So! Many! Posts!

 posts in my head, at least.

So, here's what's been happening since Easter... I can't believe I haven't written a word since then!

On the ERS front:

• Turning ONE!  Holy cannoli.  
• • 
• To mark the occasion, E started crawling with his chest up, and while he still goes into the army crawl, he much prefers regular crawling.
• A first birthday party!
  
• To celebrate the occasion, he decided to stand without support for a few seconds.
• Tooth number three is out for certain, and tooth number four is not far behind.
• Babble.  It's OUT of CONTROL.  Lots of mamamamamaam, dadadadada, but you can hear him echoing what we sound like--uh oh is almost there, and in correct usage.  You can hear him imitating the sounds for his brother's name.  Hi is almost there.  
• Definitely loves Daddy, who for a long time said E thought him a poor substitute.  His face lights up when he sees Daddy for the first time of the day, and today, he was reaching for him while I was holding him.
• Food.  The way this kid screams for food, you'd think I never fed him.

Mr A:

• We've been struggling to get him into the pool this session.  The Easter Bunny brought him goggles, and it's made a big difference.  On Mother's Day, we were running late (why is it this kid needs to go in the bathroom as we're walking out the door?), and he went over to go swimming then threw an absolute tantrum that he wanted to go.  I got so upset at this poor kid and he wouldn't stop screaming.  It finally came out that he didn't want to go in because someone had pooped in the pool.  I told him if he'd told me that then, I'd have said that's gross, let's get out of here!!
  
• Batman.  Everything is Batman.  Nonetheless, he's stuck to his choice from August 2010 to have a Cars birthday party.
• Imagination.  Listening to him play is one of the best parts of my day.  One of E's birthday presents was a Little People fire truck, and A has been playing with it way more than E has.  He took it to the breakfast table, and was using the cord of my cell phone charger to fill it up with gas. 

  

  Mommy, I'm a Rock Star!

  
• He continues to be a hesitant kid.  Not that he's shy, but he's not the kid who's barreling around anywhere.  I wouldn't say he's timid, but hesitant.  I really can't explain it.  This surprises me; I thought as he got older he'd come out of it, but it looks like, for now at least, this is his personality.
• Sharing.  Sometimes, he's such a great sharer with his brother.  Other times, not so much.  He's starting to realize it's to his benefit to give E something else to play with when E has something he wants.  Of course, I don't know for how much longer that trick will work as far as Mr. E is concerned! 
   
• Jumping.  Despite my earlier characterization of him as hesitant, he's starting to take careful risks.  Jumping stairs has been one of them, particularly the stairs from the family room to the mudroom, taking two or three at a time.  As long as he doesn't follow in his Mommy's footsteps, and try to jump a whole flight of stairs!  (my stairs were carpeted but had a landing, while his stairs are straight but hardwood.)
• Bugs.  DOES NOT LIKE THEM.  There was a fly in G & G's house.  He screamed and wouldn't stop until the fly was dead or out of the house.  Hijinks ensued when three or four more flies appeared.