2 Years Old

So much happened last month that I barely know where to begin!

We spent a few days in Portland so that I could attend an infant massage instructor workshop.  You and Papa got lots of quality time together while I was in class.  We also had some time together as a family to go to the Portland Zoo.  The animals seemed to be only moderately interesting to you.  The big highlight was riding the zoo train.

There is also an old steam engine outside the zoo grounds called "Peggy."  You were able to climb on it and pretend to drive it.  You adored Peggy and cried hard when we had to leave.

 

Another big event this month was our visit with Uncle Levi, Aunt Adrienne, and your cousins, Indigo, Jaden and River.  We met up with them in Redmond and stayed for a couple of nights at a resort.  You enjoyed hanging out with the kids.  You and River spent a long time working on a project of your own design, putting bits of grass, sticks and leaves in the crevices of a tree trunk.

We rented some bikes one day, and on our ride we saw a knuckleboom loader.  Weeks later when we saw one in one of your construction books, you said, "That like one we saw with Uncle Levi."  You also occasionally tell me, "I like Uncle Levi," or "My thinking about Jaden / Indigo," or you ask me, "Talk about River?"   I'm sure I'll say it a million times more, but I wish we lived closer to them!

Blackberry picking with Lucy and her mama.  Lucy was interested in holding your hand, and you nonchalantly allowed this. 

We've been meeting up most weekends with Miles and his mama at the library.  You are no longer interested in going to music time (I think it is just more kids and commotion than you like), so we have a nice routine of returning last week's books, playing in the courtyard (shown below), getting new books, and eating a bagel at the cafe. 

With Miles in his wagon.

Current favorite book: Curious George Goes to a Costume Party.  There is a line that makes you absolutely crack up every time I read it: "That's not a ghost, it's a cowboy!  That's not a cowboy, it's a monkey!  That's not just any monkey, it's Curious George!"  Endless giggles!

Pretending to be a digger (or doing some meditative Tai Chi).  Little wise one.

Hanging out with Grammy.  Best buddies. 

 A visit from friends, Mark and Karen before they headed off on another adventure.

 An absolutely fantastic day at Alsea Falls. 

 Potty training your baby doll.

You, being your sweet, funny, wonderful self. 

Family Photo Shoot by Kelli G

My friend and co-worker, Kelli G, has been doing our family photos since I was pregnant with Teo.   Here is another batch of great shots she took this summer at Hendrick's Park.

 

 

 

 

23 Months - All Aboard the Potty Train

Dear Teo,

Next month you'll be two years old!  When we ask you how old you are, you say, "Almost ten."  You are so proud of being a big boy.  

One of your favorite things to do these days is yard work - raking, shoveling, pulling weeds, using your pretend blower, mower and trimmer.  And most exciting of all is this wonderful John Deer tractor, which Opapa sent you as a birthday gift.  You spend time everyday riding it, pushing it around the yard, and fixing it. 

 

New words and phrases:  

"Troublesome Trucks" (along with pretty much every other Thomas the Train character ever created)

"Celebration" (when talking about birthday parties)

"Special" (when talking about all the toys you don't want to share with Oceana - "That mine special lawn mower.")  

and "I thinking 'bout that."

While playing the game where you pretend to eat my nose -  Me: "Don't eat my nose, Mateo!"  You, looking at me with the sweetest smile: "Mommy, that mine special nose."  Ahhh, melt my heart.

After you peed in your potty by yourself, I said, "Well look at that, Teo, you are potty training yourself!" You replied, glancing at your Thomas the Train set, "Where potty train go, mama?"

Holding up a piece of bark from a tree: "Mommy!  Dog bark!"

After I told you we couldn't go to the park:  You sat on my lap and said, quite seriously, "Mommy, talk 'bout it," wanting to have a discussion.  

Preparing for our blueberry picking by "eating" play-doh blueberries.

And, the real thing.

Oce, too.

Yoga pose

New trike - thanks, Auntie Sarah!

With buddies, Miles and Laura at the park.

Impromptu dance with a kite ribbon.

Gratitude (and Belly Buttons)

Dear Teo,

ALL WHO WANDER ARE NOT LOST  -  This evening, you and I went for a walk (you rode your tricycle).  We went about a half mile, and during the course of our excursion, your bike changed from a fire truck to a riding lawn mower to a motorcycle.  We forgot your real helmet, so I put an imaginary helmet on you, and every couple blocks you'd ask me to change your helmet to a different color.  We stopped to look at a pear tree, a green muscle car, and a house that you said was "not mine house" but "I live there someday."  We talked the entire time.  I love you.  I love hearing your thoughts and sharing time with you this way.  It truly fills my heart.

Wonder

SHOW ME THE BEE-BOO!  So . . . you've started this thing where whenever you nurse, you put your finger in my belly button (bee-boo) . . . a tangible symbol of our connection.  One day, when you were playing in the sprinkler, you got sprayed in the face.   You said, with some urgency, "Mama!  Open up!"  "Open what, Teo?" I asked.  "See bee-boo!" you hollered, I think because you needed just a bit of comfort. 

 Relaxing

"COME HOME MOMMY" - One day when you were having a tough time waiting for me to get home from work, Grammy came up with the ingenious idea of singing a "Come Home, Mommy" song.  You and she made it up together, and it really comforts you. 

Friendship

Play

Investigating

Interesting discovery -  One day, out of the blue, you commented, "Mommy, I not have dog bone in mine foot."  I was #1 amazed by the length of your sentence, and #2 totally boggled as to how you came up with that conclusion.  I didn't even know you knew what a bone was! 

 Independence

Getting Bigger - Grammy always tells you that you get bigger when you sleep.  So, occasionally you'll crawl into bed and tell me "Go sleep, mommy.  Get bigger."  This is about the easiest way to put a kid to bed I can imagine (of course we read about a hundred books every night, so it does take a long time to actually reach the point of sleep, but I'm not complaining!). 

Exploration

Favorite Saying:  When I say "Jeeze Louise" you giggle like nothing else, and then say "Again, Mommy" over and over.  

Connection

Galloper -  One of the special things that you and Papa do together is a weekly bike excursion to Bounce gymnastics.  When you get home, you always have a lot to say about the things you see on the bike ride.  Sometimes he takes you to see some horses in a nearby field, and feed them carrots and apples.  After one of these outings, Papa drew a horse on your chalkboard and called it Galloper.  Now you love to gallop around the house singing "Galloper, Galloper, Galloper!"

 Curiosity

GIVING THANKS - We've started singing a new song as a way of expressing thanks for what makes us happy.  "Give thanks to the Mother Earth.  Give thanks to the Father Sun.  Give thanks to the plants in the garden where the Mother and the Father are one.  Give thanks, give thanks, for all good things give thanks."  You've caught onto this idea and now say "thanks" for so many things.  "Thanks coming home, Mommy."  "Thanks cooking fish, Papa."  "Thanks home.  Thanks river.  Thanks train."  You offer a great reminder to me to stay in touch with my own gratitude.  

 Pure joy!

21 Months - Papa Love, Sweet Mama and Honey Pie

Dear Teo,

Here you are with your beloved "Animal Train."  You and Papa have created a game, repeated daily, where you direct Papa which boxcar to put each of your toy animals on. You then ring our Tibetan singing bowl (which you call the "ding-ding") to make the sound of the train signal. 

The mailman, "mail-mail guy" is another current interest of yours.  You check the mailbox with Papa each day, and you like to deliver postcards to your playhouse.  One morning you and I made a card for the mailman to say "Thanks mail-mail guy."  A few nights ago I made this felt mail bag for you.  

Tossing rocks in the lake at the arboretum outside Junction City.

Much to my delight, you have started calling me "sweet Mama," a phrase you picked up on because Grammy calls her kitten "sweet Abby."  You like it when I call you "Honey Pie," another Grammy-ism. 

Very happy at a party (not a birthday party, mind you), for our friends Lane and Amy. 

 

 Nature walk in a field near our house.  

 Masking Tape Nature Bracelet

Childhood adventures - Into a Troll Cave

Shadow drawings: Mama, Oceana, Grammy

 Playing the piano with your friend Lucy

Sand play with Oceana

 

Just like papa.

 

We celebrated Fathers Day this month.  You helped me bake Papa a "Happy Cake."    I also made him this wordle out of phrases that you use to talk about him and the special things you two do together.