2 years, 7 months

X-man,

I can't believe how big you're getting! You're even tall enough now to reach the top rung on the stair rail at church.

You say things everyday that send me into fits of laughter. This past weekend, G-Joy and Paw-Paw brought a baby bed and a baby cradle for your animals. You knew immediately what they were...and took Buttercup's baby doll and your sock monkey straight to the beds for their nap. I had to laugh when you put the dolls down on their tummy. You've watched me put Buttercup down for her nap on her tummy!

You are getting much better with your pronouns and you can generally tell the difference between a boy and a girl.

When we ask you a question, if you don't know the answer, you will just repeat the question.

We're still working on potty training. I'm being pretty slow (meaning - lazy) about the whole thing. When I change your diaper and I ask you if you want to go to the potty and you usually will go sit. Not always productive, but at least you try. In fact, yesterday we spent 20 minutes while you tried to make a dirty in the potty. I think that the promise of an M&M if you did make a dirty was a great motivator. However, after 20 minutes (and me almost falling asleep in the hallway) I finally told you that you'd done such a good job trying that I'd give you an M&M.

Daddy is convinced you're going to be a play-by-play man when you grow up. You will narrate anything that's happening with great detail! And it's so fun to listen to you talk about something that happened days before. I guess that's the way it should be...your little mind with nothing more to keep track of than how you played yesterday, how you're playing today and how you're going to play tomorrow.

You do have your moments, though. It's hard to manage all those crazy emotions running around and sometimes they just get the best of you. Lately when you get fussy, through your crying you'll say, "Wanna get kisses!" It's just so pitiful, but I'll give you a kiss and a great big hug and you usually stop crying and all is well.

You also love to kiss Buttercup. And when you want a "hug kiss," you kiss her arm and then hug her arm and then you'll try to kiss and hug her face. Sometimes this results in her pushing you away, but that has never detered you or made you mad. I've actually never seen you mad at Buttercup. Even when she's fussy, you'll come over to me and say, "Pick her up. Make her feel better!" Sometimes you'll just take over and you'll gently rub her arm and say, "feel better." It's just so adorable and I hope you continue to like your baby sister!

You are a great big help in the kitchen. You love to pour, shake and stir things. You stir my coffee every morning and you'll happily pour the rice or spaghetti in the pot or stir whatever it is I have to stir. You've told me that you like the "buzzer" (immersion blender) and that you like the mixer (the little KitchenAid hand mixer that I got as a graduation present from my high school biology teacher!).

Your newest question you ask these days is, "What's that?" Maybe it's a bug, or a shirt or a dog, but you ask even if you know what it is!

Keep learning (and being cute handsome)!