My little sponge

Hayden is changing so much, it's hard to keep up with him! We've really noticed a change in him in the past month or so, and I think part of it has a lot to do with his new room in daycare. He's the youngest, so he sees all these kids doing big-kid things, and hears so many words that he just seems to crave learning. I can't keep track of all of his new words, but some of his favorites are: mom, dad, trash, dog, bubble, Oscar, bink, please, out, go, up, bed, bite, juice, milk, ow, uh-oh and my favorite, hello (ah-whoa) when he picks up the phone. Last week he learned "mine" and "no" at the same time, which has been pretty funny.  He is working on 1-2-3, and will follow along up to "D" when we sing the ABC song. His very favorite song is "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and he requests it by doing the "spider" hand motion that goes along with the song or by saying "it-ee".

He has also gotten really good at identifying his body parts. He has head, ear, nose, mouth, foot, toe and belly down pat; he gets a little confused with "eye" and "hand", I think because they sound so similar to "ear" and "head". His motor skills are really developing and he loves to color. His very favorite thing, other than jumping, is to read. He loves to grab one of his books and carry it around and stop to look at it and turn a page. He's very clear when he wants to read, and when he wants to be read to.

He's also starting to really come along on the potty. We still aren't in full-on potty training mode, but he knows when he needs to go and knows how the whole process works. We can get about one good pee out of him a day on the toilet, but not much on the poop. He's grasping the concept though, as he always squats now to get a little help from gravity! We did buy some pull-ups for when we're ready to start, and even picked up a few pair of big boy underwear! He is resistant to keep a diaper on sometimes, so we figured the underwear would be a logical step. He wore a pair to bed the other night over a pull-up, because it was just too hot here for pajamas.

He is absolutely a creature of habit, and requires a few things every day. He must have his cup of milk first thing in the morning, and he likes to pick out his clothes for school. He will not go to bed without a bath and brushing his teeth first, and makes a big production of throwing pup-pup (his sleep buddy) back in the crib when he gets up in the morning. He hates dirty hands, and loves to help us do anything. He loves to blow bubbles, and we have a hard time getting them away from him! He has also started to make "the face" when he doesn't get his way. It's a face he definitely gets from me, drawing his eyebrows way down and pursing his lips together. Despite his intention of looking fierce and angry, it's terribly adorable.

Out at the lake

The great thing about where we live is the proximity to fun, free stuff! There's a lake about five minutes from our house, and it's a beautiful spot to visit. We went last weekend just to take a walk somewhere different. Hayden had a blast exploring all the different playgrounds and new sights. He is such an explorer, and quite the fearless adventurer! He loves to climb and crawl over things, go up high, look down low and jump. Boy does he love to jump! He is a little weary of the sand, since it's an uneven surface and makes it difficult for him to go fast. We didn't venture into the water this time, but maybe next time!

This time we spent most of the visit exploring the little log cabin-like structure for kids to play on. Hayden made a little german friend and tested out the seats and the steps on the wooden playground. He ran around and watched the bigger kids try the skateboard simulator, and tried to escape from us more than once. He can be so insistent when he wants to go a certain way! We're hoping to go back soon on a nice day for a picnic, and so Hayden can do some more exploring.

Splash party

Little swimmer

Swim swim

We've been spending more time at the pool recently, since Germany has finally caught on that it's summer! We have a great pool just a few minutes from our house. It has indoor and outdoor facilities, so when it's a bit chilly we stick to the inside and let Hayden play in the bathwater-like kiddie pool, and test out the big pools to help him learn to kick and move his arms. On the warmer days, we enjoy the outside kiddie pool, the freeeeeezing big pool and the heated jacuzzi-like pool with jets, fountains and seats under the water to enjoy the sun and warm water. There's also a big slide and diving boards, Hayden has tested the former but is far too small for the latter!

He was definitely skeptical at first about the deep water, but instantly took to the water where he can touch the bottom and see his feet. The inside kiddie pool has a small slide and a fountain and blocks to play with, so Hayden is in kid-heaven once he sets foot in it. He gets a bit more adventurous in the water when dad holds him and swirls him around, and took the big slide like a champ! He loves to splash and play, and even cooperates when it's time to put on more sunscreen. The pool here spoils us, with all the room and inexpensive snack bars and grass to lay on, umbrellas to lay under, not to mention the multitude of pools to choose from. I think we have ourselves a water baby!

Party on the potty!

Hayden has been showing some signs recently that he's ready for the potty, so we decided to encourage it. He tells us when he's had a bowel movement, he can hold it for a long time and he understands what we're doing in the bathroom. We had just decided the other night that this weekend we would invest in some potty training aids, when we had ourselves a teaching opportunity.

We put him in the tub and he looked like he was about to have a bowel movement, so I pulled him out of the tub and put him on the toilet. I said, "Hayden do you need to poop?" and he said "Poo". So we waited about five seconds when voila! We struck toilet gold! We were so proud of our little man, using the big boy potty!

Today we went to a store near our house to search for the potty trainer I wanted. I am violently opposed to cleaning a kid potty unless I absolutely have to, so we found a little stepladder with a kid seat attached that fits right over the toilet. We snatched it up, along with a new puzzle for our little rockstar. We got home and Jay put it together in no time. We took Hayden upstairs to try it out, but he wasn't interested in the potty just then. So we came back down and tried again at bathtime. We started the water, helped him get undressed and put him on the potty. Imagine our surprise when he was peeing in no time! His favorite part is the wiping, mainly because of his fascination with all things trash lately. He pointed to the toilet again after the tub so we obliged, but I think he just wanted to pull the toilet paper off the roll again, so no luck on that one.

I'm surprised he has started getting the concept of the toilet so quickly but we're excited for this new step in baby Hayden's life! We certainly don't expect any overnight potty training, or even anticipate buying underwear soon, but it's nice to start moving forward with such a big accomplishment!

Something that will definitely improve his chances of potty training is that he made the move to the toddler room at school this week! He's been in a classroom that goes from 3 months to 18 months and that has been tough. He comes home with bite marks almost daily, mainly we feel because the caregivers are too busy with the infants to pay enough attention to the toddlers and stop incidents before they start. Hayden also is reprimanded for "stepping over the babies", to which I reply, "Why are there babies in the middle of the play area for him to step over?" I've been asking for some time to have him moved up to the bigger room but they kept telling me there just wasn't room, which we understand. But finally, there's a spot and I can see a huge difference in Hayden in just the one day he's been over there. The big kids have a much more detailed and learning-centered schedule, whereas the other room was basically just getting through the day with their short staff. Hayden's new room encourages self-development, they play outside all the time and clean up after themselves. They're encouraged to use the potty if they are ready, and I feel like he's really going to benefit from the change. Big steps for my little guy!

June already?

We are so busy these days, so I apologize that blogging has fallen to the wayside. I am working full time, which means the little spare time I have is spent with Jay and Hayden, and trying to keep up with the mountain of laundry we seem to accumulate.

We had a spectacular weekend in Paris planned last week, but as things often do in the Army, those plans changed. We spent about 18 hours there, saw the Cathedral de Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, but unfortunately the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Normandy and a whole host of museums and monuments will have to wait for another time!

Hayden's independence seems to grow by the day. He loves to brush his own teeth, take off his pants and diaper for the bath, wash himself in the tub and of course, feed himself. He is learning new words, new climbing techniques and new ways to give mom a heart attack! He is defintely attached to dad, and loves to have him around for everything. His new favorite things to do are put things in the trash ("tass") and to sweep with his Hayden-sized Swiffer.

Jay is back at work from 9-5 starting last Monday, and is due for a post-surgery check up at the end of this month. He's recovering well and is definitely not missing the pain he was in for the better part of two years.

June is my favorite in Germany because that means the fest is here! The volksfest is across from on-post housing, so it's a short drive to fun for us! Ferris wheel, rides, beer and FOOD! We've been twice so far and I anticipate at least one more trip because I haven't gotten ice cream yet! My favorite is the slushie place, followed closely by the "schweinsteak" or pork steak sandwich. Hayden is a big fan of the bratwurst and the crepes. Good choices, I think.

In July, I go back to part-time working and I can't wait! I'm ready to go to the gym, run errands, clean house and have time (and energy!) to hang out with my boys. Working full time has been nice, but I'm excited for my five-hour schedule again. Right now I'm battling a sinus and ear infection, so a few hours a day off will be a welcome treat come mid-summer. Hayden got his 18-month shots last week, which means no more shots until he's FOUR! What a champ.