Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Cole at 22 Months

This post is really just so I can remember all that this little person does... for right now!

Things have been pretty boring around here, unless you count the constant screaming/crying/whining/laughing that comes with having a 22 month old.

Cole is definitely coming into his own lately. He is still only saying his three words (Dad, Dozer and no) and has greatly perfected his use of 'no'. For a long time, he would just yell no at the dog (we must yell at the dog a lot, poor guy!), but lately he says no to everything! Ask any question and you will more than likely hear some intonation of no- from soft and defeated to loud and protestable. He is definitely getting his use out of this word, and making us laugh all the while. He also recently started saying uh-oh, so if he is not saying no, he is saying uh-oh (he's still working on the correct usage of uh-oh, but sometimes gets it right!)

He makes me laugh about a hundred times a day, and yet has me wanting to rip my hair out at about the same rate. He loves to try to help with everything (getting dressed (he will actually bring me underwear, shirts, and shoes while I'm getting ready in the morning), dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, feeding the dog, refilling our drinks (he helps me push the buttons at the gas station and helps Dad by "pouring" his sippy cup into his if its empty), placing groceries on the counter at check out, "organizing" the groceries in the cart- although this usually causes me more headaches than not, and helping Dad with whatever he can get his little hands on), though he typically causes more work in the end. He loves- and is obsessed- with everything "Dad"! At the grocery store today, in fact, as we walked past the liquor section he just started (and kept) screaming for his "Dad". I have to remind him constantly that Dad's at work, to the point that when we read books at night that mention work, he says "Dad?"

He is very clever and seems to pick up on everything! We have become very careful about what we do in front of him, because even though he won't repeat what we say, he definitely copies our actions! He has to imitate everything his Dad does, most of what I do, and he has even taken to going out on the deck with Dozer, popping a squat, and pretending to do his 'business' alongside him (even looking between his legs and around his backside to see if anything has 'happened'!) This is actually a very hysterically funny event, that I will really try to get on video! He loves going on the deck with Dad and his very own binoculars to glass for animals (though he has no clue that's what he's doing) and just spending every minute he can with him. He also becomes a completely emotional wreck anytime he watches Abe drive away from the house, which breaks my heart, and becomes equally excited upon his return. He is also Abe's "biggest fan". Sometimes he is mine, but he is super impressed with all his dad does, and applauds every action. He is also a huge fan of himself, clapping enthusiastically at all he does.

He also loves to "dance." His signature move is a stamping of his right foot and then he will occasionally sway side to side, and follow that with a pivoting on his left foot. He will also rub his fingers together saying "tch-tch-tch" in place of snapping his fingers (again, a funny moment I need to get on video!) He especially loves to dance to "Handy Manny" songs and will even try to "da da-da da-da" to the music, and also mimics sounds he hears in other songs. He is also a jumping fiend, and is either jumping on (and off) the air mattress in his room (long story) or jumping/galloping around the house, laughing all the way!

He is also obsessed with all things cars/trucks! He plays with his cars the majority of the day and especially loves to use Abe's and my legs as his roadways. He thoroughly enjoys Abe playing trucks with him and the two of them will drive trucks and make operating sounds for hours! He has certainly developed quite the motor sound repertoire, if nothing else, and loves nothing more than getting new cars! He is also obsessed with garbage cans. Not the ones in the house, but the big ones on the street. He spends his Fridays in a state of panic in the window of his play room, staring at the cans in what he feels to be a precarious spot on the curb.

All in all, he is the joy of our lives and the purpose of my existence. I melt every time I look in those incredible, blue eyes (screaming or not) and am so grateful he is all mine (and, I guess, Abe's too!)

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