Since this blog also is used for documenting Anders life I had to sit down and think about what he has been doing lately and what I want to remember when this stage has passed.

In the last couple of weeks, I've been giving him a bit more freedom to ride his tricycle up and down the walkway in front of our door while I'm cleaning or cooking dinner. I can see him and hear him and I leave the front door wide open. I've set some boundaries as to where he is allowed to go etc.... next to the path is a little hill with ground cover plants on it. There are usually swarms of happy bees pollinating the flowers on this hill. But in the late afternoon they've gone back to their hives and there aren't any bees on the hill. So, a couple of days ago Anders was hitting golf balls around and he happened to hit one up the hill into the foliage. I was watching this from inside and I saw him contemplate going up and then looking back to see if I was going to shout some directions to him.

  He wanted the ball but was unsure about entering unknown territory especially with all of my strict guidelines about where he could and couldn't go. He didn't see me so he started doing something else. I thought about how I want him to be a bit adventurous and how good it is for little boys to feel like they accomplished something dangerous, so I wandered out and suggested that he go up the hill and get the ball. I climbed halfway up and then spotted him as he climbed up. I could tell that he was trilled to be able to do something kind of adventurous and to step in all of those plants! It's a steep little hill so of course I told him to come and get me when he has to get another golf ball so I can watch him. The rest of the afternoon he was hitting "slap shot" balls up the hill. Eventually the tricycle was re-discovered and I could get back to vacuuming.

Here are a few funny words or phrases that I have to document for my own purposes. 

Honey dew melon - "blum blum"

Blueberries are still "baboos"

Milk is "mulk"

Water is "wawa'

He says "lovely", "darn", "shoot" "poo poo cow", and "oh noooo baaaad!" about anything off kilter.

Lately before bed he starts demanding "wii time! wii time!!" He is a good audience and cheers us on. If we are playing Tennis he'll yell "love!" or "deuce!" And golf gets the cheer of "birdie!!". He always claps for us as well. We're trying to teach him but it hasn't quite caught on yet.

 

Tonight I was looking for a dvd of a fireplace that we like to break out around Christmas (sad apartment living). I couldn't find it but Anders would go over to the various places we keep dvd's or cd's and with much enthusiasm say "Flower place, Ohhhh found it! Wow...... hmmmmm nooo". I guess that's what I sound like when I'm looking for things!

The fun of being two has brought on new words like "lettgo!" and "no mine!". my favorite is saying "share" while clutching the item tightly to his chest and glaring at the poor person he doesn't want to share with.

Our friends have nine kids and Charlie who is one, is the youngest. She and Anders have a special relationship where they are either hugging or fighting. I hear a lot of "Chalie, noooo hit mmm push noooo." We are really working on being nice to our friends, sharing, not pushing or hitting or kicking. This really is a fun age..... 

Chris and I are getting  a lot of cuddles which is VERY pleasant. Anders likes to be read to while snuggling up on the couch next to either of us. He likes being "cozy" and playing rough. He likes to be all together on the weekends and prefers for both Chris and I to put him down to bed. He asks for "desus" (Jesus loves me), "tar" (twinkle twinkle little star) and "b" (abc song). One night he asked for "moon" song so Chris and I started singing "moon moon moon moon, moon moon moon moon" starting out slow and then getting progressively faster. It's not a classic yet but he still asks for it. 

We love our little red head!