Aren't they precious!?

Trust me, he always has a plan.  

Okay, I admit it.  I've been hibernating.  Things got so crazy around the holidays that we have spent the past couple of weeks just hanging out without much scheduling to dictate our days.  It's been lovely!  The only drawback is that it gave me the chance to look up and realize that my son is not a baby anymore.  He's all boy, and he's all over the place.  

Geoffrey's visit was an overwhelming success, in spite of the fact that I could not keep enough food in my house to satisfy his appetite.  He and Peter got on like peanut butter and jelly - sinking rocks in the creek out back, hiding and seeking, reading, knocking things down.... all great fun.  After he left, Peter would go to Geoffrey's bedroom and walk out shrugging with his hands up like, "Wait, where'd he go?!  I want my friend back!!"  So now we see airplanes and talk about how Uncle Geoffrey will come back on an airplane to see him.  (Sorry, Geoff - now you HAVE to come back.  I'll cook more this time.)  Nanny made it up for the tail end of his visit, and it was a rare treat to have my little family here with me.  I'm grateful to them for their time and energy.  They had to go home just to rest!  

For those who haven't seen Peter in a while, where my chunky monkey once stood there is now a slim jim.  He's growing taller and slimming down, though his appetite really hasn't suffered.  He has discovered the thrill of destruction, the agony of diaper changes, the joy of the lint trap in the dryer,  the freedom of running out of the garage when Mommy's not looking (and heading straight for the aforementioned creek).  

His favorite things are:

• to "measure" using Daddy's tape measure
• craisins (in a smiley face formation)
• to dig in desk drawers for contraband
• to paint with water (he also brushes his hair with the paint 'brush')
  
• various belly buttons
• to splash in the sink instead of washing his hands
• climbing, especially onto his slide
• reading and puzzles
• to take Tylenol (but we finally have all the teeth we're going to get for a while)
• to unload folded clothes (yes, you got it right)
• greeting one of us at the shower with a towel 
• Elmo and Big Bird
• hugs and kisses (he's really affectionate and I love it!)
• pointing to various people in pictures as we name them
• hanging fan pulls 
• his babysitters, Amy and Lindsay
• dogs
• testing how long he can stand on the chair before I catch him
• baths, especially  now that he discovered 'swimming' on his tummy
• peering over the side into a trash can (really, what's the joy in that?)

Okay, so he's slimming down but he's still got the cheeks.  

He cannot stand crumbs.  This morning he would not take a bite until he wiped a single grit onto my napkin.  At dinner, a tomato crumb got onto his finger and we could not continue until every visible remnant was off of his person.  I had a grain of rice on my finger from wiping his mouth and he wouldn't let me rest my hand on his tray.  However, he doesn't mind dropping/throwing his sippy cup and getting milk and juice all over my floors, then stepping in it.  

We've started a music class for toddlers that meets once a week, and Peter made quite an impression the first day.  While most of the students (mostly girls) were sitting quietly in their mommy's laps for extended periods of time, Peter was wandering around the room looking at the babies in their carriers, bringing me my coat and scarf, knocking on the door, hugging other mommies, and smiling all the while.  He loved the music aspect and danced throughout the class, but I'm hoping he grows more comfortable with sitting in one place.  I don't know which of us was more exhausted after that first class!  

On a different note, I must congratulate Hayes on this weekend's 5K.  He ran his personal best by a minute and a half!  Aunt Callie ran her best, too - what a great accomplishment for them both.  We're very proud.

This Sunday we took Peter to his first circus.  For Hayes and me, it was our first circus in decades, so we were all mesmerized.  We expected Peter to last all of 10 minutes, but he was sitting pretty after an hour and a half.  I was the one who had to leave at intermission to go and tutor!  Granted, he would not have sat so well much longer.  We loved every minute of it.  To see the wonder and delight in his eyes as he saw the animals and the motorcycles... it was just one of many special moments to come, I know.  [Tip for parents:  animal crackers make for still little spectators]  His favorites were the elephants (he's pointing to them in the picture), the high wire motorcyclist right above us, the puppies and the horses.  I can only imagine what he'd have done upon seeing lions and tigers and ... well, you get the point.  

A king on his new throne, wondering "where is the newspaper?"

Lots to look forward to as the days grow longer.  I'm using this time indoors for some house projects; we are almost finished with a modest kitchen redecoration and will soon begin some not so gratifying projects like roof and windows.  One of these days I'll post pictures...