Part II

Barrett, you are a fat little mouse and you crack me up!

You seem to be fearless in every way except for one. You will not walk. I know you could, I've seen you balance on your own when you're not focused, but as soon as you realize you're not on all fours, down you drop. Otherwise you're climbing up on everything. Nothing is too high for you. If I let you, you would climb up and down the stairs all day long. One of your favorite things to do is to get "stuck in the muck", to slip down between Will's bunk bed and the wall in a little crevice and then laugh your head off when I become "shocked" at your predicament. When I pull you out, you laugh and then shimmy right back in.

You are talking a lot more than your brother was at this age. I remember daddy trying to get William to stop using the sign language and start using his words because he had relied so much on the signs for so long. Imagine my frustration when you still weren't signing please. I had tried endlessly to teach you the sign, showing you how to do it and even taking your own hand and rubbing it on your chest for you so that you would know how it felt. A couple days ago I patiently instructed you once again to say please, rubbing my hand on my chest and hoping you would imitate me. And suddenly, you busted out rubbing your own hand on your chest and saying "please!" at the same time. Maybe you weren't signing it because you thought I wanted you to actually say the word at the same time as making the sign and you just didn't know how to do that! You have a word for blankie, Bo, daddy and mommy, Grandma and Grandpa, and I'm sure many other words I either don't recognize or can't think of right now because you talk a lot! I hope this stays because I love pre verbal toddler talk. I would think you would be drowned out by your chattering older brother but I hope you can continue to hold your own.

When it comes to William, you seem to enjoy whatever positive attention he gives you. Lately unfortunately, it's usually negative attention (don't take that toy! No Barrett I want that strawberry!). So you seem a little hesitant when it comes to your brother because you're not quite sure what you'll get from him. But we have been diligently working with Will on how to be kind and generous, and when he shows you positive attention (more and more frequent) you just light up. One of my favorite moments of the day is when you are climbing up the stairs before bed. William races up to the top and lays on his stomach and looks down at you and yells, "Here comes Beeerrett!" You hurry on up and when you get toward the top William yells, "Barrett poke my nose!" And since I've helped you with this for a few weeks now, you know exactly what to do. With a big smile you touch your nose to his. Then you crawl to the top and William tackles you for a big bear hug. You expect this and so you lay down in preparation, with a big smile on your face.

You still love toys. Duh. You probably will for a long time, I guess. But you will sit there and place one toy inside another over and over, figuring out how you can manipulate your different toys and what types of toys will stick together and what wont. You are still very good at entertaining yourself, although more recently you do like to be held by me a lot and I still find myself hoisting your little big boy body into the carrier so you can chill out on my back while I prepare meals or clean up.

You love to be read to. Your favorite books are the ones with the pictures of little babies doing sign language. You enjoy pointing to the kids (many older than you) and saying, "Baby." You get a great big smile on your face as you imitate the sign you see on the page. You also like sitting and enjoying the books I read to Will. One of his favorites is The Three Pigs by David Weisner, and you love taking your fist and thumping the book and saying, knock knock knock, just like the big bad wolf.

You hate getting your diaper changed. It's such a great disappointment to you everytime I lay you down on the table. But even more than you hate diaper changes, you love your morning banana. When I come in the room to get you guys after a night's sleep, holding the two bananas that you both eat on William's bed, you jump up and down in your crib and excitedly shout, Nana! Nana! It's like I'm giving you the greatest treat. You wolf it down, shoving the last 2 inches entirely into your mouth to where you look ridiculous. But you always manage to muscle it down and ask for more.

You are a HAPPY BOY. Yesterday I was out running errands and you were in the carrier for a few hours at least. At two or three points I had women behind me in line, and they we're just gawking at you with big smiles on their faces because you were beaming at them with a big smile of your own. You inspire that kind of reaction. I find myself with a big old goofy grin, just looking at you.

I love you, my little man. I could go on about you all day. I enjoy you so very much. I love kissing your cheeks and tickling you and just looking at you and admiring how cute you are. You are my bright little piece of sunshine and I don't know what I would do without you.