Status Report on Dante

Dante's growing like a weed - it's amazing how tall he is next to other toddlers his age. He's close to three feet tall already and towers over some 2.5 and 3 year old boys. And his feet and HUGE! But oh, he's so adorable and alert and active and fun!

He's really aware of people now and is no longer attached to mom and dad at the hip. We took him to a kids arts and craft center and he was smiling, flirting and even snuggling up to other mothers. He welcomes sitting on other people's laps and letting them read him stories. He used to only let mom and dad hold or touch him. Somewhere around my birthday that eased up and he's getting more social week by week.

Dante is also more comfortable being in his own space. He used to follow us around the house like a little shadow. Now he can quietly play all by himself, even if I leave the room. He can entertain himself for more than an hour with his playhouse, or cars & buses, or stacking and nesting blocks or walking around talking on the remote/phone or chasing the cat around the house with strings and balls. He does love Orion!

His new fascination is with helicopters, planes and street buses. Teresa takes him to the helipad on the west side highway and he delights in watching them take off and land. Must be the noise, the wind the spinning propeller and overall grandness of the helicopters. Now when we're on the street and he hears a plane over head, Dante will stop, look up and point to the plane in the sky. He does the same with street buses, which is a challenge because buses pass by every few minutes. Dante wants to stand still on the street corner and stare at them until they are out of side. Inevitably, another one is close behind. Then I have to pluck him up and carry him off :-)

Dante loves to wave, blow kisses and say bye bye over and over again. He's now saying Hi, Thank you, Caaa caaa caaa whenever an animal is near. Sty town has turned into a forest with all the landscaping