The Independance of a Toddler...

I have always thought of Michael, now 2 years old, as such an independant little boy. Even as a baby we was never very clingy or needy. He has always done his own thing and enjoyed learning how to do new things on his own. My mother says that my younger sister exhibited the same traits as toddler. In fact, my mom swears that her first word was an entire sentence, "I do myself!" Similar to Michael's famous phase, "No, I do it!" Dustin and I have always laughed about how independent he is and how "bossy" he is about doing things his way. Here are a few "mini-stories" of our recent Michael Adventures...

1) Several weeks ago, Michael woke up sometime in the middle of the night. By the time he decided to wake me up, he was holding cereal in one hand and a cup of chocolate milk in the other. He got as close to my face as he could and started whispering, "Mommy, look...cereal". He was so proud. I kind of laughed and put him up in my bed. I wode up a little while later to find that he had gotten out of the bed. I found him in the livingroom in his recliner watching cartoons; this time with a bowl of cereal and his chocolate milk. He looked like he had everything he needed so I went back to bed! The next morning he was in his bed sleeping soundly. Appearently he had woke Dustin up on a separte occasion that night, so we had great stories to share that next morning while Michael slept of his late night parting!

2) I have had a rough week. With the news about my job, stuff going on at home, Dustin working until 8 or 9 every night this week...I've just been exhausted. So, when my friend, Penny, called to chat...I was well past ready! I sat down for not more than 10 minutes to talk to her before I started hearing Michael banging around in the bathroom. When I went to find what he had been banging on, I found out that not only had he stopped up my toilet with a blue plastic ball, he had scooped all the water out of the TOILET BOWL and tried to give the puppy a bath with it! Poor Roscoe! Michael was soaked, the floor was soaked, the dog looked like a drowned rat, and I was about half in tears when he looked up smiling and said "Look, Mommy...Michael Roscoe bath!" He was trying to help and he was so proud of the job he had done. I couldn't do anything but laugh (and of course, clean up the mess!).

3) Last but surely not least, this morning's circus! I overslept, but obviously Michael did not, so he continued on our normal routine without me. When I woke up, he had already made breakfast, his chocolate milk, fed the dog, and was watching cartoons! Let me explain...when I woke up, I found that Michael had gotten the butter out of the refridgerator (to use on his toast), put it on the floor up next to the counter by the toaster to stand on, but appearently couldn't reach the bread, so he opted for half a bag of mini-oreos for breakfast instead; had gotten out the milk, chocolate syrup, and his cup to make his chocolate milk, fed the dog the remaining oreos and a package of saltine crackers, put the frosting for Dustin's bday cake in the refrigerator (after dipping a few finger fulls out), and opened a pack of Sponge Bob cupcake papers and scattered them on the floor to JUMP on! All in all...I'd say he had a pretty good morning. I, on the other hand, had a mess to clean up, him to clean up, and I was runnning almost an hour late!!!

All I can say at this point is TGIF!!!!!!!!