While getting Tyler dressed I asked outloud "Where are your socks?" And just as soon as I asked, I found some, so I declared "Ah! Here's a pair."
Tyler exclaimed "That's not a pear!"

Tyler has picked up a new thing: Copying others. Last weekend visiting the Roberts', he began copying Uncle Mike; jumping when Mike jumped, squatting when Mike squatted (even though Mike squatted to get down to Tyler's level). Today Ms. Jaclyn told me she saw him copying Carina yesterday. Carina was walking around sucking her thumb and twirling her hair and Tyler was following behind her doing the same. The funny thing was he doesn't really know how to suck his thumb and his hair is too short to twirl. So, he had one hand upside-down on the side of his mouth, the other hand pulling his hair.

One day last week, Ms. Shauna suddenly noticed Tyler & Carina were missing and went off looking for them, only to find them tucked away in a corner away from the playground where everyone else was. Tyler's shoes and socks were off and he was bending over trying to take Carina's shoes off. His socks were on her hands. I wonder if that is at all related to him waking up at 3:00 a.m. insisting we take his shirt off last night. After he ordered it off three times, Shawn groggily complied hoping that would calm Tyler down enough to fall back to sleep. But as soon as the shirt came off, Tyler started insisting we take his diaper off. Uh-uh no way buddy.

TODDLER RULES

If it is on, I must turn it off.
If it is off, I must turn it on.
If it is folded, I must unfold it.
If it is a liquid, it must be shaken, then spilled.
If it is a solid, it must be crumbled, chewed or smeared.
If it is high, it must be reached.
If it is shelved, it must be unshelved.
If it is pointed, it must be run toward at top speed.
If it has leaves, they must be picked.
If it is plugged, it must be unplugged.
If it is not trash, it must be thrown away.
If it is in the trash, it must be removed, inspected, and thrown on the floor.
If it is closed, it must be opened.
If it does not open, it must be screamed at.
If it has drawers, they must be rifled.
If it is a pencil, it must write on the refrigerator, monitor, or table.
If it is full, it will be more interesting emptied.
If it is empty, it will be more interesting full.
If it is a pile of dirt, it must be laid upon.
If it is a stroller, it must under no circumstances be ridden in without protest. It must be pushed by me instead.
If it has a flat surface, it must be banged upon.
If Mommy’s hands are full, I must be carried.
If Mommy is in a hurry and wants to carry me, I must walk alone.
If it is paper, it must be torn.
If it has buttons, they must be pressed.
If the volume is low, it must go high.
If it is toilet paper, it must be unrolled on the floor.
If it is a toothbrush, it must be inserted in my mouth.
If it is a drawer, it must be pulled upon.
If it has a tap, it must be turned on at full force.
If it is a phone, I must talk to it.
If it is a bug, it must be swallowed.
If it doesn’t stay on my spoon, it must be dropped on the floor.
If it is not food, it must be tasted.
If it IS food, it must NOT be tasted.
If it is dry, it must be made wet with drool, milk, or toilet water.
If it is a carseat, it must be protested with arched back.
If it is Mommy or Daddy, it must be hugged.

Tyler's imagination has really been coming to light in the past could weeks. He keeps knocking over the rocking chair in Gavin's room, sitting on top of it and saying "Look, I'm on the boat Mama," or "Look at me riding the horsie!" Last night he put one of Dada's baseball hats on and said "Look at me I'm a train. Choo choo." In the bathtub he rolled up the washcloth and said "Look I am eating a burrito!" All of this is completely self-initiated and continues to surprise me!

As much as Tyler loves watching Dada play sports, he hates watching Mama do the same. Yesterday was my turn to give volleyball a try. I dragged the kids along, thinking I could just keep them in their stroller until Dad arrived to entertain them while I played volleyball. Ended up having to sit out the first game because Tyler couldn't handle me standing on the court just 10 feet away from him. By the second game, he was into it so I figured he'd be ok sitting and watching until Shawn would finally arrive (I realized I was over-using the phrase "He'll be here any minute," after hearing myself say it for the eleventh time). He was not ok. Luckily, Shawn finally arrived just before Tyler twisted and contorted his body enough to wiggle free of the stroller. So I played one game. Hallelujah, it was so fun! I've been dying to exercise and to play volleyball, so I was really making the most of my 20 minutes of play time. It was interrupted repeatedly by Tyler running onto the grass court and occasionally I lost my concentration of the game being sidetracked by Tyler's wails clear across the park. Lord he really does have separation issues. I was having fun but clearly it was at the expense of my kids. So Dada got to play the rest of the time. This morning, Tyler asked if we were going to watch Dada play volleyball today? I bitterly told him no, we are going to watch Mama play volleyball. Hmmmmm clearly I have issues too.