Dancing baby

Daddy teaches Hayden how boys are "supposed" to dance, and he shakes his dragon tail!

Up, please!

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!