Babysoroos

Timothy is one. Wow.

We had a lovely day, with a friend over for the morning, more friends for lunch, then cake and ice cream, and then more friends.

Here’s who Timothy is at one:

• He can walk, really well, and for a long time. Nearly runs sometimes.
• He has started asking us to read books, by handing them to us, then turning around and backing into our laps.
• He still doesn’t eat a lot. Quantity or variety. We offer, he just doesn’t seem that interested.
• He suddenly loves going outside. Get his shoes and coat and hat on, and he heads for the door. Unfortunately, usually the last door he went out of, which is invariably the wrong door for this time.
• He plays with toys in a focused and intentional manner — builds towers (and knocks other people’s down, of course), zooms cars around, puts things in containers, pushes buttons — just uses them mostly the way they were designed…..
• He throws and kicks a ball. Well, dribbles. Not entirely on purpose, but hey.
• He goes to the cupboard where his snacks are kept and gets out his own food and waves it at us.
• He has started signing milk to me! I think it just means “Mum” or “hold me” or something sometimes, but sometimes it distinctly means he wants to nurse.
• He dances. And laughs.
• He loves watching his big brother, and more and more he wants to imitate him.
• He can use the potty. He’s still in diapers, of course, but we do put him on the potty frequently and he knows what to do. He even wakes up during the night to pee and occasionally has a dry diaper in the morning!

This afternoon, after all the sugar and excitement, Ben and Timothy and I walked out to get the mail. Ben wore welly boots, but I just put regular shoes on Timothy. On the way back along the lane, Ben found a puddle to jump in. And jump in. And splash in. Which is fine, remember, welly boots.

Timothy was watching. And laughing.

And he headed for the puddle too. In his sneakers. I wanted to see what he’d do, so I let him. Laughing all the way, he walked right in to the puddle and stomped and cackled even more.

I’m a mother of boys, that’s for sure. And watching them start to interact and amuse each other and want to play sort of together, it’s wonderful. Even if they end up with soggy feet.

Pictures soon, including the cake he hardly ate. (Is it possible he doesn’t – gasp – like chocolate??) We’re having a windstorm tonight and power is flickering. Time to shut things down.