Speeding towards two

Joseph is going through quite the developmental stage at 22 months.  He's becoming even more expressive, by which I mean more prone to: wail at the drop of a hat, talk up a storm, look for things to throw/dump on the floor, eat two helpings of every meal and then beg for some of yours, sing songs, and chat with his brothers. 

I think the most notable things he's done lately are to really start singing and talking clearly.  This past week he said his first complete sentence.  He was sitting with me in our room, and then looked behind him at our Guadalupe picture and said clearly, "I see Mary."  I think we were BOTH really excited about that because he started "seeing" everyone else after that, too :)  "I see Michael.  I see Malcolm.  I see Dada."  He says, "I got it, Mama" when he gets his hat.  And when I said, "Mama loves you," he repeated it but added more people again :)  "Dada loves you.  Papi loves you.  Uncle Chris loves you."  He says every word very precisely and slowly - it's like you can see the wheels turning in his head to put together the sentences.  It's really awesome to see.  The other one that cracked me up this week was once in the middle of the night, he popped up when I came in and said, "Hello, Mom," and then when I changed his diaper after nursing him he lay there quietly, thinking, and said, "Michael Malcolm sleeping, Mama."  Yep, and you better go back to sleep too.

Joseph is exceedingly polite.  He uses everyone's name when he talks to them and always says please ("meese") and thank you.  "Meese, Dada.  Thank you, Malcolm.  Agua and ice, meese, Mama."  He says hi and bye to all his little classmates and any friends who come to our house.

In his high chair recently, he started swaying and singing, "Ashes, ashes, all fall down."  I think that was from preschool - he's very attentive to all the little songs they do.  He also sings along to Michael's "Incredible Flexible You" CD by singing the words to use your "WHOOOOOOLE BODY" to listen.  More and more words keep being added for these songs, which he really seems to like.  It's fun to dance with him.

He did throw his first tantrum the other week over where and on what conditions he was allowed to eat a banana.  That earned him his first, and so far only (but we all know it's coming), trip to time out.  I was amused to note recently that when Mike told him to stop crying for French fries and ask nicely if he wanted one, Joseph took a huge breath and actually did stop crying pretty quickly.  You could see him using all his control to calm down and then stick his finger up and say, "One," very clearly.  Little negotiator in training.  I was kind of amazed he could turn it off that quickly, but I'll have to remember that lesson!

Joseph's current favorite books are The Foot Book, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, and a Thomas the Train ABC book he got for Christmas.  He likes to put on his own winter hat.  He does not like footie pajamas.  He does like snacks in his snack pack.  Life with this little boy is a blast :)