Animals

You love animals! Of course our love our dog, Indra, but you also love all animals. Grandma gave you a place mat with all kinds of animals on it. As we eat you point to the animals and we tell you that they are. When you point to the lion or alligator you make the roar sound that that animal makes.

You love your Tigger! You carry him around most places you go. Usually with you blue blanket!

Duke is you bed time dog. He stays in your crib and at night you cuddle up with it and lay your head on top of him.

Namma gave you this doggie chair. It is you favorite place to sit, climb on or just plain old tackle! You love to put it on the couch and try and sit on it, but every once in a while the doggie chair wins and you get tossed to the floor.

Love
Mama

20 mths

I have almost missed your twentieth month post!

I have been working a lot this month and I think it takes a toll on you. You seem to know when I steel even one hour from our normal routine! Which makes you more fussy as you protest more and more each time I leave.

You have been doing so well in Daycare and getting better at being nice to your friends! We are still waiting for coherent speech from you. but you always get your point across. You have been loving bath time, you play with the bubbles and enjoy squeezing the faucet so that the water squirts all over. You also are really getting into brushing your teeth. You get your little stool and pull it up to the sink grab your tooth brush and brush (or chew on it). You also like to take Mom and Dads tooth brush and scrub the counters, or the stool or the door frame! You don't yet understand that some things are "clean" and should not touch "dirty" things. Oh, well it just increases our immune system!

You got your first tick, although I don't know how! We also confirmed that you are still allergic to Tomatoes--you got a whole body rash! so sorry!

You really love social stuff, and once you warm up to your surroundings you make your way around the room and climb, touch, or play with everyone in the room. We took you to a friends house to watch a football game. You had such a good time.

The first photo is of your new past time or drawling on the walls. Not my favorite talent of yours. But I do love your other new past time which is drumming! You love to take candle sticks and drum on stuff, tables, chairs, pretty much anything. I secretly hope you become a drummer, I always wanted to be a drummer, but I have no rhythm.

I love you always and you are the delight in our life!

Love your Mama.

19 months

This week you turn 19 months. It is starting to sink in the hugeness of parenting. As you are growing you are understanding so much and talking is just around the corner. The responsibility of teaching you about Christ and the daily follow through that it involves is over whelming as a parent. I know it is just living the example and taking the moments in life to enforce the foundations of the Christian faith. But your father and I want to do that well and there is such a burden in my heart for you to know Him! Know that your Papa and I are growing in our faith too. We are not perfect and at times loose our tempers with you. Please forgive us, we always regret it! In our weakness we can only point to Christ who is a perfect loving, teaching, and disciplining Father.

I have to admit I let you talk me into TV much too often and (thanks to your Papa) chocolate milk may be your first two syllable word! Each morning that there is time you and I and Indra go on a walk. We have started taking a different route where we pass by one yard with two huge Great Danes and then another yard with a big Rotweiler! I am nervous because I know if they wanted to they could clear that fence and not break stride. But not you, you love it and you love it even more when they get all worked up and bark! You love dogs. Your Papa takes you to the dog park, every once in a while, and you get to run free with all the doggies. You get licked, smelled, knocked over and barked at! But it does not bother you.

I can already see your charm coming out especially when the girls are around! You smile and they are smitten.

I want to teach you balance and perspective, wisdom and spontaneity, an understanding of compassion and generosity. I want to allow you to live out your own personality and discover your God given gifts. I want so much for you, but all I can do is love you and take each day at a time, using each opportunity to guide you as you grow.

Love,
Mama

A few extra things

Here are a few extra thing you do that I think are so cute! You have always loved the car. touching buttons, knobs, climbing over the seats. But lately you want to DRIVE. You climb in the drivers seat and ask me to put the keys in and turn it on so the radio plays. Once you have music you turn that steering wheel back and forth and every once in a while you move the shifter. You have seen Papa and Mama drive that way and you want to too! It is so fun to watch your understanding of objects, and concepts grow.

Last night you actually asked for a hair cut! We had been talking about cutting your blonde wispy hair for a few days. Last night before you would get in the tub you found Papa's clippers and brought them to him. Then you stood there and let him cut your hair! You were so patient and calm! The noise didn't frighten you, the clippers touching your head didn't bother you! You were such a big boy! Now you have a hair cut that makes you look so much older!

Sunday we went to a Fourth of July picnic. They had big inflatable rides, and cotton candy, snow-cones, cookies, and a live puppet show! You had such a great time. You watched intently the puppet show and clapped along with them, you (Papa and Mama) helped you slide down a huge tall inflatable slide and you ate junk food all afternoon! Then a band came on stage and the concert started! You ran right up front and danced and jumped to the music. We had a blast!

I am loving watching you grow up and seeing the new personality that comes out in you!

Love always,
Mama

18 mths

I can't belileve it is offically a year and a half. So much has happened! Recently you have been sick a lot since your started daycare. But inbetween illnesses you are giggling and exploritive! You babble more and more and I can tell when you are asking a question because you turn your hands up and shrug your shoulders. You love your Papa, he is tough on you but he also showers you with love and fun! I am you comfortor and your cheerleader one look from you and I melt!

Your Papa and Grandpa built a jungle gym for you in the back yard. It has a fort, a slide, a swing, and a sand box! You love climbing on it. The slide is a bit steep and you fly down it almost catching air! But you will grow into it!

We went swimming at Namma's you will not let us put any type of float device on you, but you love the water. You spent most of your time on the raft playing in the water on top of the raft and getting on and getting off the raft.

Your Auntie T came to visit you this month. You warmed up to her and the two of you played especially in the mornings. You swam together in the hot tub and played chase through the house.

I feel like the next coming months will bring so many changes. I can't wait to see what though changes will bring. I can see you becoming a little boy! I pray for you daily that you will be healthy, that we will be wise parents, that God provides for us and that you will come to trust in the Lord.

You are a joy and a challenge and your Papa and I love you!

Mama

DayCare

This is your second week in DayCare at MudPies and Music. I am so impressed how well you have adjusted to the schedule, even though you only go three days a week. You really seem to like being there. This Daycare has a "Nanny Cam" so I can check in on you throughout the day, which I LOVE!!! You play inside and outside on the playground, you do art and sing songs, and eat snacks and take a nap. Outside you like the slide and the tricycles. Inside you carry your "Tigger" around and play with the different toys and the other kids. I am so impressed at how you sit at the table in your own chair and wait patiently for snack or lunch, you take naps on a cot (not a crib) and you lay right down and go to sleep often sleeping through a noisy room.

You have not cried when Chris drops you off and whenever I talk about Daycare at home you perk up. Your babbling has increased, you are more obedient and your outburst have become less! I am so happy that you like daycare and it seems to be a good learning place for you. I still miss you like crazy and want to be with you all the time, but I am proud at how you are growing and capable of adjusting to new things. I hope this is a start to great social skills and a love of school and learning!

Know that we are doing the very best we can for you and that we love you so very very much!

Love,
Mama

17 mths

Chandler, you are 17 months this week. You are definitely growing mentally and emotionally. You are starting those legendary tantrums. You throw them the most for me because you already know your Papa will not allow you to carry on so. When you do not get your way you will list on the ground and wail, sometimes rolling on the floor like an alligator doing its death roll. If I try and hold you you kick and squirm so much that it is hard not to drop you. But the screaming is the worst. But just as bad as the tantrums are you are equally loving and fun! You love the little games and you laugh so freely!

You have started giving kisses. It started in the tub, when I would rinse your hair and the water would run into your face. You would stand up startled and come to me at the side of the tub and give me a kiss, I would wipe your face then it is back to playing with your boats! It is one of the most precious things you do. You and your Papa have a different way to show affection, you head butt. Papa will say "I love you" and you two will put your foreheads together...sometimes a little too hard (still learning body control).

This week you start daycare three days a week. I think it will be a great time for you to be social and to learn. I will post more about how you like daycare at the end of your first week.

Indra is interacting with you more and more. You love that dog and get excited to touch or feed her. She now allows you to hug her and hold her tail and pat her. You still play chase where you try and corner the dog and she still dodges you. I am glad to see that relationship developing!

It is always a joy to love you and watch you grow!

Love
Moma