Boys Will Be(come) Boys
Since Ian moved to his new class a great many things have changed about him, and it has really only been a few days. His old class was mostly girls, and younger. Now he’s running with boys that, you know, do boy stuff. So he’ll sometimes pick his nose, and if he can get away with it, he’ll attempt to pick my nose; just as an example.
The good:
• Ian is saying or trying to say a lot more. The noises coming out of his mouth are more varied and it is allowing him to more closely mimic what Melissa and I are saying. Just this week he’s solidified saying “woof woof” for a dog and has started saying “duck” again. He also says “ROWR!” in regards to animals that roar. The times I’ve written about him saying a word in the past, they were typically one-offs. Now he’s actively repeating words that he learns. So this is a very good thing.
• In general he’s mastering physical stuff a bit better, although this was never really a problem area for Ian. He waves like a champ now, and claps along with everybody else. I was surprised to see him attempt to clamber up into his car seat yesterday, when all I had done was set him in the car. (My Civic doesn’t quite have the room for me to plop him in the seat that Melissa’s 4-door Prius does, I end up having to truly get back there with him to set him in the seat.) He couldn’t quite make it up into the seat proper, but I found this particularly heartening because it (almost) helped me. Ian helping me. That’s pretty cool.
• A little more regularity for sleep. We get the idea that if this kid would stop teething we’d almost be on a normal schedule by now. (Said the Dada, knowing the Mama is probably getting up at all hours of the night every night and thinks Dada is full of doodoo.)
The “bad”: (if you can call it that I do realize that this was inevitable; he’s got to become a boy at some point, right?)
• A lot more fussing and straining to get out of arms, or in a mad attempt to dive off of the diaper changing station.
• A lot more crying and hitting.
• A lot more crazy stunts.
• A lot more trying something that’s wrong, watching for us to say “no!” and then doing it anyway, with a bigger smile on his face.
Anyway, so this all pre-dates Grandpa Dave and Grandma Marcia agreeing to watch the lil guy this upcoming weekend while Melissa and I scoot off to a wedding. I hope Ian has reserved a little good behavior for that particular night.
Ian and I couldn’t make up our minds which hat he should wear… so we wore all three. What was even more amusing is he did NOT attempt to take this totem-pole of chapeaus off of his head until I removed them for him. 
Getting a pat on the back already, I must be being a good daddy. 
“I’m hunting wabbits.” Another shot… kinda Elmer Fudd-like. 
Guess what word he’s saying here. Answer: “BAAAAAAAAWWWWLL.” 
Turns out if I make a hiccup noise, he laughs. Which is great because I was able to catch this grin as a result. 
Attention potential babysitters: In the last few days this kid’s speed has gone up remarkably. Granted I used a little photoshop magic on this shot, but it isn’t too far from the truth. 
Just chilling. “Hey Dada, your lawn could use some work.” 
You can tell he loves the wide-open space. He’s not so fond of the full coat of sunscreen that he’s wearing, but he didn’t put nearly as much of a fuss as I would have. 
We sometimes watch a DVD about the alphabet in which “C is for Conifer.” Here Ian points out the conifer in our yard. 
The deck is extra fun, footsteps are stompy, balls get more bouncy, and besides all that it is an outdoor crib with steps… how can you beat that? 
PLAYPLAYPLAYPLAY… pause for picture… PLAYPLAYPLAYPLAY
His (cuter) blue cap didn’t come home from daycare last time… hopefully it is sitting there on Wednesday, as he looked really nice in it. 
Sometimes as I’m walking or standing, I just drop the camera to about knee-height and pop a couple off hoping to get a nice shot… my eye is nowhere near the eyepiece on the camera at that point, of course. Sometimes they turn out nice. I like this one a lot. 
Same kind of shot. Ian – “I’m going in this direction, please center me in viewfinder, thanks.” 
It is almost unreal seeing your kid standing there so far away, walking up the street. 
Alright Grandma Barb, name that poem! (Hint: Author’s initials are “SS”) 
Me – “WOOHOO RUN KID RUN!!! (just for the love of God don’t fall!!!)” 
Give Grandma Marcia a birthday hug, little man! 
“Little man” isn’t too far from the truth, either. Just look at him! Looks pretty confident in his walk, wouldn’t you say? 
Grandpa Dave “was delighted to buy Ian presents for Marcia’s birthday.” Look, you and I know that doesn’t make sense, but you can tell it makes sense to Grandpa Dave when he says it. 😉 
Keep your eye on the ball! 
Cool chair to be used up at the cottage this year, you bet! 
The lattice-work you see there on the railing was a new addition, meant to keep “junior” from taking a head-first dive into the basement. Thanks Grandpa Dave!
Quick Ian, you’re happy and you know it! 
The lyrics that they don’t tell you about in that song until after you’re a parent: If you’re teething and you know it, drool and cry… 
Hey, hey, this bathing thing is serious business, kid. You stop looking like you’re having so much fun, immediately! 😉 
Show everybody what you looked like with a fat lip the other night, lil man. 
Mama gets something resembling that little DQ ice cream swirl in Ian’s hair with a quick twist of the finger. 
“Woohoo! Bathtime Dada! High five!” (That’s not what this actually is a picture of, but you should see this kid high five now. Or clap for that matter.) 
“Alright alright, I’m done here, where’s the exit?” 