Snow Day!

Today Mama had a snow day!  Hooray!  Right now, you don't understand what snow days are, but someday, buddy, you are going to be just as excited as I am about a snow day.

Of course, I woke up an hour earlier than I have to on work days and you slept an hour later than normal.  I got a lot done while you and Daddy were sleeping though.   Finally, around 8:30 I heard you chattering over the baby monitor.

Your bedhead this morning was adorable.

While you drank some milk and ate your strawberries and kiwi, I made you appleasauce pancakes.

...which you loved.

We had a wonderful chat while you ate breakfast and I made pancakes.  You ate two pancakes.  So you must have really liked them.

"Yes, Mama...you can kiss me, if I get another pancake."

After you finished breakfast, you played in your kitchen helper while I did the breakfast dishes.  You nose is running like a faucet because you are getting some molars.

I love this thing, Mama!  What else can I play with?

Then we went to the living room to play.  Daddy woke up and came out to play, too!

This is mostly what I see when you're playing.  You are constantly on the move!

You tried to escape...

"I know you and Daddy step on this thing and the gate opens...why isn't it working for me!?"

You read your books.

Then, you had your morning tired spell.  You've decided you don't need your morning nap anymore, but you get to a point when you want to cuddle and watch an episode of Sid or Mickey.  Once you've had your one episode, you are up and on the move again!

Watching Mickey together

After your rest period, we baked cookies!  I'm tempted to make this our snow day tradition, but there's all the cookies that would produce if we live anywhere but where we live now.

You did an excellent job mixing with your beater.

"Okay, Mama...now you mix it all together."

"Hang on...I think I should taste that dough to make sure it's ok."

Once the cookies we baking, you helped me vacuum the living room.

"Hey Mom, you missed a spot over here."

By then, it was time for lunch!

We had cucumbers and chicken and crackers.  It was all your favorite c's!

After your (3 hour!) nap, we played some more.

You pushed your wagon around the living room.

At some point, your socks disappeared.

"No Mama, I don't know where my socks are..."

We tried on hats so that we were prepared for the Snowpocolypse that was headed our way.

No, no Mama...this is YOUR hat.  Mine is green.

Finally, it was dinner.  We had Grandma's pepper steak.  You are still unimpressed with beef, but you loved the veggies, mushrooms, and quinoa.

"You're taking my picture...that means I'm eating something that will potentially cause me to make a face.  I'm on to you, Mother."

Yum!  Quinoa!

Finally, we snuggled up in Daddy's chair and watched our daily episode of Sesame Street.  It was a rerun, but you didn't seem to mind.  

Look up high / In the sky / It's a school! / It can fly!

And tomorrow, we get to do it all again!  I hope you enjoyed your first snow day, Little One.  Tomorrow we will play in the snow.  I can't wait to see your reaction to it!

14 Months

Age:  14 Months

As soon as I took off the chair cover, you were standing there waiting to sit in your chair.

Favorite activity:  Reading!  It makes my teacher-mommy heart swoon to sit and watch you read books.  You carefully turn the pages, examine the pictures, and sometimes you "read" out loud.  Every night when I come home from work, you book basket is empty and your books are sitting out where yo've clearly been reading them.  Once in a great while, we'll catch you trying to nibble on your book but a quick, "No sir!" and you go back to reading.  Except the little Disney chunk books...they must look too much like little sandwiches.  You can't resist chewing on them.

Shhh Mama, I'm reading...

Honorable mentions:  You love your new Kitchen Helper.  You enjoy standing like a big boy at the counter and playing while Mama cooks.  I love having you nearby and I can't wait to have you helping me cook dinner.

"Helping" Mama make muffins

Least favorite activity:  You do not like getting help from Daddy or I.  You are Mr. Independent. The other night at dinner, you didn't want the pieces of hamburger that I had cut for you.  No, you wanted to take your own bites.  When we're out, you rarely get to walk on your own because you absolutely refuse to hold our hands.  Please don't make me put you on a leash, child.

See...you won't hold our hands...

Milestones:  You can feed yourself with a fork/spoon!  Oh sure, you miss 75% of what you attempt to eat, but that 25% that makes it in always makes you so proud.  You try to put your socks and shoes on when we hand them to you while we're changing you.  You can also point to your tummy and your head when we ask you.  If you can flip your bin of blocks over and push it over to the couch, you pull yourself up on the bin and start climbing.  No climbing!  Ack!  Mama's not ready!

Words:  "Bye-bye!"  

Signs:  You've figured out what "more" means and you're using it for things besides just food.  We're still working on "kitty" and "up."  However, you have started climbing up in my lap, pulling the blanket over us, and signing "more."  You mean "more Mickey."  You also start signing "more" as soon the Hot Dog song comes on when we're watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  It's adorable.

Sleep:  One brief dance party after I mistakenly decided to teach you the cup rule after dinner one night, but otherwise you've been sleeping through the night.  That being said, it takes you anywhere from an hour to two hours to wind down at night after we've put you to bed.  On a normal night, we hear the following: fake cries, real cries, screeching, singing, babbling, your favorite tongue waggling noise, whining, your bink hitting the floor, the seahorse hitting the floor multiply times, your glow worm landing in the book basket, and my absolute favorite - big, belly laughs.

Best Moment:  Christmas!  You are one lucky little boy, buddy.  There are so many people who love you.  Gifts aside, there were so many people who loved on you.  We're so thankful to have so many people who love you almost as much as us.  I hope you always know how much you are loved.

When I returned home from my first day back at work, you were so happy to see me!  Daddy said your naps consisted of 5 minutes of silence, 15 minutes of playing/bink banging, and 20 minutes of "Ma ma ma ma ma"s.  Evidently you missed me as much as I missed you!

Wait, wait, wait...these are for me?!

Worst Moment:  Yesterday was not your best day.  You slipped on the hardwood floors and face planted into the air vent grate.  The goose egg popped up on your head almost immediately.  Then, you got frustrated.  Sometimes when you get angry or frustrated you use your head as a weapon.  Man, your noggin is lethal.  You've clocked both Daddy and I accidentally and on purpose over the year.  Yesterday, in your fit of anger, you head butted the coffee table.  Let's hope it's the last time you use your noggin as a weapon. 

Use that noggin for good, not evil!

Eating:  I spent half of the month worrying that you were eating too much and the other half of the month worrying that you weren't eating enough.  Sometimes you eat so much that I swear you have a hollow leg and then you'll eat like a bird.  I'm told this is normal.  You still love vegetables, but you're eating what we eat so you've had adventurous foods this month like lemon garlic chicken, brussels sprouts, pot roast, crosnes, and purple carrots.

Helping Daddy build with your new blocks

Favorite Food:  You cannot get enough vegetables and crackers.  Some nights, that's all you eat.  Other nights, you eat anything and everything we put in front of you.  Your newest favorite is the green smoothie I make for you every once and a while.  Organic whole milk, organic spinach, two strawberries, two chunks of mango, and two chunks of pineapple.  You slurp.  It's adorable.

These are amazing, Mama!

Teeth:  You have one molar now!  Hooray!  The one on the bottom left is in and I think the one on the right is starting to come in.

We love you, buddy.  We're so thankful that we get to be your parents.

Small Moments

Daddy must run a pretty tight ship because you are learning new things at the speed of light (or so it seems to me).  I'm already looking into a preschool curriculum for the summer.  It's never to early to start letter flash cards!

Every night, you and I sit together while you drink your milk and watch Sesame Street (sometimes, it's Mickey Mouse).  Most of the time, I fall asleep before the end of the show.  Something about Sesame Street sends me into a catatonic state.  Then there are the nights we snuggle under Daddy's red blanket and giggle.  I don't know what Donald was saying that was so funny, but the giggling made my night.

Genius

Out of the blue yesterday, I asked you this yesterday.  I'm constantly amazed at how smart you are and how quickly you learn.  

Let's not discuss the fact that you learned to climb today too.  Finding you on the couch after having scaled your block tub is not good for Mama's heart.

You also love the kitties (and I think they secretly love you, too).

Merry Christmas!

This year, we made our annual pilgrimage to Ohio for Christmas.  I think you had fun, buddy.  I think you had a wonderful Christmas.  Goodness knows we had a wonderful time watching you.

Within 5 minutes of arriving at Grandma and Grandpa's, you had already raided Grandma's "stash cabinet" and found this wonderful drum to play with.  

You loved playing with your uncles old waffle blocks.

You were fascinated with any telephone...especially this one that lit up and made fun noises. 

You loved turning the television off when people were watching anything but Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. 

You loved being pushed on the waffle block car.

Wheeee! 

Kale chips were a hit. 

We cuddled up and watched our nightly Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

You loved sitting in your high chair with your feet on the tray. 

Unwrapping presents was the most fun part.

Except for maybe the boxes...

Daddy got new pajama pants.

Mama got new pajama pants.

Even you got new pajamas!  (But you refused to stand still for a picture)

You loved playing the pots and pans at Grandma and Grandpa's, too.

Santa came.

You were more than a little excited.

"Official" Christmas picture...don't ask me about your fascination with shoes.

You received so many fun presents!

It took forever to open them because you insisted on playing with them all immediately.

Or reading them...

We watched the Mickey Mouse Christmas parade...you were very excited by Mickey (and nothing else).

Then we went to Granny and Grandad's where you were clearly shocked by the prospect of more presents.

Merry Christmas, buddy.  We love you so much!  We can't wait for next year.

13 Months!

Age:  13 Months

All your non-bib pictures had a drooly shirt.  Oh those teeth, buddy.

Favorite activity:  Pulling off your socks.  Good grief, child!  We go in to get you after your nap and your feet are bare.  I went to clean up your room the other day and I found 6 pairs (!!!) of socks UNDER your bed.

Honorable mentions:  I finally got your felt board up (for an evening).  To my shock, you LOVED it (and not just because you could eat it).  Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to put it up, but it's coming!

This circle is delicious!

Least favorite activity: With your cold, you hated us using the bulb syringe to clean out your nose.  Ohhhh, how you hated it.

If I fits, I sits.  The kitties taught me that.

Milestones: Baby's first cold.  :(  We spent one very sad weekend getting you well.  Luckily, you seemed to bounce back quickly.  Mama, however, needed a z-pack.  You're worth it though, buddy.

Words:  You say, "Hi!," "Peas," (please) "kitty", "me-me," (Mickey), "baby," "Mama," and "Daddy."

Signs:  "More," "all done," "eat," "change," "please," and we're working on "milk" and "thank you."

Sleep: Unless your teeth are bothering you, you sleep like a log at night.  Let's continue that, mmk?  Naptime is hit or miss.

Best Moment: Every night when I walk in the door, you do this amazing sighing "Hi!" and run over to hug me.  Plus, you give hugs on command.  A-mazing.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

Worst Moment: You cried through your entire 1 year well check.  We really have no idea why.  Dad thinks it was a combination of lack of food, nap time, and leaving toys before you wanted.  I'm worried you're afraid of the doctor.  You've been to the doctor once a month for the past three months and each time you got a shot (flu shots, sorry).  Add to that a bunch of shots that make me very scared and it was a very hard morning.

Eating:  You are eating just about anything and everything we'll give you.  We're phasing out the prepackaged Gerber meals and you're eating what we're eating.  So far, you seem to love it.  

Mmm...felt is tasty.

Favorite Food:  You love your vegetables.  Peas, green beans, carrots, you name it, you love it.  Pass the veggies, please!

Teeth:  We know you're getting your two bottom molars and a tooth in the front.  You've been pretty miserable this month.  I'm sorry buddy.  It will be over soon.

Fun with Felt

We visited with some friends for Thanksgiving and while we were there I spotted a piece of felt hanging on the wall with shapes.  It was such a fantastically simple idea that I knew I could pull it off.  Mama is craftingly challenged.  You should know this now.

I spent a week cutting out shapes, letters, and numbers.  We went to the craft store the Sunday after Thanksgiving and I left with no sheets of felt.  Crazy crafting ladies!  Last weekend, I braved JoAnne's again and got the felt for the board part.

I worried that you wouldn't quite understand what to do, but I was wrong.  You LOVE your felt wall.  I need to work on keeping the felt ON the wall, but for the hour it stayed on tonight you were fascinated.  Daddy is going to help me with the felt panel.

I can't wait to do more fun things like this with you, buddy!