2 and half years in 2015

Joaquin’s two and half year milestone was on Sunday, and I wrote this…

I feel like I say this every six months, but this age, THIS AGE is so much fun. You are hilarious, and you know it and you love it. It’s so hard to fully express your hilarity, because in many ways, I think your humor is so great because (fortunately or unfortunately) it’s so much like mine and your papa’s humor. But you definitely have your own unique perspective on the world. To see the way you craft stories, come up with questions and consistently “wow” us with new concepts and clarity; it’s truly an amazing thing.

You’re obsessed; OBSESSSED with dinosaurs. You can discern the differences between a tyrannosaurus rex, tri-err-a-tops, pterodactyl, brontosaurus and a parasaurolophus. A PARASAURALOPHUS! You know what they like to eat and different physical traits that set them apart. But you also love ‘minja tutles’ and your favorite changes, but mostly Raphael and Michelangelo (according to you, the funny one) are the most appealing. We currently enjoy watching Peppa Pig and/or Dinosaur Train in the mornings, and at night we almost always watch a little bit of “The Land Before Time.” But we can also convince you to watch the Gruffalo on occasion.

You enjoy legos; we love building castles for all your toys together. You are also getting into puzzles, and while they frustrate you, you also have a supreme sense of pride when you can do it all by yourself. You also love play doh, stickers and markers. And you’ve always liked books, but now you’re getting more into them, and are expanding the list that you’ll let us read to you.

You’re getting so independent; you prefer doing things all by yourself as much as possible, and we are getting close to moving you into pull-ups. We definitely don’t want to rush you into anything related to potty training, but you’re staying dry most of the day because you use the toilet at school so much, and it’s starting to be a rarity that you don’t tell us when you want to use the toilet. I think we’re just waiting until WE are ready to fully commit.

You’re super inquisitive, and sweetly empathetic. You truly have compassion for and want to make people feel happy. You look at me with these big brown eyes many times, seemingly out of the blue, you say, ”You happy, Mama?” and abundantly, enthusiastically I say “YES!, I’m happy Joaquin.”

Favorite foods these days are home-baked French fries, rice and sauce, baked chicken nuggets, strawberries, eggs and maple chicken sausage.

I just LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I constantly find myself hugging and kissing you (sometimes you ask me to just simmer down a bit… heh) and just LOVE watching your brain work; it makes me so… proud. You’re a true gift and I’m so glad you’re my boy.