Two and a Half!

I get this a lot. He's a master at avoiding "eye contact" with my camera.

Conor turned two and a half last week!  Being with him every day makes it hard to appreciate just how much he's grown in the past few months, but when I look back at pictures from the summer I see such a big difference!  Some of the big milestones/changes/goings on in the past half year:

Language - So many new words.  His vocabulary amazes me and he picks up new words all the time.  Mispronounciations are dwindling.  Multi-word sentences are the norm, initiates a lot of conversation.  Sings the entire alphabet without missing letters.  Knows the words to lots of songs and will sing along.

Potty learning - Haven't tried to potty train yet, but he is much better at being able to go when we ask him to (no poop yet though), and will now even ask to go himself.  Likes to hide when pooping.  Frequently, will ask for a diaper change when wet/dirty (never used to do this).

Developing a better memory of things that have happened in the past.  When we drive somewhere on a route we've been before, he'll say (for example), "I want to go to the zoo!" (even if we're not really going to the zoo.  Bummer).

Questions everything. One of my favorites - when he hears a noise he'll ask, "Mama what make that sound?"  He also frequently asks "Mama/Dada, what you doing Mama/Dada?" (not a typo, he says it at the beginning and the end)

"Reads" books - Some of his favorites we have read so many times, he has them memorized and will "read" them to us.

Likes to direct us (tell us where to go and what to do).  My favorite is when he tells me which way to turn in the car.

Tests boundaries constantly.  Will yell to get attention.  We see this face a lot:

Loves bath time and swimming.  He's taken swimming lessons for over a year now.  We're going to try a new swim school this month.

Says things he knows are funny to get a reaction, like (running into a room) "What's going on in here???" or (when sitting in someone else's chair, as if imitating them) "What are you doing in my chair?"

Imagination taking off - loves to pretend and role play.

Enjoys having stories made up for him - says "Rubber time" (meaning "Once upon a time") when he wants you to tell him a story.

Good eater - prefers breakfast and lunch to dinner.  Fav foods are fruits (esp apples and peaches), mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn and green beans), mashed potatoes, pasta, cheese, cottage cheese, pizza, cereal, cereal bars, waffles, yogurt, beans, and mac and cheese.

Favorite toys/activities - Fire truck, ambulance, tractor, trains, guitar ("instrument" or "tar"), dancing to music, PlayDo, coloring/drawing/painting, stickers, making a tent out of blankets, playing with cars and trucks, reading books, legos, puzzles ("I wanna put the puzzha togezzah!"), going to the zoo, going to the playground, going to the library, talking about going to the zoo/playground/library

Favorite books - Busy Town, Dear Zoo, Is Your Mama a Llama, Otis, My Big Boy Potty, Mike Mulligan, Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin, Scuffy the Tugboat

Dislikes - Haircuts, toothbrushing

Height ~37" (75th percentile)

Weight ~33 lbs (between 75th and 90th percentile)