Just Plain Cute

Just plain cute.
You can't see it, but James had some string cheese that he was calling a "bunny." He had apparently bit into the middle leaving two thin strips on each side (bunny ears of course).

James loves hats.
This particular morning, as soon as his "p-days" (p.j's...i.e. pajamas) were removed, he requested his green "hat." He managed to put it on all by himself. He couldn't really see well, since it was covering one eye, but he happily walked around the apartment with his chin up so he could get a view with both eyes.

Cute messy face.
James is now a completely independent eater. He even eats soup all by himself. It's been a couple of months now, but when we started letting him have complete reign, he would excitedly say "Self! Self!" when we would bring him his food. He loves the independence. He caught on really quickly. His face gets messy (of course it also did when I fed him though), but he doesn't spill much. He still resorts to fingers at times, especially when it's down the the last morsels. Recently, he decided it's also appropriate to try to drink your food. So, we've gotten a little more messy lately. He has also decided that it is nice to occasionally dip your fingers into pureed-type food and suck it off of your fingers. Hopefully, he'll realize that it was so much nicer to have clean hands and a relatively clean face. I've found that a quick way to get him to choose appropriate table manners is to say, "Do you need Mommy to help you?" He'll typically quickly say, "No, no" and pick up his utensils.

James in Mama's apron. He loves all that is associated with "cookeen" (cooking). Notice the spoon next to him on the desk (however, please don't notice the clothes on the back of the chair or the stack of books on the desk...don't worry, they aren't there anymore...not that you've noticed them).

Pudding is delicious to eat and fun to squish!
James pretty much loves anything "choc-o-late."

James is regularly found carrying around a cooking utensil of some sort: "pan", "whisk", "poon" (spoon), "salapa" or "sapala" or "spatulapa" (spatula). If you ask him what he is making he will usually tell you he's making "soup" with "chicken" and/or "cinnmin" (cinnamon). He really has a thing for "cinnmin" right now. It's really fun to watch him make things in his pan. He will get a measuring cup and pour some imaginary substance in and then he'll put it "way" (away) and get a measuring spoon and pour another imaginary substance in and put it "way" before getting more. Then he'll mix it. If you ask what he's doing, he'll tell you he's "mixikin."

Jordan and I absolutely love this face.
James and I were making no-bake cookies and he had made a nice little mess on the table and on himself while he was "mixikin" it. So, I was taking pictures of his sugary self and he wanted to see "James" on the camera. I think this is some sort of look of dismay at not being shown "piturs" (pictures) of "James" immediately upon request. And don't worry, that's only a butter knife he's holding and I had my eye on him at all times. :)

This is a "cheese" now let me see "James" picture.

James has always loved shoes. I found him trying on Daddy's shoes the other day. A couple of weeks ago, I found him chewing on a shoe. Honestly, I thought we were over the whole sticking random objects in our mouth thing. Today it was a piece of asphalt that he'd picked up on our walk. He rarely does this, but every now and then, some things apparently look too intriguing not to taste. We were informed that, in Nursery on Sunday, he stuck a bubble wand straight into his mouth. He was gagging and seemed to be having trouble breathing (probably because he was breathing in nasty-tasting soapiness), so he was given some water, which washed it down and he went on his merry way. Two days later, he is still saying, "Bubbles...yucky." Yet, he still tasted the asphalt today. It must have looked quite good.

"Cheese."
I asked him to smile for the camera, so he leaned forward and said "cheese."