Do you know what this vegetable is called?

Please answer the poll with your best guess. No googling the answer either!

It appeared on my doorstep last week as part of my farm delivery. I steamed some today and put it through the food processor to add some veggie lovin' to the macaroni and cheese. Yum.

Testing Two

Ryan won't be 2 years old until 2 months from now, but he is trying out some two-year old moves already, and they aren't all pleasant.

1. We have a new game where he likes to make Mommy sad by taking away her blankie, and waiting for the pouty lip to come out. He then gives it back and says, "feel better, nice". It's sweet that he is starting to tune in to the emotions of people around him.

2. Tantrums. We've had two this week. One was over moose jammies, there is a general aversion to jammies lately, but it is too cold to allow him to sleep in a diaper only. This is a battle we have to fight.

3. Language, vocabulary, words! We started at a new daycare this month, and they are blown away with the vast knowledge of our boy and his grasp of language and meaning. Of course, Jeff and I think that he is advanced with language, but validation that your child is a boy genius ALWAYS feels good. :)

4. Ryan is excited at the idea of playing and watching hockey. We went to a WHL game last week, and he got his debut on the Jumbotron doing the chicken dance! Whenever he sees hockey on TV, he says, "play 'ockey". His daddy is very proud and excited to get him on the ice soon.

I'll get some new photos up here when I find the stupid cord to download them! Grr.

New Favorites

Ryan is developing his own sense of taste. His latest phrase is: "I no yike it." Even when he does. Go figure. Here are some of his favorite things of late.

Firetrucks. He gets to visit the firehouse when he potties like a big boy. We've been twice :)

Dinosaurs. We bought a Halloween costume of an alligator that looks rather Dinosaur-esque.

Fave movie: Monsters Inc. - A recent replacement to Finding Nemo. What a relief. And he's not scared by any of it.

Fave character: Roz. Go figure. He calls Randall a snake.

Food: Edamame. (so glad it's a vegetable- he calls it beans)

Book: Everyone Poops (hidden due to repetitive readings) or Where's the Poop? - the latest book purchase by mom. Also How Do I Love You? (this is a book that Granna bought a LONG time ago, but Ryan has only recently started wanting to read it.) He's really into most books lately.

Song: to sing- Twinkle Twinkle. I tried to capture it on video, but my performer is not well versed in the art of staying away from the camera. We'll try again soon.

To listen to- Hey Hippopotamus by Justin Roberts.

Color: Green-everything is green when you ask what color something is. Ryan really has no clue what color anything is. Jeff asked me if he could be colorblind. I really don't know how to figure this one out without him having a baseline knowledge of colors to work with. I remember in Jr. High we did a test for color blindness where we had to read a word hidden with pointillism within a picture. No hope for that one soon. :)

With Ryan being so advanced on saying ABC's and counting to 10, I feel like he is behind on colors. I know this is silly, but I'm admitting it publicly here.

Level 2- Potty Training

Failed at this one.

Tomato Bandit

We're having great success in the garden this year-probably because it is the hottest summer on record in Washington, therefore the tomatoes are maturing now instead of in October, like the did last year.

I'm having a hard time getting the tomatoes into the house. A bandit has been eating them. This is what they look like when I get to them. And here he is in action. This is two days worth of action-note the different shirts.

I'm so glad he is getting good food that I grew. And the dirt that comes with the tomato is supposed to be good for preventing allergies. Apparently kids today are too clean and don't ingest enough dirt to help their immune systems. Not so around here. It's not a pig farm, but we do have dirty veggies-almost all you can eat!

Interview with Ryan

Tonight Ryan picked up his keys (the valet set to our car) and announced "go bye bye Mommy".

Me: Where are you going?

Ryan: Go uh store.

Me: What are you going to buy at the store?

Ryan: Snackies!!

Me: What kind of snackies are you going to get?

Ryan: (running toward door) Um Um Um.....

Favorite snacks: raisins, carrots, blueberries, bears (crunchy cereal) and graham crackers (cookies to him)

Potty Time

We are GRADUALLY starting potty training. Ryan is very interested in cheering for me, getting stickers to put on his knees, wearing "unners" and flushing. It's getting the stuff into the potty that is the trouble. He's great at telling me "poopie mommy" AS he is filling his pants. Tonight we practiced wiping on the potty. He likes to wipe the front too. :)

Last night we found the perfect stool for Ryan at Target. When we brought it home, he cried until we brought it inside. He's never latched onto a "thing" so quickly before.

I've read that it is easier for kids to push if they have their feet grounded. His stool has a little flip lid where we stash his flushing wipes, and I am sure it will be filled with toys soon. He LOVES to stand on this stool. Here are photos of what I went through this evening. He turned a velcro curler and tube of mascara into a trumpet of sorts, tooting around the house.