music, marshmallows to roast and a mock street where kids could trick or treat. It was an awesome day, and something I think we'll find ourselves doing next fall.
(Are you seeing a pattern here with our family outings? They all involve trains. Little Man is obsessed with trains.)
It was also where we learned that Little Man got a major thrill out of trick-or- treating. We weren't planning on going this year, but after seeing how much he loved the trick-or-treat test run, we decided to go for it.
He still hates "costumy" costumes, so I found a Mickey Mouse hoodie at Target (complete with ears on the hood!). Paired with black sweatpants and his little felt Halloween treat bag, he was the cutest Mickey our neighborhood had ever seen. Once he realized he got to knock on doors and pick out something to put in his bag, his eyes lit up and he was urging Husband and I on during our trek out this evening.
He loves being outside in the evening as the sun goes down, and could have easily done several more laps around our neighborhood if we had let him. He trucked up and down hills, stomped through the leaves, and practiced being very polite--only picking out one piece of candy and waving a "thank you!" afterwards, since he doesn't have those words yet. He especially liked the houses that had a few stairs to climb up.
And even though he won't eat it, he was very excited to come home and dump out his haul of candy on the table. He surveyed it proudly, picking out all the lollipops and putting them to the side. They make excellent sticks to bang on the table. And the boxes of nerds and milkduds make great shakers.
And so we'll pack away our friendly Halloween decorations until next year. I can't wait to see what Little Man thinks of the fall festivities a year from now--or if he'll have more of an opinion on a costume besides "no!".
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Strollers, Boundaries and Bedtime: Things a Little Man Pushes
Little Man is growing up.
And what happens when a toddler, such as Little Man is, grows up?
Things get pushed.
And the three things that Little Man likes to push most are his stroller, his boundaries, and his bedtime.
He has reached the age where riding in his stroller is no longer an absolute necessity. He likes to get out and walk around and explore his surroundings in a more hands-on fashion. But he still gets tired on long treks, so the stroller comes with us on occasion. And on those occasions, pushing his stroller (all by himself, help from Mom and Dad is not acceptable) becomes more interesting that anywhere we could possibly be. Disney World? Wants to push his stroller. The zoo? Wants to push his stroller. Festivals, parks and gardens? You guessed it--wants to push his stroller. He has figured out how to disengage the wheel lock, and so when I get in the shower, I often find him pushing his stroller around the house, filled with his toys.
And it's not limited to strollers--it can be anything with wheels. Shopping carts, wagons, coolers full of frozen groceries: they all require pushing.
And then there's bedtime. Little Man is particularly tricky about pushing his bedtime. We've reached the phase where we get requests for one more bottle. He gets a truly pathetic look on his face, sad baby lip out and all, and says "Ba-ba? Ba-ba?" in a voice that would suggest he hadn't eaten in a week. And when we tell him we're on the last book before lullabys and snuggles, he'll let us get to nearly the last page, push that one away and request another "last book".
And then, every now and then, once we think he's all tucked in and dreaming, we'll hear the sound of little footsteps and Little Man will burst into our room, smiling his most handsome baby smile and holding Scout by the ear. It's hard to be mad at him because he always looks so happy to see us.
And lastly...boundaries. Oh, the boundaries Little Man has started to push. I can see it in his face: "does Mom really mean it when she says, 'stop'? How many times will she say it before she actually makes me stop?"
The answer is usually one time. And Little Man knows that. So when he's flinging train tracks off his table and over his shoulder, and I ask him to stop, he begins to fling faster and faster because he knows I'm coming to remove him from the situation. He doesn't disobey often, but when he does, he does it quickly--he's smart enough to know what he's doing is wrong.
I try to use the word "no" only when what he is doing is absolutely not an option. Things that he is absolutely not allowed to do include:
--Let go of my hand in or near the street.
--Throw trains/rocks/books at anyone.
--Stick his entire arm inside the bushes that line our local playground.
--Climb in the fountain. Any fountain.
--Jump on the couch.
--Be in the kitchen when the oven door is open.
--Water my plant with his milk.
Otherwise I try to suggest another way of getting the result he desires.
But most of the time, the boundaries he pushes are exploratory--albeit exasperating--and I know he's not trying to annoy me personally. Like today, when he brought me his foaming baby bath wash out of his bathroom. That's when I realized he had it all over him--on his face, his legs, and his hair.
"Wash," he told me, then squeezed some into his hands and washed his belly. With his shirt on.
What's a mother to do, other than to strip him down and plunk him in the tub?
Eventually he'll be able to think through things in his mind, and answer questions like, "what happens if I take everything out of the fridge and relocate it to my bathroom cabinet?" without actually having to do it.
Until then, Little Man, keep on pushing.
And what happens when a toddler, such as Little Man is, grows up?
Things get pushed.
And the three things that Little Man likes to push most are his stroller, his boundaries, and his bedtime.
He has reached the age where riding in his stroller is no longer an absolute necessity. He likes to get out and walk around and explore his surroundings in a more hands-on fashion. But he still gets tired on long treks, so the stroller comes with us on occasion. And on those occasions, pushing his stroller (all by himself, help from Mom and Dad is not acceptable) becomes more interesting that anywhere we could possibly be. Disney World? Wants to push his stroller. The zoo? Wants to push his stroller. Festivals, parks and gardens? You guessed it--wants to push his stroller. He has figured out how to disengage the wheel lock, and so when I get in the shower, I often find him pushing his stroller around the house, filled with his toys.
And it's not limited to strollers--it can be anything with wheels. Shopping carts, wagons, coolers full of frozen groceries: they all require pushing.
And then there's bedtime. Little Man is particularly tricky about pushing his bedtime. We've reached the phase where we get requests for one more bottle. He gets a truly pathetic look on his face, sad baby lip out and all, and says "Ba-ba? Ba-ba?" in a voice that would suggest he hadn't eaten in a week. And when we tell him we're on the last book before lullabys and snuggles, he'll let us get to nearly the last page, push that one away and request another "last book".
And then, every now and then, once we think he's all tucked in and dreaming, we'll hear the sound of little footsteps and Little Man will burst into our room, smiling his most handsome baby smile and holding Scout by the ear. It's hard to be mad at him because he always looks so happy to see us.
And lastly...boundaries. Oh, the boundaries Little Man has started to push. I can see it in his face: "does Mom really mean it when she says, 'stop'? How many times will she say it before she actually makes me stop?"
The answer is usually one time. And Little Man knows that. So when he's flinging train tracks off his table and over his shoulder, and I ask him to stop, he begins to fling faster and faster because he knows I'm coming to remove him from the situation. He doesn't disobey often, but when he does, he does it quickly--he's smart enough to know what he's doing is wrong.
I try to use the word "no" only when what he is doing is absolutely not an option. Things that he is absolutely not allowed to do include:
--Let go of my hand in or near the street.
--Throw trains/rocks/books at anyone.
--Stick his entire arm inside the bushes that line our local playground.
--Climb in the fountain. Any fountain.
--Jump on the couch.
--Be in the kitchen when the oven door is open.
--Water my plant with his milk.
Otherwise I try to suggest another way of getting the result he desires.
But most of the time, the boundaries he pushes are exploratory--albeit exasperating--and I know he's not trying to annoy me personally. Like today, when he brought me his foaming baby bath wash out of his bathroom. That's when I realized he had it all over him--on his face, his legs, and his hair.
"Wash," he told me, then squeezed some into his hands and washed his belly. With his shirt on.
What's a mother to do, other than to strip him down and plunk him in the tub?
Eventually he'll be able to think through things in his mind, and answer questions like, "what happens if I take everything out of the fridge and relocate it to my bathroom cabinet?" without actually having to do it.
Until then, Little Man, keep on pushing.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
A Disney Mini-Break: Mother-Baby Day at The Magic Kingdom
One of the perks of Husband's new job is that he occasionally takes business trips to Tampa, allowing his little family to tag along and spend some time at the happiest place on earth.
Little Man and I joined him on just such a trip at the end of September. We are especially spoiled this year, because in addition to our fall Disney mini-break, we'll be returning in December for our annual visit.
For this trip, Little Man and I were on our own for most of the trip while Husband worked. I was a little apprehensive about handling a toddler in the parks on my own, but Little Man handled the crowds, attractions and change in schedule like a champ.
We arrived at Disney's All Star Sports Resort around 7 AM, having driven all night. Husband and I almost always choose to take the seven hour drive through the night, allowing Little Man to sleep and wake up in a good mood.
A view of our room, right under the Bulldogs sign!
Little Man loved the larger than life football-themed area we stayed in.
"Mousekeeping" made Little Man's BFF, Scout, a pal to hang out with
Little Man and I spent our first day exploring our awesome resort. Little Man couldn't get over the huge footballs and helmets decorating the resort. Right outside our room was a football field that provided a great place to run and goof off.
After an epic nap, Little Man and I hit Downtown Disney. He was on his best behavior, sitting in my lap at Planet Hollywood while I ate and walking next to the stroller while we meandered in and out of all the shops. Little Man's favorite shop was the Lego Store, which offered big Lego building tables and little blocks in every shape, size and color. We spent a lot of time creating towers and ramps to drive little Lego cars down.
As the sun went down and the air cooled off, the trees in Downtown Disney lit up with twinkle lights, and Little Man relished being outside past his bedtime. He darted from window to window, delighting in recognizing Mickey, Goofy, Pooh and all his friends from TV and stories.
I couldn't wait for him to see them in "real life" the next day when we went to The Magic Kingdom.
We're here! We're here!
Little Man and I were up early the next day and caught one of the first buses to The Magic Kingdom. Armed with my backpack and no stroller (yes, I braved the morning with no stroller!) we arrived in time for the opening of the park, when the train pulls up to the entrance of the park carrying Mickey and all his friends.
When Little Man heard the train whistle announcing its arrival, he clapped with delight. When he realized who was riding the train, his whole little body wriggled with excitement. When he saw Mickey for the first time--a real, big Mickey right there in front of him--I thought he was going to fall to pieces. He grinned and waved and pointed, exclaiming to me the whole time: "Mom! Whoa! Whoa! WOW!"
Now, I mentioned before that I didn't bring a stroller with me. Before you have me committed, hear me out. I had a plan. After struggling to get the stroller and my toddler on the bus alone the day before, and Little Man walking more than riding around Downtown Disney, I opted to spend the morning stroller free and rent one when we returned later that afternoon. I knew in the morning there were certain places I wanted to hit in The Magic Kingdom, and I could reach all of them by riding the train to and from the front of the park.
We gazed down Main Street, USA for a few moments before climbing on the train, which chugs around the perimeter of Magic Kingdom.
Little Man surveyed his kingdom with great interest.
My goal for this mother-baby trip to Magic Kingdom was simple: relax. If you've ever been to Disney with a toddler, you know it's not relaxing. But I wanted our day to be about being together, and watching him experience the joys that come along with seeing Magic Kingdom through the eyes of a child. I knew there were a few things I particularly wanted Little Man to experience while we were in Magic Kingdom, but overall I left it up to him--if he liked something, we stayed there as long as he wanted to.
This is how I ended up riding Dumbo seven times in a row.
Oh, how he loved Dumbo. Since we got there so early, there was no line. We just kept hopping off and getting back in the que. We rode it so many times that Little Man got a special Dumbo sticker.
We rode the spinning teacups, which were not his favorite and that was more than fine with me. We rode Prince Charming's Regal Carousel twice, and the Peter Pan ride once. We spent a lot of time playing in the interactive que for the Winnie the Pooh ride, but we didn't ride that particular one--we were saving it for our December trip with Husband since the silly old bear is such a favorite.
After a long nap in our resort, and a rainstorm, we headed back into the park. By this time, Little Man was a pro at the bus and insisted on sitting by himself. He was an excellent bus rider: sat on his bottom, holding the pole and smiling at everyone who went past him.
Back in the park we grabbed a stroller and ventured off to see what the kingdom had to offer besides Fantasyland. We caught the stage show, watching Mickey and his pals dance and sing on the castle.
"Dreams Come True!"
We rode the riverboat, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, bypassed the racecars to do with Husband, and found ourselves back in Fantasyland. We took in the castle for a few minutes while we had a drink in the shade.
We rode Dumbo. Again.
(That's 8 times, for you guys keeping count).
The best thing about getting sea-sick on the flying elephant was the view you could see of the soon-to-be-opened New Fantasyland--which will be up and running when we return in December.
The Beast's Castle
But the highlight of our day at Magic Kingdom was, easily, when Little Man spotted Winnie the Pooh and Tigger outside their ride, meeting guests.
"Mom!" He said. "Mom! Mom!" He pointed as though he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Do you want to meet them?" I asked. I was hesitant after the stealth attack Minnie Mouse put on him last year, traumatizing him.
"Yes, yes," Little Man babbled.
So we got in line. Every time another child left and we got closer, I'd repeat my questions.
"Are you sure you want to say hi to Pooh and Tigger?"
"Yes, yes."
Finally it was our turn. I snagged the cast member who hung out in Hundred Acre Wood and let her know Little Man was a little hesitant. Pooh got down on one knee to wave at him, and while Little Man gripped me tightly through the whole experience, he grinned and waved and talked away to them. The cast member caught a great photo of us, and whenever Little Man sees it on my desktop, he gets excited and we talk about the day he got to meet Pooh and Tigger.
The last ride we went on was It's A Small World. I thought we needed to go on it, since it's a classic. We boarded the little boat and off we went into the world of singing, happy little people. I had only been on It's A Small World once before, and I had forgotten how incredibly creepy that ride is. I don't think it will be a repeat in December.
One last time around the park on the train, then we said "see you real soon!" and exited to the very best part of the day--Papa Bear waiting outside the gates to take us to dinner. Little Man flew to him, chattering about his day, and then got to take his first monorail ride of the trip.
The next day we were up and at 'em again early to head to Disney's Hollywood Studios--only this time, Husband got to join us. We started our day at a character breakfast where Little Man was thrilled to wave at Donald and Goofy, as long as they stayed on the other side of the table. He still didn't want to go anywhere near Minnie Mouse.
We got to watch Disney Junior Live, a puppet show full of Little Man's favorite characters from his morning TV shows. He also loved the larger than life "Honey I shrunk the Kids" playground. He was very brave and climbed all over by himself, with one of us behind him, hurrying to keep up. And the highlight of the day was the "Lights, Motors, Action" car stunt show that Husband had been dying to share with Little Man since the moment we found out we were having a son.
We returned from our mini-break exhausted (and I got sick, boo!) but it was worth every minute. I know I'm a stay-at-home-mom, but that doesn't stop me from having commitments and things I have to get done around the house. Going to Disney allows me to focus solely on Little Man, to listen to everything he has to say and watch him play and love life. I can't wait to go back for our family vacation in a couple of months and be able to focus all my attention on not only Little Man but my husband as well. And that is well worth the price of admission.
Little Man and I joined him on just such a trip at the end of September. We are especially spoiled this year, because in addition to our fall Disney mini-break, we'll be returning in December for our annual visit.
For this trip, Little Man and I were on our own for most of the trip while Husband worked. I was a little apprehensive about handling a toddler in the parks on my own, but Little Man handled the crowds, attractions and change in schedule like a champ.
We arrived at Disney's All Star Sports Resort around 7 AM, having driven all night. Husband and I almost always choose to take the seven hour drive through the night, allowing Little Man to sleep and wake up in a good mood.
Little Man and I spent our first day exploring our awesome resort. Little Man couldn't get over the huge footballs and helmets decorating the resort. Right outside our room was a football field that provided a great place to run and goof off.
After an epic nap, Little Man and I hit Downtown Disney. He was on his best behavior, sitting in my lap at Planet Hollywood while I ate and walking next to the stroller while we meandered in and out of all the shops. Little Man's favorite shop was the Lego Store, which offered big Lego building tables and little blocks in every shape, size and color. We spent a lot of time creating towers and ramps to drive little Lego cars down.
As the sun went down and the air cooled off, the trees in Downtown Disney lit up with twinkle lights, and Little Man relished being outside past his bedtime. He darted from window to window, delighting in recognizing Mickey, Goofy, Pooh and all his friends from TV and stories.
I couldn't wait for him to see them in "real life" the next day when we went to The Magic Kingdom.
Little Man and I were up early the next day and caught one of the first buses to The Magic Kingdom. Armed with my backpack and no stroller (yes, I braved the morning with no stroller!) we arrived in time for the opening of the park, when the train pulls up to the entrance of the park carrying Mickey and all his friends.
When Little Man heard the train whistle announcing its arrival, he clapped with delight. When he realized who was riding the train, his whole little body wriggled with excitement. When he saw Mickey for the first time--a real, big Mickey right there in front of him--I thought he was going to fall to pieces. He grinned and waved and pointed, exclaiming to me the whole time: "Mom! Whoa! Whoa! WOW!"
Now, I mentioned before that I didn't bring a stroller with me. Before you have me committed, hear me out. I had a plan. After struggling to get the stroller and my toddler on the bus alone the day before, and Little Man walking more than riding around Downtown Disney, I opted to spend the morning stroller free and rent one when we returned later that afternoon. I knew in the morning there were certain places I wanted to hit in The Magic Kingdom, and I could reach all of them by riding the train to and from the front of the park.
We gazed down Main Street, USA for a few moments before climbing on the train, which chugs around the perimeter of Magic Kingdom.
My goal for this mother-baby trip to Magic Kingdom was simple: relax. If you've ever been to Disney with a toddler, you know it's not relaxing. But I wanted our day to be about being together, and watching him experience the joys that come along with seeing Magic Kingdom through the eyes of a child. I knew there were a few things I particularly wanted Little Man to experience while we were in Magic Kingdom, but overall I left it up to him--if he liked something, we stayed there as long as he wanted to.
This is how I ended up riding Dumbo seven times in a row.
Oh, how he loved Dumbo. Since we got there so early, there was no line. We just kept hopping off and getting back in the que. We rode it so many times that Little Man got a special Dumbo sticker.
We rode the spinning teacups, which were not his favorite and that was more than fine with me. We rode Prince Charming's Regal Carousel twice, and the Peter Pan ride once. We spent a lot of time playing in the interactive que for the Winnie the Pooh ride, but we didn't ride that particular one--we were saving it for our December trip with Husband since the silly old bear is such a favorite.
After a long nap in our resort, and a rainstorm, we headed back into the park. By this time, Little Man was a pro at the bus and insisted on sitting by himself. He was an excellent bus rider: sat on his bottom, holding the pole and smiling at everyone who went past him.
Back in the park we grabbed a stroller and ventured off to see what the kingdom had to offer besides Fantasyland. We caught the stage show, watching Mickey and his pals dance and sing on the castle.
We rode the riverboat, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, bypassed the racecars to do with Husband, and found ourselves back in Fantasyland. We took in the castle for a few minutes while we had a drink in the shade.
We rode Dumbo. Again.
(That's 8 times, for you guys keeping count).
The best thing about getting sea-sick on the flying elephant was the view you could see of the soon-to-be-opened New Fantasyland--which will be up and running when we return in December.
But the highlight of our day at Magic Kingdom was, easily, when Little Man spotted Winnie the Pooh and Tigger outside their ride, meeting guests.
"Mom!" He said. "Mom! Mom!" He pointed as though he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Do you want to meet them?" I asked. I was hesitant after the stealth attack Minnie Mouse put on him last year, traumatizing him.
"Yes, yes," Little Man babbled.
So we got in line. Every time another child left and we got closer, I'd repeat my questions.
"Are you sure you want to say hi to Pooh and Tigger?"
"Yes, yes."
Finally it was our turn. I snagged the cast member who hung out in Hundred Acre Wood and let her know Little Man was a little hesitant. Pooh got down on one knee to wave at him, and while Little Man gripped me tightly through the whole experience, he grinned and waved and talked away to them. The cast member caught a great photo of us, and whenever Little Man sees it on my desktop, he gets excited and we talk about the day he got to meet Pooh and Tigger.
The last ride we went on was It's A Small World. I thought we needed to go on it, since it's a classic. We boarded the little boat and off we went into the world of singing, happy little people. I had only been on It's A Small World once before, and I had forgotten how incredibly creepy that ride is. I don't think it will be a repeat in December.
One last time around the park on the train, then we said "see you real soon!" and exited to the very best part of the day--Papa Bear waiting outside the gates to take us to dinner. Little Man flew to him, chattering about his day, and then got to take his first monorail ride of the trip.
The next day we were up and at 'em again early to head to Disney's Hollywood Studios--only this time, Husband got to join us. We started our day at a character breakfast where Little Man was thrilled to wave at Donald and Goofy, as long as they stayed on the other side of the table. He still didn't want to go anywhere near Minnie Mouse.
We got to watch Disney Junior Live, a puppet show full of Little Man's favorite characters from his morning TV shows. He also loved the larger than life "Honey I shrunk the Kids" playground. He was very brave and climbed all over by himself, with one of us behind him, hurrying to keep up. And the highlight of the day was the "Lights, Motors, Action" car stunt show that Husband had been dying to share with Little Man since the moment we found out we were having a son.
We returned from our mini-break exhausted (and I got sick, boo!) but it was worth every minute. I know I'm a stay-at-home-mom, but that doesn't stop me from having commitments and things I have to get done around the house. Going to Disney allows me to focus solely on Little Man, to listen to everything he has to say and watch him play and love life. I can't wait to go back for our family vacation in a couple of months and be able to focus all my attention on not only Little Man but my husband as well. And that is well worth the price of admission.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Busy Two-Year-Old, Busy Mama
I am ashamed to say that it has been two months since I have picked up the virtual pen and blogged about the goings-on of Little Man. But I have an excellent, legimate reason.
Two-year-olds are busy little creatures.
And when the two-year-old boy is busy, so is the mom. Add to that uber-active toddler the fact that Husband's work required him to be travelling for most of the summer, and you get one frazzled Mama Bear.
But we're settling into autumn now and things are starting to even out: Husband gets to enjoy the perks of working across the street from where he lives, and Little Man and I are finding a weekly schedule full of classes, playdates and other exciting adventures.
Little Man has really grown up in the past two months. He is way more independent and outgoing than he was when we moved back to the city 6 months ago. He becomes comfortable in new surroundings far more quickly, and--while I would still consider him an introvert around new people and places--has made great strides in his socialibility.
He communicates very well with us--every day we hear new words from him. His favorite words continue to be "uh-oh" and "stuck" but he's added to his vocabulary with words like "siren", "happy", "tractor", outside", along with most of his letters and a few numbers (more on that soon!). We never taught him baby signs, but he made up a few of his own: he signals that he's "all done" bu holding his hands out in front of him, and he signs "train" by pulling a pretend train whistle. When he's asking permission to go somewhere, he points and makes an exaggerated walking motion, which always cracks me up.
He's very empathetic, and gets worried about other little people in his surroundings who cry or get a boo-boo. He's especially interested in babies, and he has a new one to be excited about--Godmother & Godfather welcomed Baby A into the world in late August. She was a month early (surprise!) but she is fantastic. To say Little Man adores her would be an understatement. He especially likes to count her toes.
Oh, and he learned how to open the fridge. That's been fun.
I'm excited to catch up on all the adventure's we've had this summer (Disney World! The zoo!) and to do a better job of staying on top of the adventures to come (a big train ride! Another trip to Disney!)
Two-year-olds are busy little creatures.
And when the two-year-old boy is busy, so is the mom. Add to that uber-active toddler the fact that Husband's work required him to be travelling for most of the summer, and you get one frazzled Mama Bear.
But we're settling into autumn now and things are starting to even out: Husband gets to enjoy the perks of working across the street from where he lives, and Little Man and I are finding a weekly schedule full of classes, playdates and other exciting adventures.
Little Man has really grown up in the past two months. He is way more independent and outgoing than he was when we moved back to the city 6 months ago. He becomes comfortable in new surroundings far more quickly, and--while I would still consider him an introvert around new people and places--has made great strides in his socialibility.
He communicates very well with us--every day we hear new words from him. His favorite words continue to be "uh-oh" and "stuck" but he's added to his vocabulary with words like "siren", "happy", "tractor", outside", along with most of his letters and a few numbers (more on that soon!). We never taught him baby signs, but he made up a few of his own: he signals that he's "all done" bu holding his hands out in front of him, and he signs "train" by pulling a pretend train whistle. When he's asking permission to go somewhere, he points and makes an exaggerated walking motion, which always cracks me up.
He's very empathetic, and gets worried about other little people in his surroundings who cry or get a boo-boo. He's especially interested in babies, and he has a new one to be excited about--Godmother & Godfather welcomed Baby A into the world in late August. She was a month early (surprise!) but she is fantastic. To say Little Man adores her would be an understatement. He especially likes to count her toes.
Oh, and he learned how to open the fridge. That's been fun.
I'm excited to catch up on all the adventure's we've had this summer (Disney World! The zoo!) and to do a better job of staying on top of the adventures to come (a big train ride! Another trip to Disney!)
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