Atticus Update

Updates on Atticus:

• Still loves all animals, but recently has started including dinosaurs in his animal love.
• He is finally learning to dress himself. He sits down to put his bottoms on and only needs a little help with his top. He loves the praise I give him when he is dressed!
• Simba, Humphrey and his blanket are still his comfort pieces.
• He is starting to be able to do things like reach the light switches or things on shelves or put himself on the potty better.
• He is becoming more helpful all the time; he will put his plate away in the sink/trash and wash his hands without help and clean up toys without help and will try to help Grace with things occasionally. He will get the dustbuster to clean up messes and still loves to vacuum or help do any kind of cleaning with me.
• He loves his shows on TV, but is finally happier playing with toys than watching a show. Sometimes, when I need them to be occupied without me playing with them, I will put on an episode of something, but recently, Atticus would just as soon go play with his toys than watch it.
• He is still great at doing puzzles and likes to play games when he has my complete attention. He likes to do "setups" of his animals and really likes cooking in the kitchen although he does not yet do this much with Grace yet. She is still young enough that she doesn't play with him necessarily; at least not with any focus.
• He does lots of singing from the songs at school.
• He recognizes most numbers and lots of letters. He recently asked me to "just please teach me to read" when I wouldn't read his current favorite book to him (the great animal search which has approximately 300 animals and facts in it).
• He definitely as an attitude sometimes when I do not do what he wants or am not acting quickly enough. But, generally he still wants to be good and works very hard to be sweet and helpful and thoughtful.

Some of his recent conversations and phrases are as follows:

• "Well, you know, mommy,....." is the phrase that precedes most of his new topics. I love "well, you know" and think it is super cute.
• "You are my cute little mommy/daddy" is what he will say if he is sitting in our laps or snuggling up with us and being silly.
• "I bless you Gwace." (see former post on the new blessings we all get lately)
• "OH no! Daddy! Alabama is coming on TV!" is what he said one day when some NFL team was about to play. He thought it was bad because he just knew it was Alabama coming on and that Daddy would not be happy.
• "lellow" is the way he says yellow.
• a random conversation one day where he is explaining some previous event to me: "One day, I was looking for these animals but you and daddy and Gwacie were not here yet. I was still in your tummy but God was with me looking for these animals. And then I got out of your tummy and God went back into my hawt."
• When he is deep in conversation with me, he will be asking serious questions and scrunch up his face and put his hands on his hips to get his points across.
• Sometimes if Grace is acting up, he will come to me and tell me he knows what to do: "Lets put Gwace outside and let the birds take care of her and feed her worms!" and then laughs hysterically. I have no idea where he got that thought.
• On Sunday mornings, Vic will usually dress Atticus and he will come out and tell me he "is looking good in the neighborhood!"
• Right before Christmas, he couldn't say "Merry Christmas" with correct annunciation. He would pronounce it "Mawwy Chwimpas!" and it was adorable. I was so sad when he just casually said it correctly one morning.
• He will sometimes describe something with "as flat as a pancake!" for extra effect.
• His other new constant words include "ridicli-us", "regli-ur" and "disgusting"
• He's just hilarious with the way he sees life and the number and kinds of questions he asks. I will try to keep up with more of his comments to post in the future!