and then my baby turned 2

2 years old. That's real. I can't believe we officially have a 2-year-old running around these parts. I don't know who told him he was allowed to grow up and get to be so big, but he went and did it anyway. Here are some of my favorite things about our little 2-year-old that make him the happy go lucky Ryder man we all love:

• OBSESSED with all things basketball, soccer, & football. Mostly basketball though. He shoots hoops in his little basketball hoop at least every day and has gotten really good at making baskets consistently.
• Drools like a fool. Seriously, the drool is unreal. He gets a new shirt at least twice, if not three times a day. He'll be getting his tonsils and adenoids out later this month, so hopefully that will help with that situation.
• Loves tunnels; loves to drive through them in the car, build them out of legos, and create them with parental appendages.
• Is still a picky eater, but we're working on it. He pretty much lives off of peanut butter sandwiches, yogurt, toast, graham crackers with peanut butter, grilled cheese, fruit snacks, squeeze packs, crackers & cheese, pirate's booty, and all things sweet.
• Everytime we see a truck, he asks, "Papa's truck?" Everytime. Clearly his time spent with Papa playing in his big white truck over Christmas has stuck with him and cannot be forgotten.
• Chad taught him a fun trick. When we ask him what the mama says, he will shake his finger and say, "no, no, no..". Perfect.
• Wants to spend as much time as possible outside, even in the cold and snow. We have been known to go to the park in our snow clothes just to play, even if that means tromping through the snow to do so.
• Loves to wear his boots and insists on pronouncing them as, "poop".
• Got a pair of grey, converse high tops for his birthday and calls them his, "cool shoes". He throws a fit any time we try to put him in his other pair of tennis shoes. And so it begins.
• Loves to go to church and gets excited to put on his church clothes on Sunday morning. Whenever we drive by the church he always asks, "church, mama?"
• Wants to do the upper buckle on his car seat by himself and refuses any help from Chad or I. Turning into Mr. Independent.
• LOVES to spend time cooking with mama. He will go into the pantry and get his stool out so he can stand by me and help me cook. Some of his culinary skills include grating cheese (ineffectively), skewering fruits/veggies with his little plastic knife, mixing up bowls of water like a pro, and pouring small amounts of ingredients into whatever we're cooking. He could stand and help me with "cooking" for a good hour. I love his enthusiasm but it does make it hard to actually get anything done. Such is mommy life.
• #1 fan of "Buzz, Cowboy, Dinosaur, Dog, Pig, Potato show". "Buzz & Cowboy show" for short. It's a really good thing there are 3 Toy Story movies to shake things up a bit.
• His cousins are some of his favorite people in the world. He loves to go to the "girl's house" to "tay". Also a little obsessed with Uncle Dan and will list off the girl cousins with "and Dan" in between each of their names.
• Still a good sleeper, which his parents are very grateful for. Will sleep from 8:30-9 pm to about 7:30-8 am. Then takes a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. He now insists on sleeping every night with his dinosaur, dog, Cars blanket, and bike blanket.
• Loves reading books, especially with a "pullo" in mom and dad's bed.
• Is a skyping fiend and will skype with anyone who wants to talk to him/entertain him.
• Still Mr. Social, loves to play with friends and meet new people.
• Can recognize his 3 favorite stores by sight: Costco, Target, and Wal-Mart. Costco his still his #1 though.