Two and a Half!

Champs turned TWO and a HALF on Feb 16th!  I don't know whether it's the 2.5 year mark or the fact that we brought a new baby home just before it, but Champs has turned into such a big boy.  I am so incredibly proud of him and how he has embraced his new baby brother and his role as big brother.  He truly loves him and wants him right there with us in all the things we do whether it be going to the park, playing with his toys, watching Mickey, eating supper...everything.  He kisses him as soon as Jack and I get to school to pick him up every day and as soon as he sees him every morning.  He is the best big brother and Jack is very lucky to have him looking out for him!  I love thinking of the life-long friends they will have in each other.

In my last post, we were just attempting potty training.  Well Champs is now totally potty-trained and has done so so awesome!!  He really didn't have that many accidents while he was figuring it out and now has gone days without one.  He got his certificate from school earlier this week for joining the Potty Spout - something the teachers do to encourage the children to be potty trained.  Of course it's a reference to Itsy Bitsy Spider and their names go on spiders on the wall and they get a spider ring and a certificate, which by the way is a very funny word to hear Champs say.  So for the journal, Champs became potty trained right at 2 1/2!

Champs continues to be such a delight and joy to be with.  He is so entertaining and funny - he makes us laugh constantly! I must do a better job of making notes of all the funny stuff he says!  A few I can think of off hand are...

*Yesterday- He loves to talk about things he did yesterday.  Some might have actually yesterday, some may have been weeks ago.  But he loves to say things like "Mommy I had fun at the park yesterday." or "Mommy I went to Che's house yesterday."  Same goes for talking about "earlier." He will say "Mommy we were talking about that dog earlier" or "Mommy I wore my red shoes earlier."  He's very into these time references!
*Supper - He similarly cannot get it down when you eat what meals.  He will tell me he wants maccaroni for his supper and it will be 8am.  Or grits for his breakfast and it will be 6pm.  His eating habits have gotten a little better as of lately, so we are at least thankful for that.  It has a lot to do with his sleeping habits have also gotten better, which improves everything!!  When he is sleeping to an acceptable hour, which I will say is anything past 6:30am, he feels and acts remarkably better!!! 
*Pretty - Oh boy, this has gotten him in some trouble.  He is very into talking about people being pretty....or not pretty.  I am not positive how it started, but I honestly think it may have been him telling me that Minnie Mouse was pretty and Daisy was not.  I found this to be pretty interesting and wondered what made him think this (when it is in fact pretty much true).  I guess I made the mistake of asking him, because this then led to several unfavorable conversations where he said out loud to me that various people weren't pretty when he was in clear earshot of them.  Luckily, others who aren't used to listening to 2 year olds don't find it as easy to understand him, or so I hope!  So after much explaining and reprimanding, he now says all the time...."Mommy- Minnie is pretty, Daisy is pretty, Clarabelle is pretty (all Mickey Mouse clubhouse characters) and my Mommy is pretty!"  On that note, he actually tells me I am pretty ALL THE TIME.  It's hilarious - some of the times he says it I could not be looking more NOT pretty, but I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholder, accompanied with the fact that I'm not sure he even knows exactly what pretty means!
*Regular Champs - He tells me he is "regular Champs" when he has his clothes off.

Obsessions - Still totally obsessed with all things farm related....tractors, barns, animals, Farmer Pete, etc.  Equally obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as you can see above.  We try to limit to one Mickey before school and one at night before bed, but let's be honest - many times its an extra on either end!  Champs wants to know everyone's names everywhere we go.  He asks EVERYONE.  Sometimes people don't understand that he's talking to them as he looks so inquisitively and says "What's your name?"  He is still singing all the time!!!  The child loves to start up a little tune.  He loves to climb and jump.  He will climb up and down on furniture over and over and over if we let him.  We have this leather ottoman in our den that he treats like it's an amusement park activity the way he climbs all over it!

I will try to remember to add to this as I think of more little Champs-isms! 

I feel like I say this at every age, but I never knew a 2.5 year old could bring us such laughter, joy, pride and love.  He is the sweetest little thing and we just adore him!!!!

Champs stats at 2.5 year well check:
Weight: 31 pounds
Height: 37 inches