Slowly Letting the Air Out of a Balloon

With the firm exception of a diaper change Declan is so very cooperative. When it's nap time or bedtime he grabs Monkey and Pooh Bear and heads off to his room happily. He puts items in the garbage, he brushes his hair (he tries), gets his own fish crackers out of the bag and now he brushes his own teeth. Declan can hold the brush and you can hear he's actually getting his teeth. He is loving his growing independence. 

This afternoon when we were all home I his in Declan's fort. He came looking for me and laughed when he found me sitting inside. Then we both hid from Daddy but soon enough he was onto us. Tyler came over and tapped on the top which illicited a bout of laughter from my Muffin Man. Then Tyler peaked his head inside and Declan couldn't contain his excitement. He let out a loud, high pitched and long squeal. His cousin Madison asked me what was going on down hear as she could hear what sounded like a slow letting out of air from a balloon. Nope. Just my kid. 

Valentine's Day - all the ladies

Declan is certainly learning how to treat the ladies. He's the only boy at daycare. Today he dressed in his "Chicks Dig Me" t-shirt and his red Canada sweatshirt and he hung our with Ella, Jorja, Janaya and Alexis. Of course he has his wing men Pooh Bear and Monkey close at hand all the time.

Four Legged Buddy

Declan gets such a kick out of the cat. Hunter is in our room so Declan squeals and chaces him out. Hunter runs and hides in Declan's fort.

"Declan. The cat is in your fort."

Declan goes running, sees the cat in his fort. He laughs and Hunter takes off back into our bedroom. Declan skips along back into our room but where's the cat?

He's trying to hide under the bed. Soon as he notices he's been spotted he's off again back to Declan's fort.

This goes on and on.

Happy playmates.

Sit - Stand - Sit

Daddy tells me that Declan was having a blast with his Sesame Street couch. He would sit down quickly, then stand up, then sit back down fast as his could, then stand back up again. There was laughter and there was cheering. And probably a good workout too!

The Vocalist

We've gotten Declan somewhat adjusted to a more daycare convenient schedule. He's in bed an hour earlier but this gives him the opportunity to wake on his own for daycare rather than me disturbing the poor tired kid.

Usually I have him up at 6:15 am on daycare days. Good news; this morning Declan woke on his own at 5:50 am. I was waiting until 6:10 to go in and get him so I was able to listen to him in his crib over the monitor. Turns out we have a little singer. I'm not talking babbling that kindof sounds like singing nor do I mean high pitch noises that jokingly sound like he's trying to sing. No I mean he was singing a tune. He sounds like a girl. I mean...he's 2. His voice is cute but he was softly singing a melody. Did this for a few minutes and of course I just listened to him. I wonder if he will do this in front of me or if he just did it because he was along with Monkey and Pooh Bear? 

Well I was impressed. Just more evidence of how big he's gotten.

Friends

I'm sitting cuddling Declan on the steps at daycare this morning. In comes Alexis and her Mom who proceeds to sit down beside and cuddle Alexis. 

So sweet, she looks at Declan and then at me and says "Deckan". 

Her Mom says "that's right, that's Declan".

Then Alexis counts to five using her fingers as she goes.

Declan imitates her and he shows me counting with his fingers.

Alexis's Mom then had to go and so the tears started as she said goodbye. As she leaves Alexis walks to Kelly crying loudly the whole way and then Declan starts. I looked at him. "Are you upset that I have to go or that she just left?"

He just kept with the tears so I hugged him and gave him a kiss, said goodbye and left Kelly with two crying toddlers. She's really good at her job.

When Tyler picked Declan up from daycare there was only one of his little friends still there: Ella. Once Tyler had Declan dressed and ready to go Declan shouts back "bye Ella"!

So cute, saying bye to his little friends like a big boy. So grown up.

A 2 Year Old's Weekend

He plays with his toys or his computer non-stop. He chases the cat and then pats him nicely. He is in and out of his fort giggling all the time. Oh to be two.

In the evening we went to Eliot and Nancy's for the night which meant about 2 hours for Declan to play with Molly and MacGregor. I love watching him run around and just be a kid. MacGregor was so good with him. He chased him around but also kept a watch that Declan didn't tough any small toys that he could choke on. Declan was having a blast. He really likes older kids so a 5 year old that will give him all his attention was a great night for the kid.

Declan (or me actually) brought Molly and MacGregor each an Elmo cake pop from his Birthday. He also had one left for himself. They loved them, ate them all up but Declan still wasn't really interested in eating Elmo's head. He did finally bite the eyes off. Then he wanted nothing to do with it. 

I'm not going to read anything into that.

This morning Declan woke up at 6:30 and he slept in the same room as us so he wasn't going to fall back asleep. Daddy picked him up, I got him his bottle and and his computer. After his milk he sat between us in bed, leaning his back up against me and we tried toget a few more zzzzz's while he played his games.

Declan was great all weekend but boy did he get tired with all the playtime. An afternoon cupcake bath for the boy and off to bed for 7pm. Then we listened to Declan chatting away in bed for 45 minutes. Those poor stuffed animals.