Daniel Watson Quarterly

This little boy was another quarter of  year older yesterday! He has had such a speech explosion lately. He still needs to work on pronunciation, but Matt and I have been surprised at how much we can understand him. He says lots of phrases and knows what he wants and usually can express it. In the picture he had found a cute little mushroom in the backyard and walked up to show us saying clearly "mush room!" He is all boy and much more daring than Jackson was at this age (and still is at 4). He is my mini-me in so many ways and such a bright little sunbeam in our house.

(4/13-5/12)

*Got a scooter for his bday and figured out how it works right away! He'll need some practice turning it but he loves it! 

*he wants to eat how we are eating, unlike Jackson who prefers to eat snacks out of snack bowls with his fingers. Daniel likes his cereal with milk, he spoons his taco meat onto a tortilla (or onto chips for nachos), he doesn't eat chicken with his fingers but uses a fork. He watches us and if we eat a certain way he tries to mimic us. He's not a very messy eater either. I hope he doesn't go through a picky phase because right now he will eat such a large variety of foods! 

*Going through the typical 2yo testing boundaries phase. Throws more tantrums than Jackson did at this age, but if he won't go through a trying 3s stage then I will take the tantrums at age 2! I am trying to figure out how to work with Daniel to get him to understand he cannot melt when he doesn't get his way. 

*does the "washing machine" when he's upset. Sits and throws his arms back and forth around his middle. 

*4/28 2 year well child. Does not like to be messed with. Didn't want anyone listening to his heart or looking in his ears etc. He is 26 lbs. 4 oz. (25%) and 34.5 inches long (60%)! Both Dr. Walker and I were so surprised with his growth since he has been super short at previous appointments. He just needed time to grow! Otherwise he's a completely normal 2 year old. She was very impressed with his speech, especially since he's a boy and the current baby of the family. 

*4/28 hit his head on the hard part of the couch arm and has a mark from the seams. Later fell out of the car head first onto the concrete garage floor. I almost rushed him to the ER, but I called his Dr. first and they said if he isn't vomiting or walking funny he's probably fine. After he calmed down he seemed 100% normal. 

*I just think his "mmhmmmmm" and head nods and shakes are the cutest thing ever. "Daniel, are you having fun?" Vigorous head nods with a big ole grin. 

*teaching to say he's sorry when he messes up someone's game/toys/or plays too rough. He's a bull of a boy and can trample all over Jackson who is plays much more mildly.

(5/13-6/12)

*5/13 pee pee on the potty for the first time! Jackson sat on the big potty when we got ready for bed and Daniel started taking off his shorts and diaper and cried when Jackson sat down. I asked if he wanted to sit on the potty and he did, so I got his little potty. He sat, peed, then looked so surprised! When I praised him he got a little embarrassed, but eventually was very excited! I hope it keeps up and he potty trains easier than Jackson!

*5/15 Daniel has continued to point to the bathroom when he has to go potty. He has gone both pee pee and poopy! I tried to let him go naked but I don't think he realizes what that's all about yet, because he peed on the floor twice. But he came right to me when he did both times. For now, I'll just let him tell me the times he wants to sit on the potty and maybe in a week or two I'll try naked baby again. Such a big boy! 

*When he wants a bite of something Matt and I have he'll just sit there and open his mouth as wide as he can! It's adorable and hilarious!

*5/21 can open doors! So much more difficult to keep him out of my room when I'm trying to nap now! Jackson isn't feeling well so we were lying down in my bedroom and Matt was trying to keep Daniel out but he just kept opening the door. 

*5/22 when I picked up Daniel from Sunday School he was so excited and happy to see me! He jumped right up and ran to me saying "Hi Mumma!" He waved and said bye to his teachers and when I said we were going to get brother Daniel pointed and said "brother" and ran down the hall to Jackson's class. He is such a good speaker and is learning more and more words every day. 

*5/24 went to the Nashville Zoo. Towards the end of our trip he kept saying "gah gee" and I couldn't figure out what he meant. I offered him all our snacks and asked if he wanted everything within eyesight and he kept saying no. He would fuss when I would tell him I didn't understand. I took him out of the stroller and he patted his bottom and said "gah gee". I asked if he wanted to go potty and he said ok! Wow! I didn't actually take him because a potty wasn't close by. I am so thankful he is learning about the potty and what he needs to do before I start trying to fully potty train him. Hopefully letting him take the lead will help him Master it quickly. 

*melts to the floor when he doesn't get his way. Is learning about the 123 Magic method and is getting much better about stopping crying before he reaches 3. He knows Mumma is always free for snuggles and hugs to make him feel better. 

*hates to be messed with! He has always been this way, but it is particularly bad recently. Getting his faced wiped after he eats, nails clipped, hair cuts... He will freak out so I worry I'll hurt him! 

*went to a Strongbonds Marriage Retreat in Bowling Green. We arrived Thursday and had sessions from 3-6 pm. Friday we had sessions from 9 am-12pm and 1:30-3:30 pm, then a date night time from 5-9 pm. Saturday we had a closing session at 9 am that didn't last too long. Each of those times the boys were in onsite childcare provided by CYSS. I was worried they wouldn't do well for that long of periods and with weird naptimes and different snacks etc. Daniel did great! After the first session he would cry and cling to me when we dropped him off, but he always calmed down shortly after we left the room. I was so thankful for the super patient and caring workers! They had a lot of crying kids and never complained or came to get any of the parents. For the date night we had to wake Daniel up from a very brief and late nap to drop him off. He cried for a half hour when we dropped him off and we waited to make sure he calmed down before we left the building. He ate his chicken nugget dinner and was a happy boy after that. It was a very nice weekend. 

*clipped Daniel's nails again when I noticed they were super long. Matt had to hold Daniel's entire body down so he wouldn't twist and hurt his limbs I was holding! We did his toes and fingers so hopefully we won't have to do either again for awhile. Poor guy cried so hard, but when we were done he still wanted to be held and snuggled by Mumma. 

(6/13-7/12) 

*Daniel says a lot of words now. He knows most of his shapes and can point them out in random places, like the carpet at the therapy office. He knows most colors and I just love it when he says "oh-wrench" (orange). He knows a lot of characters but my favorite he says is "Me Mouse" (Mickey Mouse).

*6/17 Daniel always loves to pray for meals. When we all sit down he sets down his fork and holds out his hands expectantly for daddy and Mumma to take. Tonight Matt asked if Daniel wanted to pray for the first time. We had him repeat a prayer but he skipped some of the words, "Jesus, eschew (thank you) for food to eat. Amen." It was adorable!

*Loves to play with dinosaurs. He calls them "Saurus!" He lines them up, one by one, then attacks them all, then brings them over to attack me, then starts all over again. He rarely plays with them with Jackson, but when he's alone he chooses them often.

*saying more sentences and getting much better about pronouncing words correctly. He and Jackson have been playing with some shells from the beach and he keeps saying, "See! It's a sea shell!" He is learning not to use the "g" sound as much and using more phonics. He still say "gah go" for play doh, though. I try to tell him "d d doh! Like daddy!" He says "daddy! G g go!" Silly boy.

*still loves finger family! He will watch it often on the iPad and he will sing it to himself and put toys on his fingers for the members. 

*he has started "trumpeting" with his lips as he hums or sings songs. 

*such a snuggle bug! He loves to be held by pretty much anyone, but Mumma is definitely his first choice. He loves to sit on my lap and has noticed my growing baby belly getting in the way. 

*recently started sitting still to read books. He won't read multiple books often, like Jackson liked to as a younger child, but he will bring Daddy or Mumma a book and sit next to us. He knows how Brown Bear goes and he likes saying "bulb blub blub" in pout pout fish.

*loves to take the paper off crayons. It keeps him pretty occupied so I usually let him do it and clean up the mess later. He likes to color too so I'll give him some paper and he'll scribble with the newly naked crayons. 

*loves to do puzzles and will get them down from the shelf on his own. I put some of the puzzles in the nursery so all of them don't fall down when he gets one down. When he does animal puzzles he says the name of the animal and the noise it makes- for both farm animals and African animals. Counts the numbers and says the shapes.

*still doesn't like "slimy" foods like grapes or berries. He doesn't like soups. Pretty much anything else he will eat. He always wants a spoon or fork and if Matt and I are using knives he wants one too.

*knows so many songs! Partly from our car CDs, but probably mostly from YouTube kids. He is such a cute little singer.

*will jump on just about anyone without warning. Loves to wrestle!

Daniel has been such a little blessing in our family. Before having a second child you can't imagine possibly loving them as much as you love your first, but your love just grows! Daniel loves his family so much and is such a happy child. Sometimes I feel bad because he has been scolded much more often than Jackson at this age, but he is also more feisty and he gets into trouble with Jackson. He is learning to listen and obey though so the punishment is worthwhile. He is such a smart little cookie too. So observant and likes go figure things out. He is very different than his older brother, but he loves to play with Jackson and tries to do pretty much everything Jackson does. It has been such a joy to see their brotherly relationship grow. Jackson now says that Daniel is his best friend and I hope that continues as they grow up.