Thursday, September 12, 2013

Two Point Five


Last week, the boys turned two and a half. It's funny, because I've been thinking of them as two and a half-year olds for months. 
I guess saying, "My toddlers are 28 and a half months" gets old. 
So when I realized the boys were actually half-way between two and three, I decided it was time for a photoshoot. I chased them around with a bag of chocolate chips for a while. ("Please, please! Just stand there and look at me for TWO SECONDS, and I'll give you another one!")
Guess how long that lasted? Oh yes. You're right. It didn't even begin. 

So instead, we loaded up the stroller and went on a walk (camera in tow, of course.) We love to walk to the nearby cemetary, since it's closer than any parks, it's quiet and well-kept, and it has a stream and about 30 (practically tame) deer. That's why there are headstones and weeping angels in the back of all
these pictures. Try not to mind. Focus on the cuteness of two and a half year olds.


Micah (long hair), picked out both of their outfits that morning, pulling clothes from the dryer and shouting triumphantly each time he got something that wasn't pjs or towels. "Shorts! Shirt! Shirt! Shorts!"
He added the suspenders to his own outfit, and was pretty annoyed that Grey wouldn't wear the suspenders he picked out for him, too.
I love the above pictures, because they are so Grey and Micah.
Micah is such a flirty, goofy, attention hog and show off. Grey is always a little more contemplative and solemn. He doesn't care that I'm taking his picture, he isn't going to dance for chocolate chips, and if possible, he's going to avoid even looking at me.


I was begging the boys to take a good picture, and this captures other aspects their personalities perfectly, too. Grey is teasing me. He wants a chocolate chip, but not enough to perfectly co-operate. Micah is mostly interested in his brother. He kept checking. "Is Grey smiling? No. He has his hand in his mouth. Okay. I'm going to put my hand in my mouth." (The rest of the series of pics in the stroller, they both have their hands in their mouths, and then in their noses.)


So, some updates and things about the boys:
They will eat and like most foods, but they really just prefer sandwiches  and scrambled eggs to everything. They eat eggs and yogurt every morning for breakfast. A sandwich or quesadilla (with grapes and crackers) every day for lunch. And usually manage to avoid eating dinner at all, unless it's spaghetti or tacos.
Okay, so they're slightly picky.
They're still taking naps, thank goodness. But they want to sleep from 1-3 in the afternoon, and 9pm to 7am at night. That would be okay, except that then Travis and I don't ever really get any alone time! I suppose I could cut out their naps, but then they're so cranky in the afternoon, and frankly, I don't want to give up my free time!



The boys are really into pockets, diggers, their blankies, milk, sip-sops (flip-flops), backpacks, toolboxes, or suitcases (anything they can put their blankies and diggers in).
They still hate costumes, hats, or any kind of clothing besides a t-shirt and pants, with the weird exception of belts and sussenders (suspenders.)
They've started saying "Go away, Mom!" a lot, and "This bugging me!" and "NO WAY!"
All of which are extremely fun. Eat your dinner?
"No way, Mom! Go away!"


Recently, I've noticed that they're playing together really well, and it warms my heart! In the past, they were always quick to join their brother in any task or game, playing alongside him. They talked and shared and laughed at each other, and often chased or wrestled with each other. But they have now reached a new stage of cuteness. Now they really, actually play together. Not just next to each other. If Grey gets out a pan to pretend to make me scrambled eggs (they like to make me food they like, obviously), he will whisk, while Micah pretends to crack eggs in the bowl.
"Eggs, Grey?"
"Yes, Micah, thank you!"
"Good eggs, Grey?"
"Yes, taste?"
"Okay! Yummy!"
I mean. Every time I see it, my heart explodes a little - which, if you're wondering- is every day.
Micah is especially into reading books to Grey, which is pretty much exactly the same as the above conversation:
"A big train, Grey. Up the hill!"
"Train up the hill?"
"Yes, Grey. Up the hill, down the hill."
"Train down the hill, Micah?"
"Yes, Grey. Train down the hill."
In case you couldn't tell, they're also really into repeating each other. Constantly. And asking the other one what he's doing, and then repeating his answer back to him.
I assume they learned that from me, since I always repeat what they've said back to them so they know I understood them. It's actually getting annoying, because they want me to do it all the time.
If we're driving, and Micah yells, "Look! Yellow digger, Mom!" I can't respond, "Cool, Micah!" I have to say, "Cool yellow digger, Micah." If I don't, they just keep repeating the words until I say "Yellow digger" at them.
Yes, yes. I understand you. You said yellow digger.

They also have adopted the funny little quirk of always saying people's names. Always.
"Digger Mom!" "Go to store, Mom?" "Big bite, Daddy!"
"Watch this, Grey!" "Hi, Elanor!" "Where Daddy? Daddy work, Mom?" "Thank you, Micah!" "Trade, Brother?"
All the time, after every single sentence or question, they want to be sure that everyone knows who they're talking to.

They each have little questions that they repeat all day. Currently, Grey says (nonstop) "Why, Mom?" and "What doing, Mom?" and Micah asks, "Where are you, Grey?" and "What Grey doing?"
Sometimes when I'm doing something like driving, and Grey asks, "What doing, Mom?" for the fifth time, I start giving him nonsense. 
Our conversations are like this: "What doing, Mom?"
"I'm riding an elephant!"
"Ride elephant, Mom?"
"Yes! Is that what I'm doing?"
"No. What doing, Mom?"
"I'm eating a pumpkin!"
"You eat pumpkin, Mom?"
This goes on for several more minutes before one of the boys usually interrupts and yells, "NO! You driving home, Mom!"
I'm hoping that this behavior of mine if going to make my kids more creative and imaginative and not more sarcastic and obnoxious. 


The number one toy in our house right now is the Ikea train track, which the boys will play with on and off for the entire day. Even though sometimes, that play is "constructing" (or really, un-constructing) the tracks with their tiny diggers.
The only books that they're even remotely interested in are about diggers, tractors, or trains. Grey is more interested in garbage trucks and trains than diggers (although, he also loves diggers), but Micah is still a digger-boy. The other day we watched the garbage man drive by, and Grey and I held this little conversation:
"Garbage truck, Mom!"
"A garbage truck? Who was driving it?"
"Uh, garbage..."
"The garbage man! The garbage man comes in his truck and picks up our trash."
"Garbage man pick up trash, Mom?"
"Yep!"
"Mine turn, pick up trash, Mom?"
"You want to pick up trash?"
"Yes! Mine turn, drive garbage truck. Garbage man pick up trash, Mine turn pick up trash!"
So. I think he wants to be a garbage man.
I told him that was a good goal, and now when we see the garbage truck, Grey always yells, "Pick up our trash? Thanks, Garbage Man!"


Micah has started telling me that things are "So yummy, Mom! Too yummy!" It is so hilarious and gratifying. Why, you want another cookie? Is it going to continue to give you conniptions of glee? Then yes! Have as many cookies as your baby heart desires!
He's also started shouting, "I DO!" in great excitement every time I ask them a question.
"Who wants to go to the park?"
"I do, Mom!"
"Who's ready for some dinner?"
"I do, Mom!"

These handsome, smart, funny little people. They are so brave and silly, and they understand so much of what's happening around them. I love hearing and seeing them learn to explore and understand the world they live and the relationships they have. Two and half years.
You can really learn a lot in that time. I certainly have from watching these boys. I'm so lucky to have them!


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3 comments:

Kala said...

They are adorable!
xoxo Kala
TheWishfulLamb.com
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Polly said...

They look so big in these pictures. They don't look like toddlers anymore they look like little boys. My favorite picture is the first stroller picture. Grey looks thoughtful and Micah looks like he is slightly amused.

Sean and Ashley said...

Oh this post makes me so happy! They are so darling & the way you describe them I can perfectly picture them & how they act! Such a fun age!