Will Update

Ever since Will passed the 24 month/2 year milestone, I haven't blogged much about him (ok, I haven't blogged much in general really...) and all that he is doing.  He is a vivacious, clever, ball of energy that keeps us going non-stop.  Just a few thoughts of what his life is like lately...

He's been attending a little preschool class one day a week at this place called My Gym.  Before attending the preschool we were doing a Mom/Tot gym type class together where they worked on balancing, gymnastic type exercises.  The preschool is set up where they still have one of the "gym" classes (without parents, just the "coaches" or teachers) for an hour and then age-appropriate learning activities/hands-on experiments for the last hour.  It's been amazing to see how much his language has grown (from saying a couple 1-word phrases to full on sentences...I'd like to think some of my SLP background has something to do with it, but I really think it's from school and the educational games he plays on the iPad...sad, hahaha) and how much he has learned!  Today in the car he was singing the alphabet to me.  He's learned how to count up to 20 pretty accurately.  Whenever we're driving around he's constantly asking me to help him find a certain number or letter.  He loves looking at our digital clocks and telling us the numbers he sees.  Or reading the letters off the covers of books. He has his shapes and colors down and is, also, constantly pointing them out wherever we are.  The initial separation at drop-off is still a bit sketchy, sometimes it's an easy split but sometimes it's torture but *knock on wood*, I think we've reached a milestone where he's pretty content and happy being left there now (with 2 weeks left in the school year, haraah!)

He's still very obsessed with trains -- loves playing with them, loves "finding" them when we're driving, loves turning his food or chalk or binkies (yeah, we need to break that habit...) into them.  Loves. Trains.  He's started creating his own little games around the house that he plays by himself (because this momma, at 35 weeks pregnant, is having a hard time doing anything except sitting and watching to make sure he stays alive) and loves loves LOVES playing with his dad.  They have some cute games ("boom against the wall" on the trampoline, the "baaaa" monster game, bowling with soda jugs, frisbee games, and a new one tonight the "big bouncy ball" game) that he is constantly asking to play.  He has a great dad!

As far as the baby goes, up until about 2 weeks ago Will would tell you that he wasn't excited for "baby."  Now, he says he's excited to teach him how to jump on the trampoline and watch George with him.  And that his name will be Train.  Or Ipad.  Both winners, right?  My sister, Ayrel, bought him a little baby doll when she was up here recently and he's taken a liking to it and loves having it sit in the high chair next to him while he eats, or feeding it it's bottles.  Sometimes he'll request a diaper.  He makes the crying noises for it as he drags it by a leg or arm (or drops it) around the house.  Besides helping to teach him about safety, I think he's going to be an amazing big brother :)

His best friends are still Boston and Abby, he asks for them constantly.  He's getting better about sharing but still, initially, has a hard time when someone comes into his space when he's not quite ready.  But it's amazing how much the quality of life has improved for everyone with his ability to reason and talk thru situations (like, why he's in time-out or why his friend might be crying after he yelled or hit them).  He still has his moments (don't all toddlers?) but they're becoming less stressful.  Minus the whole "No!" phase and the torture known as mealtime (oh.my.gaaaaaaash.  Meals are lasting fooooor-ever!!  He is so slow.  And fights every bite.  Please, share all the wisdom and knowledge you have about mealtime with a toddler!!) that we're going thru right now, I enjoy every minute with him.  His laugh is so contagious.  He still loves to have his binky and blanket, especially when he's sad or tired and it's one of those things that I know we need to address soon (like 6 months ago) but I just can't quite do it yet.

Going along with the mealtime comment above, he does do a great job with certain foods.  The highest on his "love" list are actually vegetables, with cucumbers and cauliflower being at the very top, followed by carrots, corn, edamame, broccoli, and peas.  He can never have enough of vegetables.  He's also a good eater when it comes to fruits (apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, and strawberries...he won't touch bananas though).  Enjoys the crackers and goldfish a little too much, cheese, fruit snacks, typical toddler-type food.  The hard part comes when it's the "main" course of the meal -- chicken (even nuggets...what toddler doesn't love chicken nuggets??), soup, sandwiches, etc.  But you know...we'll make it :)

It's hard to think that in a month he won't be my "baby" anymore.  He won't be a baby at all, he's almost three!  And I can't fathom how that went so quickly...I'm so grateful that I get to be his mom and look forward to what great things he's going to do.

This was our gender reveal for baby #2.  I think Will's facial expression states exactly how he felt about the whole situation.

Riding the Frontrunner, he was a very very happy boy that day.

Pruny hands, first time he'd ever noticed what happens when you're in the bath for a long time.

Just doing his thing with Abby.

At the Aquarium.

Making cookies with Mom.  Flour everywhere.  Success.

A boy and his cat.

Will and Abby being mischievous, using all my piano stickers to adorn their hands :)

Will and Boston

At the zoo.  This elephant was pretty interested in Will.

Riding the Heber Creeper with Boston.  He would not stop staring out the window.

So proud!!  Working on spelling his name.

Their daddies are very proud of this picture #frisbeegolf

First experience at Build-A-Bear with cousins Riley and Avery.

Learning the ways of Lincoln Logs with Dad.

Taking care of "baby."

Selfie time!

Getting a cool, hipster haircut from Kelli.  He did great!