2 1/2

i can't get over how big oakley is.  he is no longer a baby...or even a toddler.  he's moved onto little boy and i am torn between sadness and excitement.  every stage is so fun and even gets better, but i'm sad that the baby days are long behind us (and a lot of those days are fading in my memory) :(  it seems like so long ago we were bringing this tiny baby home, clueless first-time parents.  the clueless part is still there a lot, but not-so-much the tiny baby.  i wanted to document the things he is doing now because i know he'll be in school before we know it and i'll try to remember these days as i am trying to remember the baby days now. 

oakley turned 2 1/2 on december 26.  he weighs about 31 pounds and i can barely carry him from the car into the grocery store now.  he loves to hold our hand and walk next to us.  i think he feels grown up.  he is about 37 inches tall and grows about an inch every week. :)  not really, but it feels like it!  he's in 3T shirts, mainly because he got his mommy's long arms and torso.  the 3T pants are humongous in the waist but a good length.  we need to find "slim" pants.  do they even carry those in toddler sizes??  i feel like we are going to struggle with this for the rest of his life. 

his favorite things to do are:  playing with any type of vehicle, playing at the park (he loves climbing and can quickly get to the top of whatever he climbs...this usually results in a stroke for me), and reading books.  his favorite books are "bear stays up/bear snores on", "click clack moo, cows that type" and his new construction truck lift-the-flap book.  he loves music, especially klove (he always says, "i can't hear it mommy.  please turn it up.") and any marching band music.  weird, i know, but he comes from two music nerds. :) he also loves helping in the kitchen with anything, including cleaning out the dishwasher, putting the soap in the dishwasher, cooking dinner or baking goodies (i think he just likes to lick the beater!)

his favorite foods are:  cheese, cheese, and cheese.  really, this kid can put away cheese!  he loves yogurt and pretty much any type of fruit.  i should just say he loves all food.  he really doesn't push away anything except peppers and onions.  we are blessed with a great eater!

oakley is recently obsessed with babies.  he is so in tune to them when they are around.  he loves it when bridgette visits and likes to entertain her with different toys...always showing her new toys and picking up toys that she drops.  he likes to help with changing her diaper or clothes and enjoys helping when she's eating.  it is a neat thing to see.  i think oakley will be a great big brother someday, Lord willing! 

new things oakley is doing:

potty trained at the beginning of december (made it through the entire trip to ohio without an accident!)
can wash his hands without help, though we learned he needs to be supervised or he will come out with his hair saturated in soap!
takes his dishes to the sink when finished eating
speaks in paragraphs...well, pretty much speaks every minute he is awake. :)
knows his abcs and can recognize about 1/4 of the alphabet
spells his name and recognizes it when it's written on something
points out letters randomly (in books and when we are out and about)
goes to his class at church happily and remembers the lesson when we ask him about it after church
says grace before meals (cutest thing.  ever.)
is learning how to pray before bed and sings a lot of songs now.
puts together 9 piece puzzles (without a backing) independently and 36 piece puzzles with help
sleeps through the night in his new room/bed and can finally soothe himself if he wakes from a bad dream (90% of the time)
can pedal his trike up and down hills alone
can feed beanie and let her outside by himself
takes showers like an adult (and loves to just stand in the water forever...who doesn't??)
experienced his first sinus infection like a champ.  he got his daddy's sinuses. :(
knows three football plays that he practices with brian
says "i love you" randomly or when we leave/say goodnight
is really good at using "please" "thank you" and "you're welcome" most of the time without reminders.
is starting to create relationships with other kids he is around on a regular basis.

oakley has become such a little man, even in the last six months.  it is absolutely mind-boggling to watch all of the changes he goes through and growth from a helpless newborn to a somewhat self-sufficient little boy.  we still have a long way to go, but we are so proud of the person he is becoming!  we love our monkey to pieces!