Reed Stuff

Reed is getting so big.  He's 21 months old already.  He is so much fun, still easily our most active child.  Always busy with something.

For a while he did these trust falls and it was funny but it scared me.  We had a sofa under the window in the living room.  He'd climb up and stand on the TOP of the back of it, and I'd rush to sit next to him because it made me nervous.  He would stand there, pretending to gaze out the window, and then suddenly lean back and let himself fall backward, his body stiff and straight, just bravely assuming I would catch him even with no warning.  Of course I did every time, but still.  Thankfully he hasn't done those in a long time.

He likes to call for Jess.  He'll just yell out "Daaaaaaa!" and wait for him to appear.  :)  He also likes to help him.  We've been working on a slow, tedious job out back.  We removed the outdoor carpeting a couple of years ago and it left hideous glue and mortar all over the concrete.  We're gradually chipping away at it.  Reed will help for like ten minutes at a time, just quietly working away.

He loves his siblings and they love him too.  One day Grama was over and Neely let Reed get away with something (I can't remember what it was) and Grama asked "Neely do you always give Reed everything he wants?" and she said "Well he's our baby" in that "well YEAH, obviously" tone.

 At bedtime he makes the rounds, giving them each a big smooch.  You can tell he knows his kisses are high-value around here.  He smiles, all confident in how happy he knows he's making them.  Haha. 

When he's hanging out with them in one room, and one of them does something he thinks is funny, or sometimes if something funny happens on their show, he comes running to "tell" us about it.  It's so cute, he's speaking gibberish but you can just tell from the look on his face he doesn't want you to have missed out on whatever he found hilarious.

He also loves his good girls...

 ...and they know he's their guy when they're wanting a snack.

There are three shows Reed LOVES-Tumble Leaf, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Bubble Guppies.  When we put one on and the theme song starts he gets so excited.  He'll get in your face, with his inches from yours, looking into your eyes, and yell "GABBA" or "BUBBA" in this funny hoarse voice.  Cracks us up.

He also likes to be read to, especially a few favorite books-two are about farms, and one is "Goodnight, Forest Friends".  He likes to stay on the bird page, and point out the birds, the tree, and the moon.  He'll also do the same thing he does at the start of his favorite shows, if he doesn't think you're as excited about it as he is, and grab your cheeks and make you look into his eyes while he says "Bird", or whatever is on the particular page he's interested in at the moment.  He did it to Cason the other day, and I wasn't quick enough to catch it while he had both hands on Cason's cheeks, but here's a moment just after.

 He loves birds in real life too.  He gets so excited when he sees them and yells "Burd" and tries to chase them.  Once they've flown away he'll say "Bye bye burd".

He loves to be outside.  Playing with dirt...

...or water...

 ...or being pushed on his "bike"...

  ...and pretending to fall, so you can help him back up.

 His favorite games outside involve throwing our stuff in the bushes or over the wall.  We've probably lost a lot of things we don't realize are gone yet.  Ha.  Then he waits while we go retrieve it, so he can throw it again.

 He is still a cuddly boy, but usually just for a few moments before he's off busy with something again.

 He takes a cute selfie.

 For a long while there, when he got upset with me he'd throw a silent tantrum.  He'd run away from me angrily and throw himself to the ground, and then just lie there looking mad but making no sound.  Those days are gone though.  NOW, his tantrums are far from silent.  Instead he balls up his fists, and screams the highest pitched, loudest pterodactyl screech he can produce.  It's crazy.  You can watch Jess's blood pressure skyrocket as it's happening.  You almost wouldn't believe this boy could do such a thing.  ;)