22 Months and Pool Time

This month, has been one of the most amazing months you've had, dear Mills!  In the past 3 weeks, you have started showing us just how much you are learning, and especially how smart you are.  Everyone is always telling me, "Be patient. It will come."  You amaze us, Mills.  It is so amazing to see you turn into a little boy.  Here is what you've been up to lately...

1.  Puzzles:  I am going to mention your love for puzzles again, because you LOVE them.  Just the other day, you took all of your wooden puzzles, dumped the pieces into one big pile, then lined the puzzle boards up.  You then put every piece exactly where it goes, and to show me that you knew where it went, you would intentionally put a few in the wrong place, look at me, and say, "noooooo!"  You would then move to another wrong place, and say, "nooooo!"  Then, you would very quickly run and put it in the correct place.  You are too funny!
2. Your speech is getting much better.  You are beginning to say so much now.  So much that there is no way for me to remember it all and write it down.  Joey, is no longer "Yoey," but "Joey."  You say it perfectly.  Finally, you are calling me "mama,"  I can count on one hand the times you've called me "mama" since you have been talking.  Wow!  I love hearing it.  You are talking in sentences, and saying words out of no where!  I get excited every time I hear you say something new.  Your daddy and I are constantly looking at each other and saying, "Did he say what I thought he said?"  Just this weekend, you reached for daddy's keys in his pocket, said "keys," pointed to the door, said "outside go ride," and then you grabbed your daddy's shoes for him.  You associate keys with "going."
3. You still love a bath.  Just two weeks ago, I ran your bath water before going to church on a Wed. night.  I always undress you while it is running, but as I turned around, you were crawling in.....tennis shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, and all.  Ooops!
4.  You love swimming!  I knew you would do well in the pool this year, since we have to keep you from sticking your head in the bathwater.  Mama bought you a "puddle jumper" vest and you do wonderful with it  You have learned to support yourself, kick in the water, and begged to jump off the diving board at the pool.  
5.  You know most of your animals and the sounds they make.
6.  Bedtimes: Still easy as pie.  We read to you, lay you down, cover you up, say a prayer, and then kiss you night night....ten minutes later, you are still yelling, "NIGH NIGH!!!" every minute or so.  It is so sweet and funny!  Bedtimes are still around 7:30-8:00 on weeknights (when mom has to work), but on weekends we let you stay up a little bit later...until you start rubbing those eyes.  You are very routine, which is a good thing, because one day you will be starting school and early bedtimes are a must.  I think 8:00 is considerably late for your age, but most of the time, you don't make it that long.
7. Shapes:  Mimi June says that you know all of your shapes.  I can tell you to "point to" a certain shape and you will do it, but the only thing that ever comes out of your mouth here, is "circle." ha!
8. You get more and more strong-willed every day.  You are that kid who will run off as soon as I let go of you and you don't meet a stranger.  I see a child leash harness in your future, and I dare some one to comment on how "inhumane" it is. ha! Seriously?  You know no fear, son.  That's a good thing, and a bad thing.  You want to do what you want to do, and if we steer you otherwise, its as simple as lifting your feet and dangling from Mommy's arm and refusing to come with me, when I am deterring you from doing something that you shouldn't be doing.  I can't let go of you for one minute in public, or you will run off in a mad-dash.  Thank heavens for strollers! :)
9. You still love your books.  Every night we sit down before bed and read three books.  You like to get your blanket, cover yourself and my legs, and snuggle.  You help turn the page and name every picture you see. You look up at me, smile, and say, "Oh!" when you get to your favorite parts of a book.  I love it!  Your small board book classics are your favorite right now, and just the other night, you actually sat through ALL of The Cat in the Hat. 
10. Colors:  We are working on those.  You are a "I'll do what you want when you're ready" kind of boy.  For all I know, you probably know them, but could care less about letting us know that you do.

It is hard to believe that we are exactly two months away from celebrating your second birthday, but boy, do we have a surprise for you!  Mommy can't wait!

We headed to the pool just before lunch today.  Mills "jumped" off the diving board, as Erik waited and caught him below.   He can only stand about and hour and half at the pool before he starts getting worn out.  We had a small lunch, then headed home, due to the threat of severe weather...again.  We have had our share of that this spring.  Though, I am very thankful for the rain.  It has been so hot and dry.