December 8, 2014

Oh my sweet boy, such time I've lost the last few months. The end of summer swallowed me up, and I don't know what happened to the month of August, September, October, or November!

What little bits of memories can I restore to this page?

- November brought us your first circus. Which you enjoyed immensely.

- You've quit napping in the afternoons, unless I lay down with you and nap alongside you. Not that I'm complaining mind you, but some days, it would be nice if you'd just go to sleep my little tired boy.

- you adore balls. and babies. Which means that if anybody has a ball or a baby doll, it is liable to wind up in your bed somehow!

- And technology. You love to play the wii (no longer can the girls pacify you by giving you a TV remote turned sidewise; you know the difference and will protest--loudly!). As for my kindle, you navigate your way through games with impressive skill. And you do not take kindly to being told "no" and having your time limited. That one you're just going to have to get over.

- Every discussion, you want your point of view added. Every burst of laughter, you join in. You're cuddly and sweet and just a little bit spoiled (too many girls to one little boy).

- Your language skills have exploded. So many words and sentences.

• "hep me" (help me)
• "I lub you"
• "I want..." (fill in the blank. My favorite being late at night when you wake up crying and I go in and hold you and talk to you and ask you what you want and you sigh back, "I want you.")

07.19.14 - Saturday

You are an exceptionally good hugger little man. And you also know how to steal hearts by giving out hugs very freely. I'm glad. I like my snuggly little boy.

07.16.14 - Wednesday

"Cow Appreciation Day" at Chic-fil-A

Favorite summer activities--water!

7.11.14 - Friday

Words at 16 months:

1. "No!!!"
2. Mama
3. Down ("Dow")
4. Look ("ook")


Signed Words:
1. Milk
2. Drink
3. Food
4. Please
5. More

07.05.14 - Saturday

We've been watching a lot of world cup lately.

Now this: playing football in the rain.

07.01.14 - Tuesday

New tricks: Squinty Eyes!

06.03.14 - Tuesday

One of your favorite games right now is the: "feed me raisins game."

The process goes something like this. You go to the cupboard where you know the raisins are. You pull out the container and bring it to the nearest susceptible adult with a grunt and a "please." They feed you a few. You vocalize "a u" (thank you) and after shoving the raisins in your mouth, carefully put the container back in the cupboard. Only to pull it back out again in two minutes and repeat the whole process.

You're cute little boy.

05.13.14 - Tuesday

I was using the mixer today and you toddled into the kitchen with a very concerned look on your face. After considering the situation for a few minutes, you went to the corner where a fire extinguisher is easily accessible, carefully picked it up (it's a little one), and brought it over to me and insisted I take it. Perhaps you thought the extinguisher would get rid of the noise? Either way you walked away satisfied.

Such an extensive vocabulary you have for a 15 month old!

05.12.14 - Monday

I abandoned you several times last week, and you've let me know it today. Nana and Papa were nice enough to babysit you and your big sister one day, so daddy and I could go have a date. Apparently as long as sissy was around, you were okay with this arrangement--as long as the nap issue wasn't pushed! Then I abandoned you a second day because I went with Nana and Papa and and Blueberry to Chimney Rock Park, while you spent the day with your daddy and had a pretty good time of it.

I always come back darling. How do I convince you of that? I guess by coming back!

04.16.14 - Wednesday

It rained today. Bucketed in fact. And you were fascinated. So I took you outside and let you examine it a little more closely. Remind me to buy you some rain boots.

03.23.14 - Sunday

Got to love the baby kisses. Open mouthed, aimed for my mouth, slobbery, wet, and still adorable.

03.20.14 - Thursday

You made me laugh this morning. My, preferred, morning routine involves me sitting on the floor as I stretch, reading through my morning scripture, praying, etc.

You decided to be up early with me, and was playing on the floor. You watched me closely, then stood up, toddled into your room, found a book, toddled back out, sat on the floor next to me, spread your legs into a straddle, and read your book.

Imitation--the sincerest form of flattery.

03.17.14 - Monday

Manners, my good sir, manners. And other than the inclination to throw yourself down backwards dramatically on the floor when you're not getting the attention you feel you deserve, your little grunt of "ah oo" when you are given something is most satisfying to hear. Giving thanks will get you far. Don't ever forget that.

03.14.14 - Friday

You've grown again.

Last week, your toes were just barely skimming the floor as you would balance on your little ride-able doggy, trying to maneuver your way across the room.

This week, your can get a firm grip and gleefully push yourself wherever your little heart desires to go.

Sweet little lad, slow down. You truly don't have to grow up so fast. Really. It'll be okay if you slow down a little bit. Your mommy is losing her baby to quickly, and that makes her sad.

03.11.14 - Tuesday

You were "yay-ing" the world.

03.08.14 - Saturday

In one month, you've gone from just barely toddling along to cruising along with no hesitation. We went to the park today and you slid down slides, tramped through mud, up hill and down hill, no problem.

You were also determined to chase the ducks, to the point where I feared you would wander off into the pond to get to them.

Hanging out

Watching the ducks

Watching big sister

02.21.14 - Friday

Today you learned a very bad trick. How to take off your diaper. I put you down for a nap wearing just a disposable because the cloth diapers (which are all mostly with buttons not velcro) were in the wash and I couldn't be bothered to change your outfit, again, at that precise moment.

When you woke up and started fussing around, i came in to pick you up. Only to find you standing, very proudly, in the nude, with your diaper tossed out of the bed onto the floor. Thank goodness you had apparently taken the time to utilize the diaper before tossing it out of bed.

Lesson learned: no more disposable diapers for you unless you have no access to it...

02.20.14 - Thursday

My climber and explorer. You have fallen off of so many things the last few days, it's getting ridiculous. I know that you can now walk, but that really does not give you license to just take off. You're walking out of the house, determined to go explore the neighborhood on your own.

Do you have no fear? I've gone from my little girl who would barely leave my side, and still is extremely cautious on taking on the world (although that is rapidly changing), to you who will go anywhere, climb anything, and taste it all.

02.15.14 - Saturday

Helping yourself to raisins....

02.12.14 - Wednesday

First snow! OK, technically it's your second snow. But it's the first one you've been out into. Curious about the whole thing, yes. And also not so impressed about actually touching it!

02.11.14 - Tuesday

You are beginning to walk with confidence. Which means that I can't take my eyes off of you because I never know what you're going to be getting into next. Combined with the confident walking has come confident--risk taking--climbing. And giving mommy heart attacks. Heaven help me, what am I going to do with you?

02.08.14 - Saturday - First Birthday!

Happy First Birthday, little man! I can't believe you're one already. What happened to my cozy little baby boy? You still love a good cuddle, but the rest of the time you're Mr. Independence, climbing, crawling, creeping, walking...yes, you love to explore.

We had a cottage party with several other visitors from on campus, and Auntie Hillery and Gabbie, Ari, and Lily all came to visit.

You were not impressed with your birthday, throwing one of the biggest fits I've ever had out of you. Turns out you had a nasty, nasty diaper rash that was bothering you. And I'm sorry for that. But still, to turn up your nose at cake? Really bad times!

02.05.14 - Wednesday

You took your first steps today! Six of them in fact. Of course you wouldn't do it again after the fact, but hey, a first step is a first step. And three days before you turned one. Good job. Your world will never be the same.

02.03.14 - Monday

Trouble with a Capital T! That's what the girls are starting to call you.

You've begun climbing (Lord help my heart to survive this). Every time I turn around, you're up on something (and frequently that means into something as well). And not a lick of sense about what you climb, how sturdy it is, or what it is you grab at the end of your expedition. Sigh.

Trouble indeed.

01.31.14 - Friday

We had our first snow of the season here. And by snow, I mean a vague dusting of white, cold stuff on the ground that tried to appear to be substantial and failed. You and I didn't really go out in it, but I did take you out long enough to see it and put your hands in it. You were not impressed.

01.29.14 - Wednesday

I find myself in a similar position as I was one year ago today....laying in bed. Fortunately this time it's just with a nasty cold and sore throat and not contractions. However, the irony of the position was not lost on me. And you? Well, you've been crawling around, pulling up and letting go, clapping, laughing, crying, and generally being adorable. So glad you finally made an appearance in this world, even though I could have done with it about ten days faster!

01.23.14 - Thursday

It's official. You've said your first non-mama/dada word. And it's not even in English--it's Thai! Jat Ai! Complete with game-matching actions. Love it!

01.21.14 - Tuesday

We've been watching you with bated breath the last few days, waiting for you to take those first steps on your own. You're regularly beginning to let go and stand on your own for a few seconds before sitting down hard on your diaper. And with help, you walk with the greatest of confidence across the floor. But inevitably, you find it faster and easier to crawl to get what you want at this stage, so the actual walking has yet to occur. But soon, little man, soon. And then Terror you truly will be!

01.16.13 - Thursday

You were babysat today. And while you are generally very happy with Ms. Kathi, it does make my mommy heart happy that you are so eager for me to be home again. Now, would you mind going to sleep at night? Because I'd really appreciate it. Thank you baby boy.

01.16.14 - Thursday

I had to switch out all your clothes the last few days. You've outgrown your 9-12 month outfits and are now fitting in 12 month. Why little man? Why? A year ago you weren't even born yet, and now you're on the brink of becoming "a toddler." Little baby boy, stay my baby. I'm not ready for you to grow up so fast. Slow down. Take the world slowly. Really. You don't need to storm ahead in this way. There's plenty of time....