"Batpats", "Potty Rooms", and "Hot Glasses"

At almost 2 years of age, Holden is quite the little character. His personality is really coming out as he picks up words and starts expressing himself. I am still in shock that my baby will be 2 this month!! His birthday is on the 24th, and we will be celebrating in Florida! We head to Destin over my spring break with Jay's parents, little sis, and one of her friends. We are having a party this Saturday at Godfather's Pizza so we can celebrate with friends and family before we go. It is going to be-what else?-a Wiggles theme, and he is very excited about cake and playing in the balls. I ask him about presents and he gives me a quizzical look. When I say toys, he grins and nods his head and shouts, "TOYS!" =o) It's hard to believe this running, talking, dancing, climbing, somersaulting, singing, questioning, playful ball of energy is the same teeny tiny preemie that we brought home wrapped in his favorite blue "nigh nigh" blankie 2 March's ago. I feel like we blinked and he grew into a little boy. It really does go soooo very fast even though sometimes I wanted to smack people when they said that. (Usually after I'd been up all night with a teething infant!) When I found out I was having a boy, I wondered what I'd do with him? I am such a girlie girl. I have learned how much fun trucks, mud, balls, mowers, choo-choos, and all things boys can be! I think it is safe to say that I'm totally in love. With a 24 pound, blond haired, brown eyed mischief maker. I wouldn't trade him for a million girls! (But if God wants to give him a sister at some point, I won't complain!) =o)

Holden adores any type of ball right now. We are trying to teach him how to CATCH the ball, but he'd rather throw it wildly, kick it wildly, hit it with a bat or golf club wildly...I think you get the picture.

He is also really into pretending to shave like Daddy now. When I get ready in the morning, he sits on the counter with his feet in the sink, warm water running, and I put some sensitive skin shaving cream on our soap dish. He slathers it all over his face and laughs at himself in the mirror, saying, "SILLY!" Then he wipes it off with a washcloth. Luckily he is afraid of razors since I told him they make "ouchies!" When he sees one he will yell, "OUCH!"

The middle shot is from last night. We were at Shoe Carnival getting new shoes for Jay and myself. Holden has been very into purses lately because a) he associates them with going "bye bye," and b) he loves phones, and he knows cell phones can usually be found in purses. Jay is NOT a fan of this current obsession, and is constantly telling him "boys wear backpacks!" Holden and I were at the mall the other night, and we walked by a rack of purses at Bergner's. He looked at them with big eyes and I thought, "uh oh!" But he very proudly said, "No touch!" and smiled at me. I praised him for remembering and then he said, "Yeah...no touch batpats!" Apparently he thinks purses are still backpacks....boys just call them that! So at Shoe Carnival, he spotted this cute little Nike backpack just his size at the back of the store, put it on, and posed for me, grinning and saying, "CHEESE! Batpat! My batpat! I get batpat?" I told him to ask Daddy. Jay said, "Will you wear it instead of a purse?" And Holden said, "YES! BATPAT!" So he wore it out of the store. He is very excited to put things in it. Note his new little Cardinals crocs, too. Aren't they cute?! He has insisted on wearing them everyday since we got them, so we put socks on and out he goes into the 35 degree weather in them.

Playing in boxes is another big thing right now. Doesn't matter how cool the thing that came in the box is, he goes for the box. The one in the picture held a little truck shaped potty seat that Memaw brought him. When you go potty, it makes construction noises! Holden is starting to experiment with going on the potty, and we are not pushing it at this point, but we do encourage him when he wants to try. I think he's still a ways off from truly doing hardcore training, which is fine. He is very strong-willed, and I know if I push him and he's not ready, it will completely turn him off to it. Jay has had better luck with him than I have so far; although that has also meant some clean-up on Jay's part...he called me at work the other day to say, "Well, the good news is Holden peed on the potty! The bad news is you didn't tell me I had to teach him how to point it DOWN!!" I had a good laugh about that one. Apparently Jay had to change his entire outfit. His own, not Holden's. Anyway, Holden has gone on the big toilet using a little Elmo potty seat, but has yet to use the adorable truck Memaw got him. He likes to sit on it and play with the bucket that goes in it, but won't actually go. He sure enjoyed the box though....

The fire truck shot is also at Shoe Carnival. I included it because that "Oh!" expression is his new thing to do when he is excited. It cracks me up!


Holden has been Daddy's buddy lately. He cries if Jay is not there when we get home, wants Daddy to rock him at night before bed instead of Mommy (sniff sniff!), and absolutely loves visiting him while he is working. We made another trip to the airport the other night when Jay had security detail. I had bought him some new sunglasses right before that. He is really into asking, "WHY?" about everything right now. The conversation went something like this:
Holden-"Glasses! Me on!"
Mommy-"Yes, Holden, you can wear your new sunglasses and show them to Daddy."
Holden-"WHY?"
Mommy-"Because you like them and they will protect your eyes."
Holden-"WHY?"
Mommy-"Because the sun is very bright when you are looking up at the planes."
Holden-"Sun HOT! HOT HOT HOT! WHY?"
Mommy-"It IS hot, you are right. It's like fire." (What a scientist! LOL!)
Holden-"WHY?"
Mommy-"Because God made it that way." (running out of answers.)
Holden-"WHY?"
Mommy-"Oh look, Holden! We're here! Let's go see Daddy!"
Holden-"Otay!"
We go inside and he spots Daddy and yells, "JAY! My HOT GLASSES!!!" (I think Jay thought he meant he looked hot in them, but he was referring to the sun.) He wore them the first half hour we were in the airport and only took them off after he ran into a wall. =o)

I love these shots of him looking down at Daddy!

One last funny story in what has turned into an incredibly long post: When Holden and I were shopping the other night, I found some skirts I really liked and decided to try them on. He has never been in a dressing room before, as Jay is usually with us. He had been so good about walking with me (first time I ventured alone with him without the stroller!) and listening that I thought we'd give it a whirl. We walked in and there were several people in the rooms around us. He was dancing in the mirror and I thought, "how easy!" as I started taking my pants off. He looks at me and says VERY loudly, "MOMMY? You go POTTY??" Snickers from the other stalls. "No Holden," I explain with a laugh, "This looks like a bathroom but it is a place to try on clothes." Not to be deterred he says a little LOUDER, "MOMMY? You go POOPY in here????" More snickers. "No, Holden, nobody is going potty. Let me just get this off and we will go. At full yelling volume: "MOMMY? I go POOPY in here???" as he pulls his pants off and tries to take his diaper off. Laughter rather than snickers. Full-blown panic. "NO, Holden! Here! Let Mommy just finish changing and we'll go." Sound of door creaking open and sickening realization that I picked a door with a broken lock...."MOMMY! BYE BYE!" SLAMMING sound of door as I pull on my pants with one hand and hold the door shut with my foot, while at the same time also pulling up Holden's pants. Note to self: don't take a 2 year old boy in the dressing room with you.