21 months

This month has flown by. The weather has been warm, but with the crisp air and vibrant colors of fall. We have spent most every day outside. We pick up lunch and head to a park, ( is it bad that the Wendy's drive thru lady knows the boys)? But the boys love to be outside. And I have come to love it as well, not the fascination with bugs and dirt yet. But nonetheless being outside makes everybody happy. Some afternoons when we are just sitting there on our picnic blanket, while the sun warms us and the squeals of laughter from other children surrounds us, I take a deep breath and just inhale the moment. For I know it is fleeting. And that moment is everything I ever wanted, yet never believed that I could have. Grace abounds, and I am blessed.

Beckett: this month has been BIG for you! You are a walker!!!! Suddenly you are upright. And the world is so much bigger to you now. You love your new freedom. And you don't just walk, you run. You have the most intense look of concentration on your face. Your arms are out to the side for balance and you smile a coy smile as you run past me, saying "run run." we are so proud of you.
Your vocabulary is expanding daily. Just today you said, "Go outside Peggy." That's a big sentence!!
You memory amazes me. I will point something out once and you remember it. For example we walked past a puddle one day and the next day the water had dried up, but you pointed to where it was and said water. You are signing a lot now too. Probably because you love to watch Signing Time! You have become very opinionated. If you don't want something you vehemently shake your head no. You love pizza! You will ask for it at every meal:) just like your momma. You love love love animals. At a party you couldn't get enough of this kitten. You picked it up by its neck, ( which amazingly it allowed you to do) and carried it around all night. You were so proud of yourself. You love all things Halloween. Anytime we see a pumpkin, a ghost, a witch you say "spooky" and want to go touch it. I wish that I could record your little voice each time, because it makes me laugh;) you are doing much better with the Mother's Day Out program. You don't scream anymore and the teachers tell me that you were a good boy. Your grandparents came for a visit this month and they thought you were extraordinary! Especially when you said "grandpa or grandma" Of course you loved them too. This month you graduated from physical therapy!!!! You are becoming such a big boy in so many ways, but you are still a baby in others. Especially when you walk over to me, say "sit down" and crawl up and into my lap.

Blake: this month you are off and running. You are so sure of your little legs now. You rarely fall. You just GO! And when you run, you swing your little arms to the side and have this funny proud grin on your face that makes me laugh. This month has been rough for you though. Asthma has knocked you out again. And it makes me so sad for you. Yet you are a trooper. When it's time for a treatment, you will go get your mask and bring it to me, and sit on my lap while the nebulizer runs. It's during those few minutes that I whisper into your ear just how brave you are and how very much I love you:) You are signing all the time. Using more signs than I know. I can't keep up with you. But you are also beginning to talk more.  And I love your nasally, if a bit high pitched little voice. It sounds 100% innocent.  We can ask you most anything and you will say, "yea." Blake, do you want a cookie? Yea! Blake do want a spanking? Yea! Unless we ask you if you want to go see the horses, then you firmly shake your head NO! You still have a love for balls. Whenever we are at a park and other kids are playing ball, I watch your face. You just stand there, entranced. Wanting so badly to play, to be big. And most of the time your momma interrupts the game and asks nicely if you can have a turn. If I could, I would give you the moon;) You have become more of a picky eater this month. You used to love breakfast but now you could do without. You are still not a fan of Mother's Day Out. Once you get there you do ok, but you still scream your bloody head off when I drop you off. You do not love the spooky Halloween decorations. In fact, when we are walking past them, you will try to climb out of your stroller to get away from them. And as soon as we have passed them, you are frantically waiving "bye bye." You have just learned how to pretend cry. And you think it's hilarious. You will walk up to either me or Chris and tell us to cry... Then you mimic us and laugh. You loved having grandpa and grandma here. And they loved watching you sign their names;) Despite you being sick, I loved this month. I often wish that there was a camera following me around so that your days could forever be captured.