All the lights are on

Well, there you are! Honey bun, you have reached an impressive level of comprehension. You really know where you are, what you're doing, and you understand what's going on around you. It's as if suddenly, all the lights are on inside your head.

Sometimes you tell me when Daddy gets home from work. You see him pull into the driveway and say "Dad-Dad!". If the trash truck is coming, I only have to say "Sam! Trash truck!" and you race to the window. When it's time to go somewhere, I tell you we need to put on your shoes, and you go fetch them. Of course, at times you pretend not to hear me, or you simply don't respond when I tell you to stop playing in the cat food, or to shut my cabinet doors. But you do hear me. You hear very well.

Today you showed me that you are totally ready to go down the stairs by yourself. I learned this by thinking your voice sounded strangely muffled, and I found you in the lowest level of the house. I was shocked... but then relieved. You sit down on each step, and you are very careful. I'm really impressed!
 
You say quite a few words, but your favorite is "ball-ball". Today you walked toward me holding something very small in your hand. When you got to me, you said "ball-ball?" and handed me the corpse of a shiny fly. We washed your hands after that. You also think an apple is a ball-ball, and any round thing of various sizes. How cute.

You always like getting your hands washed, by the way. You don't like it when wet food or drinks spill onto your hands or clothes. You come up to me, showing me the wet area, and fussing a little.

I like that you are inclined to be clean, but not fussy about real dirt. Real dirt is just fine with you. When we were in Michigan, you sat down in Grandpa's garden and shoveled dirt onto yourself. Your legs were nearly covered in dirt. You would have kept shoveling for a long time, but we had to move on.

Speaking of Michigan, you LOVED it there. You played outside so much! You saw cows (you let one lick your finger!) and you fell in love with Grandpa's tractor. If you were outside, chances are you were on your way to the tractor. You would take the nearest person by the hand and lead them to the tractor. Grandpa took you for a ride nearly every day and it made him so happy. I took a video of you riding on his lap. Each time you locked eyes with me during the ride, you said "Wooowwww." It's one of my favorite things I've ever seen!

All my family members were home and you were sweet to all of them. Even the men, of whom you have sometimes been scared.

You are not a fan of the lake, and you have lately stopped being a fan of bath time. At least the part when you have to get washed. You do not seem to like getting your head wet anymore. I think it's because your face has gotten wet a couple times when we tried to bathe you "shower style".

Lastly, a sad note. You were sleeping through the night 80% of the time before we went to Michigan. In Michigan, you learned again to wake every night. You are still doing that. Remember, my dear love, that I am a nicer and funner momma when I am well rested. You are a nicer and funner boy when you are well rested, too. If that doesn't add up to you, please learn to cry "Dad-Dad" when you wake up at night.

I love you!
Mom-Mom