Who is this independent, opinionated person?

Ryan is 21 months and is all about "self!" "have it!" "big chair!" and "walking!" as he jerks his hand out of mine when we're anywhere he can put his life in danger quickly.


And let's be honest: I am not really that bothered by this. It's fashionable, to complain good-naturedly about how toddler he is. But when he makes these declarations, I feel proud of his determination and honesty and desire to be a big boy.

He holds my hand just enough.


And he's never happier than when he's reading, which means endless requests for Elmo's book about colors, "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" and "Sheep in a Shop". (Hunter and I are so relieved when he asks us to read him things with plot.)




In September, he visited a Pacific Northwest beach for the first time, near Oregon's Haystack Rock. We had a lovely Labor Day trip with the Georges.


Yesterday Ryan visited a pumpkin farm. He approached it as he does most new things: Big watchful eyes, looking curiously at everything but not acting like he's having a ton of fun. It's how I know he's really soaking it in. Hunter and I let him explore at his own pace and try to expose him to everything, at least once.






He got comfortable.





Toddler melodrama for this day happened after his father and I forced him to play among these large pumpkins. We thought it would be fun for Mr. Climb And Jump All The Time. Plus, it would be a good photo op!


Ryan, though, used his favorite word to indicate something's annoying him: "Owie!"



Finally he stood in the middle of the pumpkins, looked at Hunter and said "Help."

That's enough, parents.


When he's relaxed at home, the George Camera Ham genes are starting to blossom.






Lately Ryan has been seeking out Hunter for lots of special attention. Hunter gets this:


And I get this:


It doesn't hurt my feelings. (It was a little sad for five minutes at the pumpkin patch, but I got over it.) In fact, most of the time, I find it makes my heart grow a little and I fall in love with my husband in a new way.

This is exactly the life I wanted to have, before I even knew how to describe it. Thank goodness for the detours and mistakes that led me here.