Where Does the Time Go?

Dear Doodlebug:

Normally, I am very good about posting an update on your growth every two months, but time is flying by and you are changing so fast and keeping us so busy that I haven't had time to manage it! So, this will be an extra lost post, now that you are ALMOST TWO.

Your MOST-LOVED...

Books

Songs

"Happy" (If You're Happy and You Know It)

"Geder" with hands clasped (The More We Get Together)

"Spiter" (Itsy Bitsy Spider)

"Birday Song" (Happy Birthday to You...)

"Tweenle" (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

"Ribbit" (Five Little Speckled Frogs)

"Wheels" (The Wheels on the Bus)

Possession

Trumpet, the elephant, without a doubt. He is getting so stinky from your drool and snot and he will need a bath very soon, but we know this will devastate you, so we will have to be quick about it.

Food
Fruit - banana, "gapes" and "mando" (mango)
"Cackas" (crackers)
Cheerios
Bread

Drinks
"Wager" (water)
"Nulp" (milk)
Smoothies

Toys

Die-cast airplane or your new Peru Airplane from Lola

Recycled plastic boat, a gift from Jen Juteau, Mommy to Kate

Anything real (keys, tools, measuring tape, tape roller, staple remover, money, kitchen utensils, electronics, etc.)

Activities

"Runeen" or "Race"

Trying on Mommy's or Daddy's shoes

Locking and unlocking doors (more on that later)

Swimming - splashing, dunking, walking along the ledge inside the pool and jumping (although you strongly dislike the pouring rain)

Using various containers to pour, dunk and refill with water in the tub

Playing with rocks, much to Daddy's delight (although you are simply petrified by sand; even your teachers at school say that you will not use the sandbox, only the water table)

Sliding

Riding your bike

Experimenting with the water hose

Dancing (your moves have gotten more varied and complex lately and you are so cute to watch)

"Typing" (even though we never let you technically use the computer, you sneak into the office for a quick pound on the keys; every once in a while, we let you type on Word or on Skype when we're chatting with family or friends)

Using gadgets to open, close, move, change, connect or otherwise tinker with objects

Using a stool to stand on and play with the locks or to try to reach the lights (you have recently become a bit scared of the dark; we now leave the hall light on when you go to sleep since your door is frosted glass and only a dim light appears in your room; this seems to calm you)

Friends
"Hannah, Hannah, Hannah!"
"Dam" (Sam)
Jenson
Aaron and Jared
Aidan
Henry and Charlie
Buaya the cat (she is both your friend and your enemy at the same time)

Adults

Mama (Sometimes, you will randomly call out "Nona!" and expect me to respond because you have heard others call me by my first name. It is the most hilarious thing, but I try not to react so that you won't think it's okay to call me Jona instead of Mama. I can't help but laugh, though...)

Daddy

Ate

Lola

Tita Mel, Tito Dave, Tita Jojo

Your FIRST...

Parent/Teacher Conference

At Toddlers, Teacher Elaine and Teacher Blessy do many fun things with you. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you are incredibly happy to go and see your friends Jenson, Martina, Matias and Sophia. Your favorite things to do at school are to "cook in the kitchen," play with the little people and put them inside the airplane, listen to songs, and do scientific investigations. Recently, you have really enjoyed turning bottles of different colored water upside down to see what happens. You are working on your shapes and your colors. Your teachers tell us that you can match shapes, but that you call everything either yellow or blue. You can stamp, smash, paste and scribble, but apparently you can't crumple. They also say that you are one polite boy, always saying "peas." You are still working on using your words with your friends. You can walk and run, jump and army-crawl. You can throw and kick. You can shake, dance, point to objects when requested and follow directions. Your teachers tell us that you need to do more puzzles so that you can "focus better." Mommy and Daddy are so proud of all the things you can do, and you are not even two yet!

The best feeling in the world comes at the end of a long day at work when we walk through the door and climb the stairs. You shriek with joy and start making your way down the steps to meet us. You will often go into a monologue about your day, which we can't make sense of...yet. You get so excited when we come home and we cherish your smiles and your giggles and the way you want hugs right away, no matter how full our hands are with all of our bags.

Tagalog Words
Dito - Here
Bahket - Why?
Wala - No more/all gone
Haleeka - Come here
Aso - Dog

English Phrases
Sit down please.
Mama, Daddy, come on.
Shhh, nigh-night.
Mama, Daddy, hug please.

Counting Experience

For the very first time, you counted to twelve and shocked your Mommy! I had no idea you knew any numbers besides one and two. But, at Atmosphere, while we were counting the stairs as we went down for dinner, I said "one" and you then started counting from there!

Sharing Sessions

At the table, you are beginning to share your food with us and not just try to fake us out, like you usually do. When you "cook," you will give us some, too. The one thing you don't like to share right yet is your bike. If anyone tries to get on it, you howl and try to push them off. We are trying to find ways to show you that sharing means caring. :)

Pretend Plays

You are experimenting with many "roles." You like to play chef, motorcycle or car driver and airplane pilot. Something new you are starting to do is put the ear buds from an old cell phone into your ear and hold the clasp and talk into it, as if you are a secret agent or something. You also enjoy pretending to go to sleep or making Mommy and Daddy go to sleep. The only way to wake each other up is by giving kisses, which you happily do.

Time Getting Locked in a Room

We knew the day would come. It was only a matter of time, what with your love of keys and locks and all. We had just gotten home from the farmer's market and were unloading and unpacking all the bags. Mom and Dad were sort of disheveled and you were happy to wander around. The next thing we knew, we heard a "click." You had gone into the office, shut the door and turned the lock. 30 minutes and many computer key smashes, bum hose sprays, toilet flushes, ripped book pages and shrieks and laughs later...Daddy managed to unhinge the square foot bathroom window and crawl through, unlocking the door and rescuing your giddy little self. The office is the ONE room in the house we do not have a key for. You seemed to have known this. You had us worried, angry, upset, frustrated and frantic, all at different times. Most especially your mother. We can laugh about it now. And since then, you have learned how to unlock doors, WHEN you feel like it.

Your QUIRKS...

You are a little scrapper. You may be the smallest kid your age compared to our friends' kids, but you are probably the toughest. Sometimes, this is not a good thing because it means that you get hurt by doing something dangerous or that you push your friends over and they cry. But, most of the time, it means that you are a risk-taker, that you are strong and resilient. And Mommy and Daddy love that about you. You are also incredibly lovable. You say hi and bye to everyone. You say please for everything and are starting to say thank you more. You give hugs freely and sometimes kisses, too. You give high-fives and pounds and you are not shy to approach one of our friends for a cuddle or an "up peas." Although you still don't say much when we are in large social situations, you are outgoing enough to be personable and in peoples' presence. You still like to take everything in and we think this means your brain is whirling and twirling, trying to make sense of the ways we communicate and the emotions we show. And boy, are your emotions starting to show. Even more so than before. When you feel like we have done you an injustice, such as passing by the park without stopping for a play, you now show your very angry side. You still hit and bite Mommy or Daddy when we don't give you your way, so we are still working on that. Your long almost three-hour naps are still extremely important for you as you are such a busy little dude. When it's just you during the day and Ate has many things to do, you are getting better at playing by yourself. You are also getting better at cleaning up your messes. But occasionally, you will delay the clean-up process for as long as you can. We think it's so you can spend a few more minutes with your parents. Finally, you are super curious about all the things going on around you. You touch and examine everything. Sometimes you climb things, sometimes you poke things and sometimes you interact with things. We love how you approach the world with a questioning mind and a determination to figure things out.

Aiston, we love the boy your are growing up to be. You make us so proud and we love you so much.

Millions of hugs and kisses to our special boy.
Mama and Daddy

P.S. Here are some photos of you helping Daddy in the rooftop garden. This is the newest thing you love to do.