"That each day of his life would be marked with the design of Your Glory." That is what your daddy prayed for you tonight...

as he left the room, you said "Nice be home, Daddy." I think you meant it was nice for you for Daddy to be home.

yes, it is nice to have him home with us and you are such a good boy for him. i could write pages about how many things you do to imitate him...crossing your arms when he does. putting your fork down when he does. wearing a zip up fleece when he does...

oh, and tonight, when I said ..."because Daddy's a man!" you said, "Daddy not a man. Daddy guy!" I think that was a compliment.

I Can Tell That We Are Gonna Be Friends.

We had the most amazing walk today. I wish I had pictures to prove it, but I opted to leave the camera at home and just look at you, be with you, instead. I got a few before we headed out though.

First we found a stick. You like to say, "Hike, hike, hike, hike" while you walk with a stick.

After playing in the snow a bit in front of an unfriendly old lady's house, your sock-mittens were wet. So, we removed them and you were ready for a ride in the Ergo.

On we went, to the gas station by our house. On this leg of the journey, there were dogs, and you said "Emma!" when you saw them. They looked like Wyatt & Joy's dog, Emma, but they were not her.

We got asked if we needed a ride by a friendly red-neck with a big truck. I showed him you on my back and said, "He likes this!" He did not look convinced.

Alas, we arrived at the gas station and you wanted down. After asking, "What's this?" to every cellophane bag marked 2/1.00 you returned to an old faithful: the Blow-Pop. A Sucker and GUM! Always been a hit with me, too!

You chose Sour Apple Green and I think mostly for the color because later you chose a brown Tootsie Pop for your dad and 2 pink Blow-Pops for me and Berea.

We paid for our suckers, went outside, and then I decided we needed a USA Today to read about Salinger's death. You put the quarters in.

You wanted to keep walking instead of be in the carrier on the way back, but you did want me to hold your hand. I liked that. With the other hand, you held your sucker. I kept mine in my mouth mostly.

We saw two barns, a frozen pond, and icicles. You learned the word Icicle, but were uninterested in holding one. "That's cold."

Some guy stopped at the stop sign and told us about a sledding accident involving the hood of a car that he was involved in in 1950something. It is too graphic to even re-tell here, and I am glad you were two so you won't remember.

We saw a green tractor and stopped to watch it pass. A few trucks. And then another tractor. Then we heard a "Wahoo!!!!!" and I realized we were near the hill where I'd gone sledding the first time in my life. Better than roller-coasters, I decided then. Can't wait to take you some day.

It took exactly the time from the gas station to our house to finish the Blow-Pop. And to understand how blessed and lucky I am to have you making me walk slower and see. Like an art teacher would tell you to see, you make me see.

Snowed In.

It has been a weird day for us. We're snowed in, and although you pleaded, "Get our jackets on," I have kept us all cooped up. So, the next best thing was to watch this.

You said, "They're foot..."as you watched all the kittens on the branches.

Then, I said, "Are you a Curious Cat?" and you said, "Yes!" and then later you said, "I dog. I dog. Ruff, ruff!" This stuff will only be as cute as it is for a little while, cause you're just starting to make sentences and all that.

When it was over, we all clapped along with the song, since Berea's really into clapping these days, and I can't wait til we can actually "take a walk outside today, see what we can find today..."

compassion

Yesterday evening your little eyes wrinkled up and your bottom lip poked out and it looked like you might cry when you saw Berea's "ouch" on her back. It happened when I sat her up on the shoe caddy/bench at the ChickfilA play area...she fell back and hit her back on the glass pane behind her and you said "Bee-ah fall Chicken-ay." Your first compassionate initiative...usually I tell you to say sorry and you muster that face, but today it was all you, babe. All you.

Also, you went pee in the potty with your friend Eliza Kentner in the stall. She tried to do the same, but no luck. You both got a piece of gum for effort.

Also, you did not go poo in the potty, so in an attempt to shamelessly bribe you, I bought 2 hot wheels and they're still in the package waiting for when you do. Good to know, huh? We are successfully bribing you to pee via the Jelly Bean. The only kind of Bean worth eating, really.

I read Micah 5 to you last night and it was perfect. We were both feeling a little too nervous before bedtime for some reason.

OH! We were pretending to be animals in the ChickfilA Big Toy (Mommy occasionally joins you in these. Yesterday, I brought Berea up, too.) and Sicily was a dog and then you were a cat that said Mee-ow and then when I wanted to be a cat with you, you promptly said, "I Cow. MOOoooo." And when we all got out, I wanted you to show off for my friends Amanda and Meghan and so I asked them what you were gonna be and you said, "Anderson...Daddy!" So that was cool.

You love your daddy. This morning, I think you two will be heading to the Donut shop. What you guys do when Mommy and Berea go to Baby Showers. I hear you are quite a hit, there. The funny thing is, last night, when we were talking about it and spelling "D-O-N-U-T" you knew we were talking about it and said, "Go Donut shop Daddy!"

Today you said your ABCs like this: "a b c d h y z!"

And then you wanted me to sing Jeyuss Loves Me and so when I sang it you said, "Like it. Like it!" And then we prayed and when you said Jesus Help, you said "Jesus Help Daddy. Jesus Help Berea." and when we said Jesus, Sorry, you said: "Jesus, Sorry--Berea...." Cause that's who we make you say sorry to most, I guess. OH, man, it was sweet.

Today you had to say sorry to her for bodyslamming her while she was nursing and we were all watching a movie on the couch, unsuspecting, you might say. Some day, I know this will make you both laugh.

I may be all done blogging TO you as I have grown annoyed with this format and wonder if you'll even want to read/ or have others read these things about yourself one day. Hmmm. Dilemma.

found you in the baby swing today, upon coming out of the bathroom from taking a shower. your sister was safe in there with me, as you tend to BITE her when I'm not around! i think its all just so exciting you wanna just bite her sometimes. sometimes the sweetness escapes, though, and you once even said "I love love you" while trying to get up on the couch and put your face by hers.

we had fun at subway today, meeting daddy for lunch. you kept saying hi to everyone as they left, because we were sitting really close to the exit. you say hi but when people actually talk back you're not that keen. unless its a 10 yr old girl. then you're all smiles but still not quite sure what to say...a little girl gave you her free kids toy at chickfila the other day and you promptly tried to hand her yours. i love you like crazy. i must go capitalize on your naptime, though and clean the kitchen and get dinner ready. we've been eating out far too much this week!

I have so dropped the 'bah' (how you say "Ball") on keeping up with your daily wonders, and i'm tired of my baby growing up up and away from me already at 18 months...

Yes, as of 4 days ago, you are 18 months old. You've done a lot in your short life. But I just want to talk about this short day.

Today, you ate over half of an entire apple, peeling and all. I am delighted that you like apples, as there was a time you only liked applesauce. And then you'd eat apples only if I peeled them and cut them up in little squares. And then you'd get made that I cut them up and wanted the whole thing, only to bite into it a couple times and hand it back. Now, actually, today, you found your way to the crisper, said "Appa" and then got it out and started eating it. Didn't eat your turkey, carrot discs, or even much of your "Awful" (waffle) that I gave you for breakfast. But you loved that apple. Then, at dinner at Barnett's, you actually bit into my hamburger when I happened to have it near your mouth. I'd never seen you hold a sandwich of any kind so proficiently, so I just handed it over. You much prefer to ketchup to ketchup and fries, but you'll lick the ketchup off a fry if that's the only form we'll allow you have it in. You'd rather just drink it from its little paper cup. What else...yes, you do other things than eat, I'm just especially aware of these particular patterns :).

Tonight you said "Bye-eee" to the vacuum before going to have bed-time with "Daa-eee." Who was actually the one who taught you to say bye to inanimate objects in the first place. He always lets you say bye to the slides and swings and whatever else is at the park, so you're happier leaving. So, tonight, apparently you anticipated missing the vacuum.

We had some special time while we were at Barnett's. You and I went outside while Daddy and Brent and Berea waited for the "wooof" (food). You walked along the blue benches of the outside picnic table and I held your hand and swung you across when we ran out of bench and had to get to the next table. Then we watched a squirrel cross the road. Then we walked over to a pink dogwood and I showed you its flowers and though you don't mind saying the word "Fower" when you see them in books, you must be humoring me, because in real life you couldn't care less. Your eyes were looking over my shoulder, I think for the squirrel. My favorite moment was when we were headed back, you leaned into me a bit and smiled, realizing it was just me and you and seeming to appreciate it almost as much as I was.

You are a boy genius and I want to record all the evidence but for now, this will do.