23 Months

I have a minute to post so thought I would…..Drew is 23 months old.  That means, in one more month, my plate pictures are over.  It's not that I don't enjoy them….I do….and I can't wait to get Drew's "yearbook" in the mail (okay, I need to make it first, but you know what I mean) because it will show all his monthly pictures in order and I will shed a few tears over how quickly the months go by and how darn fast they grow.  Life with a 23 month old is interesting.  I have laughed so much at/with my kid lately that I can't begin to even describe the moments.  For starters, his vocabulary is steadily improving.  (Does Shannon O or Suzanne G read this??  I just said "steadily" and immediately thought of yall).  He tries to repeat what you say when he is in the mood, so be careful what you say.  Recently, Drew and I were eating lunch with my friend/coworker, Morgan and she passively said "Oh gosh"…..and immediately, Drew (while stuffing his face with rice), repeated her.  We both were floored!  Later, he said her name quite clearly.  He has been able to say Bop, Soo Soo and GiGi (Edyie) for sometime now.  He also says Boo (Louie), boat, wice (rice or ice), shoes, MiMi (Mickey), YayYay (Daisy), BeepBeep (Car), Ball, Nana (banana), WOW, No way, Oh No, Mama Out, Mama In (meaning mama get in or out of the crib so I can stand/bounce/lean on or snuggle you in my crib).  SN- I don't sleep with my child and never have.  Occasionally, after nap or in the morning he thinks I'm a human jungle gym that delivers directly to his bed.  He loves it for 2.5 minutes then is over it and wants me out.  I don't mind either way and we usually end up in fits of giggles).  His latest breakthrough with words was been Papa and Sassy so that is fun.  My favorite "word" lately has been Phhwwweeeeee Youuuu Mama.  When he gets up and I'm changing his diaper, I'll ask him if he has a stinky.  If he does, my normal response is PEEEEEE-YOUUUUU….which he has turned into Phweeee Youuu Mama.  Sometimes he will say it after we put him down for bed/nap and its a ploy to get him out of bed again…..I give him a sniff to see if he is fibbing and lay him back down if there isn't one.  Just for the record, there has never been one when he has claimed it to be so on his own.  So we aren't quite ready for potty training yet.  :)  

As for his eating habits, we are in the thick of the picky eating phase….foods that he ate perfectly fine a year ago, he will turn his nose up to.  If it isn't presented to his taste, forget it.  In fact, just tonight, I gave him plain yogurt (sweetened it with a lil honey) and instead of putting the frozen blueberries on his plate, I put them on his yogurt.  Well, that did NOT work and he pitched a fit and wouldn't touch any of the blueberries if they had a dot of yogurt on them.  Mind you, he will eat a bowl full of yogurt no problem when it isn't tainted with berries.  THE NERVE OF ME!  :)  Seriously though, he is tough to feed.  He eats the heck out of bananas, apples, applesauce, yogurt (normally), everything bagel with cream cheese, bacon, waffles, chicken nuggets (if they look right), crackers, pretzels, sausage (if he is wearing the right pajamas, the temperature in the house is 68.25 and if Marla says the weather is going to be cloudy with a chance of heat exhaustion).  Oh and he likes grapes and raisins.  Sometimes pimiento cheese….but sometimes not.  Oh and definitely hummus…..with pine nuts.  Anyways, feeding him is a challenge….recently, I have snuck avocado into his applesauce so that is reassuring.  I've decided that (if I'm in charge of dinner, which isn't terribly often b/c I'm at practice) that i will fix him a plate of dinner that offers several different good foods….he eats what he eats and when he is done, his plate goes away.  No dessert or snacks later.  He has gone to bed hungry for sure, but it has never affected him in his sleep and he eats a heck of a breakfast the next day.  OH but if we go to the local mexican restaurant (where he has frequented since he was 2 weeks old), he eats anything on my plate.  Even the salsa and sour cream.

School is going really well for Drew.  I'm so glad we went ahead and started school in August.  It hasn't been the easiest of transitions at drop off but he is FINE 2.2 seconds after I leave.  Actually, this week, he didn't really cry the first two days.  He tried his best to get me to stay (sat on me) but once he realized I was leaving or that a toy he wanted needed his attention, he was off and playing.  When I go get him, he is always playing, learning, socializing and having a grand ole time.  It is such a great place and i'm so thankful for Katie and Tabitha who are wonderful to my child.  They told me in the beginning that he would change so much over the course of this year and they were so right.  Just looking at pictures from his first day/week is crazy….he looks so much more grown up now :(

Drew is still really into obsessed with Mickey Mouse and friends.  Daisy (yayay) is his current crush and the pure excitement he exudes when you ask him if he wants to watch Mickey is hilarious.  He also loves playing with his new beep beep (tractor power wheel), basketball, cars, his bells, his golf clubs and anything grown up that he shouldn't play with. He is pretty good with puzzles and has more of an interest in books these days.  He is still awful to read with because he doesn't like to listen, he likes to destroy the book and "read" out of order.  That is hard for this OCD mama!  He is also getting really good with more complex requests…..such as asking him to find something and bring it to you, etc.  I asked where Hook was so we could keep Jake and the Neverland Pirate toys all together and he looked up at me, walked over to his grocery cart, dug through his toy fruit and found Hook!  David and I nearly lost it with excitement.  He also understands when you ask him to throw something away, wipe something off, etc.  So fun.

Anyways, my boy is a social child when he wants to be and twice at lunch this week, he left our table and walked up to another table of strangers, joined them and chatted.  Alone.  So funny.  Anyways, 23 months is a great age and I look forward to all it has to offer!!!  We are MEETING MICKEY MOUSE THIS MONTH….AT DISNEY.  I can't wait for that post.