Two Years Old

Today is the kiddo's second birthday. It's hard to imagine that just two years ago we were busily driving down the east coast toward him when we got the phone call that he'd been born. He is such an integral part of our family and our lives that I can't fathom what life would be without him in it.

Climbing is the name of the game these days - if it can be climbed, it will be climbed. I caught him levering himself up onto the piano just this morning. What's terrifying is that he has the upper body strength to pull himself onto something taller than him using only his arms. He doesn't need, really, to climb with his feet and legs (of course, if he has foot holds, that's all the better). He also will push chairs around and use them for that extra bit of a boost if he can't get a good grip from standing on the floor.

Basically it's just a really good thing that our bookcases and such are all bolted into the walls.

He's getting into 3 and 4 word sentences as well (though more often than not he forgets his pleases and thank yous, we're working on that.) It's delightful to participate in the conversations as he works through various concepts. A common conversation if we're going out and about goes like this:

Him: Mommy drive the car.
Me: Yes, mommy is driving the car. Kiddo's in his seat. We're going to the store!
Him: Mommy drive the car to store.
Me: Mommy's driving the car to the store.
Him: Mommy seat belt?
Me: Mommy's wearing her seat belt. Kiddo has his special seat belt on.
Him: Kiddo's seat belt! Kiddo drive car.
Me: Oh, are you driving us to the store?
Him: I drive the car.
Me: Kiddo drives the car.
Him: Mommy drives the car. *pause* Daddy drives the car. *pause* Cassi drives the car! *pause* Lala drives the car. *pause* Papa drives the car. *pause* Mimi drives the car! *pause* Pipa drives the car. *Pause* Mima drives the car. *pause* Yogurt drives the car.

And from there we get to hear about all the other adventures of yogurt. Because once the boy latches onto a dairy product, we're done thinking about anything else.