Snapshots

Luke

...Turned 6 months old today. I forget how big he is, and new milestones always surprise me, because it seems like he was just born a few weeks ago.

...Loves to be smiled at, and is extremely interactive and friendly. He smiles at everybody, including complete strangers. 

...Tends to be more sensitive and reactive then I remember JJ being as a baby. He cries longer and harder when something scares him or he gets hurt, and takes a little longer to calm down
...Wears 12 month jammies to accommodate his long legs and big feet.

...Rolled from tummy to back at 13 weeks 6 days, and at 14 weeks rolled from back to tummy...and has not stopped rolling since. He rolls everywhere. It's like he's on autopilot; as soon as I lay him on his back, he rolls right over-changing his diaper is like trying to wrestle an alligator. He can't crawl yet, but he somehow manages to wriggle and roll several feet in very small spaces of time. Occasionally, he'll roll over consecutively, one after another. I'm a little nervous for when he really gets going!

...Is a full-on, almost exclusive tummy sleeper. He has been ever since he figured out how to roll over.

...Likes goodnight moon, patty cake, and trying to watch Monster Trucks with his brother

...Loves books

...Likes the toys on his bouncer and play mat a lot more-he gets laser vision and a look of pure determination as he bats at them tries to grab them. Very cute. Then he loses interest and rolls away

...Can sit up, but doesn't like it. He prefers to be on his belly. And when he's buckled into his bouncer,he pulls himself upright and launches himself forward, like he's trying to propel himself out of his seat.

...Tried his first foods in Colorado, alongside his twinner cousin (rice cereal and avocado). He didn't love it.

...Favorite foods include beans (especially refried), banana, baked sweet potato, softened carrots, bell pepper sautéed in olive oil and garlic salt, tomatoes, boiled apple, and French toast. He also sucked enthusiastically on a slice of cucumber and an apple slice. Least favorites: containers of baby food in any form, and avocado. 

...Is super strong. His Mimi and his Grammy have both told me they think he's going to crawl early-he gets his belly and hips off the ground, and just pushes off those little legs like he's trying to take off. He's going to keep me on my toes, I think!

...Loves looking at himself in the mirror, and I love watching him look at himself in the mirror. He smiles so big and squirms with joy. I would too, if I was that cute. 

...Still loves music. He's especially partial to the acoustic stylings of the late 60s and 70s, like James Taylor, Kenny Loggins, the Beatles, Bill Withers, etc

...Will lately fall asleep on everyone's shoulder at nap time except for mine. When I put him down, he just always tries to nurse. I am the milk-maid. 

Jace

...Some new Jace-isms:

"Pay wonger?" (Play longer)

"Too buggin!!" (When his clothing, such as socks or shoes, are uncomfortable to him in some way and wants them removed)

"Weee mad!" (Reaaallly mad) 

"Diggles!" When he has the giggles

"Wish-iss!" (Delicious!)

"Helmet on?" "Turn around?"

"A kick snuggle?" (A quick snuggle?)

"Dance a me?" (Dance with me?)

"Bye, have a nice day!" 

"Bak-man" for the movie Ratatouille 

"A hold you hug?" (When he is feeling snuggly or clingy and wants to be held)

...Is learning all the emotion words: happy, sad, angry, mad, frustrated, bored, and proud are ones he knows and can identify in pictures. Now, we are working on learning to identify them in himself and others and using those new words instead of screaming! 

...His language is exploding-up to 8-10 word utterances, including articles/prepositions/copula "is". He's also repeating everything we say, and he's memorized most of his books, including long phrases from books (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, his books about ambulances and tow trucks, If You Give a Dog a Donut, Going On A Bear Hunt, and The Little Mouse, A Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear)

...Pointed to a word in his book and said "letters!"

...Is starting to get really social. He wants to play with kids sometimes, and not just next to them. He loves his cousin Bentley, and while he was playing with kids at the park, I overheard him say "thank you," "excuse me," and "sorry." He wanted to be involved, and I even caught him pretending he was stuck while climbing on the jungle gym so that they bigger kids would stop and help him. Genius.

...Has been super into his sandbox lately. He rolls around in it like a puppy, takes all of his trucks and diggers in there...and yes, eats the sand.

...Loves to go "simmin!!" He's a total fish and can swim on his own with his new floaties. After an afternoon swimming at Lake Tye, he kept telling Colt and I that he had "a sun (fun) day!"

...LOVES to visit the fire station! The front desk lady knows him well, and they are always super nice. He was finally brave enough to climb inside the vehicles this time (he's always been too shy before), and he was pointing out the "scene lights!" and the "marker lights!" on the ambulance...this kid knows his stuff.

...Has been asking for cupcakes. We don't eat a lot of cake at this house-we are more cookie/brownie people. But all of a sudden, he knows what they are and talks about them a lot. I guess I'll have to bust out a batch of cupcakes one of these days with my tiny helper by my side!

...When we are waiting in line, or at a red light, he is always asking us to "Move, please?!" Often, he gets pretty upset. So we've been explaining the concept of patience and how it means quietly waiting for our turn, and he's started to remind himself by saying "Patience...patience a turn!"

...He's starting to give up naps. He still needs one, but it's getting later and later in the day, and sometimes he ends up not taking one at all. Those days can be tough. 

...Strokes my hair very softly. Sweet boy. 
...Calls corn "yellow beans"
...Calls me, Colt, and Mimi "honey bunny," even when he's angry or whiny. 

...Has started to sing to himself!! He knows a lot of songs, including 5 Little Monkeys, Patty Cake, Happy Birthday, Apples and Bananas, and various primary songs. He also recites big sections of books we've been reading. He'll be driving his trucks on the living room floor, just talking to himself: "One piece of chocolate cake, one lollipop, one slice of Swiss cheese..."

...Still loves Pooh Bear, and has adopted some of his phrases, such as  "Oh bother!" and "Think, think." He giggles every time he says a Pooh Bear phrase.
...He knows about so many things I didn't realize he was aware of, like Santa Clause, tunnels, cupcakes...I guess he really has just been soaking in every single thing everyone says over the last two and a half years.

...Randomly decided his brother's name is Bobby. Then, the next day, he informed us his own name is also Bobby. We don't know anyone named Bobby. I guess I do now, as Jace currently refers to himself as "Jace-Bobby."

I Love my Bobbies.