I can't miss July again...

I guess July is the "busiest" month, since last year I missed it altogether, and this year I came precariously close. Sad, bc/ there have been lots of little moments that I would have liked to have documented for you, JD, but I feel like they've mostly all been long forgotten already. Isn't that crazy? How can I ever tell you how ridiculously wonderful (and sometimes how ridiculously awful) it has been to spend your 20th month with you when I can't remember to stop and remember all the stuff that has made it so?

Well, for starters, you are getting to be quite funny. Eh, you always were. But now that you've started dabbling in the whole verbal medium, your material is getting even better. The other day, when we were out walking Shank, and he squatted to do his business, you commented, "Yuck, poop!" I was rolling. Then, this weekend, we were at the mall, pursuing the Nordstrom's anniversary sale, when I noticed that you were taking big swigs of your juice, but rather than swallowing it down like a normal person, you were instead spitting out and letting it run down your chin to soak your shirt. "Ew," I said, "Why are you doing that? Don't be a grossball." You looked at me and replied with a knowing grin, "Grossball."

And, let's be frank, you're also getting to be quite bossy. Eh, you always were. But now that you've started refining your verbal prowess, you've taken the Tiny Tyrant to a whole new level. The other day, when I had a fever and just wanted to lie on the floor with my eyes closed, you commanded, "Up. Up! UP! UUUUUUUPPPPPP!!!!!!!!", as you yanked my arm mercilessly. Once you had me on my feet, you ordered, "Come. Come! COME! COOOOOMMMMEEE!!!", as you pulled me towards the pantry. Once there, you demanded, "Coooo-keee. Cooo-keee. Coooo-keeee." You sounded, for the love of God, just.like.Cookie.Monster.

(I won't even tell you about how it all went down when I said, "No cookie. Lunch first." Sufficed to say, it wasn't pretty. At times like that, son, we both lose.)

But mostly, JD, you are getting to be quite clever. Eh, you always were! But now that you've started expanding your verbal repertoire, I can literal see the wheels in your little head spinning as you take in and explore our wonderful world. You take unbelievable glee in pointing out everything you see and hear, and I take indescribable joy in watching you do it. We took Shank to the vet the other day, and you saw a dog there (go figure!). I saw you see him, and then you pointed to him and you said, "Dog. Woof. White. White dog!" It was the first time you had put two words together on your own to form one thought.

We were riding in the car the other day, and you were chilling in your car seat, thinking your own deep thoughts. Now, how many times had I said to myself, "Man, I would love to know what's going on inside his little head?" Then you dreamily said, "Pink soo." I smiled; for the first time, you had given me a glimpse into your thoughts, and I knew that you were sitting there thinking how cool it would be if you had your favorite pink soothie to suck on.

You love to help me around here, and you are quite good at it. Your favorite chores are unloading the dishwasher (even when the dishes are still dirty), throwing out trash (even when the item is not trash, per se), and pushing the swiffer (even when you have already pulled off the swiffer cloth and thrown it into the trash). I always say, "Why, thank you, JD, you are very helpful." Then you look at me and reply with great seriousness of purpose, "Helpful." The other day, at Trader Joes, you were being quite helpful, handing the items to the lady so she could put them in the bag. You told her several times that you were being, "Helpful." She broke into a huge grin and said to me, "He just told me he's helpful!" It was all very funny.

You also love the pool. You drag out our pool bag every morning, chanting, "A swim. A swim." The other day, we checked a library book out called "Busy, Busy Doggies." One page had a picture of a dog diving for a ball. You were beside yourself. "Dog! Dog! A swim! A swim!" Oh dear lord! The hilarity of a dog having a swim kept you laughing for an hour.

But my point being with all this is that... you are simply, the singularly most amazing, most astounding, most thrilling, the.best.thing.in.my.life. Eh, you always have been! I love you more than you will ever know. Even when you boss me around and give me a pain in my neck. ;)