Forktunate

Dear Tyson,

I have breaking news!  You learned how to use a fork this weekend!  This may not sound that exciting or like that much of an accomplishment, but I assure you that it is.  I am going to turn thirty soon, and I'm still trying to learn how to eat neatly and properly with a fork.  That's not to say that your fork eating is neat... there's still some flinging.  It's not to say that you are all of a sudden an etiquette school graduate in proper table manners either.  You may or may not have accidentally flung some mac 'n' cheese at an innocent bystander today at Panera with your makeshift "cheese wand" fork (actually a straw).  However, we're as pleased with you and proud of you as ever.  What a smarty pants you are. :)  Check it out!

Contemplating...

...stabbing...

...pondering...

... devouring! :)

Welcome to the world of legit silverware usage.  You're pretty legit yourself, little man.

Love you like you love picking up shoes and running around the house,

Mom

SmarTY Pants

Dear Tyson,

Oh my goodness!  You continue to grow and to amaze me.  I get so excited every time you do something new or something funny, and this happens on a daily basis.

Take yesterday, for example.  Over the past few months you have become obsessed with Goldfish.  You have figured out exactly where we keep them in the pantry.  It has gotten to the point where I have to try to distract you while I'm cooking dinner because you will rush me every time I open the door and demand nothing less than a Goldfish reward.  You did this very thing yesterday night.  I got out a handful to give you two at a time (it can't be any more than two, or you'll try to shove them allll in your mouth).  I put one in each of your cute little hands and left the pile on the kitchen table.  You enjoyed your snack and continued playing, and I wandered over to the other side of the kitchen to keep chopping and boiling.  Less than a minute later, I looked over and couldn't believe my eyes.  I'll be darned if you didn't get sick of waiting for your next Goldfish fix and find a way to get to them yourself!  You were teetering on your makeshift scaffold and risking life and limb to get your snack (okay, that may be a slight exaggeration... but you could have gotten another one of those trademark bruises on your face).

I did what any great parent would do.  I took pictures.

You somehow pushed my computer over to the table and realized that it would make a good step stool.  Well played, sir!  I just can't believe how smart you are and what an independent little guy you have become.  It's a good thing that you also still do silly things like this sometimes to let us know that you still need our help:

 
Do you see your little feet under there?!  You got stuck chasing a ball.  Under a dining room chair.  You had to be rescued.  Yep.  Thanks for all the giggles.

Love you,

Mom