19 Months Old

Dear Michael,

You are 19 months old today! We spent the last week in Red River, N.M. with Mommy's side of the family celebrating Papa's 70th birthday and got back last weekend. There were 22 of us that went in all and we had the best time. You had so much fun playing with your cousins and running around outdoors. You LOVE being outside! The picture above makes me laugh. It is the bear that is on the porch outside of Grandma-ma and Papa's townhouse in Red River. You loved to hug and kiss the bear, and say hi everytime you walked by it. I will post pictures of Red River soon. Mommy was in staff development all last week and is now getting ready for her first day of school at a new school on Wednesday!

Mommy is still teaching but at a private school now working part-time. I could not be happier! Mommy is going to be working on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and home with you and your brother on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For me, it is the best of both worlds! I get to teach but I am a stay-at-home mom too. You and James will still go to Brookhaven but only three days a week. You will still be in Ms. Deb's class in Toddler 1 and we are so thankful for the flexibility of BCDC, letting us put you and your brother in part-time.

So Michael Scott what else are you up to at 19 months old???

You are 34 inches tall and weigh 26 1/2 pounds. This is accurate because we had to go to the doctor earlier this month for a fever you had. The fever lasted three days then you broke out in a rash. It turns out that is perfectly normal I just didn't know the rash was normal after a fever. While we were at Dr. McClard's the nurse weighed and measured you. Your official 18 month appointment is at the end of September (when you will be 20 months. You have a popular doctor who books up fast!) so I will have the percentages then but I looked back on the blog and found James' stats at 18 months old. He was 34 inches tall (95th percentile) and 27 pounds (75th percentile) at his 18 month appointment. You are exactly the same height and half a pound less than James was at 18 months old!

You wear a size 2T shirt now and 18 month shorts. You have a few 2T shorts with adjustable waists that fit.

You wear a size 4 diaper still and you moved up to a size 6 shoe.

You have 11 teeth now put I think that front bottom incisor tooth is finally about to come through!

You eat just about anything we give you but love fruit, yogurt, spaghetti, chicken, and "fench fies". You would eat "fench fies" every meal if we would let you!

Your vocabulary is amazing. You talk all the time and now repeat anything we say!

You can sing your ABC's with help from Mommy or Daddy and you know almost all of your colors.

You love to read books and do puzzles.

You LOVE to dance and anytime music is on you entertain us.

You want to do everything your big brother does so Mommy has had to talk to James about the big responsibility he has of setting a good example for you. That's a hard concept at 3 years old but he is doing a great job.

You love our dogs Chloe and Coco. Everytime we walk in the house you say, "Hi Chloe! Hi Coco!" Your brother called them Poey and Toto for the longest time so I am surprised you already say their names correctly.

You also love to help feed Chloe and Coco. Sometimes I catch you feeding them when they have already eaten and food is everywhere. They don't mind cleaning it up!

You LOVE Toy Story right now. You wake up saying, "Buzz Buzz Buzz" because you want to watch Toy Story. We have all three Toy Story's on rotation but the second one seems to be your favorite. You really love Jesse too. You have Toy Story figurines and carry around Jesse with you.

These first 19 months have flown by and you are going to be two years old before I know it! I can't wait to see what you are up to this next month. I love you soooooooo much!

Love,

Mommy

Brotherly Love

Sean takes the boys to school in the mornings and always texts me a picture from in the car or going into school because I miss my boys in the mornings when I am working. They did go to school Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays all summer. Today he texted me the picture below. Sean said he didn't tell James to put his arm around Michael and James is also holding Michael's sippy cup for him. I think it is too cute!

Then a few days ago I caught another sweet moment on camera (what would we do without our cameras on our phones?) when the boys were playing together at home.





Since the boys are only 21 months apart I worry that they might be competing for our attention or fighting all the time. I want so much for them to be best friends. It's moments like these that make me realize they really do love each other!

New Friend

Sean met us for lunch at Chick Fila today. After we ate, I took Michael to the restroom for a diaper change and during that time James made a new friend! I am so glad Sean took a picture with his phone because I think this is too cute. James LOVES policmen and motorcycles so he thought a policeman that rides a motorcycle was just about the coolest thing he had ever seen!

This Boy Makes Me Laugh

I wish I could accurately put into words how funny Michael really is. We laugh at him all the time! When my mom comes over we are usually in tears half the time from laughing so hard. She constantly says that I am going to be "entertained for the rest of my life!".

This morning Michael insisted on wearing his Daddy's golf hat while he ate his yogurt for breakfast. He threw a fit saying, "hat, hat, hat!" until I put it on him then he smiled so big.

Michael also likes to "hide". He thinks he is hiding but we can always still see him. He is at the age were he thinks if he can't see us then we can't see him!

In his favorite hiding spot-the curtains!

Hiding before bath time. He really thought I couldn't see him!

That sweet smile melts my heart every time and those dimples? Oh my, I don't know where they came from because neither Sean nor I have dimples but I just love them!

18 months old



My favorite-I was holding you and you were looking at the Koi fish



Grandma-ma thinks you look very Presedential here





You were a little unsure of the grass!





This is one of your many precious looks



Looking at the turtles and the Koi fish



This is how Mommy spends most of her time-chasing you!

Dear Michael,

You turned 18 months old on July 18th! Our favorite photographer, Sabrina Gebhardt, was having mini-sessions at Fort Worth Botanical Gardens a few days before, so we scheduled your 18 month pictures. Ellie went with us and Grandma-ma met us there, just like last year for your 6 month pictures! Poor Sabrina spent the entire time chasing you. You had no interest in her taking your picture. You loved looking at the turtles and the Koi fish but were a little scared when the Koi fish swam too close to the bridge. Sabrina is extremely talented because I was sure there was no way she got any good pictures because you were so busy!We had fun though. I have already scheduled family pictures for the holidays the beginning of November.

So Michael Scott, what else are you up to at 18 months old???

You are 34 inches tall and 26 pounds. I need to schedule your 18 month appointment with Dr. McClard and we will get your official stats and percentages.

You wear size 18-24 months shirts and 18 month shorts

You wear a size 4 diaper and size 5 shoe

You have11 teeth but the bottom far left incisor is still not in! You have your first year molars though. You don't have any of your top or bottom canines yet but they are supposed to come in at 18-20 months. You and your brother both seem to get your teeth a little later so we will see.

Your nickname is Linus because you have to sleep with your favorite Aden and Anais star blanket and Ella, the little blue lovie/elephant. As soon as you wake up you stand up in your crib, reach your arms up high to get out and say, "banket, Ella" then bend down and pick up your blanket and Ella so you can bring them with you. You then carry them around the house all morning until it is time to go to school. You have Puppy at school to sleep with at naptime but sometimes insist on bringing him home too.  

You are a wonderful eater and favorites are still pasta, fruit (especially berries), and chicken.

You are talking more and more every day. You say-mama, dada, buba (for James), Ella, banket, ball, bouh (book), app or app juice (for apple), nana (banana), toas (toast), pease (please), tank ooooh (thank you), wuv you (love you), and more as you sign more. You are starting to repeat what your brother says too!

You are going to Brookhaven on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are still in the Toddler 1 class.

You LOVE the pool and are a little fish! I can't wait to see how you are swimming by the end of summer. You have no fear and will jump right in!

We love you very much Michael and can't wait to see how you grow and change this next month. Below are my favorites from your 6 month session with Sabrina in the Botanical Gardens this time last year. Look how much you have grown!

I love those cheeks!

You had just started sitting up by yourself

So precious-how has it been a year already?

Love,

Mommy



Ellie

I went back through my files and found old pictures of Ellie's family birthday celebrations and made a collage. I also have a picture of her sitting in front of her cupcake at her 1st Birthday party (where I made the cupcakes) but it is not on this computer. I will have to scan it and post it or add to the collage! I can't believe she is 10 years old! Happy Birthday Ellie!

Happy 10th Birthday Ellie!



The Birthday Girl!




She loves her little brother!




That is James' silly face




Pretending to like each other ;-)




James & Daddy




Our sweet snuggle bug




Love him so much




Ellie helping me bake her cupcakes. She chose red velvet with cream cheese icing-yum!




James





The only picture of me. Please excuse the no makeup! We were at the pool earlier that afternoon!

 


I love this picture because it is rare I capture Sean's real smile! He happen to be laughing and I had my camera. He has braces right now so hopefully when he gets them off he will finally smile when I take his picture!




Laughing with her Daddy & 10 candles on her cupcake!




Happy Birthday Elle Belle!



This sweet boy was hyped up on sugar!




Opening her gifts




Need I say more?



17 months old

Dear Michael,

You are 17 months old and a busy, busy, boy! You are so funny and talking up a storm. This past month you started saying two and three words together and now you are saying sentences! The first time you said two words together was about a week ago when we were at home and you were playing with a ball. James took the ball away from you and you looked at him and said, "my ball!" James said, "Mommy, Mommy! Michael said, my ball!" He was so excited that you are talking more and more. You now say, "I want nana" when you wake up in the morning meaning you want a banana. The other day you were playing in Mommy and Daddy's room and you wedged yourself between the nightstand and bed. You looked at me and said, "I tuck" for I'm stuck! You also say, "Hi Coco" or "Hi Poey" when we walk into the house saying hi to our dogs, Coco and Chloe. This month has been so much fun because Mommy is now done with school and home with you and James for the summer. You still go to school at Brookhaven on Tuesdays and Thursdays and some Fridays. But you get to do fun things like splash day, pajama day, arts & crafts, and music class. I don't know how Daddy got you and your brother to school at a reasonable hour every day when Mommy was teaching because I am lucky to get you both there by 10:30 a.m.! Mornings fly by and you and your brother are both sleeping much later. You sleep until 8:30 a.m. almost every morning. Your cousins, Myla and Adyn, were visiting from Colorado last week for the first time by themselves and we all had so much fun. They spent four nights at our house. I need to write a post about their visit and post pictures! You would wake up asking for "Ila, Ila" (Myla without the M). They loved playing with you and James and were such good helpers!

So Michael Scott, what else are you up to at 17 months old?

You are about 32 1/2 inches tall and weigh 27 lbs. I am estimating on both of these and will have the official numbers at your 18 month appointment next month!

You wear a size 4 diaper (Pampers Cruisers are our favorite) and size 18-24 month shirts and shorts

You wear a size 5 shoe but will be moving up to a size 6 soon.

You have 10 teeth-4 top incisors and 2 top molars, 3 bottom front teeth (still waiting on the bottom far right incisor), and 1 bottom left molar. This past month 3 teeth came in in one week! You were not your normal, happy, self and we finally figured out why. We gave you a little Orajel and you felt better!

Your favorite food is pasta and fruit-bananas, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and apples. You also love chicken. Earth's Best baked chicken nuggets are a favorite and the chicken is all natural without antibiotics or artificial anything.

You usually drink water (wa wa) but occasionally will have apple juice, which is really water with a splash of juice in your sippy cup. You drink milk with your lunch at school but at home you only like it before bedtime.

You have started pointing to things and telling me what they are, all the time. If we walk into your room you will point to the basketball on your blanket and say, "ball", light switch and say, "light", blanket "blanket", your favorite blue elephant/satin lovie "ella", and you point to the bathroom and say, "showa" for shower.

You love to take a shower in your new bathroom that we had remodeled and your bedtime routine after your shower is: pj's, bottle while I read books to you in the rocker/glider (yes we still give you a bottle of milk at night and will stop when you are 18 months just like we did with your brother!), brush teeth, snuggle time while I rock you, then I put you in your crib. You have always slept on your tummy, usually up on your knees with your cute little bottom up in the air. You sleep with Ella (the elephant/satin blanket lovie) and an Aden & Anais blanket (the white one with blue stars is your favorite). Rocking you before I put you in your crib is my favorite time of day. You are such a snuggle bug and it reminds me of when you were a little baby. I know I won't be able to snuggle and rock you forever (that might be a little awkward when you are a teenager ;-) ) so I enjoy it while I can!

You go to bed between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m., sometimes a little later if we go to the pool at the club after we pick you and James up from school. You sleep 12 hours and wake up around 8:30 a.m.

You LOVE to swim and be in the water! You jump right in and keep Mommy and Daddy on our toes. We finally put your big brother's life jacket/frog floatie on you because you have no fear! You think you can swim all by yourself and would love to try. You also love the splash pad. I will try to take pictures of you playing/running in the splash pad soon!

You love to run...especially if we are at home and you have something you are not supposed to! It must be the way I say "Miiiichael" because as soon as I say your name you take off and you are so fast! You actually lift your knees up when you run, it is hilarious. You  run to the kitchen or our bedroom and hide in the curtains. You that we can't see you. You stay very still for a minute then you push the curtain off of you and laugh hysterically. I really need to video all of this sometime soon. Like I said, you are funny.

Mommy and Daddy are going out of town this weekend for a wedding and Grandma-ma and Papa are staying at the house with you and your brother. It is only the second time Mommy has been away from you overnight. I know you will be in good hands but we will miss you and James! We love you so much, Michael and can't wait to see what your are up to next month!

Love,
Mommy

Rain Dance

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain!

Saturday Night Fever

 It was really Friday afternoon & Saturday but I was trying to think of a creative title. :) Friday afternoon I got a phone call from James' teacher that he had 102.4 fever and the chills. It was the end of the day so I left right away to pick up the boys. We got home and all James wanted to do was lay down on the couch. Michael felt fine but he pretended to rest too, which lasted about a minute!

On Saturday James still felt bad and wanted me to hold him and snuggle all day long so that's what we did. We watched movies and were on the couch or in bed snuggling. Of course I do not want him to be sick but I was happy to spend the day taking care of my baby boy. It was Mother's Day weekend and all I had planned was to spend time with my boys anyway! Saturday night James was feeling much better and we took a few self-portraits using my phone. I wish the quality would be a little better when you use the flip feature on the iPhone. I still think they are fun pictures though!

James & Mommy

James wanted to make silly faces

Then he thought it was funny to stick out our tongues

Feeling better

LOVE this boy so much!