My growing boy!

Jamie turned 21 months a few weeks ago. That means he only has 3 months before he's 2. That seems impossible to me but time marches on. Look how much he's grown since he was just 12 months.

12 months

15 months

18 months

21 months

He is really losing the baby face and starting to turn into a boy. But he is still quite baby to me, especially those little sausage toes and chubby kissable cheeks.

Anne at 4.5 years

Anne is officially 4 and a half now (or as she says "An older four"). I cannot believe how quickly my little girl has grown; honestly the past 4 years have flown by. I love nearly every second of her at age 4 and a half. I love the conversations we have. I love hearing what she's thinking about. I love seeing her funny reactions to things. I love how she's a big helper with Jamie and how much she loves him. I love seeing them play together and Anne being compassionate with him if something goes wrong. Four has been an amazing half a year so far. What will come next?

Buddy...Talking!

Jamie has been slow in the language. As I've said before, he was honestly mute until he was 8 months old. He didn't make a peep other than to cry. Then suddenly at 8 months he started cooing and babbling like he'd done it all along. Until 18 months he was basically wordless. He could say a few words-3 or 4 if I was being generous, but that was it. Then, again, at 18 months he quickly started putting words to things and now at 20 months he easily has 30+ words in his vocabulary. Even more amazing is the self control and ability this little guy has to put words to his needs and thoughts. He can seriously be in the midst of a meltdown temper tantrum and I can ask him what he wants; he will stop crying and tell me (in single words) "Eat" or "Wa-wa" or point to what he needed. He has "conversations" with us all the time. I'll be doing a chore and he walks up and points to something, says the word for it. I'll repeat it back to him or ask him a question about it and he'll tell me something else about it (Buddy: "Car." Me: "Is that a car Bud?" Buddy: "Rrrrr..." Me: "Yep, the car goes 'rrrr.'") Seriously amazing to me. But tonight he had another exciting first in the language department. I was holding him on my lap at the dinner table and Winnie, outside, barked. Jamie looked outside, pointed and said "Wimmie woof." He put 2 words together! Wow! This is the starting of sentences! And how cool that I was able to be there and recognize this exciting and fun first! Go Buddy, go! You'll be talking in no time!

Turkey Hands

We did another holiday craft this week. I'm loving doing crafts with Jamie-seeing how much he can participate, seeing what he comes up as he mindlessly sticks things on and scribbles. It's adorable. I love seeing how Anne is growing in her ability to cut, and glue, and create. I treasure these little crafts the kids have been doing.

Anne did a great job of putting "feathers" on her turkey. She insisted on cutting it into a lovely square too-as Jamie had his in a circle.

Jamie's chubby hand. Unfortunately he wouldn't stay still long enough to get a really accurate trace of his hand, so it's a bit bigger than his real hand. What a fab job he did scribbling his picture.

Jamie's Halloween-Through the Years

Jamie 8 months old-as "Tortoise" from Toroise and the Hare

Jamie-20 months old as "The Big Bad Wolf"

Anne's Halloween-Through the Years

Anne 6 months old-as a Ducky

Anne 18 months old-as Elmo

Anne 2 years old-as DW from the PBS show Arthur

Anne 3 years old-as the "Hare" from Tortoise and the Hare

Anne 4 years old-as Little Red Riding Hood

He's got my heart....

Jamie has been beyond adorable lately. I am amazed to see him growing so quickly-and doing things so much sooner than Anne ever did. Anne didn't start imaginary play until she was probably almost 4 years old but Jamie is already copying doing it now. The other day at the park Anne and I were pretending to climb up and down mountains (the slides) and we pretended to fall down one. We both lay motionless on the ground, in presumed unconsciousness, when I peeked my head up to find not only Anne had fallen down the mountain, but there was Buddy, laying on his back motionless too! So adorable. Today at the park he was picking up rocks and pine cones, throwing them down and as they hit going "Boom!". The rocks and pine cones were, of course, bombs. He got on the swings today on his tummy, arms outstretched, and when he got off he flapped them and tweeted like a bird. Adorable. What a smart guy.

Today after lunch I was annoyed with him (and Anne). Neither had eaten much of their lunch, which of course took me 20 minutes to make, and what they did eat they ate at a snails pace. As I told Jamie to stand up so I could wipe him off, he did but leaned in for a hug. Literally every bit of frustration I had for him melt off me and dripped on to the floor.

And on the ride home from dropping Anne at preschool, he was holding on to her baby doll. I heard him laughing to see that he had taken off the baby doll's diaper, held it up and said "Poo poo!". The baby had gone poo and needed a bit of wiping.

Boy oh boy does this boy of mine have my heart. All of it, every little piece of it, forever.

Preschool...or...revisiting "Then and Now"

Today was Anne's first day of 4 year old preschool. If I let myself, I can picture next year her going to kindergarten-everyday-then the year after first grade-all day, everyday-and then Jr. High, then High School and before you know it, she's moved out of the house and only comes home for home-baked chocolate chip cookies and to wash her laundry! Argh! Okay, focus. Reality check, she's just in 4 year old preschool...her last year of preschool. Today was a "half day" (translation since she's already in half day preschool-half an hour). She got to play a little, meet her classmates and teachers, and the parents got the necessary info about dropping off, picking up, sicknesses, etc. Tomorrow is her first full day and then begins the loooong school year of 3 days a week of school, meaning hardly anytime for me...I mean Anne...to have play dates. Yikes!

Just to bring a little blast from the past of those who have followed the blog for a few years-here are 2 "Then and Now" pictures.

Anne on her first day of 3 year old preschool.

Anne, today, on her first day of 4 year old preschool.

What Jamie did last year during the parent/sibling/student visit on the first day. (6 months old)

What Jamie did this year during the parent/sibling/student visit (18 months old).

Wow, I love seeing my kids grow and change right before my very eyes. Here's to a great school year Anne!

Happy 18 Months Buddy!

Jamie turned 18 months old the other day. He is now officially closer to 2 years old than to 1 year old. How did this happen? The past 18 months have literally flown by. I am in shock that he is a walking, talking, throwing tantrums, charming, hugging, kissing, biting, loving little boy. I can hardly remember the months before when he was an adorable, drooling, spitting up-ing, nursing, smiling, cooing baby. How I love this little guy. How his life has blessed mine. I am truly grateful. And in very true April fashion, here is his 18 month picture (at the end) along with his 12 month and 15 month picture. Can you believe what a little boy he has turned into? And he hasn't even come close to stopping yet!

12 month old baby

15 month old toddler

18 month old turning into a little boy