23 Months!!

I can't believe I've been a mom for almost 2 years already. Although it doesn't seem like I had Co yesterday anymore, it does still seem like he should only be about 9 months old. He is seriously the funnest little boy and I can't believe what a big boy he is already.

Yesterday we took him to his first Strawberry Day's Carnival. He loved it! He rode 3 rides BY HIMSELF and would whine when his turn was over. First he rode what I would call a an automobile carousel that had cool cars, jeeps and motorcycles for the kids to ride. His first choice was a cool blue car, he wanted to ride again and the 2nd time we put him on a motorcycle (The motor cycle was a little too big for him and he ended up holding on to 1 handle bar and then one side bar.) Then after he rode that ride twice he went and rode the Circus Train. This was a cute little train that went in a small circle and played music. Each kid had their own steering wheel. This was the hardest ride to part with. We also paid a whole bunch of money for gross food that we kept expecting to be good. The best thing we got was a Lime in the Coconut drink and the strawberries and cream. We tried a deep fried Twinkie, some curly fries, and bratwursts none were that great.

Co is getting better and better at talking everyday. One of my favorite things he does and has been doing for a while, Josh and I call a trick. He will say he wants something like more grapes (which he is COMPLETELY addicted to) or cookies. We will repeat what he says like a question "more grapes?", then he says "OK" like it was your idea. Then he smiles because he knows that seals the deal. And you sort of feel like you need to get him what he's asking for because some how by repeating what he first said, you actually agreed he could have it. He'll trick you every time!

Josh and I have already learned Co will be choosing friends over us. Its the nature of almost every child and teenager, but we were a little shocked it starts so young. He loves to play at his friends houses and as soon as you tell him he gets to go play with a friend he is immediately at the door saying who ever's house we're going to play at over and over. Usually its Chase, Peyton, Easton, Liv's or his cousins house he's so excited to go to.

He has an amazing memory. He can recall people's names he has only heard a few times and hasn't seen in a few weeks. This memorization talent will come in very handy while studying for tests when he's older.

He has become quite the runner. Last Sunday he had been running around our bedroom and he told me to "run fast mommy" so I asked him if he wanted to race and he said "ready, set, go" and he took off. I literally chased him around the kitchen table at least 20 times, around the kitchen island and back into the bed room for a half hour and not once did he start walking. When we would get back to the bedroom we would start our race again but every time I would ask him if he needed a drink and instead he would take off again. He just go, go, goes. Maybe he will be a runner like me!

He loves "bike rides". We have a bike trailer we hook up behind my road bike but right now it has a flat tire so we have the running wheel on the trailer instead (we still tell him it's a bike ride.) We always put him in it to go see the "mommy and baby horsies" and the "stinky cows". The other day I actually went running with him (which is super hard if you've never tried it, you get so exhausted when you can't pump your arms while running) Anyway, there was a tiny pony someone had tied on the outside of their fence, I think so he could eat the weeds on the outside, but we stopped and he came over and we pet him a min and then Co kept asking him if he "wanted some" while holding my water bottle up to him. I didn't exactly want to be sharing my water with the horse but what a nice boy to share. He also tries to share his water with me while I'm "rock-a-baby" ing him before bed. He tries to shove anything in his hands in my mouth and if he has nothing, he shoves his hands in my mouth and occasionally up my nose. He thinks he's pretty funny. When he shoves his hands in he always says "bite you"

Sometimes when he's done with his food now he will start handing it to me piece by piece and either tell me to put it in the trash or put it in the sink.

He knows the names and sounds of all the animals I can think of including similar but different animals and items (regular bears, panda, koala, polar) (lion, tiger, leopard) (similar looking birds, parrot) (truck, jeep) to name a few. Lately anything that is small he calls "baby whatever"

Its possible I'm a tad too uptight about messy and clean because now Co, who is 1 points out when things are "messy". Yesterday we were playing at Chase's in the sprinklers and pool and he had gotten water on the cement, which made spots. He hadn't noticed at the time but he came back a few min later and told me that was messy. At least he will always be a clean boy!

He's also in a hitting phase...I CAN'T WAIT for this phase to be over. Consequently he has to say he's sorry a lot...to everything. The other day I was taking him out to the car and he wanted to get down and play outside and when I said we were getting in the car he got made and threw the truck in his hand, which happened to hit my car. I got mad and told him no, no and to tell the car sorry. He said sorry and then 2 seconds after he was in his car seat he was saying "sorry truck, sorry truck". I think he's had to say sorry to me too many times because sometimes he'll do something he knows he should do and he immediately says "sorry mommy."

I keep forgetting to write this down so he did this months ago but I always thought it was cute and funny. He would try to pick up something like a dog out of a book and say "come here doggy."

He loves to say "bless you" many many times after anyone sneezes. I think it's because I respond with "thank you cohen" and he responds with "bless you mommy" and its a big circle. He's also very good at saying "excuse me" when he burps.

He has started to do more of the things I consider to be the toddler age. We have our comforter folded up and placed on the ground next to our bed when not in use. He has discovered he can climb up onto the fireplace hearth and DIVE off into the comforter and pillows. He also does this off the couch upstairs onto pillows. However, he learned it doesn't feel good when you dive off the foot rest onto the floor with NO pillows the hard way.

He is so fun and I can't even remember what we did without him.

Sorry the post got so long...that's what happens when this is the only place I write things down and I got months in between posts! Here are some pics!