Sydney is 31 months old and he is a remarkable little boy!
He's known all capital letters of the alphabet since before he turned two years old. He can count to 20 and know that the numbers MEAN SOMETHING instead of just reciting them. He knows most colors. In fact, while we are driving, he pays close attention to stoplights, announcing "RED, Stop! G'EEN, Go!" He LOVES to sing songs, dance, read books and color. (Coloring with markers - or painting - are his favorite things, I think, and have been great rewards for a job well done with potty-training. He also enjoys playing with PlayDoh and his Duplo blocks A LOT!
He had been mostly potty-trained, having started himself in early September, and was mostly accident-free for months. Then, however, during the month of December, he started having accidents A LOT and started wetting during naps. (He had been able to stay dry during naps most of the time prior to this and often woke dry in the morning, but those days seem long gone lately.) We had gotten rather lax with his potty training chart, which we're thinking led to the string of accidents in December, but since getting that going again... drawing happy faces on the chart on the fridge... he seems to be doing far-better again. (For a while we were able to take him out in public without a diaper on and he was able to hold it successfully. Since the string of accidents - that seem more intentional, actually - we're normally putting a diaper on him to leave the house, but praise him for having success in public toilets.) He, for some reason, has found (last month) a liking for going potty in daddy's recliner and immediately announces "Uh-oh, Daddy going to be angry, but Nih-knee give Daddy hug and kiss and it be all bettah den!" that we should "get the carpet cleaner spray out now." (I used to think he was doing it JUST because he liked to look at the picture on the Great Value carpet cleaner - because there were toy trucks on it. We're thinking that he really likes the extra attention that it is earning him.)
He has gotten VERY GOOD at pretend play. He plays with his toys very well and has the cutest little (higher-pitched) PRETEND-PLAY VOICE.
His favorite shows on television are still Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid and Word World... all on PBS!
Sydney is an AWESOME HELPER (when he wants to be) and is a TERRIFIC BIG BROTHER! He looks kind of silly crawling on the floor (with Silas) since he has been walking on his own two feet since he was only 8.5 months old, but he seems to be having a great time chasing (and being chased by) Silas.
He's wearing 2 and 3T shirts and is still so skinny that he could likely get by with 12 month pants, except for them being capri-length on him. We're fans of elastic waist pants for him... 18 months fits well, but THOSE are starting to get short, too. At the beginning of the summer, he could easily clear the dining room windows (outside) when they were cranked open, but by the end of the summer, he felt the need to duck.
Sydney LOVES to use his step-stool and be a part of activities in the kitchen. He's known - for a year or so - where most things go when we unload the dishwasher. I predict that because he knows his way around the kitchen so well, that he will someday be an excellent cook - just like his daddy! (He really likes to make his own bowl of oatmeal in the morning, announcing "TWO MINUTES" and pointing to the microwave when he's ready for it to cook.)
He recently started to wipe off kisses from mommy and daddy, but Daddy has since taught him "Don't wipe it off... rub it in!" (It's really cute when he kisses our cheeks and rubs it in for us. Adorable!)
He's REALLY into cars, trucks, busses, airplanes, etc! (And he's somehow convinced himself that hot air balloons have LOTS Of WHEELS on the under side of the basket, somehow confusing those with a BIG RIG 18-wheeler, I think.)
We've started interviewing him lately... asking him his name, how old he is, where he lives, who's his brother/mommy/daddy. He's funny! He lives "at Nih-knee's house in 'buque, I-owa". Q: Where does daddy work? A: "at 'buque, I-owa, too!"
He wakes between 7 and 8am most days. He likes to watch Sesame Street from 9-10am, Sid the Science Kid from 10-10:30 and sometimes WORD WORLD from 10:30-11am. We eat lunch anywhere from 11am-1pm and naps start anywhere from noon-2pm. He normally naps for 2 hours (once he finally falls asleep). There are some days where he will talk and sing - alone in his room - for an hour before falling asleep! He LOVES a bedtime snack at night - 1) graham crackers and milk, 2) four apple slices and a half a piece of peanut butter toast or 3) a dish of applesauce. He's doing a pretty good job of brushing his teeth on his own at bedtime; being cooperative earns him a(n) (extra) bedtime story. We normally read THREE bedtime stories, but lose them one-by-one for being uncooperative (or naughty). We sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", hum it once and snuggle in the recliner for a few minutes. At bedtime, we talk about our day's activities, what is going on tomorrow and (my favorite) "What's the best part of your day today?" (He used to answer quickly, but this past month has reverted to his go-to answer of "I don't know!" and now, quickly turns the question around to mommy or daddy instead.) Bedtime - light's out - is normally between 7:45 and 8:30pm.
He's a pretty incredible kid! He makes us laugh A LOT and enriches our lives each and every day!
