independence and favorites

So... what's he doing now?

Whatever it is he's doing it by himself!

Not that we're not, like, teaching him things... but some of these things he must have picked up by watching us or learning from the teachers and other kids at daycare. Anyway, here's the list!

I love that he has favorites. He doesn't (yet) have a "lovey", the one must-have security item that must be present at all naptimes and bonked-head-in-need-of-comfort times, hugs and kisses do just fine for now.

Dr. Seuss' ABCs always gets a smile. This was my favorite book as a child, apparently to the point where I had the book memorized! Oh, history really does repeat itself... I currently have the book memorized. :) The other night we were in the car on our way home from eating and he was just tired of sitting and started getting pissed... so I started rattling off rhymes and soon he was giggling.

Me: Big D... little d... What begins with D? Doughnuts and a duck-dog!
Oliver: D... D... D!
Me: Big R... little r... What begins with R? Rosy's red rhinocerous! R... r... R...
Oliver: Arrrrrr!

My dude loves Elmo. They have a chicken dance Elmo at daycare, and when you push his foot he sings... "Elmo wants to be a chicken, Elmo wants to be a duck... *quack quack quack!"

This morning he spied his Elmo hoodie in his dresser and pointed, saying "mo mo! MO MO!" So, guess what he's wearing today?

He loves his Roxie! We got him a big ball that he tosses around - he laughs so much when she jumps up to chase it. I can't wait to see him in the back yard together!

Lately if you say "Oliver, let's go change your diaper" he'll walk down the hall and wait for you at the door. Most of the time once you open the door he'll either take off toward the books in his closet or behind the rocking chair to play peek-a-boo. Still better than running away from a diaper change, though!

This walking down the hall trick will sometimes work for "Oliver, want to go nite nite?" Sometimes.

Other things he wants to do by himself:

• Put on his socks, shoes and sometimes his pants
• Take off his socks, shoes and pants
• Run
• Eat with silverware

Seriously, these days he'll eat almost anything as long as it's speared on the end of a fork. We didn't teach him this really, except by example, which is why it blows my mind that this is how he prefers to eat. At least he's not surviving on applesauce and peas any more! (That was so two weeks ago.) He's getting pretty good at spooning mashed potatoes too.

He's also started to develop a little bit of patience. A little. He will hand me his sippy cup when it's empty and most of the time actually not cry when I walk away, and wait for me to bring back some more milk.

Our son enjoys routine. Most days I get home from work, we eat dinner, then Nick goes to take a shower. Oliver and I read books and do all kinds of playing, but once Daddy comes out of the bathroom door it's "Da Dee!" and off he goes down the hall. We have been practicing having him walk holding one of our hands, and so he gets up, walks over to his dad, takes his hand and leads him to the bedroom. Like, "OK now you go here, and put on pajama pants, and then we pick things up like shoes and dog chew bones and bring them to mommy in the living room now, right? OK GO."

He's got a new tickle spot on his jawbone and is working on saying "Ollie" and "love you". Just plain killing me.


TOY STORY TENT! COMPLETE WITH REX INSIDE!