My son the wonder kid

I think my son is the most amazing barely 2 year old I know. Of course I do... what kind of mother would I be if I didn't. It's been a while since I updated you all on his development.

At his 2 year check up he was 34 inches and 28 lbs. If I remember correctly that translated into 75th percentile for his height and 50th for his weight.

He is soooo... shy. It takes him 10-15 minutes to warm up to an adult that comes into our house (longer if we meet them outside his "turf") and even longer for a child. And he is a quiet, mild mannered little boy and doesn't like loud, boisterous children. Which has just now gotten embarrasing and he learns to talk so well and can voice his dislike. One of my best friends has a sweet little boy C's age. However, although he is a kind, sensitive little boy, he is loud and in your face with enthusiasm. C has decided he doesn't like him and will say No No No as we walk up to his door. Last visit, when his Mom answered the door, C said quite politely to her "I no come in, I no like son's name"

He is very polite. He almost always remembers to say please when asking for something (and only needs to be reminded if he forgets) and thank you when he receives something. He says excuse me when he burps, or passes gas, or sneezes (which by the way he thinks is hilarious) and bless you when someone else sneezes. When you do something he likes it is adorable to hear over and over in this cute little toddler boy voice "Again please"

He is one incredibly active child. He loves to climb and will climb almost anything if you will let him or if you are not looking. He took all of about 1 day to master the rock wall on his new playset that stated an age of 5. He will climb on the furniture, into and out of the van, up "ramps" and he tries to climb trees but really just ends up hugging them for a long time.

He also loves to jump. His favorite place to jump of course is on the bed but has been known to jump on the couch and my recliner chairs despite being told that he is not allowed to do so.

He loves to go for walks although much prefers to walk these days than go in his stroller much to my chagrin. While I enjoy walking with him sometimes, I really like using our walks as exercise and he cannot and will not (too busy exploring) walk fast enough for me to get a work out. While walking, he really likes to 1) walk on the "balance beam" which is really the curb 2) go on the curb on the inside of parked cars while I go on the outside of the cars and he asks "Where did Caden go Momma?"

He loves to go in his swing and you cannot push him high enough in his opinion. When the swing bounces because it has gone so high the straps have slackened he says excitedly "Good job Mamma, push me bigger again!"

He loves sports. Golf and soccer seem to be his favorite but he also loves to hit the baseball on his little T-ball and throw the foot ball. He used to adore basket ball but seems to be off that for now.

More than anything else he loves to throw rocks and sticks into the water and a walk to the neighbourhood park with a little stream is a real delight.

He has just started playing independantly (thank Goodness) and loves to play with his trains and his cars. He also loves to put together puzzles and is quite good at doing them on his own.

His favorite thing to do on his own or with me is still to read books. Now, while I am nursing baby K, we often sit in the recliner chair in her nursery and he climbs on the foot stool part and we read loads of stories. The simpler stories which had been put aside for the last while are now making a comeback as he loves to "read" them to me. He will climb into the chair in his room and read books for 30 minutes or more on his own (of course then, there are a dozen books on his floor because he is not so good at putting them back on the book shelf).

And his speech. It is incredible. He has been talking in complicated sentences and carrying on conversations since before his 2nd birthday. There are so many words that he used to mispronounce that I just loved, and now that he is saying them correctly, I forget how adorably he used to say them. The only one I can remember off hand is pic cooter for computer.

Here are a few of my favorite recent Cadenism's

1. Wake up in the morning and smile and say "hello Momma, what we going to do today" Or wake up from a nap and say "I had a good sleep Momma, what we going to do next"

2. If I look grumpy he says "What's wrong Momma, why you not laughing?"

3. He hides his spoon in the pocket of his bib and then asks where his spoon is. When you say you don't know he proceeds to ask you if it is in various locations.

4. Rick and toddler C were in the drive through line up for Swiss C to get take out for dinner. When they arrived in the line up toddler C asked what they were doing and Rick told him they were picking up supper. After waiting a few minutes C asked "Are we stuck Dadda?"

5. After a visit to the zoo in which we got to watch elephants parade to a lake to swim, C said to me one day on his changing table "How do the elephants get to the swimming pool Momma," I replied, I don't know, and he said "they hold tails and trunks and that was sooo... funny" and then cracked up laughing.

6. One Saturday morning, Rick said to C "Daddy has to go to work to pick up something he forgot, how about you go with me and we will go to Tim Hortons for breakfast" to which C replied, "Oh yes, that sounds like fun, and what will we do next" Rick laughed and said I don't know, to which C replied "that's ok Dadda, you'll think of something"

If he likes something we have proposed to do he will say "that's a great idea" or "yes, that sounds like fun" If he doesn't like it, he will simply say "No, I no like that" and he is 2 after all, so usually he promptly has a temper tantrum when you tell him he has to do it anyway.

A couple of weeks ago I took him to see T the tank engine, live and in person. We got to go for a ride and get our pictures taken and he saw Sir Topham H. He was very excited and on the way home in the van he said "You know what Momma" I said "what" and he said "that was a very fun day, I love you Momma" Melts my heart every time I think about.

I thought I didn't want him to grow up and yet every time he leaves one stage and I am about to mourn I find that I simply adore the new stage.

He is my saviour. The funny things he says and does cracks me up on a daily basis and it is true that laughter is the best medicine. He is my beautiful amazing C and I love him so much. Here are some of my favorite summer pictures.