2.038

Myles' birthday was two weeks ago, so he is now 2.038 years old.

 This little guy has the personality of a jackrabbit, clown, whirling dervish, and sweet heart all combined in one tiny package.  Phil and I feel like he has been the same size for the past six months.  He is just little compared to the other two, but what he lacks in stature he makes up for in personality.

He enjoyed his birthday, although I don't think he fully understood what the fuss was all about.  He just smiled at every turn: balloons, cake (BLUE cake at that), gifts, and a bike ride to the park.

Myles didn't seem to mind, or even know, that most of his gifts were hand-me-downs.  Each one elicited the same over-the-moon reaction.

 Speaking of the moon, he LOVES spotting the moon outside and in every book that pictures it.

He continues to be enamored with his big brother and sister.  We have noticed that he is doing things much sooner than the other two did, and that is simply because of the daily influences around him.  He can open up the refrigerator and pull out a snack (usually a cheese stick, clementine, or egg).  He swings by himself, gets in his car seat by himself, goes potty by himself, and plays with all the big kid toys.

 Probably more than anything else, he LOVES bike rides.  My dad, Papa, ignited that passion in him.  He happily sits behind the bike for as long as the rider is willing to carry him.  He requests "bumps" for most of the ride, and that is easily satisfied with the countless speed bumps in our neighborhood.  Thankfully, Phil is able to carry this extra load...all three kids.  I get to ride along next to them and watch the shenanigans. 

At two, Myles is:

26 lbs. and 34 inches (both right around the 50th percentile)

 He LOVES...

- The color BLUE

Everything is blue.  Every answer is blue. 

"Myles, what do want for breakfast?"

Blue

"Myles, what is on your shirt?"

Blue

He also LOVES...

-Vacumming

He unplugs the handheld Dustbuster every (no exaggeration) day and vacuums little nooks and crannies.  On "special" days, he gets to push around the big vacuum cleaner.  I wish I could say that he is taking after his mother, and that this is a modeled behavior, but he just really loves the vacuum.  

He is a creature of habit.  

I'm sure part of that is due to the fact that we have routines that create habits, but there are certain things that have to be "just so."  He won't sit down to read a book in his room unless the door is completely closed.  He always wants to read "the big book" first, but we don't actually read that one.  He just flips open all of the hidden pictures, and then we can actually read another book.  He begins every morning with a peanut butter and banana smoothie followed by a fried egg.  I have tried to vary that routine, but he responds by opening the cupboard with the blender and chanting, "Smoothie, smoothie, smoothie."

He is very expressive.  He speaks with his eyes, and it is clear how is feeling.  

His favorite expression is, "Ewwww...YUCK!"

He goes to "school" every Thursday when I volunteer at Life Care.  He walks in with his lunch box and feels like (and looks like) such a big boy.  He has been in underwear since a few days before his birthday, and he is doing quite well.  There have been a few hiccups along the way, but for the most part he is potty trained.  I think that the simplicity of training him was a little gift after the struggle that we had with #2.

He is totally obsessed with pumpkins right now.  His word for pumpkin is "pep-pep" and he announces it whenever he sees one.  He carried around his little pumpkin for two solid days but then lost interest after taking a bite out of it.  "Ewww...YUCK!"  

It is so hard to believe that our little baby is TWO.  

I think that means we don't have a baby any longer.  

Dear Myles, "merciful and gracious" one, we love you to the moon and back!