'Coupla Updates...

It has been a while since I have actually written some Nathan updates....I should be (and should have been...shoulda, woulda, coulda) more diligent in documenting what he is doing (ie, words he is saying, things he is playing with, personality quirks). My good friend Jen is really great about doing this....defiantly go check out her son, Liam, and all he is doing...she is a good example of what I SHOULD have/be done/doing for Nathan ;)

Anyways, lets not dwell on what could have been...or should have been. Lets talk Nathan update. So. 17 months. Not toooooo much different in milestones than 16 months. He eats the same (somewhat picky. Grilled chicken, beans and bananas are his favorite), walks the same (does run as well), protests the same (though this is getting more pronounced and lasting longer), gets into everything (especially when he is bored), etc, etc. Two major things of note though:

1. He is getting a sense of humor. Not that he has EVER been a serious child. Quite the contrary. He has been extremely happy since day one (as long as he is fed!). No...he is starting to see things, randomly, that make him laugh. For example, the other night Jonathon was flipping channels and he came across the cartoon movie "Ice Age". Those of you who have seen this film, know that at the very beginning there is a little short cartoon film with a squirrel trying to hang on to an acorn. This was the part of the movie that Jonathon just so happened to catch. Well, Nathan took one look and chuckled and chuckled at this squirrel. He LOVED it! We kept playing it back for him and each time his laugh got harder and harder. I think WE were more entertained than he was! It was so fun watching him find something humorous. He was very frustrated when the commercials came on...he didn't quite understand them (who does, really?).

2. The child is ALL boy. I have mentioned this before. But he is REALLY all boy! Lets talk...poop. I know, I know, not the most elegant topic. But stay with me here. So, the last couple of months Nathan has figured out what it means to "go pee" or "poop". To the point that is knows how to do these two acts. If he happens to get up and away from me in the middle of changing his diaper, he immediately runs to a corner, the couch, a toy, and forces himself to pee on it (yes. he does). He laughs and laughs and laughs if he manages to accomplish this. Needless to say, we have learned to be very quick diaper changers around here! Anyway, the other evening, in the "tub-a-tub", Nathan kept grunting and grunting. This makes him laugh as well. At one point, he got up on his feet, and put his hands down on the bottom of the tub (so in a squat position), and grunted and grunted and grunted. I played along with him...thinking "surely, this child does not know how to make him self poop!". Hahahaha...boy did I fail that parenting moment! HE POOPED! IN THE TUB! ON PURPOSE!!! He thought it was THE funniest thing he had ever done in his life! So funny in fact, that last night the moment his cute little bottom hit the tub water, he started grunting. I was able to redirect his attention to his toys, so he did not accomplish his goal. But still...the child can apparently poop on command!

ALL Boy! And ALL toddler!

(To answer your comments/questions...yes, we have taken him into the bathroom and showed him where he is SUPPOSED to pee and poop - hoping, of course that he really is the genius we think he is and will be potty trained before 2. Unfortunately, he has zero desire to try that out! After all, what fun is it to pee in a toilet when you can pee on your parents' couch and get a great reaction out of them! Same with pooping in the tub! It is soooo funny to watch Mom yell "Jonathon...help! Nathan just pooped in the tub" and then watch as mom tells dad that he has to clean it up. THAT is way better than pooping in the stinkin' toilet! ;))