(First a quick note, I added some pictures and some extremely great sound clips to an earlier entry called “He Nose So Much…” please check ’em out! [You can click on the title in the previous sentence to go directly there.])
What can I say about this that won’t sound cliché? Our tiny little bundle that only grunted upon arrival at 2:45 in the morning is somehow 27 lbs with a little attitude and a growing vocabulary. If I went back in time to that night and could tell myself and Melissa a few things about the Ian of the future, would the me from two years ago want to know that Ian seems to prefer pickle slices to spears, that he is showing signs of being less of an Elmo fan and more of a Cookie Monster devotee? Or would we want to be surprised by every subtle nuance Ian has had to offer? The now-a-days me is wise enough to not even turn back time, if I could. Every day has been a fun new discovery, no matter if things are up or down.
I know this is going to put this entry completely out of order by starting with a photograph from later on, but I think this is probably the most fitting image for Ian’s birthday, hopefully you’ll agree it is worth the organizational sacrifice —
“The Great White has a protective lid that closes over its eyes just as its powerful jaws snap down on its helpless prey.” See this image larger.
Ok and now back to the beginning of our story…
This is from the night before his birthday, and he’s checking out the pile of envelopes and wrapped presents. Here he eyeballs a box from Grandma Sue… See this image larger.
Dinosaur puzzles, and other goodness! Thanks to each and every one of you for your awesome gifts and cards! Ian got hands on with each card and whether or not you’ll ever see it — he thanked each of you personally on video. (Maybe I’ll get that up here someday!) See this image larger.
You look like you’re enjoying that pizza, kiddo, but I think we all know what time it is… See this image larger.
https://outoftheirminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ootmd-logo-dark-wings-3Asset-15.svg00vrbfwhttps://outoftheirminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ootmd-logo-dark-wings-3Asset-15.svgvrbfw2009-01-21 11:53:372009-01-21 11:53:37Two Years Old
We took some pictures of Ian in his Birthday Boy shirt before tomorrow when he inevitably gets it all messed up. I’ll share all the pictures on his birthday in the evening.
Again, the rate at which he is learning is crazy. Tonight we told him to tell his cars goodnight, and he said “night night cars!” and immediately turned the power off on each of them, before returning them to the toy box. He only had three out, but there are four in the set, so he started digging under the couch with a long plastic spoon, trying to reach them.
We explained that the fourth was in the toy box already, so he could just put the spoon in the toy box too. And he said “No.” Melissa and I shrugged, because we were already feeling pretty thrilled with the extended clean-up. But his “no” was explained in full when he ran to the kitchen, and we heard the drawer open, the clattering of the plastic spoon being returned to its proper home, and then the closing of the drawer.
https://outoftheirminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ootmd-logo-dark-wings-3Asset-15.svg00vrbfwhttps://outoftheirminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ootmd-logo-dark-wings-3Asset-15.svgvrbfw2009-01-20 20:40:032009-01-20 20:40:03Birthday Eve
(First off, I want to open up with a shout-out to my nephew Connor, who turned 7 today and is cool!)
On Sunday, Melissa, Ian and I went to a train exhibit in Meijer Gardens. It was the frosting on the cake of a fantastic weekend. Ian was just a lovable little guy the whole time and there were a lot of smiles and laughter throughout.
Today was Monday, and the usual Daddy and Ian shenanigans were going on around here… But first let’s talk about Ian’s nose. He’s got a bit of a headcold going on, and his nose is running. I took this as an opportunity to try and teach him. So he went from his original state, which was “knowing how to wipe his nose when handed a burp rag” at the beginning of last week, to “knowing to go get a burp rag and wipe his own nose when requested” to “learning how to blow his nose by exhaling through it” to “wiping his nose without being asked” to “pushing the ottoman over to the counter, climbing it, grabbing a tissue, and blowing his own nose into the tissue without being asked, and then throwing it in the garbage when described by his daddy as ‘icky.'” The last two stages I only got to see executed once each, but they were so spectacular that they were worth mentioning.
Ok and now other stories of the day. He has these plastic tupperware-like canisters he keeps his train parts in. They’re made out of a kind of plastic that it seems like nothing sticks to very well, so I had him start decorating them with stickers because up until now, he hasn’t had any clue what to do with a sticker once it is given to him. I mention this only because if very rarely does Ian show a face of pride, but watch him if you see him go near these canisters, because he absolutely beams when he looks at them. Definitely something like “This is cool,” but also “I did this.”
While we’re on the topic of cool things that Ian has said recently, please give this one a listen, and again, watch the volume, folks… parts are very quiet and parts are loud. Click here to hear Ian say mmHmmm, and a few foods.
A few minutes later I asked him if he wanted a fruit snack or cookies for dessert… and… (get ready for this one) he said “Bofth.” Now look — I don’t know how he could know to say that — it shows a level of complex understanding that I’d assume should simply not be happening yet. But that is precisely what he said. “Bofth.” Just the fact that I gave him choice A or B and he chose C is so endearing to me… Melissa must have felt the same, because when I texted this to her she replied “that’s our boy.”
We put three teddy bears in a chair today and it was fun watching Ian decide that the bears really need a blanket… and some pizza (plastic food tokens)… and they each needed a ball… and a truck. It looked to me like he’d read “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie” one too many times. See this image larger.
I took him out on a sledding run today. Threw him in the sled, ran ahead of him and pulled him around the yard. I went one lap and started a second one, asking “Are you having fun Ian?” “Noooo.” “Oh, you want to go back inside?” “mmHmm!” (The latter said sweetly, like in response to an offering of cookies.) See this image larger.
https://outoftheirminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ootmd-logo-dark-wings-3Asset-15.svg00vrbfwhttps://outoftheirminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ootmd-logo-dark-wings-3Asset-15.svgvrbfw2009-01-19 22:28:342009-01-19 22:28:34He Nose So Much
Two Years Old
(First a quick note, I added some pictures and some extremely great sound clips to an earlier entry called “He Nose So Much…” please check ’em out! [You can click on the title in the previous sentence to go directly there.])
What can I say about this that won’t sound cliché? Our tiny little bundle that only grunted upon arrival at 2:45 in the morning is somehow 27 lbs with a little attitude and a growing vocabulary. If I went back in time to that night and could tell myself and Melissa a few things about the Ian of the future, would the me from two years ago want to know that Ian seems to prefer pickle slices to spears, that he is showing signs of being less of an Elmo fan and more of a Cookie Monster devotee? Or would we want to be surprised by every subtle nuance Ian has had to offer? The now-a-days me is wise enough to not even turn back time, if I could. Every day has been a fun new discovery, no matter if things are up or down.
I know this is going to put this entry completely out of order by starting with a photograph from later on, but I think this is probably the most fitting image for Ian’s birthday, hopefully you’ll agree it is worth the organizational sacrifice —
Ok and now back to the beginning of our story…
Birthday Eve
We took some pictures of Ian in his Birthday Boy shirt before tomorrow when he inevitably gets it all messed up. I’ll share all the pictures on his birthday in the evening.
Again, the rate at which he is learning is crazy. Tonight we told him to tell his cars goodnight, and he said “night night cars!” and immediately turned the power off on each of them, before returning them to the toy box. He only had three out, but there are four in the set, so he started digging under the couch with a long plastic spoon, trying to reach them.
We explained that the fourth was in the toy box already, so he could just put the spoon in the toy box too. And he said “No.” Melissa and I shrugged, because we were already feeling pretty thrilled with the extended clean-up. But his “no” was explained in full when he ran to the kitchen, and we heard the drawer open, the clattering of the plastic spoon being returned to its proper home, and then the closing of the drawer.
He Nose So Much
(First off, I want to open up with a shout-out to my nephew Connor, who turned 7 today and is cool!)
On Sunday, Melissa, Ian and I went to a train exhibit in Meijer Gardens. It was the frosting on the cake of a fantastic weekend. Ian was just a lovable little guy the whole time and there were a lot of smiles and laughter throughout.
Today was Monday, and the usual Daddy and Ian shenanigans were going on around here… But first let’s talk about Ian’s nose. He’s got a bit of a headcold going on, and his nose is running. I took this as an opportunity to try and teach him. So he went from his original state, which was “knowing how to wipe his nose when handed a burp rag” at the beginning of last week, to “knowing to go get a burp rag and wipe his own nose when requested” to “learning how to blow his nose by exhaling through it” to “wiping his nose without being asked” to “pushing the ottoman over to the counter, climbing it, grabbing a tissue, and blowing his own nose into the tissue without being asked, and then throwing it in the garbage when described by his daddy as ‘icky.'” The last two stages I only got to see executed once each, but they were so spectacular that they were worth mentioning.
Ok and now other stories of the day. He has these plastic tupperware-like canisters he keeps his train parts in. They’re made out of a kind of plastic that it seems like nothing sticks to very well, so I had him start decorating them with stickers because up until now, he hasn’t had any clue what to do with a sticker once it is given to him. I mention this only because if very rarely does Ian show a face of pride, but watch him if you see him go near these canisters, because he absolutely beams when he looks at them. Definitely something like “This is cool,” but also “I did this.”
I asked him if something tasted good today and he said “Mmmmm dee-ishus.” Here’s a sound clip of this one…
While we’re on the topic of cool things that Ian has said recently, please give this one a listen, and again, watch the volume, folks… parts are very quiet and parts are loud. Click here to hear Ian say mmHmmm, and a few foods.
A few minutes later I asked him if he wanted a fruit snack or cookies for dessert… and… (get ready for this one) he said “Bofth.” Now look — I don’t know how he could know to say that — it shows a level of complex understanding that I’d assume should simply not be happening yet. But that is precisely what he said. “Bofth.” Just the fact that I gave him choice A or B and he chose C is so endearing to me… Melissa must have felt the same, because when I texted this to her she replied “that’s our boy.”