Jonathan is 21 Months Old!

Dear Jonathan,

Today you are 21 months old... going on fourish.

You've always been my most social and friendly little guy, and this last month has really cemented that. You wave and smile to absolutely everyone and now you also say, "Hehoh!" and when we leave, you wave and say "Goobye!"

You are truly just the sweetest little guy. When I pick you up, you always pat me or rub my back and you have started kissing everything in sight, including characters in all your books, which has led to some sticky pages.

Your current most favorite book in the world is still The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear. BOY do you love that book. In addition to kissing the mouse on every page, you alway try to eat the strawberry by grabbing it off the page and making a gobbling sound. When that doesn't work, you lick it. Yeah. We may be replacing this particular book at some point.

We set up our backyard pool last weekend and you dove right in. You love the water and you especially love going down the slide INTO the water. I'm pretty sure you'd stay in the pool all day long if we'd let you, and are not pleased when we pull you out to take a break in the sun because your teeth are chattering and your lips are blue.

I think the water really is your most favorite place. You have had to come with me the last two weeks to Simon's swimming lesson, spending the 30 minutes "swimming" in the beginning part of the gradual entry which, at its deepest, is about up to your neck. To say you are in HEAVEN would be an understatement. You jump in just like the big boys, float on your back and go under water, all without missing a beat. You don't stop the entire 30 minutes.  As soon as the swim teacher will take you on, you are starting lessons so I can stop sprouting grey hairs.

Your words are coming along and several are becoming ones we hear every day.  Hello, Goodbye, All Done, All Gone and Hop are the ones I can think of right now that we hear most often.

Thanks to watching the big boys with Guitar Hero, you have discovered "singing". You will grab the microphone and sing random syllables with passion. It's HILARIOUS. OH! You also say "WOCK!" for "rock" when you want the big boys to play Guitar Hero. You also pretend to play the instruments just like they do, which is quite the sight to see.

All is not rainbows and ponies though. You are, without a doubt, the most tantrum prone of any of my three babies, resorting to the lying face down on the floor and screaming tactic almost immediately after you hear the word "no". I keep thinking eventually you'll get the hint that this doesn't work because we ALL ignore you... but you are a persistent little bugger.

I suppose I should prepare myself for the long haul because I suspect you are going to always be headstrong and stubborn... maybe someday this will turn out be an asset?

So that's 21 months... here's to summer and lots of swimming and wearing you out for long naps each day.

I love you, Gooby, J,  JJ, Stinky...

Love,
Mommy