23 months -- four days late

I can only describe baby Doodle's 22nd (and beginning of 23rd) month as determined independence. He has in mind what he wants to do and if you try to help or you do it a different way he whines and cries and acts like it's the end of the world. Yesterday, after we got back from Trader Joe's he had one of their balloons tied to his wrist. He was "helping" me take the groceries out of the bags and putting them "away." He complained that he wanted me to remove the balloon string from his wrist. After I put the two containers of milk away I cut the string. He went directly to the bag out of which I had just removed the milk and sunk to the floor in dismay because he wanted to take the half gallon containers out of the bag himself. I apologized and asked if he could help me take the other food out of other bags. He complied reluctantly.

He uses the potty when he "is naked boy" but refuses to sit on it when he is wearing a diaper. He asks to be naked boy like it's a superhero whenever I get him dressed in the morning or Mr. Doodlebug gets him undressed at night.

There isn't much else to say about his vocabulary except that it keeps expanding and stunning me. His memory is also incredible. We went to the Flower Show today and we took 676 to get there. Once we exited onto 676 he said, "go over big bridge" which is what he calls the Ben Franklin Bridge that we occassionally take to get to Jersey (we don't go that way to get to my in-laws house).

He fully participates, in a very cute toddler way, for every song and book we sing and read at story time. He does the hokey pokey almost perfectly -- he uses the same hand and foot for right and left.

When he's playing with my phone he holds it with his cheek against his shoulder and says, "Hello, it's Doodlebug (insert my real first name) and baby Doodle (insert his first name)." I'm not sure that he's making the connection that Doodlebug is Mommy or if he just thinks that's what you say when you first get on the phone.

He asks Mr. Doodlebug for a hug and a handshake before he leaves for work "in Philly," said jubilantly. He was an angel when we were away last week. He napped well, didn't complain about being in the car for long periods of time and behaved at restaurants.

He was in time out for the first time last week for hitting me. The threat of being put in time out has prevented further incidents. Most of the time he is delightful and full of life. I love staying home with him and have decided not to pursue any job until our second born is two years old. This is not an announcement of any kind, just a plan for the future. Since BD loves to sweep the floor and clean the table and other things I think he'll be a great big brother one day.

Less than a month until his second birthday. He says, April first, when you ask him when his birthday is, and he's finally saying, two, when you ask him how old he'll be (he was saying three and holding up five fingers).