2 years 4 months

Neil adores his brother

Just around this mark Neil started to have a lot more good moments although we're still dealing with major temper tantrums and attitude. I wonder if this is partly because he seems to be sleeping a bit more again. It's not as much as he used to (before Nathan was born) but he's sleeping past the okay to wake clock (currently set at 6:15). This also coincided with a trip back to Pittsburgh where schedule went completely off and there were a few nights/days he just didn't get enough sleep. To catch up he got more sleep and that seems to have kicked him back into longer sleep in general. Naps are definitely shorter but at daycare they said they are generally about an hour unless he's more tired than usual, so that seems to be the norm now. Sleeping we also moved his bedtime back to what it used to be, so he goes to sleep around 7:30 (bedtime routine starts around 7) and is waking up around 6:30am. Before this we were forcing bed at 7:00 (bedtime routine starting around 6:30) and he was waking up in the 5:00 hour. Naps are still right after lunch.

Neil is very curious and likes to touch everything. He has quite the knack for getting into things he isn't supposed to, which also just seems to be normal for this age. Also, I blame this on being a boy, but he's unintentionally rough. I am constantly telling him to be gentle.

Neil loves playing piano with me, going to the playground, playing with Mr. Potato Head, and puzzles. He also continues to love music and now requests specific songs to sing or play on piano. Right now Down by the Bay is one of his favorites. 

When eating out he won't sit still. We have been letting him sit in a booth and he hates the booster chair so we finally said he can sit on his knees instead. When we were in Pittsburgh we ate out more and it became increasingly difficult to get him to stay still so we decided that he needs to be in a high chair still. We are currently working on the high chair at restaurants. The bad thing is he's used to sitting with us now so of course this causes a temper tantrum. But sitting in the booth he is standing up, turning around, looking at the people behind him, and in general making a spectacle of himself.

In daycare he has turned a bit aggressive and the teachers think it might be because he's further advanced than most of the rest of the kids. There is a transition in June so we are hoping he will be moved up a classroom. There are 3 classrooms (8 kids in each classroom, 2 teachers per classroom) for the age of 2. His current one is the youngest. We'll see which one they move him to- the office said it could be to the oldest but it depends on how many kids go up to kindergarten. By the way, I realize last month I said I thought he was behind, on letters at least, but in talking he is definitely way ahead. And his current class is moving back to shapes, which he knows very well.

This month Neil started really climbing and is pretty good at it

The highlight of my day is when Neil randomly tells me he loves me.

Neil is eating well as usual and seems to be eating more again. His favorites are still blueberries and he has yogurt for breakfast most days. I stopped buying baby yogurt and now give him Chobani greek yogurt with fruit in it (usually blueberries).

Potty training took a real standstill with the trip to Pittsburgh. We didn't even take a potty chair or anything so we didn't ask.

Stats:
Clothing: Neil is in 2T except shorts. I'm glad it's summer because the length of shorts doesn't matter so much so we can put him in 18 months which fit his waist better. I'm hoping by fall when he's back in pants that he'll fit the 2Ts at the waist better. He also seems to have a big head so some 2T shirts and sweatshirts don't really fit over his head. And surprisingly a couple pairs of 2T pajamas seem to be tight but most of the rest are fine. So it might just be these specific pairs.
Diapers: Size 5 (same as last month)
Shoes: Size 7 (same as last month)
Weight: 28.5 pounds on my home scale (same as last month)
Height: I haven't tried to measure this since we moved.

Haven't seen him in the boppy since, what, 12 months?