Milestone

This month marks a milestone for us. You can now get in your car seat and buckle the top snap! It is still a bribe fest to get you to stop playing all over the car and actually sit in your seat. But it is a sign of great things to come, independence and responsibility!

I am loving it!

Keeping up

Through out the month I jot down things you do or that happen so I can blog about it later.
This month you have done so much!

Your favorite place to go is Home Depot where you climb on the riding mowers and run through the plants and flowers.

We bought you a kite and took you to the park. It was a great day to fly a kite with a strong steady wind! You were so excited. We got the kite flying and handed you the string--it lasted all of 45 seconds before you let go and laughed hysterically as I ran recklessly to catch the string! This became the game which you repeated multiple times! I know, stop giving you the string. But that was the point of buying the kite and you kept asking for it and we would explain the point of a kite to you and you would say that you understood, then, oops there it goes again!

We have planted my first garden. You have been a big helper watering the plants with the hose.
We spend most of our evenings outside playing and watching the garden!

Your speach is getting so clear and you are talking in complete sentences and answering questions using your own thoughts! It is so exciting to see and hear who you are! There are somethings that you can't quite say. For example, my parents are Grandma and Grandpa to you. But you can't get the hang of Grandpa so you have started calling him "Campa" and we all LOVE it so much it just might stick. Your new phrase is "I see something" to which we respond, "What do you see?" Then you will tell us what you see . You use this very strategically to stall or to distract us or to get something you want, it usually works because it is so cute!

I love being your mom and we are having such fun raising you. Your personality and thoughts are starting to show and it is so exciting for us to learn the real you, the person you are becoming!

Love,
Your Momma

Months 25 and 26

So much is happening! Your Papa got hired full time after two years of unemployment and part-time freelance work!!! You and I have been sick almost a straight month of congestion, coughing, and snot!

You moved into the Toddler 2 class room at daycare then, we changed daycare. No more nanny cam for me which makes me sad, but the plus is that you now spend your days with a lady from our church who runs a daycare out of her home. It is much more as I would do things if I could be home with you and you are getting along wonderfully! She has a two year old who you are befriending and there are different children there some days too!

You stayed overnight with Grandma and Grandpa while your Papa and I took a weekend with our friends. When we got back, Grandma had taught you how to pray!!! So now we fold our hands bow our heads and talk to Jesus before meals and at bed time. (Thank you Grandma!)

You are still hitting when you don't get your way and you say "Bad Mama" when you are mad at me. Don't worry I AM putting a stop to that! You have totally hit the terrible twos and try my patients daily. Usually when you need to get dressed, put your shoes on, or get into your car seat. We were bribing you with DumDum suckers. But your were eating way to much sugar so we had to stop that too! Hope this phase passes soon.

We have gotten rid of the crib and moved you into the bottom bunk bed. Grandma and Grandpa bought you sheet with cars Mario brothers which your papa returned and replaced with star wars. Potty training has taken a back seat. You just aren't interested anymore. You will ask to go everyonce in a while and that is ok you will get it sooner or later!

You are doing some cute things though. Instead of saying "no" to things you have started saying "no way". All the time, it is cute. Your Papa is trying to teach you "No way dude."
You are saying "What happened?" at everything that happens, if you trip or fall, you look up and say "what happened?" You head a noise "what happened?" You drop something "what happened?"

You LOVE to go to Home Depot and play on the riding mowers. You ask for Home Depot all the time.

Lately the owls and tree frogs have been singing at night. Once you discovered about what was making the sounds you now love them. You will hear an owl and go looking for it telling me you want to catch it! Tree Frogs are purple in your world and you want to catch them to! You have a flashlight and love to shine it in dark spaces or under covers, but especially in people's faces!

We bought you water guns the other day and I truly enjoyed watching you and Papa chase each other around the backyard!

These are fun days, you are talking so much clearer and even though there are tantrums and out and out screaming fits it is fun to watch you grow!

We love you so much and enjoy what you bring to our family!

Love
Mama

Learning

I write so that you will know how much we love you, how fun you are, the funny things you do, the joy you bring, and the activities we did as a family. I also write to tell you the Truth, so that if we are not around or there comes a time when we as parents and child cannot seem to communicate with each other, this blog may touch you in ways that we can not and you will know the Truth! You have always been loved by us and by your Heavenly Father.

You have been blessed, no matter what you feel you don't have or has been taken from you or that is unfair. You are loved by a God who continues to love you, bless you, and pursue a relationship with you!

Life is hard because this life is not all about you or me or even our family. It is about God and lives that bring Him glory. Here are things that I will be teaching you as you grow. Some of these are hard for me to teach because they do not come easily with our human nature, many of them were hard lessons for me to learn. It would be easier to spoil you and keep you protected and do whatever you want to keep you happy, but that is not loving you fully.

Taking steps to be safe is important (always wear your helmet or seat belt. I don't care what your Papa says!) But living in fear of risk is not living fully. It is not trusting in a God with unlimited power and resources and unconditional love for you. God calls us to risk, at times our own possessions, dreams or personal safety to follow Him for His glory. (I know there will be times when you will not believe it, but His way is always better for you than leaving His way to follow your own way. Your way is for the moment, God's way is glorifying to him which is eternal. No matter what you must go through to follow what he has called you to, knowing and trusting and believing in Him more, is worth it!).

Going without money can feel like punishment or it can be seen as the "right" way to live. Neither is always the case. Be smart with your money. Be joyfully generous to those whom God calls and lays on your heart to be generous with. All money, resources, material things, health, and even cultural luxuries (clean running water) are owned and controlled by our God. Hold these things with open hands. Enjoy and be smart with that you have, when you have it. When you don't have as much do not fear or regret. God still controls all the money, resources of this world and he can provide for you even when you do not see a way!

In all things give thanks to God and seek to glorify Him where he has you with what he has given you! Be a testimony to the love and faithfulness of God no matter what your circumstances, rich, poor, working to get out of debt(hopefully we will teach you to avoid debt!), or anywhere in between.

There is so much to teach you from tying your shoes to loving your wife to being surrendered to Jesus Christ, this really can't be taught by us, it is a gift from the Holy Spirit, but it can be lived out before you as an example. This will be my job for the rest of my life!! This both petrifies me and fills me with so much purpose!

I love you, my son.

I still have much to learn so I will live transparent and at times we will learn together!
You are covered in prayer everyday and your Heavenly Father knows you, he made you for His purpose and loves you even more than I can!

Love,
Mama

24mths

Well its official, you are two.

You are getting so big and talking a lot! I say it once and you repeat. You have just started forming sentences. You still want me to be with you all the time and I have trouble getting anything done. You are very huggie and will randomly say "hug" and throw yourself at someone.

Lately everything "hurts" you say it all the time for any reason. "Chandler put your shirt on" "hurts". "Chandler, its time to put your socks and shoes on" "hurts". Usually a kiss will make it better, but I couldn't get you to wear shoes for two weeks straight. You have started kissing your own boo boos and say "butter" which is how it sounds when you say better.

The sweetest thing you do these days is stroking my face and saying "nice".

You are not getting in trouble as much at daycare and have stopped hitting and pushing your friends there. But when you do take a toy that is not yours or make another kid cry you immediately go up to them and say "sorry", it is very cute.

In the morning when you get up you whine and kick in your crib. When I come in to pick you up you gather Duke, Tigger, blue blanket, and brown blanket!!! Then I carry you and all your things to the couch to watch "Shaun the Sheep" and eat breakfast on the couch.

You are like your Papa in that texture matters so much to you. You only like the softest blankets. You scream every time I put jeans or corduroy pants on you. You will only wear stretchy PJ material. The other night you found a sateen pillow case and all evening you rubbed it on your belly and ended up sleeping in it like a sleeping bag (silky side inside of course).

I hope you know how loved you are and that your Papa and I have so much fun with you in our lives.

23 months

You will be 2 years next month! This is your second Christmas. I am so excited to go through the holiday season with you. To see you discover the joy and surprise and beauty of this season! I am trying to establish Christmas tradition now that we can share every year.

You and I made Christmas cookies this week. I cut the sugar cookies from the tube and you sprinkled green and red sugar on top of them! Maybe next year we will make homemade cookies.

It snowed this morning and you were very excited to be out in it. You thought it was so neat.

Your talking has improved and you know so many more words. I love hearing you say a new word for the first time. You are very very smart!

Both sides of the family are excited to see you this season!

On to daily things...

You are definitely going through a stage, whining is your thing now. I must admit it drives me batty sometimes. You will whimper like a puppy if I won't hold you or sit and watch "Shaun the Sheep" with you or I am busy cooking.

You hate tags in your shirts. You make us tear them out before you will let us put them on you.

You love to help Papa fix things. We have been painting the kitchen cabinets and replacing the hardware. You grab a tool and join right in!

Oh, Grandma gave you DVD's to teach you the letters of the alaphbet. You love watching them and are catching on so quickly. Did I mention that you are smart? You make the sounds that some of the letters make. Your favorite sound to make is "C" and "P". We have alaphebet magnets on the fridge and you move those around and make letter sounds.

I am so excited about the NEW Year. 2 will be a huge and wonderful year of learning and growing. I am so excited!!! We will start potty training and sleeping in a big boy bed!

You really are a joy to have around! I love you so much!

Love
Mama

22 months

So much has happened in this last month!

Here are a list of your accomplishments:
We stopped using the paci during the day! (now it is only for nap time and bed time)
You say all kinds of words, too many to type out.
You know your colors!!! You hold up crayons and tell or ask us the colors, you point to different colors on an old patch work quilt and say the colors!
You are starting to try using the potty ( no real success yet)
You remember all your relatives and adapt to new people playing with you much quicker.
We are able to explain things to you and you understand, which now is starting to help you alter your mood...sometimes.
I can get you to do things by asking you to "Help"
You are choosing your outfits.

We are just having so much fun with your growth!

Last month we visited a petting zoo! You had a great time! you got to feed the goats and lamas. You got to see a Tiger up close (through fencing). You saw monkeys, pigs, snakes, camels, bison, ponies, foxes, Kangaroos and more!

Auntie T came for a visit. You spend tons of time playing with her and loving on her. It warms my heart that you take to her so well when you don't see her very often. I know she loves you so much and wants to be a part of your life! We all spent the weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's we saw the largest tree house (its in the Gensis book of World Records), Then we went to a ranch for a fall festival. You got to feed horses and ride them, you really likes seeing the horses. You and your Papa jumped and played in one of those inflatable bounce houses. It is the first time we could get you to get inside one.

What a full month! You are lovable and fun! you give kisses and hugs and laugh out loud. You make me so very happy. I think you are adorable and wonderful! Know that you are truly loved by me and your Papa and our families!

Love you
Mama