toddling

Tommy's been walking since just before he turned one. Like, walking-walking running-walking.

He's less naked than he looks in this picture.

The boss of our lives: Prince Tommy

He falls down constantly, which he typically is pretty good-natured about. But when he whacks his big old noggin? Yikes.

Honestly, all things considered, he's pretty good-natured about that as well. I mean, when I knock my head on stuff, I curse and hate the world, so crying is par for the course, right? Especially for a cute, big-headed baby?

Licking tha bathtub after drinking his bathwater. 

I just feel so bad when he gets hurt. I know it's all part of the learning curve, and it's going to happen fairly often for the next while.

He has multiple bruises on his head + face all the time. Just as one begins to fade, he smacks his head again. It's the worst.

See the bruise on his brow?

Add in the pains of teething (read: molars), and you'll start to get the idea of how fun life is for Thomas just now.

That aside, I really love this whole early toddlerhood stage.

Enjoying his birthday cupcake.

Screaming at Santa...

...and running from Santa.

Literally.

Tommy is so dang much fun! He loves being read to. He's so snuggly (which is amazing, because he started out his life decidedly "not a snuggler.")! He pants when he breathes sometimes, just for the heck of it. He randomly claps for himself. HE GROWLS! He sometimes walks around with one hand behind his back like a little gentleman. He squishes his fists to his face when he cries + is really upset (sometimes just a single fist). He loves being tossed about by his Dada, and saves his biggest laughs for when he's playing with Dad. He apparently shouts "Mama!" and "Dada!" all day long while we're at work, and I think that's so dang precious.

He's always getting into stuff he ought not: bookshelves, the Christmas tree, a variety of kitchen drawers that are above his reach (which seems to make it more fun for the boy), the bathroom cupboards, trying to eat everything he finds on the floor, unraveling the toilet paper when I accidentally leave the door open...the list goes on.

Here he is eating a rock.

Here he is eating another rock.

Check out that smolder.

Tommy boy, you're the raddest and I'm glad I get to be your mom.