dance parties and cleaning-up

Isn't this picture beautiful?? My mom took it recently and I thought it was too precious NOT to post. I forgot to mention in the last recent post that Dylan now occassionally tries to do the worm when we have little dance parties. He'll be dancing and out of nowhere get down on the ground and push himself back just like his daddy. very cute and it shows that clearly breakdancing is something that is genetically coded because we've never taught him that. Also another cute thing he does is pick up things off the ground (like cheerios that he threw himself while saying "NOOO!") and walk them to the garbage and throw them away, or grab utensils or cups or botles and throw them up into the sink which he just barely reaches. Pretty amazing! Finally, I'm happy to have celebrated my birthday with him this last weekend -- he's the best present I could ever ask for.

all smiles

Things have been going well and Dylan is more like a little boy and less like a baby every day. We had our first "back to school/parents night" at his daycare, where we got to meet the teachers and hear about his days at the Rainbow Academy. It was nice to hear all the teachers say nice things about him. We felt like the parents of a little school-boy! It certainly felt like a milestone for us and I look forward to many more of those.

Thankfully, Dylan did pretty well throughout September and did not get sick. Unfortunately though, he developed ear infections in both ears during the first full week of October. He had a bit of a rough time and the doctor said it was probably pretty painful for him. Luckily, he's fully recovered now and we're bundling him up now that the weather has officially gotten really cold.

The cutest thing he's doing now is pointing to his own lips when he wants a kiss. It's just the cutest thing ever. Since the last entry, he has learned to say "NO" and "mine" -- both words we thank the daycare for. He's gotten really good at eating by himself and using utensils and he's begun to let us know when he needs a new diaper which is a good start to eventual potty-training. His personality is proving to be very strong and demanding and he will take our hands and lead us places and tell us what he wants to do (sit at his little table, read a book, take a bath, brush his teeth). For having such a small vocubulary he manages to always make himself understood, and he is understanding us more and more and responding by shaking his head "yes" or "no." What remains unchanged is his love of playing (especially with cars), his generosity with hugs and kisses (and we ask for them pretty regularly), and his adorable little voice which is sometimes really deep and other time really high and baby-like.

so all in all, things are going well and he's just getting cuter and smarter by the day. I took this picture one morning when we were getting dressed. I put his pants on and turned around to go in his closet for a shirt. by the time I turned around again, he had climbed up to the glider/chair and was rocking back and forth and smiling. I just had to take a picture with my phone to remember the moment.