Tyler has taken it upon himself to make sure the cat's food bowl is never empty. I am sure our 2 cats are very appreciative of his diligence to overflow their food bowl at every opportunity...they just don't like it when he is done and then chases them around the house trying to force them into eating immediately to show their appreciation of his efforts.
Have I mentioned that my son will do just about anything you ask, as long as he gets a "roll-up" a.k.a. fruit by the foot as a snack?
New bathtub trick Tyler just discovered on his own recently - being able to put his head partially under water. We have tried having him lie on his back like this in the pool, but he wouldn't do it. Maybe the tub is a safer place to experiment. It doesn't seem to bother him that water gets in his ears. I think he kinda likes being able to tune us out when we say it is time to get out!
We are proud to report that Tyler is toilet trained to the point where we don't have to remind him anymore (he tells us), he only uses pull-ups for nap time and overnight, he can go to the bathroom, turn the light on, take his pants off, get his step stool, and go potty all by himself - all we have to do is help him redress and wash his hands. He even has woken us up in the night a few times asking to go to the bathroom. We have come a long way, baby!! Now I just have to cross my fingers that he doesn't regress too much when his sibling arrives. I have actually given away all his remaining diapers so that I can tell myself that our house was at least diaper-free for about 10 weeks before baby #2!
It is probably bad parenting that Tyler has been allowed to watch so many Curious George cartoons, but he loves them so much and it gives him a chance to calm down each day from his more active games...but it is a bit disconcerting that he can now recite word for word some of the much-watched episodes we have on DVD! Adam said he used to do this too when he was younger. Tyler also knows the "commercials" in between IPTV cartoons by heart too. He also sings along with me when I sing him lullaby's at night - only his version of "Jesus Loves Me" sounds more rock & roll than soothing lullaby! He is also memorizing nursery rhymes. Hickory, Dickory, Dock and Black Sheep, Black Sheep are favorites.
Tyler also "shhh-ed" us the other day for the first time. Adam and I were talking to each other during a Curious George episode and he waved his hand in our direction and said "shhhh, no hear George" without taking his eyes off the screen!
Thanks to a train cartoon about a ghost, now Tyler mentions ghosts quite often - even talking to his toys about ghosts when he plays by himself. Yesterday we had the windows open to cool the house. Tyler closed a door upstairs and the wind blew it back open. He was sure the ghost had done it. The look on his face was priceless. These "ghosts" don't seem to scare him at all, it is more like an imaginary friend.
Our kid does NOT have abandonment issues. He is actually more than happy to be left places without us. Adam went to Child Watch at the Boone Y to pick him up after his workout last week and Tyler said "I'ma playing with my friend, this one" and he pointed to the only other kid in the room. He did not want to leave his "new friend." Adam tried the "well I guess I will just have to leave you here and go home on my own" trick, but it backfired when Tyler got a joyful look on his face and said "oh yes, Daddy, oh thank you!" Then he had to break Tyler's heart when it became apparent that, no he really couldn't stay and they really were leaving. :(
Tyler got some new books at the Library. One of them is called It's Spring. The animals in the book wake each other up after the winter to tell them it is finally spring. So, this morning Tyler came running into my room saying "Wake up mommy, it's spring!"
We had a family movie night last month and watched Bambi for the first time with Tyler. He watched very intently and loved all the animals. I was worried about how he would handle Bambi's Mom getting shot, but the fire and the movie actually ending were much more stressful parts for him. He demanded to watch it again right away! Now all the rabbits he sees he calls Thumper!
Tyler got to see the Easter bunny before the hunt started. As you can see, he wasn't impressed! I was the town's Easter bunny for many years growing up. The Chamber of Commerce rep at the hunt joked that I wouldn't fit in the costume this year!
And the hunt begins!
Showing off his candy!
One of the eggs Tyler got in the hunt had a coupon for a free candy bar at Easters, so he and Adam went over to find a candy bar and also take a couple of rides on the horse while I was running other errands.
The guys also spent some time at the library before meeting up with me for lunch at Vaughn's
With all of the family in town, we got hotel rooms instead of crowding in at Grandma's house. Tyler enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool! I got a bed all to myself and the guys shared - well...as you can see toddlers don't share well!
Tyler finding the basket the Easter Bunny left for him in his hotel room.
He wanted to play with the hollow chocolate bunny -
The siblings outside of church
The family
Easter egg hunt back at Grandma's house
After awhile his bucket got so heavy he decided to leave it in one spot and just run the eggs back to put in it rather than lug it around. Problem solver!
The great-grand kids: Kelsey, Soley, Tyler & Brodie
The sun finally came out and warmed up the afternoon.
Playing in the yard and burning off energy from the Easter candy and the birthday cake
