We are currently in Lake Tahoe for a family vacation. Matt, Falco, and I drove out on Friday in our rented minivan, and Matt’s parents and brother met us out here on Saturday. Our travel day began with whining, yelling, and crying from Falco, so that was an awesome start to the trip. He did do well once we got on the road, and he took a good nap after we stopped for lunch. His behavior has not been all bad since, but he has figured out how to scream “No!” in our faces when he is the least bit displeased, and it is not a new skill I am proud of.

The tough part of Falco’s bad behavior (and this is a sure sign that I should be in therapy) is that I worry what everyone thinks about my parenting skills when he acts rude. I already worry about what strangers think when he acts out in public, but now I’m also stressed about what my in-laws think. They don’t get to see him very often, so I figure if he’s acting bratty while they are around, they can only assume that’s how he always acts, which must be a result of my incompetence. When he starts hitting me or screaming in my face in front of a bunch of people, I feel like I’m on stage when I respond. Was I too stern? Not stern enough? Is he spoiled? Do I get too angry with him? Clearly these are already my insecurities, but having an audience magnifies them.

Enough about my neurosis; let me get back to our trip. We were hoping for snow in Tahoe, the main attraction, and imagined all the fun Falco would have playing in the winter wonderland. We did get snow Saturday night and there was plenty of it to play in, but turns out Falco doesn’t like it much at all. We get him suited up, get outside, and he is ready to go back in after about five minutes. He doesn’t like the snow to touch his bare skin, and he freaks out and starts crying if he falls, even in a soft pile of snow. The snow and cold are also giving Matt’s brother, Josh, migraines, so he isn’t a fan. Matt is coming down with the cold Falco and I have had for the past couple weeks, so he’s not feeling 100% either. Next time, we’re coming in the summer.

There is some good news, besides that we’re getting to see the fam. Since we have been here, Falco has pooped on the potty twice! This is a major breakthrough that he has taken months to work up to. He still has a lot of anxiety about it, but he’s making progress. Hopefully, defecating will soon be a non event for him, which is what we all hope for I guess. So, the highlight of our trip so far has been our son’s excretion. If you aren’t a parent, don’t you wish you were?

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that the boy is sleeping like a champ. We brought his kid’s AeroBed and put it on his floor in his own room. From the first night, he has gone right to bed without a peep, same for naps. In fact, he has been asking to take naps and go to bed a little earlier than usual. Maybe he’s overstimulated with the new house and new people, which could be causing his rage. Believe me, you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.

In the car today, Falco kept quietly saying over and over, “I loves you, eggs. I loves you, eggs.” We go out for big breakfast every Saturday and Sunday, and he eats at least as much as Matt and I. If we ask him what happens on Saturday, the answer is always, “EGGS!” No child has ever enjoyed breakfast this much.

Falco has started giving “oatmeal” as a default answer to random questions. What do you want for lunch? “Cheese, crackers, oatmeal.” What should we do this afternoon? “Oatmeal.” What else do we need to clean up around the house? “Oatmeal.” The bizarre thing about this is that Falco never eats oatmeal and really has no reason to talk about it. He has tried it two or three times at his request, but he won’t eat more than a bite or two. I have no idea why it’s so prominent in his vocabulary.

Falco turned two about a month ago, and so far I am loving this age. He’s cuter than ever, and he talks nonstop. Most heard phrases are, “That noise?”, “Put it right there,” and “Falco no like it.” He gives a constant narration of everything he sees, hears, and thinks, which makes for some funny material.

He was sick on his actual birthday, so we had to cancel his playground party we had planned for a couple months. We still managed to have some small festivities at home with the three of us.

We had a postponed party at our place a week later, and a good time was had by all. Falco loves having a house full of people, and postponing the party meant Grandma Suzi and Mark were here for the celebration.

Christmas was way more fun this year now that Falco is old enough to appreciate the tree and lights and gifts. He loved our giant inflatable snowman outside and Christmas tree inside. Opening gifts was an all-day affair because he had so much fun playing with each item as he opened it. Having a kid definitely makes the holidays more special.

He is still enjoying “school,” loves playing with Play-Doh, and his favorite show is Oswald. He is doing pretty great with potty training, wearing underwear all day. He has started saying “I woves you, Mommy and Daddy,” which melts my heart.

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. His biggest challenges right now are hitting us when he’s mad or frustrated and screaming either because he’s mad or just for fun. The hitting is actually suddenly improving lately, but the screaming is rough. Everyone comments how high, shrill, and loud his voice is, and it’s hard to talk him out of squealing once he gets started. Otherwise, he isn’t particularly defiant given his age, but he is very active and always busy and on the move. A definite handful!

Check out the gallery for loads of recent photos!