– Still no more using the toilet for poop, but is starting to get better about using public toilets for pee. We’re almost ready to try underwear for real.  We stocked up on waterproof pads for the couch, car seat, etc.

– His language is improving, which is to be expected with that strange thing called ‘growing up.’ He’s getting better at following multi-step directions, asking for things he wants, answering questions, and the like.

– If you ask him to write his name, he will. If you ask him what his name IS, he likely won’t say it.

– He’s getting rather bored of the iPad and avoids playing with it on most days. He’s starting to ask to go out by saying, “More go daddy’s car?”

– He’s taken a liking to our local bouncy house, Bounce-A-Rama, to the point where you can’t say it around him without him begging to go (which sounds like “More go Bounce-A-Rama?” over and over again in a cute little voice).

– He is improving in his behavior toward other children. When he started preschool, he became rather slappy and pushy. Now he does need reminding or removing from a situation, but it’s often when he’s been jumping for 50 minutes (50 minutes seems to be that magical threshold) or when other kids start doing it to each other (and he’s trying to use it to join the play). He enjoys roughhousing with kids when it’s mutually agreeable – he and his friend Ethan went at it for a while when we went to a pumpkin patch with a bouncy house recently.

– Counting seems to help alleviate his screaming when he’s upset about something other than being in a lot of pain. He will eventually join in.

– One of his favorite things to do at the mall is read the sale advertisement signs either in the doorway or printed on the windows of the stores. He recognizes the percent and dollar symbols. It’s really neat (though sometimes annoying when I’m trying to move fast) when he walks up to a sign and exclaims, “50% off!”

– He has a Thomas the Train costume for Halloween. He’s been a considerable fan of Thomas for a while now. So stereotypical for his age and gender! I figure it could be worse, so I’ll take it.

– His shirt-chewing has decreased markedly lately. How? I told him that if he chews holes in his shirt, it will have to go in the trash. In fact, we have a Thomas shirt that will have to go to trashland today since it’s fairly holey on the shoulder. But it’s really amazing to us that he understands the logic and can be reasoned with.

– He has discovered that he likes ham, although he insists it’s “pepper-noni.”