The Countdown to 2

Felix will be 2 in just a week. He's getting more independent every day and his language skills and antics continue to entertain me.

He doesn't know colors or shapes yet and he's nowhere near ready to start potty training (those seem to be standard toddler benchmarks.) But in everything he does, I can see the gears turning. He loves to study the world around him and see how things work. He is really focused on jumping lately. When I pick him up at daycare, the first thing he does is run over and jump, as if to show how much he's practiced during the day. He still can't stick the landing unless he's holding my hands.

His favorite words lately are gone and see. He combines them with words he already knows to ask questions and talk about where we've been and where we're going. "See mommy, see? Puppy." or "Baby gone? Hou." (When we leave the house of a friend with a baby.) He asks where we're going when we get in the car with "Boppa hou?" (Are we going to grandpa's house?) And everything that isn't in the room with us is "gone". I noticed a while ago he would say every word like a question, possibly seeking my confirmation he'd chosen the right words and was understood. But in the past couple of weeks he's started saying them more confidently, so not everything is a question.

After learning to blow air out his nose in swimming lessons, I had to reteach him to blow with his mouth so he can blow out candles next week. Anytime he hears the word "birthday", he says "hot" and blows out an imaginary candle. 

Pretending to sleep... with a smirk.

Helping with dinner.

He learned to press the keys and move the accordion to make music - I never showed him!

He can take his shirt, shoes and socks off. No pants yet.