Anyone recognize this quote? It is Seth's new favorite line from his new favorite book, "Horton Hatches the Egg." He goes through phases as to what book is his current favorite, and now he has a long enough attention span for books that he can listen to a Dr. Seuss book. He loves this book - he wants to read it downstairs when we are playing AND upstairs when we are getting ready for nap/bed, so we know it is really a winner! And he can even say "I'm tired, I'm bored, I've got kinks in my leg," about Mayzie the Lazy Bird!

Our little 20-month-old boy has decided in the last couple weeks that he can now sing pretty much any song we have taught him BY HIMSELF. He can sing the ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, The Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Frere Jacques, Wheels on the Bus, and Hello Everybody. Hello Everybody is the little introduction song we sing in his Music Together class, and he just loves to sing this. He sings hello to Mommy, Daddy, toys around the house. Then, at the end, he says the exercises just like we do them in class: "Resting tone" and kicks his feet, and repeats the tonal exercises: Bum, bum, etc. It is so cute!

We are really impressed with his ABCs - he can say pretty much all of them, and he is starting to understand how to pick out letters, too. He has these sticky bath toy letters we got him, and he has this neat ABC puzzle from Grandpa Joe and Grandma Nancy. It is very interesting - if you ask him to find "apple" or "zipper" (the pictures on the puzzle underneath the letters) he can find A and Z, but not if you ask him just to find A or Z. It is so interesting to watch how children learn things about their world. He does know how to say "S-E-T-H spells Sethie," which is pretty impressive.

We've been having fun since we've started school again, despite a current bout of a mild stomach flu making its way around daycare for Seth. He is such a good sport when he is sick. Still his laughing, adorable self. Anyway, we started up swimming lessons again, and he is really into them now! He put his face in the water for the first time, and has fun chasing around a water polo ball in the pool. He is more eager to kick on his back and his stomach, with his teacher holding onto him. He even hung unto the side of the pool by himself (with his teacher holding on, of course!)

It is fun to see him getting to enjoy the water more and more, especially with our upcoming trip to Hawaii! That's right, we just bought tickets to go to Hawaii in March for part of our spring break. It will be so much fun to bring Seth to where Jason grew up for the first time.

Seth got to meet his cousin, Sachem, which was so much fun! Sachem is my first cousin, and he was visiting from Texas. He came down to visit us with Nana and Grandpa Joe. Seth still enjoys "making soup for Nana." Now, Seth has met all of our immediate family, with is great! We've also spent time with Auntie Kara, Geema, and seen Aunt Charlotte in West Hartford. Seth has done lots of video chats with Grams and Papa. He loves these - it is a fun way to keep in touch with his grandparents. The only thing is he doesn't understand he can't go right through the computer and have them read him a book! He's also talked on the phone with Grandpa Joe and Grandma Nancy. He still loves to talk on the phone and walk around the house. Usually, he says "Mommy Daddy Sethie" at least five times! We're teaching him the word for "family."

Seth is still loving his hiding game. He always hides in the same spot, by the bathroom door, and we pretend to look for him. "Is he under the table? No...Is he under the highchair...No." Now, he has learned to imitate us, and he looks for us and says the same exact things. It is so cute! He will look for objects the same way, too, looking under all different objects, pretending to look for something - he did this when Jason put his football under the back of his shirt. It was so funny!

A couple weeks ago it seemed like Seth might be getting his two-year molars in, but no sign of them yet. Maybe they are working their way down. Hopefully he will be over his stomach bug soon and back to 100%!