State of the Toddler

Noah continues to keep us entertained.

He talks constantly. He he likes to narrate his activities "all done bathroom; monkey in there; big truck Noah drive." He can ask for demand things "draw! draw! New paper! Elmo music!" and will say please if we remind him to say it or tell him no. Example:

Noah: Dide? Dide!? (translation: outside)

Rachel: No honey, it is raining outside

Noah: Please???

He will randomly say "thank you" on his own after we give him something, which is a delight. Most of the time we remind him and he'll say it.

He will pick up random things that we say and repeat them. Example:

Rachel: No honey, it is raining outside

Noah: Honey! Honey!!

Please watch your language around the toddler.

Speaking of things he's picked up, he has stated calling Chad by his first name. Usually when he is telling Chad to do something. "Chad! Light off!" or "Chad, open!" I swear I do not talk to Chad this way. Really.

Also, anyone have any ideas about how to nip this in the bud?

Noah is getting really good at playing pretend. His favorite activities involve cooking:

He will pretend to heat something up and then deliver it to one of us and tell us what it is "hot pasta!" and what we should do "mommy eat it!!" He LOVES the game where he takes a cup and pretends to splash one of us with water "big splash!! Daddy all wet!!" FYI, if he tries this game with you, you are required to over-react to the pretend splashing. He'll then repeat and repeat and repeat the scenario.

Noah's memory and language are improving to the point where he can talk about things that happened earlier "big kids playground" or things that he can't see. For example, the other day Chad picked Noah up from day care because I had to work late. Noah saw him and asked "Mommy Yoga?" (I go to yoga one night a week)

Speaking of yoga, Noah can do a reasonably convincing downward facing dog and a terrible but adorable triangle pose. I will capture this on film eventually.

Potty training is going well - he never wears diapers at home and we have just started to take short trips away from the house (over to the playground, to Amelia's house, running to the grocery store) with underpants and regular pants. He still has one or two accidents a day, but is clearly progressing. Along those lines, I have no idea how it might be possible to potty train a toddler if you don't have hardwood floors.

Noah is interested in other kids, but is generally shy when actually around new ones. He is still totally in love with his friend Amelia, and when the two of them get together they alternate between parallel play, cooperative play, and actively ignoring each other. Oh, and arguing over toys.

Noah asks for Amelia about once a day, and also asks about "baby Hanley" (her 1 month old brother). Noah is very interested in babies, and wants to hug and kiss my belly all the time "hug baby! kiss!". This is quite adorable, but as I am a very ticklish person it is also kind of annoying. He loves reading the big brother books we have for him, but is clearly confused about the gender of the coming baby. Between Amelia's "new brother" and his upcoming role as "big brother" he doesn't really understand the concept of sister. We assume he will figure this out eventually...

In baby sister growing news, I am still rather pregnant.

27 weeks and counting, heading away from the happy cute belly trimester and into the oh man this is uncomfortable trimester.