Dearest Smoochie-Face:As I write this, you are drooling like a madman. I feel so badly for you as you chew anything that looks remotely promising . . . including the roof of your new F-P Little People Barn.
You have burst onto the Toddler Scene this month! You walk as fast as you can everywhere you can. You enjoy your daily constitutional, and those tennis shoes that you used to find abhorrent are now the signal that you are going OUTSIDE! Where there are CARS! TRUCKS! BUSES! And also, you get to play with the Shettler Kids' SLIDE! CAR! PLAYHOUSE!
Your favorite toys (aside from the Shettler Kids' toys) are your drum sticks (still), your books, your farm/barn, your multitude of electronics (old cell phones, toy PDA, real family phone), your music (especially The Philadelphia Chicken and anything with your sweetheart, Julie Andrews), anything that will stack--and your dad. 
The two of you can't get enough of each other! Every morning when Daddy leaves, you stand in the window and watch him pull away, big tears often rolling down your cheeks! You now just hear the key go into the deadbolt and you drop whatever you are doing (kissing mommy, even) and dash for the back door. It's heartwarming.
You two also are a lot of trouble together. You enjoy finding mischief and delight in making Mama roll her eyes. Mischief includes going outside without your shoes (just socks. when it's rained. and it's cold. c'mon.), playing with MegaBlocks when you should be getting rocked to sleep by He-Who-Shall-Remain-Namless-But-Hint!-DADDY and blowing zerberts on my belly and making each other laugh! You also love to work on projects together, whether it is unshelving and reshelving CDs or putting together your first basketball hoop.
You are repeating words after us now. You shake your head NO a lot, but it doubles for YES (handy, that!). You do say No now ("O!" while shaking head). Yes is "Ace," said in a very approving way. You are able to point to nose, ears, eyes, mouth, teeth and belly button (your personal favorite body part). You do the hand motions to "I'm a Little Pile of Tin" and "Pat-A-Cake." You understand almost everything we say, which is terrifying and awesome! You are attempting to dress yourself and practice putting your shoes on a lot. You also practice putting on Daddy's shoes, too.
Favorite game? You get real quiet and of course, I am happy. Then, you start calling for me. I go look for you and find you HALFWAY UP THE STAIRS. You are watching for me and grinning as big as you please when I come into your view. You LOVE this game! I pretend-scold you, you laugh (and SNORT!), I grab you and put you in the living room and tell you that you are supposed to stay safely in the living room! You wait a few seconds, head down the hall as fast as you can, quietly climb the stairs and then call for me . . . and so it goes! One time, Mama wasn't on the ball and you called and called and I wasn't aware we were playing the game so I kept telling you to come in the living room, Silly! Then you started to cry !! I ran to the back of the house. You were AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS and SO! VERY! SAD! that I had not played the game right. Mama felt very, very, very, very, very bad. Now, sometimes I play the game even when you aren't, just to make sure.
The Shettlers passed on (so joyfully!) an item they no longer need: a potty chair! So I decided to see what you did with it, see if you would make friends with it and WANT TO USE IT--Don't you want to be a Potty Prodigy??? You did have a lot of fun with it, but no interest in using it for its intended--ahem--function.
You still are an incredibly cuddly child. At least once a day you take my face in your hands, lean your forehead to mine, slide so that we are cheek-to-cheek (something we have done since you were born) and make "Aaaahhhhhhh....." sounds. You love you some bare skin, too. If you happen to catch me without my pants on, you race to my legs and start petting them!
You still surround yourself with pretty women and you don't have to do any real coaxing!
On our trip to Vermont you made some new friends: Kyla and Alaina and you had a mutual love fest. Kyla and their cousin Carolyn took care of you while we watched Alaina play basketball, the highlight of which was her three-pointer at the game buzzer THAT WENT IN!!! We all cheered like crazy!
You have added to your caregiver harem as well! Emily is a love and she makes you laugh more than anyone else! The two of you together are music to my ears as I am getting things done around the house. Emily is pre-med and so we are grateful she takes time off from her studies to hang with you!
Speaking of our trip to Vermont, you are the best traveler--I cannot sing your praises enough! Every time we get off a plane, at least one person tells me that they would travel anywhere with you! You watch people and planes until we push back from the gate, at which time you snuggle down for your nap. You wake up just as the plane is landing and then entertain. You're even a sport on those pesky layovers!
While in Vermont you were aware for the first time of the cold weather and snow (you don't really remember Minnesota). We were prepared for it!
You also LOVE PUPPIES! I am so happy because now Daddy has to get us one :) You got to meet Joey (a few years old) and Chloe (a couple months old--about your age!). They belong to Mike, Kathy, Kyla and Alaina and you enjoyed all four of them so much. AND they had this great car that you could take shelter in from the dogs.
You also met some dear, dear friends of mine, the Milhouses. They have prayed for us for a very long time and have loved us well. I was so grateful to introduce you to them and vice versa. They are saints. Real saints, not the plastic kind.
You and Kyla, Horsewoman of Elegance
You and Alaina, Basketball Queen
On the plane trip home, you found a girlfriend. Her name is Mimi and you are the same age. However, I think we need to go over the guidelines for sexual harrassment and what is appropriate girl/boy behavior . . . Methinks you have too much Daddy in you . . . Sigh.
All in all, it has been a busy, wonderful month with you, Thaddeus. You continue to amaze us and we still look at each other and ask, "Isn't he the best? He can't get any cuter!" And although I don't think you can, you do.
You just do.
With all my heart, I do love you, Thaddeus. Happy Monthday, Son!
xoxo Mama
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