This is 2

So this is 2?  We finally got here and I can't seem to comprehend that reality.  It's true what they say about never thinking it's possible to love your kid more.  But the 'theys' got it right.  You hold your baby for the very first time and you can't imagine a greater love or feeling but every day it grows.  And then you get to 2.  I wonder if my heart will explode before he gets to 10.

2 fills my day with many ups and downs.  First, there is a lovely moment where Mr. 2 grabs my cheeks, pulls my face into his and gives me kisses all over which is followed by a sweet sugar filled giggle.  Then there is an oh so lovely moment where his dinner doesn't cook fast enough so everyone take cover because here comes the ear bleeding screams of frustration and entitlement.  2 is fun.  2 is scary.  2 is that moment your heart sinks to the floor because you realize 5 minutes have gone by in complete silence and you think maybe (just maybe) for that first 4 minutes he was possibly being really good and angelic.  Then that 5th minute ticks by and you KNOW there is either toy cars in the toilet or grandma's kitty litter scattered all over the floor.

As scary/frustrating/pullmyhairout 2 can be, I absolutely love and adore this crazy phase of life.  I would never trade the days of toys scattered every place imaginable, tantrums, biting, kisses, little arms wrapped around my neck, "I love you mommy", cute teeth filled smiles welcoming me home, happy dances, and all the moments I realize I have the cutest little pal who never fails to kiss my boo boos and copy every little thing I do and say.  I love 2.  I love my little Mr. 2.  And I'm certain I'll love Mr. 3 even more.

Below is an update on what my smarty pants is up to these days.  (From about 18 months to now.)

He has learned to talk more and more every day.  It started around 18 months with a few words and now he won't stop blabbering! He is in the phase of life as a copy cat.  He literally repeats EVERYTHING; so that one time dad said booty...yup.

-Words/phrases he says a lot: 
*Uncle taught* "Brotha!" and "Oh Yeeeess."
If we put a piece of clothing on him that he knows mom obsesses over he says "I'm handsome"
"Bob, get down!" or "Beat it Bob!"
"Mom, I play with you?" (When he wants us to come play with him)
"I'm adorable." and "I'm cute!"
"Oh my." (Usually after he is done laughing and it is done while covering his mouth)
"Shake your booty." (As he shakes his booty)
"What's up Homie?"
"I hold you" (When he wants me to pick him up)

-Soooo Close to the Word/Name:
Juice was "Jew" for a while but now it's "duce"
Chicken is "ticken"
R's are british sounding
Grandma is "dand-ma" Grandpa is "dand-pa"
Mac and Cheese is "And Cheese"
Anything round is an apple
Oatmeal is "Emo"
Heater is "Veter"
No is "noed"
YouTube is "Tube"
Outside is "Owside?"
Names he has for mom: "Istina" (Calls me by name whenever he's feeling mischievous)
Names he has for dad: "Babe" (If mom calls him babe, why can't he?)
Words he flat out can't say come out in gibberish or "dinuh."

-Obsessions:
Fans (It's lasted quite a while)

Throwing things away (Mom likes this one)

Covering himself in blankets and walking around with no vision perception whatsoever

All of Grandma Bird's animals.  He loves giving Sugar (the dog) treats and pulling Bob's (the cat) tail.  Yeah...he gets bitten.

-Funny Behaviors:
Really protective of mom.  If anyone is tickling me and I shout no, Blake screams and runs up to my attacker and nails em!  He legitimately get's really upset.

He has a super evil laugh.

Loves to climb/stand on everything and then purposefully fall off...on his head.  Hopefully he doesn't stop learning all the sudden...

Whenever we have to leave and he doesn't want to go, he collapses to the floor, face down.

His claustrophobia has gotten a bit worse.  If we are taking his shirt off and it gets stuck on his head for even a second he instantly panics.  So we have to strip him super fast! He still won't let us put any hats/hoods on his head and if he ever gets stuck somewhere for a half a second you would think by his reaction that he was probably dying.

If his little ears hear the sound of a baby crying, his response is ALWAYS the same, "Baby crying? Oh need need nap."

-Firsts:
First Kiss- at around 18 months! He had just met her too...dude moves fast! (On that note, he apparently has a thing for the older ladies because his SECOND kiss -that's right, second- she was almost 2 years older!)

First Hair Cut: July 14, 2016 (Kept a lock of it in a bag)

Climbed out his crib for the first time just before he turned 2.  We turned the crib to the face the wall and told him if he crawled out again he would get boo boo's so he decided against the band aids for now.

-Doctors Check Ups (18month-2 Year):
18 Month Doc Check Up:  Growing in about 35th percentile- 23 pounds and 31.5 inches in height.  Doctor says he is healthy and smart!

2 Year Doc Check Up: Doc said at his growth rate, it's projected that he won't be much taller than 5'6.  27 pounds & only grew an inch or two from his 18 month check up.

-Favorite Foods:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Anything fruit really but he specifically loves bananas and mandarin oranges.
Dinner: Chicken Lasagna or Beans and Rice.

-Favorite Dessert:
Anything chocolate or cookie related.

-Favorite Place to Go:
Chick-Fil-A

The Mall to ride the train

Costco (He loves the samples and the HUGE fans.  And he always gets a smiley face marked on our receipt)

"Gowf" (Mini golf)

The park of course

Any place with kids (He loves playing with other kids.  Que the guilt for not giving him a sibling yet...)

-Favorite Thing to Do:
Make smoothies.  And then eat them.  (He has his own smoothie cup with a straw he can't take out. Muhahaha Mom win.)

Be a "helper" (His definition of a helper though)

Dance!  His favorite songs to dance to are "Crazy Frog" and "I Can Make Your Hands Clap." He goes crazy!

Talk on the "phone" (Sometimes it's not technically a phone.  Like his duck bath toy for instance, he talks to his peeps on that.)

Bounce.  He loves to jump on the bed and bounce in his crib while he waits for us.

-Favorite Toys:
Cars are by far his most favorite toy to play with of all time.  He is most content when he is holding cars every where he goes.  Sometimes he tries to hold too many.

Loves his train table but more if mom plays with him.

He likes to turn his table into a fort by throwing a blanket over it and at that point it becomes his house.

-Favorite Game:
"Again! I get you!"  The I get you game could literally go on all day for him.  He loves to be chased.

He will grab a blanket and say "twing" which means his other favorite game where he lays in the blanket and we pick it up and swing him back and forth.  He does his evil laugh he is so happy.


-Developmental Milestones:
Has learned all his colors.

He has learned to count.

He walks up and down stairs without any help.  He can slither down the stairs quicker than you can blink!

He retains things very well.  You only have to tell him what something is one time for it to stick.

Is manipulation a developmental milestone?  Because he's great at it.


-Sleep:
He went through a phase right around 2 where he started waking up in the middle of the night because he wanted cuddles.  This was new to mom and dad because we had gotten used to his amazing dead sleep he had at night.  After a week of this (and having it slowly get out of hand), I bought a video monitor so we could see him and know he is okay and we went back to consistently letting him sooth himself back to sleep and now all is well again.  Phew!  So he continues to sleep 11-12 hours at night and take his once a day afternoon nap around 2:00 p.m.


-Regular Routine:
Wake up around 8 a.m.
Eat breakfast and spend the morning with dad while mom is at work at the law office.
Mom puts him down for a nap when she gets home around 2 and when he wakes up we do some hard core playing after a snack.  Mom attempts to make dinner with many interruptions and bath time comes around 7:00-7:30 followed by family prayers where Blake gets excited, kneels by the bed and waits for the moment he can say "Amen!"  We watch a few minutes of a Disney movie (mom is trying to prepare him for Disneyland) and then when he gets antsy, mom takes him into his room where we grab his pig and favorite green blanket, sing a bed time song and go night night around 8:00.

On Saturday morning Mom gets to sleep in usually but she wakes up to the cutest little alarm clock.  Blake loves to wait for Dad to give the okay to go upstairs and tell Mom breakfast is ready.  He comes RUNNING, jumps on my bed and says "Mom, Dad Bekfast!"  It's got to be the highlight of Mom's week.

-Favorite Show:
He loves to watch the YouTube Kids App on our phone and YouTube fails.  His favorite YouTube Kids shows are: Big City Heroes and any learning video.  He loves watching videos that teach him how to count, see colors, etc.

His favorite TV shows are (in order of popularity from most favorite to moderate):
Thomas Train

Tayo the Friendly Bus

Daniel Tiger

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

*He will either sit at his new table he got for Christmas or his little blue lounging chair grandma got him.

-Favorite Stuffed Animal:
His pig.  He NEVER sleeps without it.  Whenever he cuddles soft things he goes "ahhh" or "oooh" because he has heard mom do it so many times whenever she sees him cuddling things.

-Favorite Books:
His all time favorite books are the "Peek-a-boo" books I bought him.  He opens little compartments on the page to reveal things and he loves it.

*Anytime we are reading and he recognizes something he has a toy of, he has to go find it.  (Bus, car, chick,etc.)

-Discovered Fears
He has recently shown signs of being scared of the dark; not so much that he won't sleep in his room with all the lights off but more of entering a dark space of unknown.
*Cute story:  We have some neighbors behind us that built a skateboarding ramp.  Most days their teenage boys are out there skateboarding.  On a particular winter night, later than usual, Blake could hear them skateboarding outside and he furrowed a brow, looking shocked and puzzled as he asked, "Skateboard outside?"  I then replied "Yes, they are skateboarding outside."  And then he responded utterly baffled "It's It's- It's cold! .....It's dark!"

He has also recently revealed fears from the wind.  Anytime he can hear the wind while we are sitting in the house, he does not let go of mom.  While mom doesn't ever object to cuddles, she is still in the process of explaining the wind is not a monster.

For the ultimate cuteness factor, click below for audio

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s555/nl/152229808/6677b5bd-dd3a-41dc-b832-f84815486274?title=Quotes%20and%20Memories

18 Months

HOLY CRAP!! My baby isn't a baby...he's now a full blown TODDLER!

I can't even begin to express how much I am loving this little tot.  This age is so much fun.  Every day there is a new discovery to make and I love experiencing it with him.  

Here is a little update on the past HALF YEAR (13-18 months).

Month 13 discoveries:

-PEEK-A-BOO became a favorite.  He "hides" by covering his eyes.  If he can't see me, apparently I can't see him!

-He became very smart all of the sudden with knowing what objects do.  He started trying to answer mommy's phone, take his temperature with the thermometer, brushing his cheeks with mommy's make-up brush and basically the 'I can do it' phase emerged.

-Blake received his 3rd and 4th buck teeth on January 10...so cute!

-He started clapping and now it's a victory ritual when he is excited and/or proud of himself.  

-Saying no emerged.  Oh yay.

-And...............he learned to pick his nose.  Now, when he wants to get attention, he sticks his finger up his nose, looks at mom and goes "eeeeehh!!"  

Month 14 discoveries:

-New words: Don't and Yeah

-Started "Ah--Oh!" when there is something he knows is a "no no" and "ooooh" when something remotely exciting happens.

-A loud and semi new giggle/cackle emerged when he discovered it's funny when people get hurt among other things.  

-Became obsessed with Mickey Mouse clubhouse and the Hot Dog Dance.  He can't resist dancing. 

-Learned the sign for more, please and thank you but especially more.  

-Blake's sass levels began to increase around this time.

-Learned the fist bump and high five

-We taught him the Finding Nemo bond: "Give me fin...noggin..dude."  Which consists of fist bump, head bump and smiles while we say "dude."

-Learned to give kisses when asked.

-Started becoming alllll boy.  He is obsessed with cars and has to escort some form of car wherever we go.  

-MMMM is for food.  Mmmm when he observes something cooking in the oven.  Mmmm when we are in the grocery store.  Mmmm when something tastes or smells yummy.  Just Mmmm...He's a tub!

-Whenever Blake's face is covered in something mom wants to wipe, as soon as he sees mom getting a paper towel ready, he bolts! 

-HAS to be brought to the window when airplane is heard...or any noise for that matter.  Share the look, gasp and then run to observe. There's a ritual.

Month 15 discoveries:

-Blake has always danced...it's been in his bones since birth.  But the "Happy Dance" emerged when we caught him running in place as fast as he could with a smile on his face so big, you would need to be studied if it didn't make you laugh.  It has now turned into what he does whenever he is so excited/happy that he can't contain himself (usually when someone is there to show off for or mom and dad come home after being gone).  He usually mixes the Happy Dance with a few circles and stumbles.  

-We went through a "Digga" talk phase.  I'm not sure what he thought it meant but we would say it back anyway!
-This month it became clear that Blake was really beginning to understand everything we are telling him, he just couldn't quite reciprocate it back; whether it was if I asked him to grab me something, told him where to go, when we needed to change a diaper, etc.  So we began teaching him his anatomy among other things.  By the end of the month, he was capable of pointing out most of his body parts!  

-This month's favorite snack- teddy grahams and bananas. (Bananas still remain at the top of his list anytime, anywhere.  He eats them so fast, I've contemplated entering him into a contest.)

-Blake went through a phase where he started walking on his tippy toes everywhere...it was adorable!  Every once in a while he will still do it but not as often.

-5th and 6th tooth emerged on top left then right.  (He is an excellent teether!)

-Barks at/with dogs.

-Became obsessed with Gazoon Cartoons on YouTube.  It was the first time he would sit for that long on my lap, eyes glued to screen.  #mommysmiracle   Around this same time, he became oddly interested in watching videos of himself.  He could sit on my lap for hours and do that if I let him.

Month 16 discoveries:

-I started to notice this month if I looked at Blake during prayer time, he always had a big grin on his face and he learned to say "Amen!" with anxious excitement.  

-New words/phrases: "Don't touch!" and "Bob" Grandma and Grandpa Bird have a cat named Bob so every cat is "Bob" now.  

-Another mommy miracle:  Toddler started to get better at self entertainment!  Blake has never been very good at it but lately he has shown more patience with toys and hugs.  

-Wipes his own mouth.  I can do it mom...

-I found out Blake inherited my OCD this month because anything he ever gets out or destroys, he puts away and cleans up.  LIFESAVER CHILD!!

-OBSESSION with buses emerged.  Mom finally found him the perfect toy bus and he never lets it out of his sight.  It can be seen in most photographs these days!

Month 17 discoveries:

-When mom or dad put him to sleep at night, we always sing him a lullaby and this month he started humming back to us very softly.  It melted my heart more than anything I've ever heard before!

-Dad and I took Blake to Bass Pro Shops and discovered he is intrigued yet petrified of animals that don't move...(statues, taxidermy, etc)...it's HILARIOUS!

-Mom and baby started talking in monkey for a short time and he would giggle he loved it so much.  

-Upper molar teeth came in!

-Favorite snack this month is popcorn.
-Every Friday when the garbage truck came by, you could find Blake by the window, watching in amazement.  If he was really lucky that week, he would get to go outside and wave to him and attempt to follow him.
-Favorite dessert: Chocolate chip cookies, hands down!

Month 18 discoveries:

-This last month he has started living for the reactions.  He shoves his finger up his nose and waits for me to chase him.  He runs to a "no no" zone just to see what we will do about it.  He is quite the stinker.  And speaking of stinkers, mom can't toot anymore and get away with it because he will stop what he is doing, turn to you and loudly exclaim "ewww!!"

-He learned to blow everyone kisses and it melts all the hearts.

-His pet peeve is when your legs are crossed.  He will personally take it upon himself to uncross them for you.  You're welcome.

-Attempts to say Sugar but he is getting better at it.  

-He received more bottom teeth plus so many others that we can't even keep track anymore.  I'm pretty sure the poor little dude is getting the rest of his teeth all at once!  Grandma Bird calls him chomper now!
-He loves to play with his firetruck and make the cutest siren noises.
-New learned words this month: Birdy, "Oh Tootles (Mickey Mouse ClubHouse), Yay (while clapping), Diaper, Chocolate and Hi (while waving).
-He has become quite the copy cat.  He wants to do whatever everyone else is doing.
 

-We have monster talk.
-He loves reading books.  Pop-up books are his favorite.
-His favorite thing to do this summer has been going to the Washington Rec Center pool with dad.  He loves going down the slide and watching the giant bucket of water drop.  "Woah!" while pointing like it's the best thing he has ever seen... it probably is!


Blake learns something new every day and we love relearning with him!  He brings so much joy to our house and I can't wait to see what he will learn in the next six months.  Two will be a whole new ball game!  Stay tuned!

Which Connection Do You Have?

Let's be real.  Being a parent is hard work.  I'm going to grant my husband and I the occasional excuse that it's okay to get your phone out for a quick release every once in a while.  What's changed now verses a few weeks ago is that I say occasional.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of this generation and its reliability on technology.  In fact, my husband and I have had multiple conversations about how we don't want Blake to grow up with that image.  (You know, the one where it's perfectly okay to stare at a tiny screen all day like an emotionless robot.)  I would give my hubby talks consistently about setting the phone down and playing with our son instead.  I feel very passionately about societies downward spiral into technology and being "connected" yet so disconnected.   

Despite all of my "we will never have video games in our house" and "smart phones are of the devil" views, I had a personal understanding that scrolling through my news feed on Facebook while I was feeding my child his bottle was perfectly acceptable.  Why wouldn't it be?  It was downtime.  It was time when your baby was perfectly content just laying there, being fed.  What else are you going to do to fill your time?

I can't express how wrong these views are (not to scrutinize those parents who do that because I was one of them and all I am trying to offer right now is a different point of view).  

My husband handles all the morning feedings and I'm the designated night girl.  Every night without fail, I would prop my sweet baby boy up on his nursing pillow, pull the bottle from the warmer and pop it in his mouth with one hand, the other providing a swift and familiar motion, delivering my iPhone to my sight.  It was an instant motion, a reflex almost.  My husband and I have done this since our son was a newborn.  It was an unspoken rule that it was a sort of sanity keeper through those long nights (which, it totally was)!

One particular night, I went through all the usual motions I do when I get ready to feed him his nighttime feeding.  But this time, when I went to pull out my phone, something stopped me.  A voice told me no.  I ignored it for a minute but then realized I wouldn't die without my five minutes of phone time and decided to humor the voice. I watched my son as he chugged his milk and started to feel emotion overtake me.  I was taken back to the first time I nursed him and he looked up at me with those beautiful eyes and just stared.  It was the sweetest moment and I must have forgotten all about it.  

This time was slightly different...he was much older but I couldn't get him to look at me.  I tried re positioning him so that he was facing towards me but he still looked down his bottle.  Right then, it hit me.  He was so used to my husband and I staring at our phones instead of him while we fed him that he didn't even waste his time looking up at us.  It was completely normal to him and this broke my heart.  

I'm not a singer by any means but I believe every child thinks their mother has a beautiful voice.  So I started brushing his cheeks and singing softly.  He looked up at me innocently and kept my gaze the rest of the feeding.  We shared that nursing bond I remembered again. By the time he was done, my eyes were filled with tears.  

I was so mad at myself for wasting all those months feeding him bottles and thinking that "liking" so and so's posts was more important.  I was mad at myself for feeling like those feeding times were opportunities where he wasn't paying attention to anything but his bottle.  I was mad at myself for thinking only nursing is what connects you to your baby through feeding.  

I was so mad that I NEVER got on my phone while feeding him again.  And now, we share a very special bond every night before he goes to bed.  I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

We live in a universe so overcome by technology that we miss things we didn't know we could miss in the first place.  I just want to put this out there for anyone who is missing these sweet moments because it's too easy to do in the mist of "connection" surrounding us.

12 Months--1 YEAR OLD!!!!

Mom can't believe it's been a whole year since I was born.  She keeps looking at me in awe. She is proud of the little boy I have become!
Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa threw me a Mickey Mouse birthday party and tons of people came that love me!  We had a great time and I got lots of presents.

This month I have started...

becoming very cuddly (especially with soft things).  I love to carry around and cuddle my howling doggy. 

And the real doggy of course 

-kissing EVERYTHING.

-becoming really strong.  If I want down, mom and dad don't have a choice.

-having favorite toys.  Right now it's my train and blocks.

-helping with the vacuuming instead of just following.  Grandma Bird thinks I'm very helpful.

-being a copycat.  If you grunt, I will grunt.  If you scream, I will scream. If you nod your head, I'll nod my head.  I'm starting to say words like mama, da da and grandma is nana.

-using big boy cups.  I like to sip from mom and dads cups...not my sippy.

-having real stranger danger.  My party was fun but I was overwhelmed by everyone there.  I just hugged moms legs the whole time hoping she would save me.

-having serious attitude.

-making the same consistent noise when I want something. (If I want up, water, to the play the piano,etc.)

My favorite book so far is "Fifteen Animals."  I like it because mom always makes the animal noises.  

This month I met Santa and I didn't like him.

I'm a whole year old!!

11 Months!

BIG UPDATE PEOPLE! 

I am an official walker!  I took my first independent steps on November 2nd at just 10 months! Now I am as good as ever.  I can pick things up and stand back up, I practically run now! 

I have...

-received my second bottom tooth on October 25th.  (I'm an excellent teether.)

-started an obsession with talking to people on mom's phone.

-started sharing.  I will feed you...and the dog.

I'm funny because...

-I walk like Jack Sparrow...a little on the drunk side.  But I walk better and much faster for food.

-when I'm sitting on my bum, I use my legs to turn (and sometimes do complete 360's).

-I have a fake laugh that I usually do when people in the room start laughing.

-I compete to be the loudest.  If someone is talking, I have to be louder than them.  Same with the radio in the car.

-I have become quite the copy cat.  When my aunties were moving their heads back and forth, I discovered that I can too!  It has become my dance move when I hear music now.  I also try to repeat words and sounds.

-I caught my first fish with dad!

-I will take your hand if I want to show you something or just take you with me on a walk!

-I have started throwing things just to watch them fall.

-I still eat like a whale.  Mom and Dad have a higher grocery bill with my growing age.

-I like to be picked up so I hug mom's legs a lot hoping she will give in.

-I celebrated my first Halloween as a pumpkin with Mom and Dad!

I'm the best thing that ever happened to them!

10 Months!

I am so close to being a whole big whopping year old and it's blowing my mommy's mind!  Today, I am ten months old.
This month I have...
-cut my FIRST tooth! (October 15) It was a long process but my razor blade is here!

-started waving.  I even wave to Bill O'Reilly on the news.

-become obsessed with toes.  I eat mine and everyone elses.

-started hiding/collapsing in corners. "I cannot see you, therefore you cannot see me."

-started revealing myself as a daddy's boy.  I watch him from the window while he does yard work.

-discovered I love Halloween stuff just like my mom.

-begun to stand on my own with no help.  I get bored and sit down though because I don't know to walk on my own quite yet.  I'm getting so close though!  I take a few steps, then sit down.  Crawling is easier.  I remodeled the house on my own though!

-started pointing to what I want/where I want to go.

-figured out how to open cabinets/drawers.  My house has been totally "safety-fied."
-act like a monster still but more dramatically.
-started exploring my talking more.  "Dadabacabvd"
-begun loving the "I'm gonna get you game."  I just wish I was fast enough (but I do have a turbo crawl).
-been loving when my back/legs/head is scratched. I zone out.
-continued showing an interest in music (I loved the MOTAB during conference).  I dance by moving back and forth if it has a beat!
-only really thrown a fit if food gets taken away from me or if anyone has the nerve to eat in front of me without sharing.  Mom and Dad have to hide the Sacrament tray from me as it goes by.
-gotten pretty good at playing rope with sugar.  She will drag me across the carpet sometimes!
-gone to the park with mom quite a bit.  My first swing ride!

 

-gone to my 9 month doctor appointment on October 8 and I weighed 17 pounds 12 ounces!  I'm chubbin' up!
Overall, Mommy and Daddy would say I'm a really happy boy and am becoming a lot of fun.