All about Neil

The thing about not updating the blog often enough is that I am afraid I am going to forget these days. Now that Neil is at a really fun age, I want to remember all the cute things he says and does. Life is certainly a challenge with a 2 year old, but it is great too.

His vocabulary has increased quite a bit. Doctor thought at his 2 year visit that he might need some therapy, but he seems to be doing well now. He says the alphabets and counts to 10 (one day he counted to 15!)He says some phrases and couple of Bible verses. He is still slightly un-social in a group setting, but I am that way too, so it is not a huge surprise. ha.

All the things which we tell him, he says it back to us. "No pinching Mama, No cotton (no touching counters), cafoo (careful), gimme hand." And he can identify almost all the objects. We had a book on shapes, and he could identify them long ago, now he says all the shapes too. He can also identify body parts in English and our native tongue.

Books are still his best friends, and he "reads" Goodnight Moon, The Gingerbread Boy, My First Bible, In the Fiddle, and I love you Little One. I just have to say two or three words in the book and he says all the rest.

The biggest issue we are working on his tendency to put everything in his mouth. Play dough, crap on the floor, ANYTHING. It drives me nuts because I know he understands he is not supposed to do it.

He is way too active for snuggles and cuddles. I am ready to cry when I think about that. I read to him in hopes that I can kiss and cuddle him while reading. He is 2, but he thinks he is 15. He wriggles and runs off when I force snuggle him. He does give ummas (kisses) when I ask for it. I have to be satisfied with that.

BUT...

He still goes to sleep with me and then after he has fallen asleep I transfer him to his crib. (I use this time to shamelessly shower him with kisses) Yes, I know he is past 2. But we are Indian parents, our kids sleep with us till they are 25.

He loves to flush. If anyone goes to the toilet, he runs after them, hoping to flush. I try to use that to encourage him to go on the potty. He tells me poo poo and then I dash him to the toilet and then he sits there for 20 seconds, does nothing, flushes and then runs off. I am now thinking he is tricking me.

He has started to play with toys much better and I am happy. Not that I get to do much around the house. He plays with his toys only if I sit there watching him, doing nothing. If he sees me doing something, then he wants me to stop and play with him. ha ha. He loves being on the phone and tells hello, goodbye, umma, how are you etc to whoever is on the other line. The grands have a blast when we talk to them.

He is still a good little helper to his mama. He unloads the dishwasher, helps with laundry, wiping down tables, putting away toys etc. I so hope it lasts!

I was looking through some old pictures and I am so startled at the passage of time. The days at times which seemed so long, in retrospect seemed to have flown by. It helps me stop and cherish the day to day, tantrums and all.

Here he is at 14 months



And now at 26 months.