Sweet Berry

Today was magic, my sweet boy. You muttered a tiny hee-haw as we laid you down, and after some of the sweetest cuddling and recapping of our day we've ever had, it was the most perfect goodnight. 

Sweet Berry Farm you were so good to us today for oh so many reasons, but that donkey made a real impression. We're heading back soon. Come! 

 

17 Months!

My hope of all hopes was that you'd have a wicked sense of humor. Alright, so I wanted you to be healthy and smart and sweet and cute but a sense of humor is way up there on my list of hopes for you. And while I knew you were pretty funny before this month, you cracking up as I said, "Stanley! Don't eat Charlie's poop!" really cemented your taste in good jokes. It's not that I think poop jokes are funny necessarily, I really didn't want Stan to eat your poop (he wanted to), but the fact that you know it would be grossly funny for Stan to want to eat your poop really made the both of us laugh.

Don't judge those groceries...it was a tough week.

This month you're a total parrot. I was out of town A LOT this month, and each time I came home from a trip you had an entire new set of words added to your repertoire. Your GiGi had you for five days while your dad and I went to Montreal, and you came home calm, well-rested, sweet and talking all about GiGi, Pops, water, trucks, turtles and Mani (Madi, of course). Then I headed out to Portland to hang with a sweet new baby, your new best friend BTW, and you hung with your dad, GaGa and PaPa all week, and even though you were sick and slightly miserable, I came home to you talking about PUNKins, ghosts, big big big big big boats (or airplanes not quite sure because they're still the same word). Your dad said "Damn!" the other day and you immediately, with great inflection, parroted "Damn!" right back. Whoops! You still love calling out for things and saying "Whereisit?" And if I ever want you to try a new word we normally try this tactic. Works almost every time. You've started putting words together this month..."Hi, Mama!" is my very favorite, but the idea that you're moving towards talking in sentences kinda blows my mind. You're totally not there yet, but you're pairing words and gaining phrases all the time. It's cra-zy. 

You continue to be confident and brave even when you're not quite sure you really want to be. You touched a turtle and a cat and helped me mow the grass this past month. All of which you weren't really quite sure of, but you tried it which makes me really proud of you. You weren't crazy about the mowing, okay, you hated it, but you love the cats across the street and talk all the time about touching that turtle. We'll have to go back and get your dad to fish another one out of the tank. Dad's are good like that. 

This month we started and quickly ended a Mother's Day Out program. You went a few times and each time you hated it more than the last. You would refuse naps on those days when we got home and would wake up at least 3 or 4 times on Monday nights after going. Needless to say, it was not going well. And since it was only so I would have time to go to observations for UTeach, I decided to find alternate plans for you. No need to start a program when you're so obviously not quite ready. We also started music class in September. You're not too sure about the parachute she brings out, but you love the free play with the drums and shakers and piano, and you're really starting to groove to the music.

You're obsessed with your friends Oli and Eddy, and I can pretty much get you to do anything easily - diaper change, clothes, shoes, etc. - if we're headed out to see them. Oh the power of persuasion. I love seeing your face light up when all get together and watching you have real friendships. You've picked some ridiculously cute, smart, and funny friends, little man. It makes my heart crazy happy. 

Love you and so enjoying settling back into our regular routine. Here's to a month of PUNK-ins, ghosts and a family of Ninja Turtles! (Halloween pics to come...cute ones, hopefully.)