champion

:21 months:

You are a champion my little man. This has been an absolutely huge month for you, with more changes than you’ve ever had to deal with before, and you are coping like a champion.

Judah was born on September 30^th and you’ve now had four weeks to adjust to having a little brother and having mama and daddy’s attention divided, in addition to having a house-full of guests for weeks on end now.

Nanny and Bop came for two weeks, Tiff visited from America, and now Gigi and Grampy are here for a three-week visit. You’ve so enjoyed having them here and having the extra attention and playmates, and yet it’s been hard for you too.

Your environment has changed drastically and you’re going through a major life change – of course the first of many. Some of the things we’ve noticed as you’re struggling to adapt are that you are clingier than usual, waking up more at night, quicker to tears, and more demanding and defiant. All of these behaviors are normal for older siblings (toddlers) as they adjust to having a new baby in the family, but that doesn’t make it any easier for you or for us.

It’s a challenge for daddy and I to know how to best care for you and discipline you through all the change. We’re learning as we go and I think we’re doing a pretty good job. You love us more than ever and constantly want our attention, even for little things like diaper changes and putting shoes on. (As much as you love playing with Gigi and Grampy, you’ve been very reluctant to let either of them “help” you with practical things. You’re insistant that I buckle you into your carseat, help you get dressed, make your snack, and other such things.)

You also climb all over me when I’m trying to nurse Judah and sometimes want “up” when I’ve got him on my chest in the wrap. You should see me carrying around my toddler (trying to honor your need for cuddles and attention) while also having a newborn strapped to my chest. It must be quite the sight! I’m willing though. As trying as it can seem in some moments, I also know that this will quickly pass and I might as well just enjoy the fact that you still need and want me.

My favorite time of the day at the moment is our nap/bedtime routine. I adore the moments alone with you – reading to you, singing to you, and having longer than “necessary” cuddles with you before putting you to bed. I sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “You Are My Sunshine” to you and you softly and sweetly sing along. It is incredibly precious and I wouldn’t trade those moments for the world. As hard as it is at times during our days recently, those moments before naps and bedtime more than make up for it.

I’m so in love with you little one – my first-born baby. I will always be so in love with you.

This month you’ve been talking even more – often saying words that we still don’t understand. It clearly frustrates you that we don’t always get what you’re saying. Some of the newer words that you do say often are “base” (you constantly want to go to the base), “jude” (you seriously picked that one up the day you met him – so fast!), “nack” (snack), and “key”. I don’t know how many other new words you have this month, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. You are a big talker!!

You love being outside – going to the park, being at the base, basically anything outside of the house. Daddy and Bop made you a new sandbox and you love playing in that. Of course you think it’s really fun to chuck the sand out of the box… such a typical little boy!

And of course you still love dancing. You have all sorts of moves - perhaps the funniest new move this month is "the cockroach". Daddy taught you this one (of course) and you lay on your back and put your legs up in the air and do a sort-of bicycle motion. Hilarious!

Again little one - little big one - you are our champion. We're so proud of you.

Love, your mama 

you light up my world!

:: 20 months ::

There are days when you exhaust me (ok, most days)... and yet even still, I wouldn't trade it for anything. You are hilarious, smart, funny, adorable, sweet, and clever. You really do light up my world young man. It's pretty hard to remember life without you, even though you're not even yet two years old.

You have so much energy these days, especially when you wake up in the morning. You seriously hit the ground running - running circles around the house, jumping in place (which you can now do with both feet off the ground at once!), throwing yourself on pillows or the couch, just going slightly crazy as you burst at the seems with little boy spunk!

You also love to dance. You're constantly asking for music and then when it is on, asking for it to be turned up louder. You can get a whole group of adults off their bums and on their feet mimicking your moves and enjoying your enthusiasm. You sure aren't shy!

Recently I took you to the pool since it's starting to warm up here again. Over and over you asked to be put on the side of the pool so you could jump into the water into my arms. You're such a brave little tyke and I'm definitely looking forward to the weather heating up a tiny bit so we can swim more without needing to go to the heated pool.

You've been teething all four canines this month. Yikes. Those things are painful. You're handling it well though - the amber teething necklace that we discovered are certainly helping.

You are back to enjoying full length stories. I can't remember when you began to get impatient with going through each page, but you certainly went through a phase that you just wanted to read at your own pace and point out things in the pictures. Now you're back to loving the actual story, taking it all in, and making comments as we go. I love it. You also still love to read on your own.

Each night we pray with you before bed. You rest your head on my shoulder (or dad's) as we pray and then at the end we say "in Jesus' name" and you chime in "ame!" You love closing with "amen" and do it at the end of meal-time prayers as well.

One of the super cute things you've started to do this month is to say "where?" You say "weeh? weeh?" with your little hands turned up and eyebrows raised. It is melt-my-heart adorable. Both daddy and I just love it.

Your most over-used words at the moment are "mama" and "dada", usually spoken like this: "mama dada mama dada mama dada mama!" or "mama mama mama mama!" or "dada dada dada dada dada!" It's cute, but totally over-the-top.

I can't remember if I've ever written about this before but you also know a ton of animals. You can identify them, say many of their names, and make their noises: elephant, tiger, lion, bear, zebra, giraffe, crocodile, duck, cow, horse, pig, chicken, rooster, owl, frog, seal, monkey, bird, dog, cat, snake, bee, butterfly, turtle, hippo, panda... and maybe more. It's one of my favorite things at the moment actually - to read animal stories with you talk about which animal is what, name them, listen to you make their sounds... all of it... it just so cute!

You've started saying "no" just once rather than your string of "no no no no no" that you were doing previously. You also say "so" (soap), "pa" (potty), "push", "dow" (down), "wah wah" (water), "beh" (bed), "cah" (car), "bih" (bib), and probably others that I'm forgetting right now.

Speaking of bibs, you're very particular. We have a blue one and a red one and if the blue one is in sight and you get the red one offered to you, you pretty much throw a fit. Apparently you prefer blue! Sometimes  you're offered another type of bib, where one is colored yellow and the other blue. When given those choices you choose the yellow one! Little boy knows what he likes, that's for sure!

You also love to accessorize. You're quick to grab one of my necklaces, scarves, or belts, or one of daddy's hats or his watch. Lately it's been hard to leave the house without you having chosen one of my beaded necklaces. You certainly turn heads and get giggles, but you love it and so of course so do I.

This month we also got you a small baby doll (wearing blue clothes!). You are learning to cuddle the baby, pat him to sleep, wrap him in the blanket, etc. It's really cute. You like it, but you're not overly interested yet. It will be fun to see how much you play with it after the real baby comes! Not long now - mommy is 39 weeks pregnant so baby could literally come any day.

Well sweet pea, you never cease to entertain us. We will forever be impressed and inspired by you.

love you to pieces,
mama! mama!

growing, growing

::19 months::

Oh darlin. Big, big boy.

grubby little camper

Everyone keeps commenting this month on how much you’ve changed. I guess they can see it too – you’re not a baby any more. You’re a toddler in full swing!

helping daddy with the hand-washing while camping

Some new words this month: color (cuh-gor), peanut butter and other spreads (bee-bee), Sesame Street (sess), nite nite (nigh-nigh), and amen (as soon as prayers are over).

You have also started saying “no”. Whereas you’ve been saying it without the word for ages (think head shaking, arm flailing, grunting in protest), you’ve now started to say the word. But you never just say it once… it’s usually in fours and fives: no-no-no-no-no!

bath time camp-style!

And lastly, you’re new favorite word: uh-oh! You say it all. the. time. It is seriously cute and you know it. You’ve also started dropping things on purpose just so you can say uh-oh. It’s very cute, but we’re trying to not let you onto that fact for fear you’ll be dropping every thing! Instead we’re trying to teach you that we only say it when things happen by accident. Pretty funny process to be honest!

You were sick this month with a flu. It was quite a miserable week with a cough, fever, major irritability, and the runniest nose I’ve ever seen. Poor guy. You were pretty out of sorts, waking through the night and also having meltdowns far too often throughout the day. Your flu resolved itself but your cough has hung on. It’s a pretty nasty one – still waking you up through the night, gagging and sputtering.

not feeling well = very low meltdown threshold

sick with the flu

You’ve also started teething again. We’re tyring an amber teething necklace but we’re not quite sure if it’s working yet. Our fingers are crossed in a big way that it works though. We all need some relief from the misery – your mother included!

auntie kates

This month we also went camping with the DTS. You and Daddy went up without me because I got sick. You had five days up there before I joined you and it was so clear that you had a ball! You loved having Dad to yourself (and he loved it too!) and of course you loved being the center of attention with the other 30 people up there. You definitely have a way of charming peoples hearts! After I was better I joined you guys for the last five days. We had a lot of fun together – throwing rocks, collecting sticks, and generally just enjoying the time outside having space, being unplugged, and having a loose schedule.

warming our hands at the fire before bedtime

plopping rocks in the creek

Hard to believe that in just six weeks your baby brother is due. I think about you a lot and wonder how you’ll cope with the changes. I think you’ll do really well. You’re such a loving kid. I want to spend as much mommy-time with you this month as I can before everything changes, but please know you will always be my first-born love.

your appetite has improved again this month :)

forever,

mom xxx

one-and-a-half

::18 months old::

How is it that I have a one-and-a-half year old?? Wow, you are getting to be such a big boy!

 

Some of your new words this month are: more (saying it, not just signing it), book, down, off, and cheese. There may have been more, but these are the new ones that I can remember!

We also went to New Zealand this month – just you and I – for a week. I was teaching on a DTS there and since Daddy was going to also be busy with work, we decided that you should come with me!

It was a great trip. The first few days were difficult – managing your active little self on the 8-hour journey (flights, layovers, and drive) was no easy task for me. But after a couple of days we settled into a routine and had an amazing time. I actually really enjoyed sharing my room and space with you and being a little duo for the week. I think it was especially good since baby brother is coming soon – meant we had a little time to ourselves, which was great.

We skyped Daddy every day, which is such a blessing, and two of the ladies on the YWAM base took turns watching you during the mornings while I was teaching. You were much “easier” on the way back home to Townsville and I was very proud of you during the entire week – my little traveler. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

When we got home Daddy fixed up a tricycle for you that I got off of freecycle. We designed it together and then Daddy went to town. It’s your “Captain America” bike and you love it! Dad loves it too. It’s so much fun to see you peddling down the street like a big boy – just cruising along and pointing things out as you go. Daddy loves making and building things for you. I’m quite sure he likes the new trike as much as you do!

(And yes, of course you still love your music!)

What else is new this month?

You got your first haircut. It was a little sad to say good-bye to those curly wisps... but it was definitely time since you often looked a little out-of control... a bit like this: 

We also introduced you to Sesame Street this month. Originally I didn’t want you watching any TV until you were two years old, but I changed my mind because I wanted to have a trick up my sleeve for the long flights! You love it of course, and I do too. It’s not something I let you watch every day just yet, but it is a nice, welcome break when we both need some down time.

You mimic everything we do... and want to be in the middle of everything... and "help" with everything.

You’ve gotten much more interested in coloring, but you don’t like to do it alone yet – you want a partner!

You almost always ask to sit at the kitchen island rather than your highchair. Apparently high chairs are so 17 months...

You’ve also gotten really into jumping. It’s super cute… but you aren’t able to get both feet off the ground at once yet, which I find hilarious.

You’re eating less these days – not sure if that’s a teething thing or what.

Oh, and you have an opinion about everything too. And I mean everything.

You are playing with legos a lot more (not “real” legos – the big, chunky toddler ones) and actually helping to build things, rather than just knock them over.

You’re sleeping really well 6:30pm-7:00am and then a big 2-3 hour nap midday – may that continue!

Overall you’re just amazing – so incredibly smart and funny and cute. I think I could repeat myself every month saying those exact same things… but we just really love you and are very smitten by you.

love always,

mama xx

hello big boy!

:: 17 months ::

Mr. Little Man. You are so, so grown up. Just today you got your first haircut – by yours truly. Your hair was so, so, so cute. Long sweeping bangs and little wisps and curls around the sides and the back. But it was always in your face and I felt bad about that. Now that I’ve cut it I kinda regret it. But it’s not that it doesn’t look cute – it totally does. You will always look cute. It’s just that you look so different – so much more grown up. I already miss the thought of you “younger” (yesterday). I know it’s silly! I love you today more than I did yesterday. And you needed your hair to be cut. That’s just part of life. Ah, but it’s the little things that drive home how fast you’re growing up and how you’re just not my baby anymore.

Wait, you will always be my baby. :)

You also got all four of your first molars in this last month. Yeah, it’s been a big month for teething! No action for ages and then four in one month! The two on your right side (top and bottom) are all the way through, and the two on your left side are still coming in but have broken the surface. It’s been causing you a bit of grief – disturbing your sleep and making you more clingy than usual.

with nan & pop - your great-grandparents

Your vocabulary is just exploding! I don’t think I’ll be able to remember all of your new words (and I haven’t been writing them down unfortunately) but I will try! Some of the notable ones are: Baa (Bop), Nanny, GeeGee (Gigi), boo (poo), chee (cheese), sjoo (shoe), sjuu (juice), bay bay (baby), and nigh nigh (goodnight). You also sign “book” now.

always the music lover - listening to music on dad's iphone during our plane ride

But even more than all your new words, your comprehension level is through the roof! You’re a great listener for such a little guy! We can say all sorts of things that are much more complex now and you completely get it. For example, I could say something like, “ Go and get your shoes please. They are in mama’s bedroom near the closet.” And you go straight to the place and find them. It’s amazing! You are so, so clever.

at taronga zoo

Another thing that has really increased this month is your, um, bossiness. (Not sure how else to put it!) You’re constantly directing daddy and I around – pushing us to move here, go there, do this, don’t do that, etc. It’s pretty cute, but also tiring at times. Eventually you will learn that the world doesn’t actually revolve around you, but for now I think you’re pretty convinced!

You respond really well to time-outs now. When you don’t listen or disobey we sit you down against a wall and say “shhh, time-out”. You sit there quietly, looking down and “shh-ing”. It’s nearly impossible not to laugh. Often I have to turn around so that you can’t see me smiling or laughing! When we finish the time out we stand you up and talk to you about what you did wrong, tell you we love you, tell you to say “I’m sorry” and give each other kisses. Without fail so far, you always then go and obey or do what you were told before the time-out. It’s amazing! I’ve never seen a kid respond to time-outs so well. We’re hoping it lasts!! Oh, and we’re so proud of you!

here you are "shushing" during your time out

this is your "i'm in trouble" face
(i finally was able to take photos since i had a giant zoom lens!)

This month has been a big month for us. After we returned from our family holiday in Port Douglas we all got sick for the week. It wasn’t fun! :( After that we left for Sydney for two weeks. It was such a fun time. You absolutely loved Nanny & Bop, especially your Bop. And ohmygoodness they loved you!! It just melted our hearts to watch you interact and play with them. We really wish we lived closer!

nanny & bop & cousins jackson & jasmine

You also loved seeing Auntie Koz and Uncle Ben and your cousins Jackson and Jasmine. You and Jackson were two peas in a pod – totally adoring each other. It was priceless to watch you entertain each other, imitate each other, and love each other. You had so much fun! We even got to go to the zoo together – your first trip there – and you and Jacks loved it! It was hard to say goodbye to them all.

You’re doing a better job of letting us brush your teeth now. That’s a nice development and it means they actually get a clean like they need… most days at least!

And then there’s eating… Your eating habits are all over the place these days. You still don’t really like veggies and you often reject things that you “like”. Not sure if it’s just the teething or if you’re picky or if you’re just asserting your independence. Sometimes I find it very frustrating, but I try to mostly just stay relaxed about it. The “experts” tell me this is very normal for toddlers. J You still love your cereal, toast, sandwiches, yogurt, chicken nuggets, cheese, grapes, crackers, scrambled eggs, and rice cakes with peanut butter or cream cheese. You’ll eat those baby food squeezies still and that’s pretty much the only way I can get veggies into you. They are expensive, but at least you’re getting a little more than just all those carbs! I’ve been giving you V8 fruit and veg juice every day just to get a little more veg into you as well. You really like it.

Like always, you love music and love books. That’s still never changed and I’m beginning to think it never will. Your hand motions for songs has just skyrocketed this month and you do the motions to pretty much every song I sing – 5 Little Ducks, The Wheels on the Bus, 5 Green and Speckled Frogs, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Open Shut Them, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Twinkle Twinkle, and so on and so on… You love your songs!

You also have started singing some of the words too. It’s so cute. You do the “quack, quack, quack” from 5 Little Ducks and a few others. I love it! And dancing, hello dancing! Every month you bust out new moves to the absolute delight of daddy and I. It’s one of our favorite, favorite things!! This month’s top move is you pointing downwards like you’re doing some kind of Saturday Night Fever moves. You also bend over and put your hands on the floor and come up again over and over. It’s so cute and so funny… and who knows how you come up with this stuff, but we love it!

blowing kisses

Another thing you are doing a lot these days (and have been for a couple of months now) is putting your little hand on our cheeks and turning us to where you want us to look. It's pretty funny most of the time, but you can be pretty relentless too. (A persistent little boy you are!) This is the first time we've actually caught it in a photo though:

"no mama, look this way!"

I’m getting so excited for you to become a big brother. I just know you are going to do such a good job. And it won’t be long before you two boys will be playing together. That will just be so precious.

I love you my little Mr. Man. We are so proud of you, so entertained by you, and so amazed by you.

smooches and cuddles,

mama xxoxoox