26 Months

Ben,

 

Since Mom got a little busy (birthing a little brother for you) around the time of your 2nd birthday (I promise I'll post those pictures soon), here's your 26 month update.

 

 

Dad and I agree that this is the very best stage yet (How does that keep happening?).  You are talking up a storm and you are cracking us up!  One of our current favorite things is the way you address everyone when you talk.  ("Okay, Mommy.  Pway just a widdle bit, Mommy?" "Daddy!  Woody say, 'Got me 'gain!"  "Be wight back, Mommy Daddy." "Come in, Bapa!") 

 

You love to ask questions. "Makin? Mommy"  "Watchin'? Daddy?"  Doin? Mommy?"  Everything that is past tense happened "last night."  "Woody hat bwow way wast night."  "Go Bapa's house wast night."  Yesterday Dad and I were marveling at the fact that one day you'll just talk to us and it won't be a big deal.  Today, almost every single word makes us smile.  Everything you say is an exclamation!

 

You transitioned to your to your "big boy bed" seemlessly, although you're now waking up a bit earlier than you did before.  Every night you ask for "singin' and 'tories."  And when you sense that we're almost to the end of a story, you interrupt us and ask for "more 'tories."  Grampa must have told you a fascinating story about a little boy named Tom and the big snake he found hiding under a rock, because you'd like every story to be about Tom (even when I try to tell you the story of Noah, you'd like his name to be "Tom," thankyouverymuch). 

The loves of your life, in no particular order:  Mommy, Daddy, Mama, Bapa, Nana, Papsy, Ainsley, garbage truck, chocolate milk, Woody, "Buzz Lightyear Car" Jesse, "outside back," and "nims."

 

Every morning.  First thing.  "Watch Woody?!?"  We've usually finished one of the three Toy Story movies by 8am.  As soon as the credits start rolling, "Watch Woody 'gain, Mommy?"

 

A nasty diaper rash led us to attempt the potty.  You hate it.  Oh well.

You can count to 16 (random, I know), sing your ABC's (only miss a few letters every once in a while), and identify colors (purple is always hard).

 

Also, you are officially two.  "Two" in every sense of the word.  Strong-willed, independent, demanding, and vocal.  More on that in a later post (or maybe not, as perhaps I'll choose to forget it once it passes).

 

You challenge us and exhuast us every day, but as I pray over you while you sleep at night, I can never wait to hug you and talk to you again the next morning.