April Likes & Dislikes

NATE'S LIKES • Drawing--well, having Mommy or Daddy draw cars, tractors, trucks, trains and buses • Eating (esp.chicken nuggets, fish sticks, tomatoes & blueberries)-- sometimes with a fork! • Books (but before we read, we must identify all the pictures of the cars in the book, then we can read the story from the beginning!) • Playing outside--even up North when it's 45 degrees • Running across the room, down the sidewalk, through the store, etc. • Splashing in the tub w/cars & boats during bathtime • Elephant rides on Daddy's back • Jumping or doing "trust falls" on the big bed • Playing with cars and trucks in the house, in the car, in a box, with a fox, here & there...everywhere! • Smiling & giving "head butts" (his sign of affection) • NATE'S DISLIKES • Diaper changes--we've got one wiggly, strong-willed little boy! • When he's up past his bedtime • Being told, "No!" • Loud noises • Being sick--this time was really a doozie!

Life As a 2-Year-Old!

Howdy y’all! What a fun time to be a little boy! I love this stage of toddlerhood! I’m really “getting it.” These past few months have been so fun. In fact that’s one of my new words. I love to say “fun” when I like something. Mommy was driving back from bible study this morning and we seemed to be flying over this hilly section of the road. From the backseat I shouted, “Weeeeee!;” followed by, “fun…gin…fun!” Nathaniel speak for, “That was fun! Let’s do it again!” I’m starting to count. We have 15 steps leading up to the second floor of our house. Mommy & Daddy usually count the steps as we go up and down. Hence, I can count to 15! I usually skip the number 5, but hey, I’m trying. I totally get the concept of “more than one,” too. Last month, when I wanted more, I would sign “more” (or “please”) or just say “mo’.” This month I say, “two.” When I see that Mommy has blueberries in her cereal in the morning (I LOVE blueberries), I say “bey-bey-bey.” Then Mommy says, “How do you ask?” I do the sign for “please” (or “thank you”) and Mommy says, “OK, that was a polite way to ask. You can have a blueberry.” Last week I discovered the secret, when she gives me a blueberry, I say “TWO.” Hah! Two is more than one! Now I realize that four is more than 1 or 2, so after she says, “OK, you can have a blueberry;” I say, “Four!” (Mother’s note: I wonder how long it will take for him to figure out 15 is more than 1, 2 or 4!) (Since the last mother’s note, he’s stopped saying “Four!” And now says, “1, 2, 8, 9, 10!” when he wants more than one of something.) I’m working on the ABC song. I know that letters exist. Whenever I see letters on the covers of books, I start singing a mumbled version of the ABC song (at least I start with “A,” get the right tune and throw in a couple of “E” sounds—I’m realizing a lot of letters sound like “E”). The other day, we got out of the black car and I was being the pokey little puppy working my way to the front door. Mommy came around the corner to find me and I was singing the ABC song in the driveway. I found the letters “CHRYSLER” on the side of the door, pointed, proudly announced “C!” and started singing. I’ve got a little over half of the letters down by recognition. I’m particularly fond of Q, T, E, A, C, B, P, O and K (not to be confused with X). I love to play an Elmo game on the computer that allows me to press a letter on the keyboard. Then Elmo tells me a word that starts with that letter and a picture of the word appears. If I accidentally hit the space bar, Elmo starts to laugh and says, “That tickles!” I love to sing other songs, too. I sway back and forth and sort of hum the tune usually shouting the last word of each line. For example, “Are You Sleeping” sounds something like this, “Ah-ah sleeping? Ah-ah sleeping? Mm-mm-John. Mm-mm-John. La-la-ringing. La-la-ringing. Dong. Dong!” Other favorite tunes include, “Wheels on the Bus” (complete with motions), “You Are My Sunshine,” “Old MacDonald” (he usually has a hen, frog, pig, or bull) and “Farmer in the Dell” (farmers have tractors and tractors have wheels. I like anything with wheels.) Let’s see, I still love books. My current favorites are, “Richard Scarey’s Things That Go,” “The Napping House,” “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” (I love labeling colors. My favorite color seems to be “g’een.” My face lights up whenever I say it.) “Noah’s Ark ,” “Little People Wheels Around Town” (or any of his other lift-a-flap books). I also love “Hooper Humperdink? Not HIM!,” “Green Eggs and Ham” (That’s the book Mommy read at the barbershop during my first professional haircut a few weeks ago.), the Berenstain Bears, any of my “Cars” books, “Thomas and the School Trip,” and “I SPY” books (I can find all the cars, trains, buses, vans, etc.) As I approached my second birthday, a new word popped into my vocabulary, “No.” It started off innocently enough. I wouldn’t scream it in a tantrum, but instead matter-of-factly SING the words. For example: Mommy or Daddy said, “Nathaniel, it’s time to change your diaper (I HATE diaper changes). I continued what I was doing and, without looking up, simply responded, “No. Noh. Naaaooooohhhh” as I drive my car down the length of the couch. A few weeks ago at lunch, Daddy wanted me to drink the rest of my milk. Standing on my big-boy chair, I sang “No. Noh. Naaaooooohhhh” as I piled my peas and corn into my mouth. Mommy and Daddy didn’t respond. So, after about 30 seconds of silence I proclaimed, “No!” once more. Mommy and Daddy both asked, “Is that your favorite word?” I paused, thought about it and joyously yelled, “CAR!” I guess that answers their question. I still love cars. I had a racecar theme for my second birthday party on March 17th (for those keeping track, yes, my birthday is the 19th, but who wants to party on a Monday?!) Mommy made the invitations. She included a picture of Lightning McQueen (“Keen” as I call him, from the Disney movie, “Cars”), inviting people to “race on over.” I had a wonderful time. My Great Grandmother and Granddaddy were able to make it from Port Arthur, TX. Grandma & Grandpa Breyen were here from Bemidji . Granna & Papa Goodwin drove down from New Braunfels, my cousins Katie & Skyler, our neighbors and some of my playgroup buddies were also there. I was so overwhelmed and excited; I didn’t talk for the first hour or so. I just ran around with my cars—acting silly. When the kids showed up, we made racing visors with cars stickers. Later, Daddy played “The Wheels on the Bus” on his guitar for all the kids outside. I love doing the motions—I really exaggerate the horn going “beep!beep!beep!” and the wipers going “swish!swish!swish!” (my whole body twists from side to side with my arms straight out in front of me)! At the party, the kids ate grilled cheese sandwiches with grapes and the adults dined on Daddy’s chicken fajitas. I really enjoyed the present-opening this year. I wanted to play with every gift as soon as I opened it. But when Mommy pointed out I had more presents waiting, I gallantly put that gift aside and waited for the next package to arrive in front of me. Of course, the overall gift theme was cars, trucks, trains & tractors with some clothes, books and alphabet games sprinkled in for Mommy (er, I mean for good measure). Soon it was time for my birthday cake. Mommy made a buttermilk chocolate cake in the shape of a racetrack. There were even two toy cars on the track! After the “Happy Birthday” song, right before I blew out my candle, Mommy and Daddy asked me how old I was going to be. I diligently responded, “TWO!” In the end, I sort of understood that this celebration was all for ME! I was wound up the entire morning (and well into the afternoon). On my actual birthday, Mommy & Daddy took me to Chuck E. Cheese for a “quiet” family night. Daddy tried to teach me skee ball, but I wanted to use all of my tokens on the Monster Truck game. Earlier in the day, I had my first tea party with Mommy. I found the blue elephant tea set Mommy & Daddy got in Thailand. I took one of the cups to Mommy in the kitchen and clearly announced, “tea!” It was sort of a demand, but Mommy filled the cup with apple juice and warmed the “tea” in the microwave. I enjoyed a few sips, but realized the party would be more fun with two people. I took another cup into the kitchen and said, “Mama. Tea. Sit.” I politely showed Mommy where she should sit with me at the table. She made herself a cuppa and joined me. I thought I was such a big boy—I smiled and sipped with both hands the entire party. Aunt Ju-Ju (Julie) joked that maybe she should’ve given me a tea set for my birthday! Shortly after I turned 2, Mommy and Daddy found a good deal on a used blue racecar toddler bed! It’s all ready to go into my room; but people keep telling Mommy, “If he still stays in his crib…don’t mess with a good thing!” We’ll see. I’ll probably move into my “bigger-boy” bed soon. Mum’s theory is we’ll probably have to battle the crib-to-bed transition eventually, why not now? The two-year-old milestone also marked the transition to my nickname, Nate. Mommy and Daddy had thought all along that they’d call me Nate as I approached preschool age. And boy am I thankful! I think it will be a lot easier to learn to write “Nate” than “Nathaniel!” When I moved up from Bible Babies to Bibleland in the church nursery, I was registered as Nate…so begins the transition. Wow. That’s my two-year-old update. For the record, there are a few more trying days between me and Mommy now that I’ve started my third year of life. But right now I think Mommy & Daddy will tell you that it’s still more the “terrific twos” than the “terrible twos.” The three of us will keep you posted.
Until next time, Nate