2 Years Old

My little boy is 2!! I really just can't believe how quickly time has flown. This year, even more than the 1st year has just gone by so fast!! I feel like he just turned one a few months ago!
I adore him. That's the only way I know to say. He is such a joy and a blessing to us every single day.He is such a sweet, spunky, and full-of-life little boy. I love it when I get a chance to watch him play without him knowing I am there. I just like to soak up every second of him encountering the world.
When I think back to a year ago, it amazes me to see how much he has changed. At his 1 year birthday he was barely trying to take steps, said probably 10-15 words, and was so dependent on us for everything still. Now he runs, speaks more words than I could ever count, and does new things on his own everyday!!!
He's a little chatter box now - always having something to say through out the day. He has started using 3-4 word sentences now. Some of my favorite little things he says are concept things....like how he uses the word or phrases, too, far away, up high, dark, etc. appropriately. I love that he answers yes no questions. This is definitely one of my favorite milestones. He started doing it a few months ago and it opened up a whole new world of communication. It melts my heart when he asks me to sing or to hold him. I love how he talks about friends and family now without being prompted. Almost everyday I am amazed by the connections he'll make between things and/or people.
He is really into letters, counting, and colors. He doesn't know them all but is getting started. He will count along with me to some degree up to about 6 or 7. He mainly knows what number come after another one. He is starting to get colors and does pretty well sorting them or picking them out. Blue is his favorite so it's the go to if he isn't sure. He randomly knows certain letters but nothing to concrete. That doesn't stop him though - he loves to at least pretend to name all of the letters he sees when we are out and about.
His favorite activities are playing with his cars, trains, animals, doing puzzles, crafts, books, and running around outside. He is obsessed with cars. He plays with them in every way possible. I love how excited he gets and exclaims, "Ohhhh, Cars!!!" when ever he sees them. He is really into crafts - all of it....coloring, painting, play-doh, stickers, etc. He is getting really good about actually trying to color in things instead of just scribbling on the page. He is so active. He loves to run around, roughhouse with Chris, dance, etc. If it's movement, he loves it. He is trying to jump now and occasionally get air.
He's a pretty typical toddler when it comes to eating. Some days he eats great and some days he eats nothing!! He takes an afternoon nap everyday for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. He sleeps from about 7pm-7am give or take about 30 minutes. For the most part he is a pretty compliant child but he definitely throws his share of tantrums. He's pretty dramatic and can turn on the tears instantly. He gets the most upset when he gets frustrated about something not going right ( ie. his toys falling over, not working right, etc.) He can be very particular about how he wants to play with things and lets you know right away if you aren't doing it right. He has the "yes ma'am's" down ( even to Chris ;)) and often tries to get out of discipline by repeating it over and over. (really cute but it doesn't work!)
We aren't potty training yet but he is def. starting to show at least some signs of readiness. He'll tell us when he has poo poo or needs to go but it's not always really reliable and is starting to get the concept of dry and wet. He'll sit on the potty sometimes and even go but he prefers not to sit on it with his clothes off so it sort of defeats the purpose. I'm not sure when we will really start trying.
This year has brought on so much change - I love watching him learn and grow every day!!!!

Doctors appt. info:
Height: 34inches(45%)
Weight: 21lbs 2 oz( below the 3rd%)
We think his weight is a little higher but had lost some from being so sick the week before. We'll take him back in a few months to see if it's at least gone up a little bit but we aren't too concerned because he has always followed that trend. He did great at the doctor's and didn't even fuss to have his finger pricked!!!

The chair picture attempts( he doesn't pose for anything now):