Vacuuming. I think he likes vacuuming more than anything in the world except garbage trucks. He insists that we vacuum, and then he likes to go around to the front and bend over and push the vacuum cleaner back as I am pulling it. he'll also drag it all over the house, and really loves the cord retractor.

I think he likes vacuuming more than anything in the world except garbage trucks. He insists that we vacuum, and then he likes to go around to the front and bend over and push the vacuum cleaner back as I am pulling it. he'll also drag it all over the house, and really loves the cord retractor. Sweeping. Sweeping/swiffering/mopping all go hand in hand. He loves to do any of them. He mostly just pushes dirt around and doesn't really understand that there's a goal of getting the dirt off the floor eventually, but he'll happily push it around, chattering to himself, for a good 20 minutes.

Sweeping/swiffering/mopping all go hand in hand. He loves to do any of them. He mostly just pushes dirt around and doesn't really understand that there's a goal of getting the dirt off the floor eventually, but he'll happily push it around, chattering to himself, for a good 20 minutes. Cooking. He grinds the coffee (pushes the button on the grinder) for both of us every morning. He also will grind anything else that needs it. I use our spice grinder to pulverize granola to put in his yogurt, and he loves to push the button for that, too. He likes to stir up his eggs in the bowl and add pepper before we cook them. Grandma lets him help cook the eggs, too, so he pushes a spoon around in the pan. He is thrilled when he does this, and totally dejected if you try to cook eggs or make coffee without him.

He grinds the coffee (pushes the button on the grinder) for both of us every morning. He also will grind anything else that needs it. I use our spice grinder to pulverize granola to put in his yogurt, and he loves to push the button for that, too. He likes to stir up his eggs in the bowl and add pepper before we cook them. Grandma lets him help cook the eggs, too, so he pushes a spoon around in the pan. He is thrilled when he does this, and totally dejected if you try to cook eggs or make coffee without him. Washing dishes. He calls this bubbles, and it's his most favorite thing after vacuuming. He stands on a chair at the sink and swishes around the whisk and bottle brush and stirs up bubbles and scrubs at his bowls, etc. He will do this for 45 minutes until his hands are total prunes.

He calls this bubbles, and it's his most favorite thing after vacuuming. He stands on a chair at the sink and swishes around the whisk and bottle brush and stirs up bubbles and scrubs at his bowls, etc. He will do this for 45 minutes until his hands are total prunes. Cleanup time. He will take a napkin and very delicately dab at his very messy face, and then swipe it across the table in front of him. Sometimes cleanup just means a grand sweeping gesture that flings anything in its path to the floor. We're still working on that. yesterday he said mess! while looking at the floor underneath his high chair, so we worked together and he picked up all the food bits and put them on his plate and then he said bye bye!

He will take a napkin and very delicately dab at his very messy face, and then swipe it across the table in front of him. Sometimes cleanup just means a grand sweeping gesture that flings anything in its path to the floor. We're still working on that. yesterday he said mess! while looking at the floor underneath his high chair, so we worked together and he picked up all the food bits and put them on his plate and then he said bye bye! Putting things away. He will help reorganize his blocks and crayons so they can be put away, and will put his books back on the shelf if he can get the angle right so that the book will slide in between the books that are already there. Otherwise he just sort of knocks the book against the bookshelf, but he's trying.

He will help reorganize his blocks and crayons so they can be put away, and will put his books back on the shelf if he can get the angle right so that the book will slide in between the books that are already there. Otherwise he just sort of knocks the book against the bookshelf, but he's trying. Clothes and diapers. He has started choosing his own clothes sometimes. Yesterday he was adamant that he would not wear jeans. I picked them out and he grabbed them and flung them to the floor saying no. We put on cords instead. Today he kept holding out overalls to me but then refused to put them on. he's wearing the jeans he refused yesterday. He also picked out an entire outfit earlier this week and brought it out to me. It was a too-big shirt and clashing pants, but I appreciated the effort. He will also go pick out a diaper and bring it to me sometimes.

He has started choosing his own clothes sometimes. Yesterday he was adamant that he would not wear jeans. I picked them out and he grabbed them and flung them to the floor saying no. We put on cords instead. Today he kept holding out overalls to me but then refused to put them on. he's wearing the jeans he refused yesterday. He also picked out an entire outfit earlier this week and brought it out to me. It was a too-big shirt and clashing pants, but I appreciated the effort. He will also go pick out a diaper and bring it to me sometimes. Telling me when he is peeing. He only does this when naked. He'll say pee! pee! and wait for me or grandma to look, and then start peeing. We keep encouraging him to do this on the potty, but he's not quite making the connection yet.

He only does this when naked. He'll say pee! pee! and wait for me or grandma to look, and then start peeing. We keep encouraging him to do this on the potty, but he's not quite making the connection yet. Telling me when he's ready for a nap or nursing. This is recent as well, and is actually quite helpful. He comes over to me and says hand, together! pillows! if he is ready to nurse, so that we walk together to the couch and sit on the pillows. When he needs a nap, he says bed, mama, together, and we go get into bed and he falls asleep nursing while I sing him his naptime songs. He will also tell me to sing more. Mama! Ding! (Most words start with B or D right now.)

This is recent as well, and is actually quite helpful. He comes over to me and says hand, together! pillows! if he is ready to nurse, so that we walk together to the couch and sit on the pillows. When he needs a nap, he says bed, mama, together, and we go get into bed and he falls asleep nursing while I sing him his naptime songs. He will also tell me to sing more. Mama! Ding! (Most words start with B or D right now.) Pointing things out. Tree! Bus! Truck! Lights! Cow milk! Dog! The list goes on. The important thing is that unless you acknowledge it, he will keep telling you forever. So I get very excited about buses, garbage trucks, dogs, trains, etc.

Jasper is 14 months old today. I have been writing down all of his words on a list (thanks Google docs), but I haven't really gathered up all the things he is doing lately, so I thought I'd put some of them down. Mostly he is "helping." It's a particular version of help that is not always very helpful, but it is really cute and fun to see him doing it.Well, that's a start. Of course he is doing all kinds of toddler things like "reading" books, playing with toys, dancing to any music, trying to climb everything, running and falling, demanding food, making a huge mess eating with forks and spoons, smearing his grubby fingers on every available surface, alternately clinging to me and pushing me away, sobbing huge tears when he doesn't get his way, and occasionally throwing adorable little tantrums, clenching his fists and stomping his feet. You know, the usual.