Ahhhh... Friday

This Friday is special.  I graduate tomorrow morning!  

To celebrate, we stayed up late (around 8:30) with Henry and played lots and lots of "Night Night" in which he arranges pillows on the floor and tells us which one of us can go night night and on which pillow. 

It's a good feeling to be in the moment of "Night Night" and not worry about a paper or project. 

Pool Buddies

Henry is really enjoying the neighborhood pool this summer despite a somewhat timid start. He had some new pool buddies to enjoy the water with him last Saturday. Elizabeth came to hang out Saturday morning through the afternoon. Henry liked having her here to entertain him.Christine joined us later, and Henry ended up doing a little extra entertaining, himself, complete with some ear piercing shrieking that he tends to do when he's having a really, really good time.Note the big beach ball in the pool photo. It belongs to some neighborhood kids, and Henry loves it. We got him a big, red ball but haven't remembered to take it to the pool yet. However, he gets plenty of big bouncing fun in the house.

Videos these days

I thought I better try to get some of Henry's words and phrases on video, but here's what happens when we try to video now...

Not really... but really

Alright, so I fibbed.  Henry can't really spell, write, or even say, "Hendricks Johnson Hughes."  He can, however, recognize the letter "H," pointing it out and sweetly smiling before saying it.  

18 Months... really? Really.

Henry got a haircut today, and he's looking good.  It suddenly hit me, though, that not only does he look a little older with the new 'do, but he's actually 18 months old today!

Time does, indeed, fly when you are having this much fun.  Has he really been around for a year and a half?  He's definitely more toddler than baby now, especially since he can count the following accomplishments:

• Sliding down his slide without our help
  
• Giving us cute phrases and even a couple of complete sentences, including this fluke, "I might fall."
• Helping put toys away and singing "Blocks away, blocks away... " or "Books away, books away..."
• Giving appropriate animal names and noises.  (So, so cute... especially the cat and the duck)
• Refusing almost all vegetables and asking, instead, for "froo?"  (fruit) 
• Pitching terrible tantrums that surely rival any two year old
• Playing interactively with his classmates (including chasing Laura around their room)
• Petting Penny, telling her "no" when she barks too much, and exclaiming, "Meemee!" when she enters his room
• Mastering the rocking horse and rocking chairs of all shapes and sizes
• Wiping his hands on a napkin after a meal 
• Tolerating, wearing, and even requesting sunglasses or "s'gassee"
• Telling everyone that "Mama at werk!" or "Daddy at werk!"
• Out-dancing most people I know.  Seriously.  It's fancy footwork.
• Riding his truck and even navigating so as to not "bonk!" the furniture and walls
• Pointing out "big" trucks on the highway (Not going to type how he says truck)
• Conquering a fear of the pool and even attempting to swim
• Spelling aloud and writing his name "Hendricks Johnson Hughes"  

He's still working on jumping, and he's got the momentum part down.

We celebrated the 18 month milestone by going out for a sushi dinner--Henry's choice.  

R&R

We visited Henry's Nana and Granddad in Surfside last weekend. The main reason for the visit was to celebrate Steve's birthday, but Henry takes mini vacations veeeeeeery seriously...Of course, we take it pretty seriously, too, so after a pool nap, real nap, and some beach time, we got some Painters Homemade Ice Cream. Henry loved it--especially their crisp waffle cone.

Good Grief!

Henry can throw a fit and a half! I knew that he was in the stage of high emotion and frustration with limited communication, but I never knew he could get quite as mad as he gets lately. There are lots of articles with differing advice of how to handle this phase, which is predicted to last for a very long time, but when you're in the midst of it, it's very hard to remember what I read.

The worst fit, by far, occured this morning after he woke, didn't want his diaper changed and desperately wanted his "bi" (pacifier) which is normally for nap and bed, or when we're in public warding off a fit. Thankfully, Daddy was also here, so I didn't feel quite as bizzaro world as when it happens while it's just the two of us. (People who know Henry well understand that he's typically a really fun and sweet boy.)

After Henry yelled and screamed, went limp in my arms and then tried to knock my water glass out of my hand, he gave me lots and lots of hugs and kisses before I left for work. Are we in some sort of abusive cycle?