Carsten's vocabulary is really improving. He's starting to string 2 words together to get his messages across, and in turn, we're getting to the bottom of what he wants more quickly. It really is a peaceful thing!!! However, he is becoming more opinionated and the tantrums are starting. Boooo!
For Carsten's 2nd birthday we had a Paw Patrol party - naturally. Paw Patrol has taken this house by storm. Caden and Carsten both like it, which is great for TV time, but Carsten REALLY loves it. He loves recognizing the characters when we're out and about. He INSISTS on wearing Paw Patrol socks and only Paw Patrol socks. Thanks to Nona we do have 2 sets, which makes for 8 socks, but we still occasionally find ourselves in complete meltdown mode when all he has left to wear is Thomas the Train. Ohhhh the travesty! ;) The funny part is, that he doesn't even really get the characters right... He'll insist on wearing Zuma, and you put Zuma on his feet and he spazzes out because he wanted what seems to be another character that he has mistaken for Zuma. Oy Ve! Back to the party, I tried my hand at a Paw Patrol cake and it turned out pretty good. My mom, brother and Jesse were in town for a little get away down in French Lick. We hit the indoor water park one day, what fun!!! and then had a party here at the house. Carsten had a great time at the water park this year. He climbed the tree house structure and went down the slides again, and again. and again. He was passed out in his car seat before Brad could even put the car in drive! He didn't mind the spraying water, the dumping buckets of water, the water gushing in his face as he slid down the water slides. BUT, he wasn't too fond of the kid who wanted to help with his life jacket when Brad was taking a picture of him... more on that later. HAHA!
He's a HUGE mimic, mostly of Caden. It's been nice because he can sing his ABCs and count to 20, but he also makes this horrible grunting noise when he doesn't get his way and will occasionally run and slide on his knees in the kitchen. He loves to play what Caden is playing, whether it is travel, or building or restaurant, he's there, right in the thick of it. For now, he listens to Caden and usually cooperates with the crazy requests that he makes, but every once in a while you catch a shrill, "No Bubba!!!".
He still doesn't like to stay with other people, or hang in a nursery situation, but we have gradually gotten him used to hanging out with the backdoor neighbor who has a little boy not too far from his age. At first he would cry so hard that he would put himself into a nap - I called him my little fainting goat, but then we started having Caden going over with him to help with the transition. It has made a world of difference!
He LOVES playing outside, digging in the sandbox, mulch, dirt. You name it, he will dig in it. But he stays content playing for hours! He still LOVES riding in the stroller, going on walks and runs. He hardly ever turns down a trip in the stroller - I love that!
He's a big snacker. We have taken to locking the pantry door so that he doesn't have the freedom to go and get things at his own will, which would be every 10 minutes throughout the day. He could live off applesauce if we let him. He's also big on squeeze yogurts now. Back when he was a baby, he was a snacker and we worked really hard to stretch out his stomach and have him take larger bottles so he would sleep longer at night. Well, we are right back there again. He would prefer to eat 20 different snacks throughout the day, than sit down to eat a meal. I think that there is probably something to this and have not been fighting him too hard on this one this time around. Some people's body types are just made for smaller meals more frequently. And as long as we can get healthy snacks, then we're doing good!
Some pics from Alicia this year....
At ZooBoo - our lil' pumpkin found a pumpkin
He LOVES these boots. Insert memory of red ropers here. :)
Playing Hide and Go Seek - he gets it!
He really cracks himself up - which inturn crack me up!
That's the face you get when you say "SMILE!"
Fall Pics
Our cuddly, loving, non fire breathing dragon!
The water park that he LOVED!
No fear at all going down this enclosed water slide.
Whether it is a bucket, a box or something else, he's putting it on his head and parading around for laughs.
Birthday donut!
Paw Patrol cake
Birthday Present - sensory box. Pinto beans!!!
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