Our little boy is 2 1/2

He drives.

He is silly and likes to laugh.

He likes to "play cars" and "play churucks." He is an expert truck and car engine-sound maker. He even positions books placed open on the floor with the spine up in the air and calls them "raaamps."

Enzo waving to his fans (with Uncle Godfather). He has quite the charming personality.

Celebrating his first public-toilet pee-pee in the potty with a bribecandylollipop.

I taught him how to take a self-portrait.

Acting shy and coy.

Sneaking into the potty lollipop stash.

On his half-birthday, we reflect on what Enzo can do and who he is becoming.

* Enzo is a very happy and cheer-filled child. He loves to jump and dance. He moves his shoulders up and down, twirls, rolls on the floor and kicks. When he hears music, he moves. A lot. He has begun to experiment with tap dancing, too. Wondering if I should get him in a class.

* He has just begun to seek out other children and intitiate a bit of contact. Up to this point, he has been satisfied parallel playing with kids, as long as they don't move into his personal space.

* Enzo weighs about 30 lbs and likes to be measured on the yardstick in our laundry room every three months. It appears that he grows about an inch and a half every three months.

* We have been potty-training for a few months now. His interest wanes. We continue to bribe him with candy and wonder if it's time for the potty bootcamp. Or the let him roam naked for 2 days.

* He still likes his baby sister, Gianna, even though she has begun to play with his toys. Here's his tactic: If she's playing with something he wants, he calmly brings her a different toy and politely tears the other toy from her hands. He exchanges a random toy for the one he wants. Genius, actually.

* A recent conversation:

Me: Enzo, what were you for Halloween?

Enzo: A cow.

Me: What does a cow say?

Enzo: Trick or treat.

* He wears size 2T in pants and 3T in tops. All the 2Ts are crop-tops on him. I guess he's just too tall. He also wears size 7.5 in shoes.

* He loves to give zerberts on our backs, especially when we are not looking while laying on the floor.

*He gets a kick out of getting his fingernails and toenails cut... hoping the the nails will hit us in the eye. (The only way we can get him to let us cut his nails.)

* Some of his favorite foods include: raisens, almonds, popcicles, chicken nuggets, fruit leather, cheese, salad with ranch, yogurt, ketchup, carrots and snap peas, smoothies and mac n cheese. He's pretty much a vegetarian.

Little Enzo Mateo brings us so much happiness and fun. He has challenged us in new ways but is one of our biggest blessings and greatest accomplishments. We love you GUP!!!