Jonathan is 25 Months Old!

Dear Jonathan,

Today you are 25 months old!

I have to say, I am really enjoying your company these days. You are so happy and fun and silly!
The combination of the big brothers going back to school and you finally talking has made an amazing difference.

You have become a RIDICULOUS early bird. Most mornings, you are up at 6:30, sometimes even earlier. I can't be annoyed for long though because as soon as I hear the thud of your feet hit the ground, the next thing I hear is "thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump" as you run full speed down the hall, which always makes me laugh. I meet you at the top of the stairs and you grin and lift your arms to be picked up over the baby gate.

Your morning routine is cute too. First, you run to the refrigerator and ask for "juice". (way more pleasant than the whining there used to be). You'll even specify which color juice you want now. Sadly, you've become sort of anti-milk, but I've been so excited you were asking for juice by name, I've overlooked that. Gotta try to get that back on track this month. ;)

After juice, you thumpthumpthumpthump to the living room (still at top speed... this is pretty much your only speed, really) and ask for "bets", which is your word for the Leapfrog Alphabet movie. For awhile there it was "The Lorax" instead, and we all had to watch it 42,000 times. I'm grateful for a replacement, although this one is getting old quickly too.

Once you are settled in with juice and bets, (and duck and binky) I don't hear from you for awhile because, though will not admit it, you are still half asleep. This is the time I use to pack the big boys' lunches for school. ;)

School! School was rough for the first couple days there... you didn't like the transitions between activities. Now you are understanding the flow though and you love it and I love taking you. Your favorites there right now are the kitchen set (because it has a sprayer like mommy's kitchen sink), the fake food, the wooden blocks, the dry erase board, painting and, of course, the playground. Can't get enough of the playground, which is probably why snack (which directly  follows the playground) is still a little dicey sometimes. :)

The other shoe finally dropped on your fantastic eating, by the way. (probably a combination of "it's just that time" and the fact that you are drinking way more juice than you should) I rarely get a decent dinner into you anymore and you now shun things you loved -- yogurt, applesauce, chicken. Lunch is my only hope for most of your nutritional needs these days... even breakfast is kind of iffy. Bah.

Your speech has taken off in ways I found it hard to imagine it ever would as recently as even six months ago! You can say anything and everything... you repeat everything. You ask for things by name and you even use some consistent phrases! "I want that", "Don't cry" "Help me", "My turn." To say it has improved our lives would be an understatement!

We have discovered you are a super routine-oriented kiddo... basically any change at ALL throws you for a total loop and sends you spiraling into possessed toddler/pea soup mode. The fun part is that you can get locked into a routine after only doing something ONCE. So I have to be careful ALL DAY LONG that I don't do/say/give you anything I don't want to have to do/say/give you any other time we are in a given situation. It's nervewracking sometimes!

Your napping has become a dream... on days when I don't have to wake you up to be somewhere, you'll take almost three-hour afternoon naps. Ahhhhhh... even better, just this past week. You have started letting me rock you until you are almost asleep. You wouldn't even let me do this when you were an infant once you had finished eating. Truly... this is the first time EVER I've gotten to do this with you and I am loving it!

For the most part, little manner, you are a joy! The older you get, the easier and more fun you are. So far, so good on our third round of the terrible twos ride. ;)

See you next month JJ, Johnny Applesseed, Sillyboo!

Love,
Mommy :)