The Beginnings of Boyhood

September has been a decidedly better month for little Atticus and his momma.

 For starters, he has turned full BOY.  Yep, the capital letters are necessary, largely because that's the volume with which every quintessentially boyish thing is said (yelled):
"DADDA!" (Tractor)
"BUS!"
"CHOO CHOO!"
"CHUCH" or "CHUCK" (Truck)
"BWOCKS!" (Blocks)
"BEEP BEEP!" (or less often "KUR" for Car)

The obsession is real.  And adorable.  Sure, he liked trucks, cars, and tractors before.  Now he LOVES them.

Here he is watching tractor videos with Bobba.  

P.S. If you haven't seen any twentytrucks youtube videos and there is a little boy in your life, well, pull them up.  You're welcome.

Sure, he still likes animals, but things that go are definitely closer to his little boy heart.

One highlight from this month was seeing the leaves that have changed up in American Fork Canyon.  Atticus got to go on a couple hikes with Mimi and we loved every minute.

His tractor had to come along for our second hike, of course.

"Dog Days" at Thanksgiving Point was another fun highlight.

 Atticus enjoyed making a little boy laugh by eating grass.

And here's some more silliness from day to day (I've been documenting way more than usual for Dane).

Here's our little mullet-monkey:

While he doesn't throw poop like your average monkey (not yet, anyway!) he does like to make a mess.  Here's one of his special recipes.  Exasperated sigh...

He's also developed a new love for dancing. Yay!

He now insists on using his Spiderman chair as a booster seat.  We like to think of it as his throne.  It's definitely more comfortable than the alternative.

From naps in the dryer, feeding dinosaurs (word is they really love cookies...) and eating Mimi's jam

 to facing his chair AWAY from Mom and chasing cats, there's never a dull moment with this kiddo.

There has still been plenty of "pawpoo" eating...

 ...And great-grandparent time.  They even showed us how to make their secret salsa recipe...

My personal favorite time of the month was when Dane got to visit for 36 hours or so.  After two months of only talking to Dane through a phone (the visit when Atticus had a fever doesn't really count!) I was a little nervous.  Sure, he was kissing pictures of Daddy and even kissing the phone sometimes...

But when Dane came in the flesh, would Atticus recognize him?  Would he go to him? 

 Thank goodness, they played and interacted as though nothing had happened!  This was what I found upstairs on Sunday morning before Dane left.

Nothing makes me happier than watching my boys together.  

Only a week and a half until Atticus and my favorite person comes home.