Fifty nifty

Michael is doing really well, although we struggle with all the drama that typically accompanies two-and-a-half.  He can throw himself on the floor and wail at a half-second's notice.  It turns off equally fast but requires active and constant management.  It helps that we got a childproof doorknob cover for the inside of his room. so now if he gets a time out, he can't just come out.  For the first (but I'm sure not the last!) time, a few days ago he actually banged and pounded on the door while he was throwing a tantrum.  Mike and I were amused.  Sometimes he just needs to get out some frustration, I guess.  The thing is that he's really self-possessed and sure of what he wants.  We make accommodations within reason and let him make age-appropriate choices, but then again, "you can't always get what you want."  Might as well start learning that lesson at age 2!  We have been reading "Your Two-Year-Old" to learn some more techniques.  The book says this is entering a period of "disequilibrium," so maybe that's what's going on.

Most of the time Michael is pretty sunny and affectionate.  I am so pleased that among his first "sentences" have been ones dealing with his brother.  "Malcolm sleeping," "Malcolm woke up," and "Malcolm crying" are all ones we hear a lot.  (He does pronounce Malcolm a lot better now.)  He gets very concerned if Malcolm is upset and he's very solicitous of his brother's well-being, so it makes sense some new words would be about Malcolm!  This also includes "hermano."  As he learns more words and starts to combine them, Michael has also been adding a bunch of Spanish ones, which is really cute.  Among the newer and clearer Spanish words this month are "zapatos," "mañana," "hermano," "naranja," "manzana," and our favorite, "Te amo mucho."

Michael also continues to amaze us with his "cognitive" milestones, even as the speaking isn't necessarily all there yet.  (We are planning to try the Leapfrog DVDs at some point at Sarah's suggestion :)  Mike bought Michael a U.S. wooden puzzle for his birthday.  I thought it was a great idea but not likely to be good for much more than dumping out (Michael's favorite thing to do with anything with small pieces) for awhile yet, especially since the states fit together so irregularly and without borders like other kids' wooden puzzles.  But he has studied the puzzle carefully just like with the alphabet one last fall, and last night Mike and I were impressed as he put about forty states in the correct places.  Once he gets them all down, we'll take a video, but it was pretty crazy.  He can say Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Wyoming, and Hawaii.  For the other states, he mostly says what the pictures are on them (car for Michigan, "papas" for Idaho, "piña" for Hawaii, peaches for Georgia, etc.)  I told Theresa we won't let him play with the globe she gave him yet because he still wants to eat the pen, but I guess it may come sooner than we think!!