Aston's 29 + 30 Month Milestone Minutes

Aston turned 2 and a half almost 2 weeks ago now and he has made it known to anyone end everyone he sees (he says, "I 2 and a half...I a BIG boy!"). This is the start of the "halves" I guess...when it's just as cool to be 3 and a half as it is to be 3. As a parent the "halves" so far have been worse than the "wholes". At 1 and a half Aston displayed drama and rascalness that I thought was supposed to happen at 2 and at 2 I saw him mellow out and the months leading up to 2 and half were probably the worst so far. I just felt like he would push the limits, surpass them and not learn or listen to the discipline that comes along with it. The past week or so I feel like he still pushes those limits but he has resolved to listen when I tell him to stop. It may just be my consequences are harsher but hey whatever works!

A Few New Aston Phrases and Funnies:

• I made Aston my usual for dinner...leftovers. I threw some chicken in the microwave, added a little fruit on the side and presented it to him for dinner...he looked down at his plate and then slowly up to me and in a sweet voice "Mommy? Daddy be home soon and bring me something good to eat?" Ha! Jeff's the chef and the one who picks up food to bring home...I already have a bad reputation in the kitchen.
• "That's a beautiful new shirt Mei-z has isn't it?"...as he patted her on the back...I had put a new Babygap shirt on her and he noticed right away
• "Mommy you get your nails done? Let me smell 'em." I let him smell and he says "wow mommy they look so pretty"
• "I a big boy Mommy...like Jackson (a friend who is 3 and a half)...know why? Look my feet are soooo BIG!"...as a background Aston has very large feet for his age and apparently he knows it.
• There had been silence on the way to school the other day for some time and then all the sudden from the back seat I hear, "Mommy I have idea...let's race those cars on Mei's side". As I am cracking up inside...I then hear..."on your mark, get set, go...go Mommy it's green!" (we were at a light by the way and the cars he wanted to race were in the left lane hence the "Mei's side")
• When I am not in the room he does the sweetest things with his sister...like this one time I caught him talking her through building a car with him Automoblox. He explained "This goes right here and clicks and then you put the wheels right here and it clicks...here Mei-z you try?" (Mei-z is Mei's latest made-up name by Aston)
• "Don't apologize Mommy, it's not your fault" in response to me telling him "I'm sorry your sick sweets"
• I asked him a while ago where he would go if he could fly anywhere in a plane. His response was "I go to Dim Sum. I ask Annie get sponge cake". I've talked about Annie before but she is still his all time favorite waitress who brings him whatever he wants and takes him on tours of the kitchen too.
• "Come here Mommy let me hold you. ohhhh, I love you soooo much, ohhhh. Come here Mommy." He says this often. It's usually when I am upset about something or I stub my toe:)
• Mei and I had been playing in her room and I had been organizing her closet so there was stuff everywhere. When Aston woke up from nap he came in and said "Mei...what HAPPENED in here! You made a MESS!"
• "May I have this lollipop Mommy? It's sugar free...yes it is!"
• On one of our days with highs in the 20's a couple weeks ago Aston said "Daddy it's not cold outside." Jeff said "No?" Aston said "no....it's FREEEEZING!"
• I was cleaning up the kitchen while Mei was asleep (something I usually "let be" until the kids are in bed unless we are having visitors or the cleaning ladies are coming) and I asked Aston to put his shoes away he sighed and said "Mommy why we cleaning? Cleaning ladies coming today?" I laughed and said no...then he asked "No? Who's coming over Mommy's house?" Ha!
• There may not be many words that Aston doesn't understand by now but there are a great number I have a hard time deciphering when he says them. Lately he will say the word/sentence over and over because I will have him repeat it several times so I can understand him. He get's tired of saying it over and over and finally will say "Mommy! just say Ohhhh..."
• When I talked to him about the meaning of Valentine's Day I told him it was a celebration of the ones we love. I asked him who he loves and who he wants to give thanks to on Valentine's Day. I fully expected him to say Mommy, Mei Mei, Daddy...instead he just said "Kate Kate" and went on with his business like "duh Mom"...
• whenever we ask what time is it are when did we go to the mountains...he will answer "at 45 o'clock on Friday"
• He is still very conscious of emotions. He wants everyone to be happy and smiling...at least ten times a day he will ask "Mommy Happy?" I call it his "happy check". He's been doing this for months now and he usually "happy checks" us when he thinks we are angry, sad or scared. He gets nervous when we are upset. He "happy checks" characters on TV too...especially if it's a scary monster or a "bad guy"...he says "that man happy Mommy?"...and wants reassurance that he's "not scary Mommy?"

New Chinese Words:

None! Installing Rosetta Stone on my MAC asap...its' still only on my laptop

New Favorite Foods:
He loves Daddy's pancakes, Palone's Pizza and Salsarita's

Rascal Traits:

• "I didn't mean to, it's not my fault". he says this anytime he knows he does something wrong/bad and this phrase immediately rolls off his tongue and sounds soooo insincere.
• He does this weird raspberry/spitting thing that totally annoys me.
• He can open all the doors now in the house...even undo the deadbolts on the doors leading outside. He is in the throughs of thinking this is "Awesome!" and does it all the time...even lets his sister crawl outside on the deck and shuts the door...little rascal
• He comes downstairs right away now when he's done napping/sleeping. He used to play in his room for a while and wait for us to come get him. Now he just opens the door and wanders into our room in the morning...early in the morning...ugh
• The fits are bigger than ever...not really more often but just larger in size. I often have to put him in his room so we both can cool down. It's usually when we are home for long periods of time and he bored so he takes out his boredom on his sister which results in punishment and then an explosive reaction to the punishment

Other Notables this Month:

• Potty training! Check... I finally pulled the trigger over Christmas vacation and removed the diaper for good (beside nap and night time). In other words I let him go to school/public without a diaper versus just around the house. He's a champ...no accidents...ever. He does think he's done pooing sometimes and then has to run back to the potty to finish after the first wipe...and sometimes he misses...ick...
• He now knows all of our first names...for example...he know's my name is Kate and I have the same name as his BFF Kate Kate and Daddy's "real name" is Jeff which is the same as Babs
• LOVES art. He pulls his art box out daily and creates cards for people. I don't have the patience for paint yet...his favorite at home mediums are markers and stickers...
• Putting Aston to bed is the best part of the day with him. Jeff is usually the one to do the hard parts like brushing his teeth, getting him to actually get in bed, putting the diaper on and reading the books. I come in a little later after I feed Stelly and put her to bed. I have "bed talk" with Aston as we like to call it. We talk about his day or any topic really. We've been doing this for months but the topics are really getting fun now. He tells me his "favorite part of his day" and it's always something surprising like "when Mei got in bath tub with me". It's the only time that we really have discussions because he wants to talk as long as possible so I don't leave him:)

Playing with Automoblox (like car legos) he got for Christmas

Lovin' on the bear that came with Mei's baby doll

We go out to eat much more than the average family...let alone the average family with kids. Aston is "ok" on average but when things get hairy we hand over the iPhone featuring Backyardigans, Kai Lan, or Charlie Brown Christmas for emergency entertainment.

Making playdoh with Dad for his class. They requested white playdoh this month...we were in charge of January.

LEFT: making pancakes with Daddy (they love to cook together lately)...They make pancakes like 4-5 times a week! RIGHT: testing out the homemade playdoh

We had a couple weeks after Christmas that didn't get above like 35 degrees. I made an emergency run to GapKids to get this puffy jacket (19 bucks on sale) and a furry hat ($8.99)...he hates wearing either because of the sheer bulk

Aston and his bestests Kate and Mia on the playground. It finally warmed up for a few days so we let them loose at Carmel Presby Playground. I'm not yet ready to go back to Carmel Park where Aston had his accident. In fact when I told him we were going to the park he said "No mommy I get boo boo's der, I want to go to the bookstore! Yes I do!" I had tears...

Aston and Kate go to Noah's art on Monday's now. They are 2 of 3 students! It's a great program that is very structured. The teacher is very enthusiastic, patient and organized...as she should be with 2 year olds. Each week there is a theme that is based on a song/nursery rhyme.

Aston often rushes through his projects so he can play in the forbidden toy area in the back...below he is scaling the barrier to get to the toys.

LEFT: Kate and Aston at the easel for free paint. RIGHT: Showing off his lego tower masterpiece...way into legos lately

Outside times! LEFT: he loves to make dirt race tracks in this planter RIGHT: Loves getting soaked helping Daddy wash the cars...he is actually very helpful

Just love this face...one he does lots lately

Greeting Dad when he came home from work

True love? No. True bribery? YES! A lollipop was the reward for posing nicely with his sister. Ever since the pictures he took with Mei for the Christmas card (I bribed him with a lolli), he wants to take pictures all the time. He says, "take picture of me with Mei Mommy? Yes? Maaay-be? I get a lollipop Mommy?"