Cruz Things

Summer is here, and once again we find ourselves moving on slow time.  The days are longer, the weeks move slower, and we move at Cruz's pace most of the time, allowing us more time to watch and soak up who our boy is right now.  

Take today for instance.  First, we tackled a quick trip to the grocery store for some essentials.  Cruz wanted to walk beside me in the parking lot, wanted to help me lock the door to the car, and wanted to pick out his own cart, a process that took ten minutes longer than it should have.  After "helping" me in the checkout line by handing every food item to the cashier and staring at her until she announced what it was ("pineapple...yogurt...ketchup..."), we left for home just long enough to grab a quick lunch, change into swim trunks, and head to the pool.  Only instead of my plan, Cruz decided to fall asleep on the five minute ride home, leaving me in the driveway, tanning my legs while my boy continues to sleep in his carseat with the windows down.  We'll get to that pool eventually...

All this time, all these detours, and all these changes in plans leave me the opportunity to witness just who Cruz is right now.  He's independent and happy, defiant and a little bossy, but easy going and content with wherever life takes him.  He's always been so content to be along for the ride, and can usually explore and find something amazing no matter where he is.  He's also growing so much again lately, leaving his dad and I astonished with what he knows and what he says.  Last night, Beau and I were watching the tornado warnings on TV while Cruz was on the floor with the iPad.  All of a sudden, he climbed up on the couch beside me, put his head on my shoulder, looked up at me with his big brown eyes and said, "Nice to see you, Mom."  He melts me.    

Other 'Cruz Things' to remember right now...
 

Our boy is officially potty trained.  He still wears a diaper at bedtime, but wakes up dry most mornings.  He loves his big boy undies and I can tell he feels freer in them.  At first, Beau and I bailed on the undies in public, as Cruz didn't quite know what to make of public restrooms; however, just this week he's pottied at the library, in the urinal at Mulligans, and in the woods!  Thanks, Charly, for modeling that move at the park the other night. ;) 

His vocabulary has exploded lately. He's stringing more words together in coherent sentences all the time, but what's even more astonishing is how much he absorbs.  The other day, after setting up a little waterpark in our front yard with his water table and sprinkler, Cruz said, "Mommy, I'm so happy!"

Our boy is an independent one and uses the phrase, "Me do it myself," maybe more than any other right now.  This works fine, unless it's something he clearly can't do on his own, and then Cruz gets frustrated and mad at mom and dad for not trusting him.

Cruz loves to help.  With everything.  And more recently, I'm learning that he actually can help.  He helps me throw a load of laundry in the wash every morning, and loves to do everything in the kitchen.     

Cruz has little quirks that make us laugh.  For instance, he likes to take all the throw pillows off the couch and line them in a perfect row.  He requests water every night before bed, but prefers to hold it like a stuffed animal instead of drink it, and lately, I've noticed he's been picking his nails (to which he refers to as picking his toenails). 

Our boy loves to dance and doesn't care who's watching.  He was the life of the party at a wedding dance the other night, and fit right in with the wedding party!  I don't think he has a shy bone in his body, and I'm pretty show he'd go home with just about anybody (which will definitely provoke a few serious conversations as he ages, into childhood and adulthood). 

He's defiant. He's happy most of the time, but holy cow can he throw a tantrum.  He's only had one in public, after he didn't understand that we had to wait in line for a juice box at Movies Under the Moon the other night.  And yes, we got the stares.  So, I prayed for the waters to part so we could get our juice box before I lost my mind.  We made it, and within minutes, as usual, our boy was a happy camper.  I'm beginning to think all two and a half year olds are bipolar. 

Cruz loves hiding, loves pirates, loves books, and loves his drum set.  He's a picky eater, and prefers kid food --- chicken nuggets, peanut butter sandies, and fruit.  He can read Little Blue Truck start to finish and has started throwing a fit before bedtime.  He manipulates us by telling us he has to go potty.  We take him, he doesn't go, we put him in bed, and five minutes later he says he has to go again.  He hits us where he knows we're weakest --- smart little soul. 

Cruz is growing so big and we are so excited about who he is - tantrums and all!  We love the way he shouts, "Umi-zoomi" before going down the slide at the park, how he always wants us to draw rocketships and houses, and how he immediately declares which room is which at the playground.  Life is pretty fun when you get to experience it through the eyes of a little person, and we're doing our best to not speed up Cruz time, but go at his speed and enjoy the view.