23 months

only 1 more month until he turns 2!

What he's up to:

• loves to spend time outside, going for walks, and going to the playground


• loves to pretend to talk on the phone


• starting to learn to says his numbers and sing the alphabet - but each time he has a different version


• continuing to expand his vocabulary - his favorite word seems to be mess (and he's always making one). Learning to say his name ("rendan") - instead of "de-do" which is what he used to call himself. Now "de-do" has become our nickname for him.


• likes to dip his food - ketchup, syrup, soy sauce


• loves motorcycles - when we're driving around he keeps asking to see "more" - living in Phoenix, motorcycles are pretty common


• he's a greeter - everywhere he goes he says hi to everyone. And when we're at an activity, he runs over to say hi when someone new arrives.


• used the potty - he asked to use it and went! no repeats though and we're not pushing it yet. They teach it at his preschool he's starting in January.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving at Rob's cousin's house - we ate lots of yummy food and Brendan had a great time playing with his cousins. This morning he helped me bake some cupcakes (banana with cinnamon cream cheese icing) to bring for dinner - he was great helping using his learning tower (our most recent Craig's List find). He helped place the cupcake liners in the pan, dump the ingredients in the bowl and mixed everything up. He didn't understand though why he couldn't eat them right away. His favorite thing at Audra's was playing in the Barbie jeep with his cousin Cassie - maybe Santa needs to bring him his own jeep.

Brendan's becoming a big boy

Brendan's recently decided that he likes to sit in big people's chairs at the dinner table rather than his booster seat. He also likes to ham it up for the camera.