Feb
4
At two years old Dylan talks and talks, he counts to ten, he sings, he climbs on top of things and chirps “Watch DIS, Mommy! Watch DIS, Mommy!” before hurling himself into the air. “Dumping!” he shouts, leaping up and down. “Dumping!”
Unlike Riley when he was the same age, Dylan couldn’t care less about trucks. He likes spotting motorcycles when we’re out and about—”I see a MOTACYCLE! I see a MOOOOHHHTACYCLE!”—but wheeled things are far less interesting than things with fur and hooves and snouts. His favorite activities are sitting in someone’s lap looking at pictures of animals (“Reada book? Finda cow?”) or surfing Flickr for barnyard-themed photos (SafeSearch ON, thank you very much).
All day long he asks what things are, and repeats the word to himself.
“DOING, Mommy?”
“Well, I’m loading the dishwasher right now.”
“Dish . . . washa.”
These days he loves maple sausages, macaroni and cheese, yogurt tubes, Life cereal, crackers, pineapple chunks, waffles, pancakes, and “buttah JELLY” sandwiches. He can be counted on to sobbingly refuse anything I’ve spent more than seven minutes preparing.
He is still a tantrumy little sniglet, but he’s starting to respond to time outs. That is, he’ll at least go to his room and howl there for a while, then sniffle “yes!” when we ask him if he’s all done.
He loves his brother and refuses to give Riley one inch of personal space, crushing up against him when they’re watching Yo Gabba Gabba and trailing him from room to room, grabbing at his clothes. They play frenzied screaming cackling games for hours on end, crashing around the house like mad things. Sometimes they throw a ball back and forth to each other, while Dylan shrieks “Throw it to ME, Riley! Throw it to ME, Riley!” and dissolves with joy when the ball invariably smashes into his skull.
At night Dylan collapses into my chest, a warm heavy weight in my arms. “Horses comin’ ’round,” he whispers, and I sing to him. She’ll be comin’ ’round the mountain when she comes. She’ll be riding six white horses when she comes. He drools into my left shoulder; I emerge from his bedroom with my shirt clinging wetly to me. I never mind. Soon I won’t be rocking my little boy to sleep any more, my shirts will always be dry, and oh how sad to think of that day, coming all too soon, ’round the mountain.
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HA! Happy Birthday, indeed.
Two things:
– Suspicious Riley returns?
– It’s wierd that I saw Dylan in the sunglasses and thought that he looks like his uncle Joe. Genetics are unpredictable!
Awww, so sweet. It made me cry, too, and made me think of how things have changed with my boy.
I agree with the other commenters-your hair looks great! Also, I love your shirt and the fact that it’s even warm enough to wear anything like that where you are! It’s soooooo cold here. Haven’t seen the ground in WEEKS.
Happy B-day Mr. D!
P.S. Your hair looks cute!
Happy Birthday Beautiful Boy!!
It seem impossible that he is 2 already, for I remember so clearly when you first found out you were pregnant with him.
Happy Birthday, little Dylan!
Aw, Happy Birthday Dylan!
Happy Birthday Little Dude!
Happy Birthday, Dilly. We’re glad to know you.
Linda, love the blog, love the pictures, blah, blah, blah.
I have to ask about the sleeveless shirts though! Do you wear those year-round? Aren’t you freezing?
Our boys share a birthday…mine turned 22
http://emptynestart.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/snips-and-snails-and-puppy-dog-tails/
Happy Birthday Dylan!!!! :)
Such a wonderful post – just terrific writing.
Happy Birthday, Dylan. And Riley, never, EVER stop being suspicious.
Happy Birthday Dylan!!!
You made me tear up reading your post and thinking about my baby boy who just turned 17 last month. My how the time does fly…
GASP! What a beautiful, joyous post! Everyone lookes so beautiful, and happy. Thank you. -V.
Happy Birthday Dylan! And honestly? What a great post. It makes me nostalgic for my kids’ baby/toddlerhoods and I don’t even HAVE kids yet.
Too cute! And I love Riley’s look like, “Why did he get a toy and where the hell is mine!” We just came across some 2yo pics of my youngest…awww, sniff, sniff. He’s 5 1/2 now and both he and his older brother (almost 8!) amaze me every day. It has been a fast trip around the mountain…I keep trying to slam on the brakes to slow it down, just a little. At least they still love to snuggle!
Very cute decorations, by the way…looks like a little horse barn!
Happy Birthday! Love the cupcakes. Love the boys with a heads full of hair! Thanks for sharing with all of us.
What a sweet recap and photos. Happy Bday to the little guy.
Didn’t read any of the comments and I suppose the rest of your house could have been decked out to high heavens, but what you’ve shown here is exactly the type of bdays I hope I throw for mykids one day. Some love and family and good food, withOUT a heaping dose of insanity and spending.
…But… but… Little boys don’t grow up… They stay little and squishy forever, right? THAT WAS THE DEAL, wasn’t it!?
Mine’s just 3 months and man, it breaks my heart that he’s going to be big someday. Then I read about your two and I kind of think it might be awesome, maybe, sometimes, just a little- or a lot- awesome.
I know there are regular developmental milestones and everything, but it still strikes me as so funny how alike my 2 year old and your 2 year old, with their similarly aged older brothers are. Love your account of his quirks and quarks as I know them so well.
Well done all of you. Happy birthday!
Beautiful. Happy birthday to your little guy.
Sweetness is oozing. my baby will be 23 on Tuesday and fortunately he still gives hugs.to his mother.
Looks like Dylan enjoyed his horse cupcakes. Now Riley — he seems a bit suspicius (like, really, you put plastic horses on CUPCAKES?). My baby boy will be 5 1/2 later this month (1/2 birthdays are so important at this age!). Time sure flies by – but they stay cute or a while still ;)
Hope the birthday celebrations are fun.
My in laws are coming over to watch the Superbowl at our house tonight, and then to go out to dinner with us. The good news is, I have a horrifying, miserable, soul-suck of a project at wrok that will force me to work all day and probably straight through the night, meaning I’m excused from all the festivities. I call this a win!
Oh Happy Birthday, Dylan. May you grow up to forever love horses and be able to work with them. From one Horse Lover to Another.
Also – Linda, thank you for sharing the ups and downs of children.
I’m dating a fella with a three-year old, and reading your blog is making things a little less intimidating for this 23 year old who has always said she hated kids.
You have a precious son.
I hope he had a fantastic birthday.
(Now I want a cupcake.)
i have a daughter dylan, also two, and they sound like kindred spirits:) happy birthday, little man.
Your other commenters may be crying but damn if I’m not laughing my ass off at the horsegasm (ewww) all over your walls in the background. And that picture with Dylan looking up in amazement at all the horse! horse! horse! like he’s in equine Valhalla is just freaking awesome. Well done.
Happy Birthday Dylan!
May your fascination with horses not turn into a gambling problem. Unless of course, you’re really good at handicapping your own races. In which case, make your momma some money!
Happy Birthday Dylan! Horses rule!
My kids are a few months younger than yours & I can’t believe how time has flew by. Treasure those snuggles! *sniff*
The look on his face in the third photo makes my heart sing!
Awww. My frosty heart is melting.
So fast, so fast…time is speeding by. Loved your post. Kiss the joy as it goes flying by.
I feel like he was seriously just a little rehaired gorgeous baby TWO SECONDS AGO.
Also, man he is so grown up looking. Mine is 15 months old. I forgot how much they change from 1-2.
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