Milo Lately

As I was going through pictures today I came across these pictures of Milo from about 7 months ago. I was so shocked! Sometimes I just think about him being just a little bit bigger will solve some of the things that are hard right now. I kinda get anxious for him to get to that stage of easier. But then I saw these picture and realize how much he has grown up in just a short time. He seems like such a baby here. He was so little! He has changed and grown in so many ways and I should savor it and enjoy 2 year old Milo. He is the cutest thing around!

Look at him now! This photo is a few weeks old. This was us trying to enjoy our last few nice days of fall so Milo and I took a walk while Olive was at school. They are building an apartment complex a few streets over and Milo loves to watch the tractors. 

It's crazy how just weeks, literally weeks,  make a big difference in their little lives. Milo has grown up a ton in the last few weeks. He has started talking like crazy. He will repeat almost anything you say these days, which Olive love/hates. He always wants to copy her. His vocabulary has just exploded and he is getting new words every day. The other day I went to pick him up and they had done an art project. He ran right up to me and said "Mom I glued it. It sticks!" Now that may sound like not too much but for us it was so impressive!

My favorite thing is when he sings. He has recently learned jingle bells and will walk around singing to himself, or to us at dinner and other random times. When he is riding in the car I'll hear him singing in the back seat. He doesn't always know the words be he seems to have a great ear for the notes and is pretty on tune. 

When Olive practices piano, he has to have a turn first. 

On our walk he found a hole in the side walk and decided he need to investigate more and see what he could stick in there. 

One big thing that has happened in the last week with this boy is that he is getting consequences. We've been saying for months now that when he understood this, it would make sure a huge difference in his little life and it's true. The other day Scott told him to take two more bites and he could have a treat and Milo did it! Or he is much more aware of having to stop something because the consequence is time out. It has even stopped (a few) tantrums when we tell him what is going to happen. What a big difference. That really is a milestone between toddler and little kid and it's crazy that he has reached it. 

Besides his vocabulary he has also developed this wicked sense of humor. He loves to be funny and he loves to get people to laugh at him. Just a few days ago he has started doing this fake/real/hilarious laugh all the time. It is slightly maniacal and also part Bevis and Butthead. He walks around doing, sometimes for seemingly no apparent reason, and it is so stinking funny. 

Remember how at Halloween he hated costumes? Well he has figured out that they fun and now wants me to put on his curious george costume and wear it around. Yes, the same one that sparked tantrums last time it was seen. 

Another big leap for Milo is that he is finally understanding apologizing. He will say sorry to his friends. He was apologize to Olive and give her hugs (if he's in the right mood). The other day I was in the kitchen doing something and noticed that he had climbed on the table to get something so I put my stern mom voice on and told him to stop it and get down. Next things I know he is at my feet saying "sorry mom sorry". Cutest thing ever. 

Apparently the nursery leaders at church think he needs a hair cut because this is how he came home from church a few Sundays ago. A tape pony tail. We still love his long hair. I have given him two trims. He is pretty good about dealing with the long hair and it doesn't seem to bother him. The amount of times that he has been called a girl has gone up significantly though. 

He always stands to eat. Always. It is so funny. If he isn't standing then he is kneeing. I am not sure why, maybe it is to reach better. The kid who used to eat anything has gotten a bit more picky and refuses to eat some things. He is often disappointed in our dinner options and doesn't eat much of it so he is starving in the mornings. He has been waking up so so early these days. Like at 6 or 6:30 am. The really surprising thing is that sometimes he will get up and then we will just hear him playing with his toys in his room. Or we will turn a show on for him and he will usually watch it. Recently he's sneaking down and wakes up Olive, which she really doesn't appreciate. 

He is a silly boy. He will get himself "stuck" in this bin a hundred times and every time he will say "MOM I'M STUCK!" until I come and pulled him out. 

This face just kills me, partly because it's a toddler with a mustache and partly because this little whine/pout face is one we have seen a lot these last six months. 

One day I found Milo like this on his bed. He had found one of his Christmas presents and had dragged it to his room to play with it. Looks like we picked out a home run gift. Fortunately he's little enough I don't think it ruined anything for him. 

He will push our chairs to the counters all the time to do things for himself. Here is he trying to open Olive's barbie car because it needs "More batteries" 

Wearing his snowflake winter glasses. So funny. 

He still loves all things electronic and is amazingly good at them. He has changed screen savors, sent emails, turned wifi on and off (all without us wanting him too, but he has figured out how to do them). He sneaks down to play on dad's computer when I'm not paying attention. He know how to play every game and app. Here he is playing with some tech accessories he found while we were trying to clean out the down stairs. 

Milo has become my little helper and always wants to help me make or do anything from sweep to the laundry. Now that Olive is in school I'm glad I mostly can let him help. If she is home it's too much fighting and if we had another baby it would be too much hassle. 

He recently discovered art and coloring. He asks to color and do stickers all the time. Here we were doing hand print painting and he was pretty unsure about the whole thing. He has also discovered puzzles and other "quiet games" which is making church a (tiny) bit easier. He has started saying his letters and he can tell me what most of them say. And just the other day he counted to 10 for the first time. I sometimes think it will be crazy that he will start preschool next fall but when I see what huge strides me has made in the last 6 months and how he's matured, I can only imagine what the next 6 will bring. We love our big boy!