23 months.

Our boy is almost 2.

He is 23 months.

It seems so strange to me that we have a 2 year old but it's pretty loud and clear. Stress on the LOUD.

This boy is a whirling dervish. He is a running, jumping, throwing, shrieking, constantly in motion 2 year old. His vocabulary grows daily and we're really impressed with his clear pronunciation.

He says "Hi!" to everyone we see. Repeatedly. We're trying to explain to him that once is enough and that, sometimes, people don't want to say "Hi" back but he's 2, he doesn't always get what we're saying and mostly disregards it anyway.

We are smack in the beginning of toddlerhood and I find myself wondering what happened to that sweet, round baby he use to be. How did he get replaced with an obstinate, stubborn, little boy?

I'm told that this phase doesn't last. We have friends that have 3 and 4 and 5 year olds. They tell me that, eventually, they outgrow this phase. It's a little hard to remember that when a bowl of applesauce ("hot sauce") is being dumped on Carl's head or a plate of peas is flying across the dining room.

We do still get snuggles and kisses and he still likes to sit on our laps and read books. I eat those moments up because I know that a day will come when all of that will disgust him. I wish I could press pause sometimes. I'm sure every mother feels that way at some point.