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Mr. Fixit tightens the leg on a chair
It has been pretty firmly established: Dad is where it’s at. Everywhere I go, everything I do, Joe is following right along and wanting to get involved in some way. If I have a drill out for something, I have to give him his own drill (he has several plastic tools) and allow him to help get the job done. He helps with gardening, laundry, cleaning, checking email, and any attempted home repairs. He wants to do everything just like “Dada!”
This really is an amazing time. He’s beginning to recognize and explore his autonomy (and yes, exerting his will). We’ve known for some time that he’s exceptionally strong and fast! But now his fine motor skills are developing to the point where he can manipulate objects and come close to using things as they’re intended. And to my delight, his imagination is emerging so that he can use things as they’re not intended just as well! As home-fixer-uppers, we’re ecstatic to see Joe reaching a point where we can give him some instruction and modeling and he can occupy himself imitating us while we tackle some of the things we need to accomplish on the house (for at least a couple of minutes at a time). He’s even starting to take these chores and turning them into his games.
Joseph Daniel Snow Removal, Inc.
Our first foray into sledding this past weekend is a perfect example. We got several inches of snow followed by some crazy low temperatures. The snow on the roads was tightly packed and nice and slick. It was perfect for a trip out with the new pull-behind sled that we bought to take Joe snowshoeing after Christmas. He had a blast. Shortly afterwards, he had almost as much fun as we learned to shovel snow. ”Push, push, push, push, stop. Dump!” (This last part set him to giggling every time.) All of this activity set him up for a day with Mommy today.
Shannon has been doing an occasional childcare swap with the mother of a little girl. Maggie’s and Joe’s birthdays are a day apart. They are so alike in many ways that it can be surprising.
Joe and Maggie sledding
Perhaps it’s her more advanced vocabulary. Perhaps it’s Joe’s helpful nature. Whichever the case, she can boss him around to the point where he’ll fetch toys on command! Today, Mommy and the “twins” went out onto the neighbors’ driveway to play with the sled, and Joe (always ready to move, lift, drag, hoist, or carry anything) got the chance to play draught pony to Maggie’s delight.
Sweet little Maggie has our little Joe whipped. It seems that Joe has an Alpha Woman in his life…just like “Dada!”
Click on the picture for a video snippet
Our little weed may be a broadleaf, who knows! Joe is still a peanut in height at about 31 inches* and weighing in right around 25 pounds (but he’s pushing nearly past a size 18-24, and his Flinstone feet have swelled him into a size 7). Our recent visit to see Joe’s cousin Kaden in California, who is about a week older and probably 5 inches taller, proved Joe’s peanut status! (This time we took videos, so as soon as I can figure out how to edit, we’ll upload some of those.) Here’s a quickie update on the latest milestones and moments:
Favorite Halloween costume: Jimi Hendrix. Joe dressed up as an adorable jester on Halloween, but the Jimi Hendrix costume he wore to Boo at the Zoo was the real winner, especially since he wore mommy’s vintage suede fringed vest from when she was little!
Favorite Parent: still “Dada”
Favorite Food: dried soybeans (hey, this is the kid who loves salad)
Favorite Song: anything by the Imagination Movers. He also likes the songs from the super-cool Blue Moo album.
Favorite Quiet Time Activity: drawing with crayons or pens
Favorite motion: galloping like a horse or hopping like a bunny
Favorite Toy: It’s a tie between the toy cleaning cart with vacuum (just like mommy’s), broom, mop, etc. and the Playskool Air-tivity Busy Ball Popper
Recent “firsts:” signing please, saying please (“peas”) and thank you (“tank yu”), sitting on the potty on his own without first putting it on his head (we’re just introducing the potty concept), enjoying having his teeth brushed (he likes to use his own toothbrush, then he lets mommy or daddy use a baby finger brush), getting baths in the “big boy” bathtub (the clawfoot) and, of course, all the ones that we’re not thrilled about, including climbing/falling out of his crib (once), tantrums, pulling hair, picking his nose (and eating it), and getting hysterical at the doctor’s office. Hello, Terrible Twos.
Newest achievement: he’s off bottle entirely!
“Highest” achievement: using the chair to climb onto the table, then climbing onto the window sill and hanging on by the window molding while hitting the window. (Except for that time last month when Joe climbed onto the radiator and pounded against the front window, I’ve never seen Dan react so quickly!) Joe also pushes his potty to wall, then stands on it, to reach the light switch.
Latest words: Please, thank you (both signed too), Joe, water (wa wa), down, wow, uh-oh. Joe’s still not articulating much these days, and the doctor wants us to lose the binkies. I have to admit that he makes more sense and talks more when he doesn’t have anything in his mouth.
Favorite TV: The Monkey Boys. OK, it’s not a show, but the puppet “hosts” of Disney’s morning kids programming. Joe stops and looks at the TV everytime he hears Did the monkey mail come? Did the monkey mail come? The monkey mail came. Well, who’s it from? He also likes the Imagination Movers, Wiggles, and Johnny and the Sprites. He isn’t as interested in cartoons, though. Joe has, however, started pointing to the TV in our room when he wants us to turn it on. He doesn’t sit and watch. Instead, he ignores the TV and plays until a song comes on, then he’ll start dancing! Oh, and if mommy’s watching TV, he generally ignores it…unless Rachel Ray comes on. I swear, the kid gawks at pretty girls!
Latest “test” for mama: the quivering-lip open-mouthed I-want-something-I-can’t-have cry, which still is not nearly as effective as the puppy-dog whine he’s mastered.
Worst travel moment: screaming and crying for 20 minutes on the plane to California for Thanksgiving. Definitely the worst kid on that flight (yes, we were “that” family), but he did sleep the rest of the time. And he was an angel on the return flight.
Next steps: potty training. Ugh.
*There is some dispute about his height. He’s now terrified of the doctor’s office (thanks, Kaiser Permanente and your terrible bedside manner), so it was virtually impossible to measure him accurately. Based on how far his little head (‘fro not included) pokes up over the table, we estimate he is approximately 31 inches high.
A couple of weeks ago, we took Joe to visit Santa Claus. Last year, Joe was fairly skeptical of the jolly old fellow, but this year he was downright terrified the second that Dan set him down on Santa’s lap. We decided to capture the moment (for posterity, of course) and still giggle every time we see it, so thought we’d share.
And don’t worry. Joe wasn’t traumatized. He stopped crying as soon as daddy “rescued” him from the scary fat man’s lap. He got a toy out of the deal and lots of hugs from daddy. (It’s at times like these that mommy just won’t do if daddy’s around…)
Lately, Joe has been exhibiting a lot of stranger anxiety. He is still a bit shy around Dan’s mom, even though he’s seen her several times. In fact, when we visited my family at Thanksgiving, he didn’t want to go to his aunties and wouldn’t even look at Big Daddy (Granddaddy Bill), all of whom he’s spent time with as recently as August. I’m sure it’s just a phase that he’ll outgrow. I guess it’s better than having him befriend strangers!
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