Silly Mattoddler

Background: We put all of Matthew's clothes that are too small into his top dresser drawer.

Me: "Well, Sam can't play trucks with you yet. He is still too small."
Matt: *long pause* "Put Sam in drawer!"

Cat Grandpa, Cat Grandpa, Cat Grandpa

This week, Matt has spent some quality time reminiscing about Cat Grandpa's visit.

"Mom sit in Cat Grandpa's chair."
"Cat Grandpa used to eat this peanut butter. Cat Grandpa not eat this peanut butter."
"Cat Grandpa put these two birdfeeder in this tree. Cat Grandpa put this birdfeeder here."
"Cat Grandpa play t-ball."
"Cat Grandpa used to be here [behind shrub by sidewalk]. Cat Grandpa used to be here."
Pointing at guy on bike, "Just like Cat Grandpa!"
Pointing at lady running, "Just like Cat Grandpa!"
"Cat Grandpa used to eat blueberry yogurt. Just like Matt!"
"Cat Grandpa drink tea in this cup."
"Cat Grandpa used to be in playhouse."
"Cat Grandpa wear basketball shirt. Not football shirt."
Pointing at someone's sunglasses, "Cat Grandpa wear those."
"Cat Grandpa used to take Matt in bike trailer."

Perspective

So I've been feeling vaguely sorry for myself since I've had NO time to read lately, except the blog I've been reading on the iPad when I'm feeding Sam during the night. Jeff was bragging about how he's staying on track for his book-a-month goal so far, and that made me feel even more sad. So, I checked my records, which I'm keeping for the Madison Library reading challenge, and saw that, in fact, I have read four books already in October! But only one in September. And only seven in August. (I usually read between ten and thirteen books per month.)

Then I thought, Wow, I'm still reading! And taking care of two children! And working! And occasionally going running! And doing a bunch of household tasks all the time! So it's not that bad. But I'm still going to try to take more time for reading.

All-natural fattie

Lady at the coffeeshop: "How old's your baby?"
Me: "Two months."
Lady: "How much does he weigh?"
Me: "Umm, probably between 12 and 13 pounds."
Lady: *knowing look on her face* "Ohh, yeah. Formula plumps them right up. Don't feel bad."
Me: ?

"Used to be" and "A little bit"

Matthew's learned the phrases "used to be" and "a little bit." So now he says them all the time.

Jumping down from a chair, he narrated, "Just hop down... a little bit."

Out for a stroll, his running commentary included, "Jeep used to be in garage door. Truck used to be in garage door." (They were both in the driveway.) "Garage door open a little bit. Two garage door open a little bit!"

Looking at the humidifier in our room, "Used to be in Matt's room!"

Looking at some books in his room, "Used to be in livingroom!"

While eating, "Matt eat cantaloupe. Just a little bit."

Looking in his milk cup, "All gone!" *hysterical laughter* (Milk's not all gone.) Then, "Just a little bit!"

Putting soap on his hands, "Just a little bit!"

About his crayons, which are now stored in a cup, "Used to be in box."

About Sam, "Used to be in Mama!" Followed up by, "Sam go back in Mama?"


It used to be that Matthew just talked a little bit. Ha.

Connections and independence

Matthew's main activity right now is making connections, it seems. Also, memorizing random things like which neighbors drive which vehicles.

For example, he has a book with a bunch of pictures of animals. Near the front is a porcupine. Near the back is a porcupine fish. One day, he excitedly flipped back and forth from one picture to the other. Then he ran to his room and got another book with a porcupine in it.

He has a tiny green four-wheeler toy. He was driving it around, stopped abruptly, then tried to ride on it, saying, "Cat Grandpa! In snow! Matt!" Apparently he remembered riding on the four-wheeler at the ranch in April with Grandpa.

When we go for strolls, Matt can identify which cars or trucks are missing from which houses. He'll point out, "No red car? No big pickup truck? Just Jeep." Or he'll tell me where he's pretty sure the vehicle has gone: "Pickup truck at grocery store. New blue bathmat." (They always go to work or the grocery store. If they go to the grocery store, they're always getting a new bathmat. Because, you know, we got a bathmat one time and it was exciting."

If he sees an Auburn logo, he'll say, "Just like Dada!"

Whenever we go to Walmart, Matthew shouts, "Front row!" when we're pulling into the parking lot. One time I said that excitedly, and now it's the thing to say when you go to Walmart.

If Sam starts fussing, Matt runs to get his pacifier. If Sam's awake but I say he seems sleepy, Matthew will say, "'Am go sleep in bas-net!" then sometimes try to bring the bassinet to me.

Some things Matt can do by himself now: Pee standing up without using a stool. Pull his own shorts and underwear down. Wash his hands, including getting the soap out of the dispenser. Use the bathroom faucets to get water in a cup. Use the outside water faucet. Move his stool around the house to reach things like Sam's sock box in his closet, the light switches, and food in the cupboard. Eat very well with a spoon and pretty well with a fork. Take his shirt off if he already has one arm out of a sleeve. Run for 20 minutes without stopping.

Some things Sam can do: Um... I guess I'll save that topic for a while from now.

Who's full of danger?

At the playground. True story. I didn't even coach him on this.


Me: Matthew, you are full of danger today!   ...Who else is full of danger?

Matt: Mama!

Me: That's true. Who else is full of danger?

Matt: Cat Grandpa!

Me: Yeah, sometimes, I guess. Who's not full of danger?

Matt: Dada!