July

Our toddler is talking lots and I love hearing it. It was July 10th when I decided to stop writing down the words he says. They were multiplying fast. A few of the not-mostly-for-labeling words he says are: mama, daddy, thank you, help, up, down, upstairs, downstairs, all done, outside. He uses mama appropriately, but I've recently realized that it also means big. And baby means small. He uses the plural s and the possessive s (to say mama's, like when he doesn't want part of his meal he'll push it toward me and say "mama's").

He's still interested in letters. Someday I'll convince him that Z, 2, S, and 5 aren't all N. It won't be easy.

There was a week or so where he complained about naptime and bedtime, which was unlike him, but he loves them again.

He loves going outside. When he remembers that he loves slides he goes down them lots. Sometimes the stairs to the slide are just as exciting though and he'd rather use them to get back down.

They both love going outside. We spend a lot of time out there and if I feel too tired to go outside I'm definitely too tired to not go outside, having that time helps them be happy and get along the rest of the day too.

The boys play together a lot. Sometimes it feels like there's lots of arguing, but those times are outnumbered by the times they play together happily. Little brother definitely follows and imitates his big brother. And also gets quite upset at him at times, he knows what he wants.

Our preschooler's speech is also improving all the time. He likes to tell us things, and I've heard some pretend play with his toys.

He likes to pretend to be a baby. We don't like the baby talk but he's usually okay about having to repeat it correctly. He wants to be in a high chair which I don't mind because it keeps him seated during meals. Though eventually I'll be too pregnant to be able to help him in and out of it.

Painting birthday cards for daddy. (Toddler's first time painting!)


Taste testing the watermelon. They both love it and we had lots of watermelon this month.


Cleaning the windows.


Playing out front.



Legos, and his response to a request for a smile.


Sunday family trip to the park, and his response to a request for a smile.


Wagon!


Rocking horse! He got this for his first birthday and it spent a lot of the year put away where he couldn't really play with it. I brought it back out a couple of weeks before he turned 2 and I'm glad I finally did because he loves it!


Grandma & painting with water.


Getting comfy.


While mommy gets ready for church. (I usually do before they are up or before Hot Cup leaves, but not this time.)


Watching dolphins on youtube.


Dinosaur & skinned knee.


He doesn't actually go potty, but he loves sitting there anyway. And on the big ones (with a training seat, see the green in the background). He doesn't care which so long as he gets a turn.