Accomplishments

Well the little cyclone is sure learning some new skills lately.

1. Climbing. He can climb onto chairs, coffee tables, boxes. He loves standing on things and it stops my heart to walk into the living room and see him on top of the coffee table looking pleased with himself. If you ask him to go to his chair he climbs up on one of the regular chairs and smiles. He climbed onto a box and was playing with the humidifier in his room. Lovely.

2. Stairs. He is no longer content with going down on his belly. (Maybe if he wants to get down quick and no one is watching). Usually he will go down on his bottom but if you walk with him he wants to hold your hand and take 'em like a man.

3. Potty time? Well, we aren't there yet....but he did poop on the potty. Mostly it was a timing issue, it was either on the potty or in the bath....and mommy stuck him on the potty. I wish that I had been able to do that again today. He ran diaperless from the bathroom and pooped in the hallway. Gross.

4. Self feeding. My cyclone boy has been able to feed himself for awhile now. Not that he has it mastered. Today he took it to a new level. I walked in to the kitchen and he was standing with a yogurt in either hand. He can open the refrigerator. Oh the fun that awaits us.

5. Affection. I don't think that I would ever call Nathaniel a "cuddler". "Bulldozer" more aptly describes him. However, when he gets it in his mind to shower us with affection, he does it right. Kisses upon kisses, then come the hugs complete with pats on the back. It kind of makes waiting for it worth it. He is so funny.

6. Talking. Nate has always been a talker. He has a running commentary on life but we just don't understand his language yet. We are starting to understand more of what he says which is really fun. He is quick to tell us that there is a train going by or a plane, that he is riding on a car. Yesterday I figured out that he can say blanket, bunny and bear....all of which sleep with him at night. We are starting to work on animals and the noises that they make. He loves to hear us Baa like sheep but he really likes it when the cat meows....sometimes I think that he steps on the cat's tail on purpose.

7. Sleeping. Recently we've had a little confusion about bedtime. We have put him to bed at the same time but he's been doing a magnificent job of keeping himself awake. He stayed awake almost 2 1/2 hours the other night. Not crying at all just talking and playing. Amazing. We are trying some different things to see if that will cut down on the fun that he is having in his crib and enable him to wind down.

8. Babies! You may remember a recent post during Thanksgiving where Nathaniel didn't do such a great job of sharing his mom with a little baby. (It involved much wailing and ganshing of teeth.) Yesterday I was visiting with a girl from my mom's group who just had an adorable baby girl. Nathaniel didn't bat an eye when he saw me holding her! THERE IS HOPE!!!!

We are so blessed to watch this little guy grow.