All because of a little cheese.....

My Dearest Nathaniel,
I need to write this letter to explain something to you, and I very much hope that you read it someday. You might not remember the things that I'm talking about by then--but you might; I know that I will. You are the Big Brother to an adorable little dude. Levi is an amazing little guy who is learning so very many things right now--and he's too stinkin' cute while he does it! It is often that I'll smile and clap for him, cheer him on, or tell Daddy to watch him. He is learning, growing, and way too cute for his own good--and we are incredibly proud of him! You, like any big brother are very often jealous.
Nate, I want you to hear this loud and clear: WE ARE SO VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU! You are an amazing and incredible boy! You are talented and sweet and adorable, and you have surprised me with your accomplishments more times than I can count. There is no person, thing, or accomplishment in this world for which I am more proud than of you and your brother. Truly. I think that you know that, but it's hard to remember sometimes when it's the baby who's getting the praise. And, who could blame you? You're only three years old! I'm sorry that you feel left out sometimes, and I will try harder to point out more of your own accomplishments.
Nate, there is one thing in particular for which I am constantly amazed by, and I am truly so proud of you for. It is your obvious love and adoration for your baby brother. Oh sure, there's some brotherly bickering thrown in for variety, but the two of you are really an inseparable pair.
Even at this early age, I see you filling your "Big Brother" role around the house by looking out for Levi, helping him along, and always including him in your requests. Always, always you include your "Yiyi".
"Mommy, me and Yiyi have a snack, please?"
"Me and Yiyi watch a movie?"
"Me and Yiyi go play outside?"
"Me and Yiyi.....?"
The questions are endless, but they're always requests for "me and Yiyi". My heart melts when I hear you request a treat for your little brother who likely wouldn't even notice if he was left out sometimes. I've tried to remember when you started this, but I can't. There was never a time when I had to prod you to include your brother; he's just always been a part of your life, and you don't leave him out. You are amazing!
Today, while I was making quesadillas for lunch, you asked me for a slice of cheese. As always, you asked for a piece each for you and Yiyi. Like I often do, I sliced two chunks of cheese off, and handed them to you. Normally, I try to make the pieces of cheese exactly the same size (for obvious reasons); today, I wasn't paying much attention, and they were not even. Like, not even close to being even. Not a big deal, I thought, Levi will never know that his slice is smaller. Right? I watched you hurry over to your brother, then pause and look at the two pieces of cheese. You hesitated for just the slightest moment, and I knew that you saw the difference. And then, you gave that bigger piece of cheese to Yiyi Baby.
Oh Nate, I could have cried right there, I was so proud of you! What a generous and kind thing to do for your brother! You might be thinking now, "Okay, Mom, it was just a little bit of cheese....so what?" It was so much more than cheese, my dearest, it was an act of selflessness for your little brother--one that you didn't think anyone would ever even know about. (You never mentioned it to me at all!) For a three-year-old, it was a BIG DEAL. And, I am so very, very proud of you!
Nathaniel, I might not clap every time you finish a bowl of oatmeal, and I might not snap photos of you every time you walk around with a blanket on your head....but that doesn't in a million years mean that I'm not so proud of you that I could bust! It simply means that you are older, and your accomplishments are more mature and grown up. You are an incredibly kind and sweet little boy. I love you! Your love for your brother only makes me love you more, and I pray that you both remain as close as you are right now for always.
I love you to the moon and back,
MomMom

3 years old.

Nathaniel is three years old today! Time flies when you're having fun, eh? I know how cliche it sounds, but it really does feel like just yesterday that he was a tiny little bundle in my arms. Now, he's in the 90th percentile for his height, and a nonstop chatterbox! Nate is the sweetest little boy, and I am so blessed to be his momma. He is silly and smart, and as energetic as any healthy three-year-old!

Nate LOVES cars and trucks! In fact, he loves them so much that whenever I ask him if he likes something (IE food, a color, etc), he replies, "No, just cars and trucks!" All day long, he plays with his toy cars and trucks--big ones, little ones, noisy ones, quiet ones. Fire trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks, race cars, police cars, ambulances, bulldozers, motorbikes, RVs! Oh, the boy loves his vehicles! He can even identify the different sirens when we hear them outside!

On the rare occasion that Nate isn't playing with cars or trucks, some of his other favorite activities include trains, playing in the sandbox (with cars & trucks), playing outside (with cars & trucks!), coloring (in his car coloring books!), playing play-dough (oh, yes, we have car/truck cookie cutters!), reading books, (Curious George, Berenstain Bears, Clifford, Winnie the Pooh, Little Critter, and I'm sure you can guess what else!). He also loves to watch DVDs, and he is allowed to watch one a few times weekly--usually Clifford, Veggie Tales, or Curious George. Nate loves to help, especially in the kitchen.

Right now, Nathaniel loves to talk about his "fwiends" (friends) all the time. He often tells me, "Mommom, you and me be fwiends!" or "Me, you, Daddad, and Yiyi--we all be fwiends!" He loves to remind us that we're all friends in this family--even Grover, Green Beans, and Smudgie! He loves to talk about his little pals at church, and his Unca Tim and Unca Matt fwiends too.

Speaking of friends, Nathaniel and Levi are the best of friends now! Sure, they bicker like siblings, but I love watching their brotherly bond growing. They play together daily, and Nate is Levi's biggest cheerleader as he learns to walk! When Levi cries, Nate runs to him and pats him gently while telling him, "Okay, Yiyi, be okay!" All of those sweet moments are just almost enough to erase the daily "No, no, no, MINE!" from my memories......almost!

As always, Nate loves his animals. He and Grover are inseparable, and they are hilarious to watch. Nate chases Grover, Grover chases Nate; they play ball and rope and chase some more! They are loud and boisterous, and might even include a small squirt gun in their antics sometimes! But, really, isn't that exactly what a boy and his dog are for?

Nathaniel is a great eater! He eats what we give him, and doesn't complain about it--too much! A few of his favorite foods include pizza, spaghetti, macaroni & cheese, blueberries, watermelon, banana chips, corn, and ice cream. He's not a big fan of green veggies (unless they're blended into smoothies!), meats (although they seem to be growing on him recently), or mashed potatoes. He drinks whole milk, as well as almond milk (He loves vanilla almond milk!).

Nate usually sleeps about 11 hours at night, and he takes an afternoon nap daily (usually 2 to 3 hours). He goes to sleep on his own, and sleeps straight through the night. Every night (& nap), he is allowed to take two small cars to bed with him, and I often find them clutched tightly in his hands while he sleeps.

Nate is entirely potty-trained, and I am so glad! We usually wake him up to use the potty once at night (before we go to bed), and he stays dry while he sleeps. Woohoo!

Nathaniel's speech has really improved within the past few months. He is speaking in longer, more complex sentences, and is getting easier to understand by non-family members. A few days ago, I was in the bedroom, when I heard Nate yell from the living room. When I returned, we had this conversation,
Me: "What's wrong?"
Nate: "That watermelon hurt me!"
Me: "....a watermelon hurt you?"
Nate: "That pretend one!"
Me: "Oooh! How did it hurt you?"
Nate: "Me lay on it; it hurt my back!"

That conversation may seem simple (and so short typed!), but it caught my attention. When did this little boy of mine learn to speak so well? To tell me what happened--completely with words, not crying or motioning or objects or guessing games? Somewhere along this life, he's growing up on me. I'm noticing how big he seems now--how very much a little boy, and how I can't find any baby left in him. Except at nighttime, when I carry him back to his bed from the bathroom, and he snuggles his head on my shoulder.....oh, these last few moments of my oldest's babyhood are precious!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Nathaniel Isaac! I love you more than you can imagine, and you make me so proud! Keep on growing and learning; you are amazing!

Someday....

My Precious Boys,
Someday, you won't be so little....and, I can't really decide whether I like that fact or not. Nevertheless, it's a fact; life goes on, and little boys grow up. I know that I will miss you at these ages and sizes, but I'm also so excited to get to know the bigger you(s). There are so many things about you both right now that I don't want to ever forget, and yet so many things that I can't wait to see.

I will miss the way that you talk now, Nate. I love the way that you always say Me and Him and Her, instead of I and He and She. I like the way that you can't say Rs or Ls properly, and I adore the "Oh wow!" that comes from your mouth 100x/day. I like how you get over-the-moon excited about the little things in life like taking walks and going outside to play. (You even tell me, "Me escited!") I love the way that you run up and give me hugs at the most random times, and that you still only want me when you're hurt or grumpy. I love your laugh. I love that helping me in the kitchen is one of your favorite things--especially when we use the mixer! I love your passion for cars, and your interest in all things vehicle-related. I love your sweet, shy smile, your dimples, and your funny little toes. You're so smart and inquisitive, but also shy and careful. I adore your relationship with your little brother--the way that you bring him toys (often to keep him away from whatever you're playing with), gently pat him when he cries, and snuffle on his toes to make him laugh. I love your adoration for books, and I will so miss reading stories to you someday. I love the way that you beam with pride over your accomplishments, and the way that you try so hard to make me and Daddy happy. You're an all-around amazing kid, and I love you to the moon and back!

My little Levi, I will miss your baby chub. Those roly poly legs and that round little tummy make me swoon. I love your wispy baby hair, and the way that you scrunch up your nose when you're trying to be funny. I love the way that you wave, and the way that you say "nyum, nyum, nyum, nyum!" when you're eating. I love that you are so determined and full of perseverance. I love your laugh. I will miss nursing you to sleep at night, and the way that you wake yourself up giggling at your own burps. (You're definitely a boy!) I love your cuddles and your adventurous demeanor. I love the way that you crawl everywhere as quickly as you can, and climb everything within reach. You are such a little explorer, and I love your fascination with the world. I love the way you wave at yourself in the mirror, and throw your arms up to show me how you're "SO BIG"! I love the way you say Mama, and I love the way that you beam with pride when you say a new word. Your personality is so big for such a little guy, and you impress me every single day with your creativity.

My sweet, sweet little darling boys, you are both such a joy. You are our greatest blessing, and we cannot imagine life without either of you. You're so perfect for our family--each in your own way. I love being with both of you--together and apart. I love your voices and your humor and the sound of your laughter. (Oh, your laughs!) I love that God has blessed with with you, and I couldn't ask for better (or cuter!) sons. I love both of you forever and always, no matter what.

XOXOXOXOX,
Momma

Hey, I'm back!

Well, I'm not even sure where to start with this post. An update? Sure, that seems about right.....after a MONTH AND A HALF of absence. You know that last post about Levi's first haircut? Yeah, he's almost ready for his second! (Ugh , why have I turned into such a lazy blogger? Maybe because I'm a busy momma nowadays! Yeah, we'll go with that; it's totally not because I spend all of my free time on Facebook and Pinterest instead! Although, in my defense, I'm planning a birthday party, so Pinterest would be totally excusable....) Anyway, we have indeed been busy recently, but not in a bad way. It's summertime now, so our days have been full of playing in the sandbox, eating drippy popsicles on the patio, and visits to the zoo. Recently though, our days have also included lots of rain!
This particular week is Vacation Bible School at our church. I've had the pleasure of teaching the 2 through 3 year olds' class, where we've learned lots about the Armor of God through lessons, puppet shows, songs, games, and even snacks! And, of course, there's been more than a little chaotic playtime (Hey, it's the 2 & 3 year old class!). Nate is in my class, and I've loved watching him interact with the other children and leaders, as well as do his activities. His politeness just makes this momma's heart want to burst! Oh, when did my little guy get so grown up?!

A few weeks ago, Eric (and a group from our church) went on a mission trip to Honduras with Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International. They had an amazing time ministering and serving the people there! If you're interested, you can check out this video montage from their trip.


Though it seems like it was a million years ago now, I suppose it's worth noting that the week Eric was gone was the same week that both boys and I were ill. I had a sinus infection (that I'd thought was almost gone) flare up into a major issue that required TWO antibiotics. I'll keep the gross details to myself, but I can't even remember the last time that I visited the doctor for an illness previously. Then, both boys caught a horrible cough that kept us all awake for several days/nights. Nate kicked it relatively quickly, but Levi landed himself on antibiotics (ear infection) and breathing treatments for several days. Just about the time Eric returned stateside, we all recovered nicely!

In other news? Levi crawls now. Not scooting on his tummy "army crawling", but really truly crawling! And, he pulls himself up and walks along furniture too. Oh, he's getting so big! Nate has finally decided that the potty is an acceptable place to do all of his business. (Until last week, we've been entirely trained for #1, but not so much for #2.) Bribery, begging, punishments, ignoring the fact? None of it worked. We were up to our ears in frustration and worry that maybe it would never happen. And then, just like magic, he decided it was time. He has not had one single accident since he made the decision a week ago. Yeah, my kid is awesome like that. And, oh, I'm so HAPPY!

At the beginning of the month, we took a short weekend trip as a family to Eric's sister's wedding. We were honored to have Nathaniel be a ring bearer (even though he cried on his way up the aisle!). The boys enjoyed their stay in the hotel, and we enjoyed our time away from home. The weekend was a blast, and everything was gorgeous--most of all, my beautiful sister-in-law! Congratulations, Jessie & Chris!! (Sorry for posting these pictures in the same post that talks about my kid being potty trained!)


Other than those "bigger" events, I can' think of much that has occurred within the past month. I know, I know, that's silly since I've been "too busy" to blog, right? I guess life just gets in the way sometimes, eh? I do have several posts all wadded up in my brain that I'll need to unload here soon. Recipes for Mexican pizza or Greek yogurt, anyone? Burlap curtain tutorial? I promise to update again before the end of summer, preferably a little more often than of late! Hope you're having a most fantastic summertime!! We are!

Life.

Well, once again, I've abandoned this old blog for life. Update? Life here has been busy and full recently. Most importantly, Levi turned 6 months old, and Nate turned two and a half! (Time flies when you're having fun, eh?!)
In other [not so fun] news, I cracked a tooth, and it subsequently became infected. Ouch! I still have no idea when (or on what) I cracked it! Anyway, thanks to a visit to both our dentist and the oral surgeon, all is well now.
Nate is almost fully potty trained during the daytime now (including naptime). He still has some accidents when he's too busy to pause for a potty break, but overall, he's doing very well. I keep telling myself that we'll work on bedtime training soon too, but I just can't get motivated. There's plenty of laundry to keep me busy as it is--without throwing in an extra load of sheets daily!
Levi just popped through tooth #4 this morning, thank goodness! We've had quite a few terrible nights of sleep (or lack thereof!) thanks to this tooth, and I was quite excited to see it appear through that poor swollen gum this morning!
The boys had doctor appointments on Wednesday; they're both healthy and growing like weeds! Nathaniel is now 37 inches tall, and he weighs 32 pounds. Levi is now 28.5 inches tall, and he weighs 19 pounds and 5 ounces. My big boys!
I've got several fun projects going on right now--just enough to keep me busy, but not overwhelmed (yet!). Thanks to Pinterest, planning is so much easier, and my creative juices are a'flowing! I'm still working on my crocheting skills, getting plans/decorations together for a bridal shower, planning Easter activities, collecting new recipes, and trading out all of our chemical-laden household foods/items for more natural alternatives. Those may/may not sound interesting and fun to you, but I've been enjoying them all!
February is almost over, and we're eagerly looking forward to springtime and Easter around here. The cold temperatures have given way to a few warm days here and there, and they've been quite a tease! Nate cannot wait to get outside with his trike on a regular basis, and I can't wait to let Levi play outside. We've got several outdoor projects planned for this year, and we're itchin' to get started on those too!
Hope all is well with you and yours. Happy Friday!

2 1/2 years old!

Nathaniel is two and a half years old today! It's as though he turned from a toddler into a BIG BOY within just the past few weeks. Now that's he's not wearing diapers any longer, he doesn't seem to have any "baby habits" left. He's a happy, silly, and confident little boy.

Nate loves, above all other things, to play with his cars. He's got quite a collection (I think it quadrupled for Christmas!), and he knows each and every single car. He lines them up into parades, builds mega-block garages, and takes two cars to bed each night. Some of his favorites are the fire engines and ambulances, and he's always impressed when we see real emergency vehicles on the road.

Some of his other favorite activities include playing with play dough, riding the tricycle, coloring, cooking in his play kitchen (or, even better, helping Mommy in the real kitchen!), and looking at books. Oh, how this kid loves books! Sometimes he will sit and look at the pictures all by himself for a half an hour or more And, he's always in the mood to have someone read a story (or 12!) to him. I've even seen him "reading" books to Levi, the dog, and his stuffed animals!

letter to my oldest boy...

My Darling Nathaniel,
There are so many reasons that I want to write this letter to you. I want you to know how very, very much your daddy and I love you. I want you to know what a great little boy and an awesome big brother you are. I want to remember everything about you right now. And, I want you to know how much I wish I could squeeze you and hold on to this time forever.
You are almost two-and-a-half, and I love everything about you. You're quick and curious and adorable. You're silly and smart and noisy. You have a huge imagination, and a quick little temper. You love to hide, and your favorite drink is vanilla almond milk. You don't like rice or chocolate milk. You are shy around strangers, and you like to play with your little friends at church. You are learning to pray. Your favorite character is Clifford The Big Red Dog, and we read Clifford books daily. Sometimes, you're allowed to watch Clifford on television, and you love it. You like to help me in the kitchen, and you always want to play outside. You love to play "vroom-vrooms" with your uncles, and you like to color. You have a kitty named Green Beans and a dog named Grover, both of whom you love. It is your chore to feed the animals, and you take it very seriously--you want to refill their bowls multiple times daily! You made up a funny song about arms. You ask me every day if you'll get to see your Nana, Babump, Oiiay, or Maaa (Nana, Grandpa, Tim, or Matt). Your favorite thing is to be tickled! Sometimes, you run into the kitchen while I'm cooking to squeeze my legs and say, "I wuv you!" It makes my heart melt into a puddle every. single. time. You laugh all the time--even when you don't know what the joke is! You make your daddy do silly crazy things that he never would have done before you (like dancing through the grocery store singing "beast food!"). You say adorable things like "gall gone!" and "iesh" (ice), boff (both) and "uh-uh" and "banamana" (banana). When you wake up in the morning, you sit in your bed and yell, "Mommam, up 'ight 'ow, peeese!" ("Momma, up right now, please!")
You adore your baby brother, your little "Yiyi Baby". You're always gentle with him, although sometimes you're jealous--and rightfully so! (You had both your daddy and me all to yourself for 2 whole years, and then we suddenly introduced this little fellow who needs attention 24/7 into our family!) You're an awesome big brother, and I'm sorry that I'm not able to give you my 100% all the time now. Babies need lots of attention and time, and I promise that Levi will not always be this needy. You want to know a cool thing about mommies? I can give you more than half of my attention AND give Levi more than half of my attention--simultaneously! You might not be getting 100% these days, but I promise that you're each getting at least 85% most of the time. (Often times, it's even more than that!) I love you both equally, and I don't want you to ever forget that. You and Levi are both awesome little boys who are more loved than you'll ever know!
My sweet little Nathaniel, I love this stage of your life so much. You're growing up so quickly (Wasn't it just yesterday that you learned to crawl?), and I wish I could slow you down. There are so many stages of your life so far that I've deemed my "favorite"....but this time, well, I really think this is it. I adore you as a two-year-old. You're old enough to talk and play and reason, but you're still such a baby in so many ways (I know, I know, you're a BIG BOY!). I'll admit that I'm excited to see you learn and grow, but I wish that I could just hide away a day or two of your toddlerhood for later because I know that I will miss this stage terribly someday. I have yet to encounter "the terrible twos" with you. You are so innocent and open with your emotions. You are so willing and loving. You are so you. You are perfect, and I love you so much, Sweetheart. I am so proud of the little boy who you are, and I'm proud of the person who you will be. You go ahead and grow up, my sweet boy, but please take your time doing it!

I love you forever and always,
always and forever,
no matter what.

XOXOXOXO,
Momma

Grow Up!

After a truly horrible week last week, Levi's colic has been getting better recently. His nightly 3-hour screamfest has turned into a hit-or-miss event, and the "miss" nights are a much welcomed surprise at bedtime. Also, he's begun sleeping for 4-hour stretches in the early morning hours--quite a relief for mommy! It seems that we've gotten the gas issue under control by doing more tummy time when Levi is awake, and by allowing him to sleep on his belly for naptime. I've cut tomatoes and some dairy from my diet, but will probably attempt to re-introduce them soon (I'm not sure that they have affected Levi, but they did so for Nate, and I'm willing to try anything!). All three of the colic medications/gas drops were a bust. I truly believe that the gas issues we've experienced with Levi have simply been a result of his immature digestive system, and been "normal" for babies (keeping in mind, of course, that normal varies). As he's getting older, it's getting better--and, I hope, will continue to do so. The evening screaming has improved (partially, I like to think, because we've fixed the gas problem). On the other hand, he might just be changing his ways because I threatened to sell him to gypsies a few nights ago. (Sorry about that, Little One, I promise to keep you! But, if you still scream like this in 18 years, you won't have any friends in college; I wasn't lying about that part!)
Honestly, what I feel that I'm gaining from this sleep-deprived experience is that I don't like the newborn stage. (I think I knew that with Nate, but I didn't admit it!) I love my boys as newborns, and I love a squishy little newbie snuggle, and I love the smell of a newborn's head....but, really, I like big babies better! I can't wait to get to the laughing, sitting, crawling, walking, talking stages! Maybe it's the interaction, maybe it's the "less work", or maybe it's just the adjustment, I don't know. But, I do know that I can't wait for Levi to be just a few months older! I hate to wish time away, but for the life of me, I can't help it when I've been holding an inconsolable baby for the second hour in a row. At 1 AM.
All that being said, I was a little bit sad this morning when I packed away my maternity clothes and Levi's newborn outfits. Isn't it funny how a little blue sleeper only brings back memories of tiny cuddles and sweet newborn sleep--when it was worn so much more often by a noisy, red-faced baby who refused to sleep? I guess it will be a while longer before those memories fade enough for me to want to pull out those maternity clothes again....and, until then, I will be thoroughly enjoying my boys as they grow and grow!

Word Explosion!

Nate has been a bit slow (and lot stubborn) with his speech development. He's had a handful of words that he uses regularly for several months, but that's it. I kept hearing about the "word explosion" that would hit suddenly. We waited. And, waited.
Occasionally, he would bust out a new word if he really, really needed to do so (EX: if Mommy and Daddy are talking and ignoring your NEED for ice in your water cup, it might be necessary to start yelling, "IEEESH! IEEESH!" repeatedly).
I knew that Nate was a little behind the charts for his speech abilities, but I wasn't much worried. He's a smart little boy, and I was convinced that his lack of words was more stubborn-related than an actual speech-delay. Our pediatrician discussed the issue with us, and he agreed--but asked us to keep an eye (or an ear?) on the issue. Apparently, Nate was listening to that conversation too, because he decided that now is the time to talk! Within the last week.....well, Hello Word Explosion!!
"kiwi", "baby", "yellow", "blue", "red", "banana", "car", "please", "juice", "egg", "cheese", "sticker", "tree", "sky", "God", "Levi!" (my personal favorite) ....and plenty more that I can't remember right now! I couldn't be prouder of my [bigger] baby boy! Go, Little Guy!!

Two Years Old.

Nathaniel is two years old today! We celebrated his birthday by taking a trip to the zoo this morning--our first real outing as a family of four! Later, Nate opened his gifts, and we had cake and ice cream.

It's been a week since Nate stepped into his new role as Big Brother, and he is wonderful at it! He loves Levi, and I love watching them together! Nate is constantly bringing things for Levi (wipes for diaper changes, the binkie, books, bites of his own snacks, etc). He worries when Levi cries, and he get so excited when Levi wakes up. Every morning, he runs to see what the baby is doing, and I can't even begin to describe the look of joy on his face when Levi is awake and looks at his big brother. He's been so sweet to the baby, and is eager to "hold" him every chance that he gets. So far, Nathaniel hasn't displayed any jealousy toward the baby--only love and curiousity.

Nate's favorite things right now are cars, cars, and more cars! He loves to watch cars on the roads, play with toy cars, and look at books about cars! Our living room is overrun with Matchbox cars on a daily basis. He has several bigger toy cars/trucks, but the Matchbox set is his favorite. Other favorite toys include his Magna-doodle, his new grill, the ball popper, his sandbox, riding toys, and, of course, the dog!

One of my favorite things about Nathaniel right now is his sense of humor. He's a goofy kid who loves to laugh--and loves to make other people laugh. If we laugh at something and Nate doesn't know what we're laughing about, he'll pause, then throw his head back and fake laugh very loudly--hilarious!

Nate's language development has really taken off recently--but he won't let you know about it! He still has a handful of words that he uses consistantly. He also has about a hundred words that he's used maybe once or twice (when he really needed to get his point across), but he will not repeat them. Ever. I don't know if he's being stubborn or shy, but I'm glad that I know it's one of them! So, while he's not a man of many words yet, he is a little man who can get what he wants--but you'd better be listening the first time!

Nathaniel sleeps in his big boy bed in his very own bedroom now. Since he'd been in our bedroom since birth, I had been very worried about transitioning him to his own room before the baby arrived. I put it off all summer long until about 3 weeks ago when I realized that it had to be done! We made a big deal about the big boy room, bought a new bedspread, decorated the walls with car decals, and crossed our fingers! Nate moved to his own room without any tears, and has slept in there every naps and bedtime since! Why do I even waste my time worrying?! Obviously, he was ready! (I, on the other hand, cried like a baby the first night I went to bed without him!)

Although he's gone through a few "picky" phases, Nathaniel is a really good eater. He eats everything that we eat, and very rarely doesn't like foods. His favorites are pizza, spaghetti, grilled cheese sandwiches, blackberries, yogurt, and almond milk. He drinks whole milk with all three of his meals, and usually eats a midafternoon snack. He is obsessed with "ieshhhhhh" (ice) in his water cup, and must be reloaded on ice cubes multiple times daily.

9/12/12 - Nathaniel is 36 inches tall, and 30 pounds--in the 75th percentile for his age! He is growing and thriving, and the pediatrician says that he's perfect...of course, Mommy and Daddy already knew that!

100 days!

There are only 100 days left until August 17th (Baby Boy's due date)! That means that it is very likely that we could meet our littlest guy in LESS THAN 100 days! (Or, a few more than 100 days....) It also means that in only 101 days, my "little" big boy will turn TWO YEARS OLD! When they say that time flies, they aren't a kiddin'!

Prom.

My husband is chaperoning our local high school prom right now, while I'm sitting at home in my pajamas, drinking hot tea, and blogging. Nine years ago, we were attending this same high school's prom together--but not "together." It's funny how things can change so very much in such a relatively short period of time, isn't it?
During our senior year of high school, Eric and I spent a lot of time together. I had quite a crush on him, and eventually he developed a mutual one. We dated for a very short period of time, and then he broke things off (about 2 weeks before the prom) because he was afraid that our relationship would ruin our friendship. In his words, "You're such a good friend, and I don't want to lose you. I know that by dating, we will eventually break up--and then things will be too weird to be friends." My response: "How do you know we'll break up? Maybe we'll keep dating, get married, and someday have a couple of kids!" In hindsight, that probably wasn't the wisest thing to say to a 17-year-old boy. We broke up.
But, for some reason unbeknownst to me, Eric still asked me to be his date for prom. I still remember getting up that morning to go to my hair appointment, anxiously applying my make-up at home, getting into the dress (I was convinced that it was the most beautiful dress in the world!), and feeling nervous butterflies in my stomach when I heard the doorbell ring! But, as soon as I opened the door and we got past the awkward hellos, the exchange of flowers, and the multitude of photographs in my front yard, things were normal. We were in the car (it didn't matter to where), and we were together. I remember talking to him, and simply enjoying his company again. We visited Eric's parents at their restaurant to show off our finery (I remember his mom wanted to see my shoes!), and then stopped at his grandparents' house to do the same. (That was the first time that I'd met Eric's grandparents, and I really didn't expect to see them again. Who would have guessed that we'd be taking our little boy over to that same house for them to spoil 9 years later?)

We ate our pre-prom dinner with two other couples at a local church that regularly hosted "teen night" events. We'd agreed to to come to the catered dinner as a favor to a friend who promised us that there would be "lots of people" there. The six of us had plenty to eat that night!
After dinner, we went to the dance. Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about our senior prom. I remember talking to friends, taking a million pictures, and dancing with Eric. My most vivid memory is of us dancing the very last dance of the night together. He held me in his arms, we swayed back and forth, and we talked about some nonsense. I reallyreallyreally wanted him to kiss me! And, a few times, I thought he came close....but it didn't happen. At the end of the night, I felt a twinge of sadness because I "knew" that had been my last chance.
Eric did reconcile his lack of kissing me when we were in the car after the dance, by telling me that I looked beautiful that night, and he was sorry for not telling me so beforehand!
While my husband attends this prom alone, I am content to be here at home--listening for our sleeping baby, thinking about our own prom so long ago, and waiting for my husband. It is funny how things work out--that break-up meant to "preserve" our friendship? It completely ruined it for almost a year. After that, we decided to go ahead and give dating another try. Five years later, it turned into a marriage. Two years after that, Baby #1 arrived. And, in a few short months, Baby #2 is due to arrive! And, I'm happy to report that our friendship is still very much in tact!

15 months.

Nathaniel is 15 months old today! When he turned one, I felt like the past year had flown by, but now....really, I mean, didn't he just turn one yesterday?! When they say babies grow up fast, they're not lying!

Nate has learned to walk! About two weeks ago, he just stood up and went. And, after a few days of careful and delierate stepping, he decided that his crawling days were a thing of the past! He walks everywhere, and he's fast! (I thought he could crawl fast, but this is a totally new game!) He's on the verge of running, and thinks that it's hilarious when Daddy chases him. I'm so proud of my big boy!

Nathaniel's favorite toys right now are balls! He loves balls of all kinds, colors and sizes!! Every day, he brings me a "baa!" (or five to hold while he collects the rest). He especially likes the little plastic balls from his ball popper because they're the perfect size for his little hands, and the textured sensory balls that he received for his birthday. As a side note, one of his favorite foods is clementines, which he also refers to as "baa"s.

Some of his other favorite toys are his Buzz Lightyear rider, his pop-up toy, his ring-stacker, blocks, and, of course, books! He still loves to sit down and look at all of his "boo"s by himself. He also loves to bring books to us to be read aloud. His Nana taught him that the tiger in his Noah's Ark book growls, so now he growls at several different animals in various books! His favorite books right now are "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and "Ten Little Puppies".

To say that Nate likes animals is an understatement! He LOVES animals! Our dog, Grover, is his best friend, and I'll often find them wrestling in the living room! Grover is wonderful (and so gentle!) with Nathaniel. Sometimes, Grover runs laps through the house, with Nate chasing after him laughing as hard as he can--so funny! Nate also loves our cats (or, as he calls them "keekee!"s), although they do not share his enthusiasm. They sometimes will tolerate a quick pat from Nate, but he tends to be too noisy for their tastes. Nathaniel also loves to find pictures of animals in books, and he very much enjoyed our trip to the zoo last month!

I've started doing some simple activities with Nate throughout the day, and he's enjoyed all of them. We've finger-painted, colored, played with play dough, played in leaves, done stickers, water play, and made a sensory bowl of dried beans. Although he has a typical 1-year-old's attention span, he has participated in everything very well. (Not even one attempt to eat the play dough!)

Nathaniel can say several words, and he understands practically everything that we say! He says "baa" (ball), "boo" (book), keekee (kitty), momma, baba (dada). His favorite noise is the "B" sound, and he uses "buh" for several different things (sock, cup, binky, etc). When he gets very excited (like when Daddy comes home from work), he screams and claps! When he gets mad, he screams and throws himself backwards. Nate follows directions ("come here", "time to eat", "all done?", "may I have that?", "no", "look", etc.), and often surprises me with what he understands.

As far as foods go, Nate likes almost everything that he's tried. The only thing that he does not like is scrambled eggs. Some of his favorite foods are crackers, cheerios, grapes, peas, apples, yogurt, spaghetti, pizza, fig bars and clementines. He can feed himself with his hands, and we're working on using a spoon. (I'll admit to not letting him try it as often as I should because it's just easier to feed him!) He has not taken to whole milk yet, although I really have not been offering it often. He is still nursing three times/day (before nap, before bed, and early morning), and I haven't decided when we're going to work on weaning yet.

Nate has 12 teeth now, and is still teething. He has two molars, and two more that are coming. He's a trooper, but he does get fussy when he's tired and his mouth hurts. I usually do not medicate, but we use Hyland's teething tablets when he needs something. Occasionally, I will give him Tylenol to help him sleep. My poor little guy has been teething for so long--I cannot wait for him to be finished!

Nate still uses his binky, but is only allowed to have it for bedtime and naptime. He always cheerfully hands is over when he wakes up, and I'm planning to start "binky weaning" soon. I kept planning to take it away "cold turkey" when he was done teething because he does seem to get some relief from chewing on it when his mouth hurts--but it seems that teething is never-ending! We will be starting to lose the binky soon, and I don't anticipate it being too much of a problem. But, as always, toddlers are not predictable, so we shall see...

Nathaniel is a happy and silly little boy. He is very friendly, and grins at strangers everywhere we go! He even has a very fake and cheesey smile that he does when people smile at him, and he enjoys the laughter that he gets every time he does it! He is sweet and loves cuddling almost as much as we love cuddling him! He'll often stop for a quick hug while he's playing, but isn't interested in anything lasting more than 2 seconds unless he's sleepy. Nathaniel amazes us every day with the things that he is learning and the skills that he possesses. He is an incredible little boy who has his mommy and daddy utterly head over heels for him!