Happy 16 Months

December 19th 2012

Blakey, Blakey, Blakey....

Has it already been 16 months since you joined our family?  Each day passes too quickly but I love seeing your personality emerge and learning more about what goes on inside that head of yours.  Not that you leave that much for us to wonder about...you are good at speaking certain words, fussing, stomping your feet if your milk is warmed to the perfect temperature (yes, we are warming your milk in your sippy cup), and my two most favorite things that you do are to smile and give kisses.  Oh, and you LOVE to laugh.  If you Dad is heating up your milk, you'll walk over to him and grab his leg and give him a kiss on his knee.  If I turn on an episode of "Bubble Guppies" not only will you kiss me but you will also point to the TV and exclaim, "BUBBA!"  A woman of few words, yes, but those words are very specific and leave little room for error.

One of the biggest changes that we are facing right now is getting you ready to start school with Connor.  He probably wouldn't admit it but I know he's secretly excited to have you there.  You'll learn a lot and have so much fun but man oh man I'm not ready for the transition quite yet.  You have been SO LOVED by Krissi and BAM each week.  I won't say "spoiled" but that is probably a more accurate description. 

I know Krissi and Mary (her daughter) will miss you and we will miss them immensely.  Connor will miss rushing home from school to play with Mary.  I only took a few photos of you and Krissi and ended up with a handful of good ones.  Your brother and Mary, on the other hand, were a different story.  One of them (or both) was usually making a funny face or not looking at the camera.  Please don't follow in their foot steps.  I know it's too late for that because you admire both of them and cannot get enough of your brother.  Your relationship is growing stronger each day and I so love that.

Your visit with Santa at the mall went...well, I mean, let's just say that it's a good thing that we have that behind us.  And it's a good thing that you've already opened a lot of your Christmas gifts since your mom and dad aren't the best at waiting to give you anything.  Your favorite gift so far seems to be your own, personalized chair.  I'm not sure if you like the chair as much as you like the fact that you now have one just like your brother. 



Thank you for being you, Blakey.  Your sweet smile lights up my even though it is a bit mischievous, it reassures me that we have many fun times together.  And that is something that I have NO DOUBT about. 

I love you.

Love,
Mom
XOXO

Pictures with Santa

We've all seen the screaming baby sitting on Santa's lap for the first time.  The photographer at Northpoint Mall had perfect timing when we were those people this past weekend.  As you can see, Connor and Santa were amazingly content and actually look unphased by the blood curdling scream coming from the sweet little girl on the other side of Santa's lap. 

 

As I was talking to BAM on the phone this morning, she mentioned that there was a good chance that a very similar picture of Dennis existed.  She sent Stephen on a mission to find it and a few short hours later it was scanned and in my inbox.  

\

I am really at a loss for words when I look at this photo.  Blake definitely resembles her father and the way he is screaming but so careful not to spill his raisins makes you smile.  I love his plaid pants and I love Santa's dark brown sideburns. 

These two pictures may not win any photo awards but they are two of the most special photos that I have.  Special - albeit chaotic - moments captured forever. 

A few special treats

I'm showing you special pictures that haven't been shared otherwise because I love you, my devoted blog-checkers :)

Almost forgot my login.

I am sorry for not posting.  Somehow, these two little sweet chunks of love have completely taken over my life.  I swore it wouldn't happen, as did Dennis.  And now, I fear, we are in deep doo-doo. 

And yes, I said doo-doo.  I really have to watch what I say because Connor likes to repeat everything he hears and then some.  It was a classic Connor moment when he and his Dad walked in the door and his Dad handed me an "oh no report".  He has a new teacher in his class and she sends home these little notes when kids are particularly challenging.  And, well, that pretty much describes Connor so we are in frequent receipt of those notes.

Anyway, his note went on to say how he did not cooperate at nap time and instead of being quiet he chose to repeatedly climb on top of the play house in the room.  The teacher tried to calm him down, quietly, but he was having none of it.  He went on to call her a "baby" and then a "baby maker".  I really don't know if I've ever said - or typed - "baby maker" until he came home with that note. 

As I read the note with Connor, Dennis, BAM and Blakey looking at me, I did everything that I could not to laugh.  But, as you can imagine, I was unsuccessful. 

Then tonight, I told Connor that we're going to play a game called "Listen to Mommy".  He looked up at me, perplexed.  "What's that game?  How do we play that game?"  Uh-huh.  My point exactly. 

So on the one hand you have our little daredevil, Connor, and on the other hand, you have our little terodactyl.  Now that's another word that I have never typed before.  Who says you don't keep learning after you have kids? 

Blakey likes to run around the house (she is trying to jump) and she does a great rendition of what I imagine a terodactyl scream to sound like.  Pretty awesome and never overwhelming after a long day of work. 

She is also slightly addicted to Bubble Guppies.  As soon as she wakes up in the morning, she points down stairs and says, "Bubba-bubba!" 

So, what is the point of the post?  It's to say that I'm sorry for neglecting you but please believe me when I say that it's not because I have been lounging around, eating bon-bons.  Nope, nosiree. 

My life is exhausting in every meaning of the word but it's a wonderful, beautiful, exhausted.