Race to 2

We are playing a little bit of catch up here as I am a bit over a week late which in this household might as well be considered on time!

We have entered the final month leading up to Caden’s 2nd birthday which means I owe you one final update before he is a true two year old.  After the month we have had it is hard to reflect and think about any changes or new things because this month was just so bad for the whole family.

I can say that between all of the sicknesses and patheticness going on around here Caden did seem to pick up a little of the jealousy bug when it comes to his brother. Thankfully, he doesn’t take it out on his brother but us, the parents.  By jealousy I mean he wants to be held when brother is being held, he hates it when I feed Everett because he can’t have attention and every now and then he just flat out shows you where he wants you to put Everett down so he can get attention.  He does like to swat at me when he is mad or frustrated making him a bit more familiar with time out this month.  So, nothing too terrible but enough to let you know he would rather not share you at that exact moment or that he has an opinion. 

 At other times in our day when he is frustrated, he will just do whatever he can to convince you to take him outside.  This usually involves appearing dressed in some sort of outside aparrel while trying to put his shoes on.  Then again every member of the Kazmann family has needed a little extra love this past month so that might not be a permanent change on his part!

In big brother news, Caden’s new favorite job is throwing away diapers. All I have to say to that is, “I’ll take it!”  Anytime there is a diaper change for his baby brother he waits to take the diaper to the trash.  At bathtime he comes in to check to see when brother is in his birthday suit because that means there will be a diaper to take to the trash and a dirty outfit to go in the hamper.  What can I say? My boy likes to clean.

He likes to clean so much that at Gymboree his favorite activity is anything involves putting the toys back in the basket and handing them to the instructor.  He likes to clean so much that he will get out his wipes just so he can pull them out to wipe down a table, floor, cabinet etc. I could go on…and on…and on. So I’ll stop.

His vocabulary grows by the day and he hides even more words in that noggin’ of his that he busts out of nowhere. “Bulldozer” for example he brought out last night at bathtime because there was one on his shirt.  He has now decided to call it a “dozer”.  However, if you came to see Caden you would never know he could talk.  Not only does his vocabulary grow by the day, so does his shyness.  He won’t say a A WORD in front of anyone.  Just last week he finally told Nonna and Pa Pa “Hi!” along with his wave. Our shy guy. (though he is happy to tell the dogs what to do and share with Thrasher as long as Thrasher doesn’t snatch from him)

At home, we hear from him – “apple, agua, Bo, bear, box, ball, book, baby, cat, cook, car, color, doggy, down, daddy/dada, did, ear, eye, go, go get it, Hi, hot, honk, hey, more, Mama, No, Nonna, Oh, Uh-Oh, Open, Out, Pop, Two, Woah, Water…oh, and bulldozer.  There are probably some more random ones, and he likes to say things once and then never again – potty for example.  It is very obvious that he knows more words than he will say to us, especially regularly but as with the rest of his “milestones” he is going to do it when he feels like it.  Strong willed this one is. He jibber jabbers all day long so once he makes the decision to talk all the time I have a feeling he isn’t going to stop.

Pretend play is in full swing as you saw with our ‘Rainy Day Fun” when we made a cardboard house.  That box house is now a piece of furniture in our living room that he visits regularly and takes treasures into.  If it’s missing, check his house.  That same day I made him a “stove” because I was trying to cook and he wanted to help.  So, he got his own stove and he won’t ever turn down getting the utensils.

His toy stove his also a part of his toy collection now that has pots, pans, bowls and tupperware on it daily so he can cook. He stirs, adds to his stew cotton balls, crayons and other miscellaneous items he deems soup-worthy.  Then he will even offer you a taste and has finally become pleased with you taking a fake taste and not a real one…thank goodness.

 The first thing he does is tell us it is “hot”.  He exclaims “hot, hot!” while flailing his “hot” hand over the stove and pot so you are sure to be careful.

I should have more pictures of him whining, crying or throwing himself on the floor to accurately portray his current age but who wants to see that?  I took a couple of my phone and sent them to Norma who just didn’t believe that he could be a cryface.  Oh but he can. Especially at meal time…what a pain in the behind!

He does keep us quite entertained and his humourous ways make up for his frustrating ones.  No more monkeys jumping on the bed anyone?

So, a lot of the same and a lot of new all as he approaches two! We are hoping that the “twos” aren’t much more terrible than some of the phases he has been going through lately.  We like to think that brotherhood pushed him into the terrible twos a little early and we have gotten some of those battles underway. Talking, potty training and discipline understanding have been our big changes/goals around here lately and there has been progress in all three. I think the pictures are more of the update now as it is harder to think of things that are “milestones” or big changes for him these days.  At least he still gets pictures taken of him to you can watch him grow right along with us.

Mark it on your calendars…T-Minus 21 Days until our baby boy is two. Amazing.