On the bright side...

I was actually going to write mostly happy things in my last post (posted, what, 2 minutes ago?) and instead ended up venting. Don't I have a LiveJournal for that?

Anyway, every now and then I like to collect several cute things about Paxton, just to write them down and reminisce months later. So here goes (remember, totally random).

-Paxton recognizes 2 of something without issue now, same with 1 of something. I'm so proud of that.
-He read letters and numbers faster, remembers what certain words are supposed to say in books, and can memorize about half of a small book now and "read" it to himself while pointing at the text. He really impressed me with "would you, could you, on a train?"
-He picks up girls everywhere we go. Like, people my age roughly. Sometimes he wants to play with men too, but he's allll about the ladies. And really I think I'm just about the only person who can say no to this boy!
-He had his first Sunday School last week and did okay. We also had our first night out while he was awake. He wasn't ready for it earlier (totally freaked being left alone for over a few minutes with people he knew) but he's finally ready now, and that means we're finally able to go out! Please note that he's pretty much always been okay in a nursery setting or being with people when we're there, but when he was close to the person and we left he seemed to think we were passing him off to caretaker #5 and we weren't coming back, a pretty rational thought given his life thus far. Nice to know he totally trusts us and is completely well adjusted now :)
-He's getting better at story times and doesn't freak out as much. I always get funny looks though! Storytimes are very beneficial and he loves them but they seem to remind him of the orphanage's storytimes and he regresses and flips out. We didn't go for a long time but he's doing better now. Still has to sit right near me or on my lap for some of it but he's becoming more independent, ie like he is most of the time.
-We went to the zoo Friday because, well, why not? We're members so it's free and it was a beautiful day! The polar bear even showed off for us! While in the African Pavillion Paxton found a metal turtle attached to a bench. He announced "Is a turtle on there!" then I looked away for a moment only to hear "I sittin' on the turtle!" Sure enough, he was trying his best to fit his big bum on that turtle.
-I love watching him "read" his books. He gets so much right! And he does voices like we do. I really need to tape it but he doesn't often do it if he knows I'm watching.
-Last week Paxton woke me up by announcing "Look, Mommy! I gipping!" Then he proceeded to "skip" across the carpet, which probably hurt since he was just shuffling really fast. He was kind enough to "gip" for other people later.
-^^ Coincidentally, I've noticed that he's often dropping the first consonent sound in double consonant beginnings (are those diphthongs?). He keeps the accurate second consonant sound, though, so "skip" became "gip". Because I laugh at it, he keeps telling people "Eat sticks!" He doesn't say "sticks" though :-P.
-He's trying to sing now. He can do a lot of the Bob the Builder theme song. He also woke me up yesterday with "yoyoyoyoyoyo life a meeeee!" Since Nik was grinning ear to ear I figured I should correct him with "It's 'yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me' dear". Then I took him downstairs and showed him the Lazytown pirate video. Find it on YouTube. It's catchy! Yar Har Fiddle Dee Dee!
-He's using the potty a lot and is totally obsessed with potty books. I know I should put him in underpants again. It's just... this is new carpet... I mean... *whimper*
-He's actually becoming more considerate when he doesn't think about it. Like saying "excuse me" after burping or when going around someone, "please" for things he'd like or "thank you" to just about everyone. Except us usually. Little bum.
-He's been more active lately, more alert, more... childlike. He's really grown recently, in all aspects. From someone who couldn't put two words together a few months ago now we're hearing stuff like "look, mommy, look! Look at this! There's a ball in here! Look, it's a blue ball! I'm gonna get the blue ball!" He's just eating up words and phrases, figuring everything out. He's running fast, riding a trike, climbing everything, building, cleaning, getting and cleaning his own food, listening to directions, conversing with other children and adults, and just... blossoming. It's like he's finally becoming the kid I always hoped he'd be. Yeah, he's still a kid and he can still drive me nuts, but he's nice and he's smart and he's oh so cuddly. And he's growing fast and in so many ways I'm proud and in so many other ways I'm sad that time is just passing so quickly.

There are so many more things that I'll probably remember later. There were some things he said that I wanted to write down but I can't think of them now. I do think it's cute that he often ends sentences with "me" instead of starting them with I, but I can't think of good uses of that right now. Ah well!

Nik did finally get him down for a nap, after the time he should've been getting up for a nap but we're staying out late tonight so that's... kind of okay. I'll be waking him up soon. We want to give him an hour down.

Also, I'm sooooo still geared up for consignment sales! I feel awful that I bought so much for BB at the Kids Exchange and very little for Paxton. I should've gone in with a list! I hit up another one and mostly bought stuff for Pax, including 3 pairs of shoes, one from Stride Rite that I've had my eye on for months but it's like $45. I got the pair a size too big (ie, perfect), brand new, $8. I was practically fistpumping! There are more sales coming up. I want an outside playhouse and gardening equipment for him, and some more baby books for me. I mean, they're like a dollar there! And I'm already starting to stock up on cheap/good quality 5t clothes for whenever that time comes. He can definitely wear the shorts if nothing else. 3t doesn't really fit his legs at all anymore. Oooo, and some beach stuff, I'd love that. And maybe some more stuff for me. I just need to go in prepared. Oh yeah, I'm feeling the yardsaling rush. Yardsale season starts in just weeks. Bring. It. On!