Rocco is 2

Rocco turned 2 on August 1st. I just can't believe how much he has changed since I started this blog (see blog header) ! His birthday came and went without much hurrah. No party in southern Ca. this year.

His birthday landed on a Sunday this year, so the Friday before I bought him a ballon and a cupcake from the grocery store. (Yah, I went to an esteemed culinary school in New York City to be trained in baking, what?) Side story reads that I was more than 8 months pregnant and exhausted, had elephantitus in my ankles from swelling and pre-elephantitus in my thighs from eating too much sugar. Also my husband "just isn't that in to sugar", who do you think would have eaten ALL the cake? Anyways the balloon ended up in the sky by the evening and the cupcake got stuck in the garage fridge until Rocco and I pulled it out the following week to be eaten cold and stale. I DID sing Happy Birthday to him several times.

We also drove to Orlando the evening of his birthday and spent two days there pretending to be on vacation while Nick attended a work training seminar. Orlando in August alone with a 2 year old when you are super prego, what could be better? We killed time in Ikea, swam in the pool, ran the hallways of the hotel, and hung out at a giant gaudy McDonald's between check out time from the hotel and the time Nick was done with his seminar. Poor Rocco, I think he was happy though. Next year we will have a big party in Ca. with all his cousins and a big fancy cake, I promise.

Here are some things about Rocco at age 2:

He acquires a new word just about every day and mimics various movements we make. As I type he is watching Nick scratch his back and trying to scratch his own. My favorite current phrase is "me me" which means "excuse me", like what I say to him when I want him to get out of my way.

He enjoys calling "people" on the phone and has figured out how to check our messages and replay them 100 times. Also, if you call and hear heavy breathing, that is because he has recorded a new greeting.

He loves to wear hats and shoes but not clothes as much. He prefers his shark pajamas to any others.

He can open the fridge. He can climb over or open our gates. He can climb on or tries to climb on everything. He can lock and unlock doors.

He furrows his brow and makes a mad face then doesn't stop until I make the same face and say "What you talkin' bout Willis?"

He reviews his alphabet and numbers with Nick every night before bed.

He requests to listen to his "sic" (music) several times a day. He has a playlist on the Ipod which includes primary songs he knows from nursery at church. One of his current favorite songs is "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock".

He likes to pretend with his favorite stuffed animal, Scout. He puts diapers on it, feeds it, puts it in the booster seat, puts his bike helmet on its head, and hugs and kisses it when it falls.