Caspian, Age Two

Caspian's two now. He's still in diapers. Yesterday I asked him if he was going to start going in the potty soon like a big boy, and he said, No. I pee in pants. And yep, he does.

Maybe because he is the youngest, or a boy, or Annaliese is such a diva, but even as his mother, it's easy to underestimate Caspian. He's the baby. He still likes his Sassy, as he calls his pacifier. He still pees in pants.

But he's a smart little fellah.

I've noticed in the last month that he's talking more, sentences, questions, with dubious enunciation, but if you can translate through the baby voice, he's really damn funny. He likes to tell Annaliese that he's in Nana's class. He's not. Annaliese is, but he's in the class below, and he knows this. He tells her over and over that he is in Nana's class until she starts screaming that he's not, he's not, and appeals to me. Then he smiles.

Two days ago we were talking to Nonni in the phone and she asked how old he is now. He knows he's two. But he said with a big grin, "I'm thwee!" and giggled.

He likes to skip the number 4, when counting. He likes the Wheels on the Bus sing, and makes all the motions. He likes to sing along to the alphabet, and he sings out the for letters he knows ("PEEEE") clearly and with pride. He likes to give kisses, and hugs, and pat the side of my face when I play at being sad and say "it's awight, Mama."

He loves to be outside and is super-independent, walking up to the house from the garden just because he wants to. He likes feeding the chickens and wandering around outside. We need to get this boy a farm.

He also, gratifyingly, is like me in small and strange ways: he loves soup (says YUMMY when he eats it and nods approvingly.) He loves hot tea. He likes having his back rubbed, is a big cuddler, prefers to go to bed earlier than his sister does, though she keeps him up playing until I lay down the law.

When K comes home, Caspian is the one yelling DADDY! and running for a hug.

Just like I knew he was even before he got here, he is is a big brawny good-looking kid with a good heart. I think he's going to be stunningly handsome.

But for right now, he's my sweetheart boy, little brother extraordinare, the apple of his daddy's eye.