Newly Two

When asked how old he is, Elliott replies with a sweet and slightly questioning tone, "Two?" And even though it's April, he also still enjoys saying "Hatty birtday, Mommy. I luf you, Mommy." He's started telling John happy birthday, too. Elliott enjoyed sharing a birthday pancake with Joey on Joey's actual birthday (before preschool!) and a car ride with Joey on Joey's bday playgroup. Elliott keeps talking about singing "Happy Birthday" (he can do some of the song) and Joey blowing out the candles (which he did three separate times with the pancake, just for fun).

Elliott also recently enjoyed a hike and nature center visit with Henry. I think Elliott thought he was trying to jump in this photo, but he hasn't quite gotten that skill yet. Whenever I mention the nature center, Elliott either says "owl" because the other center has a Great Horned Owl that can't survive in the wild, or he starts naming (and enacting) all the animals at this other center, which we've gone to twice recently because it's right next to music class. There is a stuffed bear ("rar!") and a turkey ("gobble gobble") and an iguana (which he pronounces pretty well, and comments on the reptile sitting up in a tree and moving his head), turtles, fish ("smack, smack"), snake ("hiss") and toad ("ribbit ribbit" - close enough, I figure).

Elliott is getting more interested in his dolls - his heavy baby, which we've named "Heavy Baby," and his red-headed boy doll, EJ. He wants to dress them, change their diaper, and he talks about them sleeping. A few times John has brought them into bed when he puts Elliott down. We'd actually like him to find comfort in the doll. These days John can snuggle Elliott back to sleep when he wakes around 2:00 a.m. if I'm not right there in bed, so Elliott is sleeping until 5 or 6 a.m. when he then nurses and sleeps for another hour or two. Here Elliott is getting a kick out of holding the baby in a sling. After this photo I shot video of him trying to carry both dolls, and when the other didn't fit, he said, "I'm sorry, EJ." Elliott still has moments when he grabs our hair or goes to bite us, but when he realizes he did hurt us (on his own or when we say "___ing hurts!" or "ouch, that hurt!" or "are you okay, Daddy? Did that hurt you?"), he happily offers, "Sorry, Daddy."

I'm also including below a shot of our new backyard steps, which Elliott enjoyed watching (and hearing) get built. An added bonus (to the main purpose of keeping adults and children from tripping down the hill) is that the last several steps are wide enough to sit on and hang out or draw.