Today I was checking my email and it was silent for a while in the other room. A little TOO silent for my taste. So I went to investigate and found Julian on top of my nightstand, where he had knocked all of my books off in order to get a good viewing platform to watch the birds and squirrels run around in the backyard. Oh, and he was naked too.

This is the moment I caught him. In this photo you'll see his reaction a moment later. Cute!

So here are some new things that he's doing:

1) Counting 1-2-3. If I sing the Sesame Street 1-10 song then he can go to 10, but only with the musical accompaniment.

Any multiple items get the "1-2-3" treatment, wherein he points his finger at them and randomly moves it around while saying "1-2-3...2-3!"

He likes it when I count his toes, and we did that about 15 times this morning. Every time I would finish counting five toes on one foot, he would then offer the OTHER foot for toe-counting. Lots of fun. Good opportunities for toe nibbling and belly raspberries.

2) ABCs. Same deal. He has been singing the ABC song lately as "A-B-C-D...A-B-C!" About a week ago he was pointing to the wall next to his bed and tapping it while saying the above, as though he were pointing out imaginary alphabet letters.

3) Says "OK". Finally we have an answer to questions that isn't "no".
Example:
"Come on Julian, are you ready to go peepee?"
"OK!"

4) Says several sentences:
"Where's the baby? Here he is!"
(Wheah da baby? E e is!)

"That's a BIG poopoo!"
(Das a BEEG poopoo!)
Said while proudly pointing in the toilet at the results of his morning evacuation.

5) Ball skills are amazing. He kicks it in a line drive just about every time. And we are now ROLLING the ball in the house, because he has a super-strong arm that fires balls like a rocket.

Even his rolling technique is fast and accurate. He has obviously been paying close attention during bocce ball games at our house...he carefully examines the course, begins his approach, and lets go with a fast underhand roll that almost always hits its target with force.

6) Massive hugging and kissing. He went through an anti-Daddy -anti-anyone-but-Mommy phase for a few weeks, but now he seems to be back at the top of his social game. Lots of hugs and kisses for Daddy, Doggie, and anyone else whom he likes a lot.

I get swamped by the Love Avalanche every morning. He usually wakes up in the night and I crawl in bed with him, then he wakes me up in the morning by saying "Hi!" in the cutest little chirpy voice possible. Big smile. Then the kissing and hugging and squeezing starts. My face was all drooly this morning from the massive numbers of kisses planted on it.

It's extra sweet because he makes smacking satisfied noises the whole time he's kissing. "Mmmmm...mmmWAH!"

7) Points to food (or a picture of food) and says, "Mmmmmmm! Yummy! Wow!" Eats pretty much everything lately. Having a growth spurt.

8) LOVES his new Ecco shoes. Asks to have them put on, then does a little stomp dance in them. Very proud of new big-boy shoes.

9) Can walk Bugs on a leash for about a mile. We pretty much just tell him where to go and then follow closely, but he's in control. When he gets tired he starts to trip over his feet, and that's when he goes into my Ergo backpack.

10) Feeds Bugs his breakfast and dinner, and gives him biscuit snacks. I take the food bowl out of the holder and give it to Julian. He carries it to the garage, where I put Bugs' food in it, then Julian carries it back to the holder and places it back inside. He then stands back with a satisfied look to watch Bugs eat his meal. "Doggie EAT!"

He also likes to give Bugs water, but it's a sloppy process still. For a kid not yet two years old, he's a very responsible dog owner.