Our Little Boy is Growing Up

Howie has grown into a little toddler within the last few months. It really hit home when we recently went to see some dear friends of ours in the hospital after delivering their new baby boy.
His face has lost a lot of the baby fat and his haircut makes him look ready for preschool.
We are enjoying watching him discover life as he tries to make sense of the world...

• The fork is a mealtime challenge that excites him. He grips it with his fist (we will be working on his utensil grip so he is ready to hold a pencil and write books in kindergarten!) and jabs several times at a chunk of soft food such as chicken, tofu or pears. Such joy when the food gets to his mouth! It usually results in spontaneous clapping.
• He now says thank you at more appropriate times such as when you give him a sippy cup or when he is leaving the doctor's office. "Tank Ou!" It's enough to melt my heart (and the hearts of everyone else in the room) every time. It was reported that he was even using his manners in the church nursery this past Sunday. Our next word to add to the vocabulary: "Sorry". It will come in handy during those "self-regulation issues" when another child gets whacked in the face with his hand.
• Howie understands the importance of keeping a tidy environment. He gets very concerned when food falls on the floor, when his sippy cup is tipped over, or when his blankie is not properly put back into his bed in the morning... "Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh...." until he addresses the concern or you fix it for him.
• We are picking up vocabulary all over the place. Words include "gentle, Jakey, mama, dada, Emma, thank you, and no no". He likes to reprimand Jakey every time we exit the car. I pull him out of his car seat and he wags his finger at the dog in the side yard and says, "No, no.... no, no." Do you think Jake gets in trouble a lot? Yes.
• Our son is not just walking anymore, he is running, climbing stairs, and marching. Yes, marching, well only with one foot for now. He can slither down a flight of stairs at an impressive rate. He looks so much like a snake that it sometimes gives me the heebie-geebies.
• Shoes have become a new obsession. He enjoys finding shoes around the house and bringing them to the people they belong to. He will try to put them on that person, and does not quite understand the concept of only wearing one pair at a time. We've had several frustrated moments when Mommy won't put on the shoes he is holding because she is already wearing some.
• We are slowly learning how to demonstrate self control. Howie still likes to chuck things across the room, especially when he is mad or bored. He has recently showed some restraint when he hears, "No, if you throw again it's time-out." Time-out consists of 30 seconds to one minute in the pack-n-play. It's proving to be quite effective for now. He will refrain from throwing if he is having a good day.

Of course, there is always room for improvement. He still eats sand by the handful, throws pebbles at the playground and will not tolerate more than 15 minutes in his car seat. We love our little guy and he brings us so much happiness. It is a privilege to be a part of his growth and development.