We were playing in the yard yesterday evening and Chanler was trying to pedal his trike, when he looked at us and said "I want a helmet." So as safety conscious parents (and since we were going out for coffees anyway) we decided to go get Chanler said helmet. I mean when your child tells you they WANT safety equipment - are you reallying going to discourage them? I think not. So now Chanler has a bike helmet (it came with the knee and elbow pads - I am not THAT freaky) and he LOVES it. He even picked it out (after we had eliminated ones that didn't fit)

The other day Chanler and I were playing with Chanler's football, and I was trying to teach him to "tackle" me. He would throw the football to me - ok he would throw the football, and I would go where he threw it - and I would pick it up and "run" (shuffle) past him, egging him to catch me. When he caught me, I would fall down on the floor, which he found very funny, and he would say "Daddy flop on the floor!!!"

Then he would take the football and then "Chanler flop on the floor!!!" as soon as I got close to him.

After a few times, he asks "Mommy flop on the floor?" to which I replied that Mommy probably not want to flop on the floor, and probably would not want to play football.

Chanler thought about that for a few seconds, then says, "Mommy play basketball?!?!"

Just a quick note about two cute things Chanler has picked up this week.

1) A few days ago he was having a very hard day. I was washing his hands and when we went to dry them he wanted to keep holding the hand towel - OK fine. Later while he still had the towel he needed a diaper change. He really didn't want to have one, but it had to be done. He was yelling about it and I asked him if it would help to yell into the towel instead of at mommy. It did seem to help. So now he has been carrying around this bathroom hand towel and calling it his blankie. He even took it to bed with him last night.

2) Chanler asks to sit on the potty sometimes (usually nothing happens and he eventually gets bored). I decided that maybe he just needed to relax and spend a few minutes longer on the potty to actually use it, so I decided to read him a book while he was sitting. We have done this now a few times. This morning I had to go potty and Chanler said he wanting to come watch - OK well I guess being a mommy means not going potty alone - shrug. Chanler then brings me a book to read while I go potty. Too funny.

Chanler is obsessed with Chris and Emily's baby - Joseph. He is obsessed in a somewhat good way - he wants to see the baby all the time, he wants to hold the baby when ever we actually see him, he talks about baby Joseph all time and even sings songs to him when we are driving in the car.

This is the first baby that Chanler has had close contact with and it is also the first time I have seen what a great big brother Chanler could become. It is very neat to see him with a small baby, he is very gentle and wants to give hugs, kisses and pats and make sure the baby is happy.

One thing that has been very interesting is talking with Chanler about nursing. Chanler knows that babies have "nursies", that "nursies" is all little babies can eat, and that they each "nursie" from their own mommy. It is neat to see him make the connection that that is how things are supposed to be. He has even articulated it when we are out, Chanler will hear a child crying and tell me - "baby sad . . . nursie mommy??" I think he is becoming empathic.

Since last Thursday Chanler has decided that he likes Milk.

It all started when we had small group over for dinner and Evan Krehbiel asked for milk (he ended up drinking two or three cups.) Any way apparently Chanler thought this was cool because everyday since then he has asked for milk. Before this weekend I could count on one hand the number of times Chanler has eaten a significant amount of plain milk. I am not complaining though.