Pax at 14 and 15 months

I am feeling so guilty right now! I haven't kept track of Paxton's developments for over 2 months :(.  And I really can't remember the amazing things I know I want to remember. This makes me sad and reminds me how important it is to keep up on this. My baby is growing WAY too fast and I can't remember when his teeth came in, when he started saying certain words, or when he started doing all the funny, adorable things he does. I am going to try my best here to remember what I can...

14 Months  

• About 22 1/2 lbs
• Wearing 12-18 month clothing. Most of the 12 month stuff is getting too small.
• Very affectionate. Gives us lots of kisses throughout the day. My favorite right now is all the leg kisses I get while doing the dishes or laundry. Pax comes up to me and pulls up on my legs then gives me lots of smooches on the backs of my legs. I love this sweet boy!
• Walking some. He can take about 4 steps but he still prefers to crawl most of the time. 
• Loves to help me with the laundry. Pax likes to add things to the laundry while I am not looking (toys, other clothing, etc) so I have to go through the load before starting it :-).
• We are currently going through a nap transition. He doesn't really need 2 naps anymore but it is tricky! If he takes a morning nap he doesn't want to take his afternoon nap until late into the afternoon/early evening and this messes up his bedtime but if I keep him up all morning and put him down for an afternoon nap at 12:30ish I can't really take him anywhere in the car in the morning or else he will fall asleep and/or he isn't really taking a very long afternoon nap if I do keep him up all morning so it doesn't really feel worth it. Oh well, it will all come together eventually! I remember this same thing happening with Rowen and eventually it all works itself out.
• hair is still really light blonde with a hint of red and the curls are darling when his hair is wet 
• still saying "uh oh" the most, says "up" every now and then
• is crazy about the song "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and loves to listen to it on our iPads; he has started to say "up above" when he wants to sing the song or listen to it- pretty cute!
• points at all the lights wherever we go and grunts
• LOVES to read books

15 Months

• 24 lbs
• Cries as soon as we enter a doctor's office :(. This is so different from his big brother that I am still surprised each time. 
• Wearing 12-18 month clothing but should be moving into 18-24 (clothes are getting pretty snug :))
• Teething has been tough this month; 2 more teeth came in- 2 more on the bottom on either side of his two middle teeth and towards the end the month one of his one year molars came through making the total count 9. I am pretty certain that the other 3 one year molars are working their way through because Pax rubs his cheeks with his fingers often and chews on his fingers and sippy cups all the time. Poor guy! 
• Drinks an 8 oz bottle at about 7:15 p.m. each evening.
• Takes one nap each day usually around 12/1:00 until about 2:00 or 3:00; goes to bed around 7:45/8:00.
• Walking all the time now but so clumsy! I am amazed at how many times he trips and falls each day. He runs into all sorts of stuff too.
• Saying "up" more clearly; we hear "bye bye" every now and then; says "uh oh" all the time; signing for "more" and we are working hard on "please" and "thank you" but so far he hasn't tried to do it on his own; sometimes says "no, no no" after I tell him "no" or shake my head at him; still says "up above" when he wants to listen to/play with the nursery rhyme app on the iPad that has Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on it.
• Still loves reading books; we read 4-5 books before nap time and bed time each night and then several others throughout the day.
• Loves to use our iPad (we keep it in a case); his favorite apps are a nursery rhyme app that plays nursery rhyme music and an abc app where her touches each letter and it says the letter name and then plays the abc song over and over.
• Pax had a check up appointment with the ENT this month. The doctor found one of his tubes had come out and was lodged in his ear so he had to pull it out with all sorts of awful tools under the microscope. Pax was pretty upset about this and so was mama :(. After the tube was pulled out he had a hearing test and it was normal. Pax sitll has one tube in.
• Very ticklish
• Likes to "wrestle" with daddy and mama and papa
• Gives us lots of kisses right on the mouth! We love this so much.
• Wants to play anything and everything big brother is playing; he likes his own "baby" toys but really loves a few of Rowen's toys (Fur Real baby bear, car tracks, trains, stuffed animals).
• Gives Rowen hugs and loves to play "chase" with Rowen for awhile before getting fed up then he just starts screaming if Rowen gets too close to him. Paxton's favorite game to play with Rowen is jumping on the bed. This is scary and perhaps a little dangerous but we are very careful of course.
• Misses big brother when Ro is at preschool. It is pretty sweet to see his face light up when Rowen gets home.

Paxton,
We can't get enough of your full face smiles and happy giggles. You are a delightful little guy. We love watching you grow and learn each day. You bring such happiness to our family.
Love, Mama

And he's five...

just like that.
My precious boy.
Happy 5th birthday!

Santa 2012

We visited with Santa at Stanek's Nursery on December 1st. It was really the perfect experience for both boys. There were about 2 other families in line ahead of us. It was very quiet and laid back. We will remember this for next year!

Rowen went right up to Santa and talked to him for quite awhile. Santa was very sweet and really took his time with Rowen. He told Rowen that the kids that go to bed the earliest get their presents delivered first. Rowen has been telling me all week that he wants to go to bed early on Christmas Eve :).

 

As we expected, Pax was not fond of that scary looking guy so we had a family shot taken. Eric just loved Santa snuggling up to him ;).

We left with gifts! Santa gave me bulbs, Eric a candle, and the boys candy canes. We also saw two of Santa's reindeer at Stanek's. Rowen was sure one was Comet and one was Dancer.

Fall 2012

What an incredibly gorgeous fall we had! We enjoyed it so much. I think this is one of the best falls we have had with so many fun outdoor things to do and so much opportunity to play outside. I am really missing it today:(.

In September we went to Papa's work party. Last year they had the party around Christmas but this year they decided to do a fall theme. Rowen rode a horse again and did so great! He was super serious of course but he still talks about it to this day.

Rowen rode the "bull" again this year and loved getting thrown off.

They had a hay bale maze and this super fast slide! The kids had a blast.

Touch A Truck was a great experience. We met up with our good friends, the Sackmanns and the boys had a great time being really silly and running around to explore all the different vehicles.
We will definitely go back next year!

We got one good pumpkin out of our garden this year. Good thing Pax didn't have a clue this year. The pressure is on daddy for next year :). This is Rowen's little pumpkin. He used paint markers to make it into a Jack O Lantern. He worked so hard on it.

I had to include this photo because I couldn't believe how grown up my little boy looked after a hair cut in October... such a handsome boy.

We enjoyed lots of family time this fall. This photo was taken in early October I think. The boys already look so different.

In addition to lots of outdoor play time we had a blast watching Paxton begin to really play with Rowen. Here all the boys are playing cars of course :).

We did not plant any corn in our garden this year but Eric was given a bunch from a friend at work and it was sooooo delicious. Paxton LOVED it!

And of course the biggest highlight of Fall 2012 was probably our trip to Green Bluff with our good friends, the Sackmanns and the Donnellys. The big boys has a blast riding the tractor and the little train. Sliding down the huge blow up slide was a little more crazy this year. I am sure it will only get more wild over the years :).

And the littlest ones enjoyed checking each other out :).

Paxton loved riding in the wagon while we picked apples. He was such a ham while I took these photos.

My two darling boys. 

Life is hectic, chaotic, and exhausting at times, but so very full and joyful because of these two!

We picked out 5 pumpkins. Pax is checking out the dark orange and white pumpkins here.

We carved our pumpkins over a weeks time this year. It is funny how these big projects take lots more time with two kiddos:). The first night we cleaned the pumpkins out and carved one pumpkin. Then a few days later daddy and Rowen carved a second one into a lion face.

Devri and I ran The Monster Dash in Manito Park the weekend before Halloween. It was so fun to run a race with my BFF :) and then see my two little boys cheering me on at the finish line- in costume!! Todd ran the race too, pushing Bennett in the jogging stroller. We were seriously impressed :). After the 5K race Rowen and I ran the kids race together. He did so good- ran the whole way and smiled the whole time too I think! We will definitely do this again!

 Halloween night was a blast! Both boys wore their lion costumes and looked so darn cute! It was a prefect night- warm, really dark, and our neighborhood was overflowing with darling kids in all sorts of costumes.
We met up with the Donnellys (Cooper a race car driver and Quinn a darling lamb) and took off trick or treating. The grandparents stayed at our house to answer the door and take care of Paxton for the second half of trick or treating.

The first snow was so exciting. I think we were outside by 7:30. Rowen loved it but Pax wasn't sure. He couldn't really walk around in all that gear so he was mostly frustrated. The snow wasn't sticking together very well but we made lots of snow angels and threw a few flimsy snowballs. A few days later the boys built a great snowman with Grammy.

And of course we would never miss out on Cooper's birthday in early November! Cooper is now 4. We are so proud of him and love him dearly! Cooper treated his friends and family to a birthday party at Mobius and a delicious chocolate race car cake!

This fall we participated in two art classes through Spokane Parks and Rec. with Cooper and Devri and Bennett and Josie. A Halloween theme class and a Thanksgiving theme class. We had lots of fun getting messy and learned a lot about doing art classes planned and prepared by people without kids or maybe just have forgotten what a 2-4 year old can really do independently. We really did have a great time but both classes involved mom doing most of the work! I have to say though that I am proud of all the work Rowen did do on the projects. He did whatever he could and he did enjoy it!

We have had to find ways to stay busy, active, happy inside this fall. The photo below is a big hit- getting pushed around in the laundry basket. Great workout for mama and a thrilling ride for the boys!! In addition to trying to keep these two boys active we did lots of other fun fall stuff... story time at the library, checking out books each week, doing lots of fall crafts, writing on our "thankful tree" each day of November, baking all sorts of stuff, meeting up with friends for play dates, going to a few indoor play areas, and much more.

Fall 2012 was a success!