Fireman James

James doesn't leave home without one of his precious fire hats. Yesterday he insisted I call him "Fireman James" all day long and walked around in this "fireman" getup. I don't know how he comes up with these things. He also had to wear one of each boot instead of a matching pair.

The other day I was buckling him in his carseat and was getting impatient with him and he looked at me and firmly said "Mom, do NOT yell at the fireman!"

He's been potty trained for over four months now. I was determined to have him potty trained by age two because I knew he could do it and I'm convinced that if I had been more consistent with it, he would have been. He was most of the way there for months and months and then when Livy came along he totally backtracked just like everyone said he would. So we started over in April fully committed to this method and haven't looked back since. He has an occasional accident during naps but we've learned as long as we don't give him much to drink in the couple hours before bed time, he usually wakes up totally dry in the mornings and runs to the potty first thing, which means earlier wake up times, but overall it's awesome.

Since moving into a big bed a couple months ago he still wakes up about an hour before he used to, but naps are finally getting better at least.

He's finally getting to be a better eater. If I persuade him hard enough (i.e. threaten to not give him his beloved chocolate milk or iPad), he'll usually at least try a couple bites of what I've made for dinner and he's starting to request healthier and more normal snacks. Hallelujah!

Just about every day he asks if either Grandpa or cousin Michael is coming to play with him that day or if Pawnka (what he calls Brian's dad--not even sure how to spell it) is bringing his boat to take him skiing. It's always sad when I have to tell him they live too far away. Hopefully not forever though.

When Brian came back from Idaho last week he brought a huge suit case full of his nephew's old clothes for James to wear. One item was a pair of zip up Air Jordans just his size. James thinks he's pretty hot stuff in them.

We go out in the backyard once or twice a day to throw a football/hit baseballs. He's getting quite good at catching and hitting the ball really far. I'm already curious to see what sport(s) he'll really take to when he gets older.

He goes a little overboard with his past-tense verbs. Two out of three times he'll try to add an "-ed" onto an already past tense verb. I always correct him but I get the feeling that he thinks I am the one who is wrong.

"I eated all my dinner."
"He chaseded me."
"I felled down."
"I gaved her a kiss" or "I kisseded her on the cheek."

He's started to get embarrassed. The first time I noticed it we were at Livy's four-month doctor's appointment and he accidentally fell off his chair. The look on his face when everyone asked if he was okay, as he tried to nonchalantly brush it off, was priceless. The doctor probably thought I was rude for laughing so hard about it.
 
He still loves Donald Duck and Chip and Dale. And the iPad.