Currently | May 2017

I'm baaaaaack! It's been nearly a month since I've posted here, and almost two months since my last Currently post. So much for making it a monthly occurrence! I've been quite busy lately and making some lifestyle changes, which has led to less face time with my ol' computer and even less time for blogging. I've missed this space, though, and I'm hoping to get back here regularly. What better way to get back into the swing of things than a Currently post? Here's what I've been up to lately.

Needing |  To get crack-a-lackin' on the kids' birthday party details. The party is on the 20th. Today's the 9th. I've done next to nothing. I think I'm in denial that I'm going to have a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old next week. NEXT WEEK! 

Loving |  Working out every day. I never thought I'd ever say that before, but it's become a necessary part of my day. Some days it's been tough to fit it in, but I haven't missed a day since I started my first round of 21 Day Fix on April 3. I'm even squeezing in a second workout each day this week! I was successful yesterday and today; let's see if I can stick to it the rest of the week! I think it helps that I don't mind wearing workout clothes all day, and it's also not the end of the world if I can't get a shower immediately after working out (except after cardio...I earn that shower after cardio!)

Giggling |  At my kiddos. Max is so cute with his imaginative play. He takes a bunch of stuffed animals and lines them up on a blanket, then makes them talk to each other, complete with different voices. Or he'll pile a bunch of stuff on the couch (I don't particularly love this activity), cover it with a blanket, and then sit on top of it, saying he's The Grinch (he's currently obsessed with the old cartoon version and wants to watch it every night). Louisa is cruising everywhere and giving big cheesy grins whenever you catch her eye. She's all over the place, and her new favorite thing is the dishwasher.

Photoshoots are rarely successful these days. They're always cute, though.

Listening |  All the John Mayer. He gets me through my chores. He's an old fave of mine; I went to at least two of his concerts in high school and college. He'll always hold a special place in my heart. Plus, his lyrics and guitar skills are amaze.

Reading |  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. A friend lent it to me years ago and I'm finally reading it. It's really good! I'm not a big history buff, but I really enjoy reading books about World War II. This one takes place shortly after the war, and it recounts people's experiences during the German Occupation. I'm loving it.

Watching |  Last weekend, Victor and I watched Manchester by the Sea on Amazon Prime. It was really good! Quite sad/melancholy, but such a good film. Highly recommend it. We also watched Gleason (also on Amazon), a documentary about a former NFL player who is living with ALS. Very inspiring. And last night I watched the series finale episode of Parenthood on Netflix (I've been watching the entire series over the course of the past couple of months...this was my third time. I love it so much!). That final episode, guys. I'm pretty sure I cried through the entire thing. I said it after it aired on NBC and I'll say it again: they wrapped up that show so beautifully...although I wouldn't be opposed to it returning sometime. Also, Zeek Braverman is starting to remind me of my dad, and I'm convinced that if my dad were still with us, he'd be the kind of grandfather Zeek was. Pass the tissues, please!

Sipping |  Two coffees each day. And water. I'm trying to drink at least 100 oz per day. Some days I make it, most days I don't. I'd probably have more luck if I dropped one of those coffees...nah. There's water in coffee, anyway. ;o)

Cooking |  Lots of veggies and lean proteins and zero junk. My 21 Day Fix meal plan is a bit of a change from what I'm used to, but I'm enjoying it.

Cringing |  At the enormous gray hair that fell out of my head the other day. I know I have grays. I didn't know they were that long. Holy moly.

Dreaming |  Of having a house that is organized and clutter-free. Is this possible with two small kids? We have way too much stuff! And toys are STILL everywhere, even after I did a toy purge a few weeks ago! We're in trouble after this birthday party...although I think I'm going to implement a "one in, one out" policy: they have to get rid of one toy for every toy they receive.

Celebrating | Mother's Day this weekend. Max's 3rd birthday on the 17th. Louisa's 1st birthday on the 19th. And their combined birthday party on the 20th. Lots of cake to be consumed!

Hoping |  Louisa's top teeth come in soon. For Pete's sake, it seems like she's been teething for months. If a new tooth doesn't pop out in the next week, she's going to turn one with only two teeth in her bitty mouth! That's crazy to me! Max had 8 teeth by the time he turned one!

Wondering |  If Max will come around to potty training soon. He was doing really well and then regressed big time. Now he's saying he'll use the potty when he's three. One of my friends told me that her greatest life accomplishment was potty training her son (this above earning two Bachelors' degrees, teaching first grade, getting married, and giving birth to three kids). I might feel the same way once Max is finally out of diapers!

I hope you're having a wonderful week!

Mama Heart | I have a preschooler

This morning, at approximately 9:25 AM, I became the mother of an enrolled preschooler for the 2017-2018 school year. Even though we've been preparing for this for the past month, I still can't believe this day is here.

Victor and I have been researching preschools in the area for the past month. There were lots to choose from, but we only visited/toured four: two were at well-known child care/preschool centers. one was a Montessori school, and one was part of a nearby church. Far and away, our favorite school was the first we visited, which was the church preschool. Our back-up was one of the child care centers.

I really wanted Max to get into the church school. The classes are small (only 8-14 kids per three-year-old class), they incorporate Christian elements into their lessons, and I just loved the tight-knit, family-like community that was evident when we toured the school. An added bonus is that the school is walking-distance from our house (across the street from the Starbucks we like to walk to), so I could walk to pick him up on nice days.

I was worried Max wouldn't get a spot because after their church/alumni registration last Thursday, there were only 8 spaces left for the Monday/Wednesday/Friday "threes" program. Registration for the "community" was this morning beginning at 9 AM, and it was a first-come, first-served situation. I wanted to head over to the church by 8:30 AM to get in line, but in classic Rachel fashion, I didn't get out the door until 8:45 (perhaps if I had gotten up at 7--when my alarm went off--instead of 7:15, I could've left on time. Must get better at morning things!). I walked into the gathering room at the church at around 8:50 and I was number 20 in line...T W E N T Y ! My heart sank. I was sure we'd be wait-listed, at best. I buried myself in my book I brought along to pass the time, but I felt a pit in my stomach the whole time I waited. While our back-up school is a great option, my heart was set on this school.

However, once registration started, I noticed that many of the parents ahead of me were registering for the 4-year-old program or the 2-year-old program, and many of those registering for the 3-year-old program wanted a Tuesday/Thursday slot! In the end, Max got the 7th of the 8 available spaces for the Monday/Wednesday/Friday threes program! I happily handed over my registration paperwork and the enrollment check, thankful to no longer worry whether he would get in or not.

Max is so excited to go to school, so to celebrate his new status, I packed his little lunch in his doggy lunchbox today. His school is nut-free, though, so we have until September to get him interested in something other than the PB&J crowd-pleaser.

I can't believe my baby is going to preschool.

Mama Heart Series | Seasons of Motherhood

Hello lovelies! For a couple of weeks now, I've been pondering beginning a series on the blog. I wanted to choose a broad theme that I can touch on each week, hitting a more specific aspect  of that theme with each post. Since I'm deep in the throes of motherhood with two littles under age 3, I figured that would be the best topic. 

That brings us to today, the first installment of the Mama Heart series! My plan is to post for "Mama Heart Monday" each week. If you're a blogger and would like to participate, feel free to post on Mondays about anything that is on your Mama Heart. Perhaps it'll turn into a linkup someday.

My kids are going through a lot of changes right now, and as a mom, adjusting to those changes can be pretty challenging. As a first-time-mom when Max was a baby, I was fascinated every time he reached new milestones, and I very rarely willed time to slow down like so many other moms do. I truly was so excited to see him growing and changing. I celebrated his teeth coming in, I encouraged him to crawl and eat solids, and I wanted so badly for him to walk before his first birthday (although he waited until 15 months to take his first real steps).

After he turned one, I went from being the mom of an infant to being the mom of a toddler, which came with it's own set of challenges as Max became more independent, opinionated, defiant, and incredibly intelligent. My patience was tested virtually every day by my strong-willed firstborn, and I had to learn how to give him the freedom to try new things and do some exploring on his own, allowing him to learn from his mistakes.

During Max's first year of toddlerhood, I found out I was pregnant with his little sister, and I began to prepare myself for the task of being a mom of two kids ages 2 and under. I was so excited and so nervous at the same time. How would I adjust to this newest season of motherhood?  I had already survived the infant season and was knee-deep in the toddler one, but soon I was going to add another baby to the mix. I hoped and prayed that I would figure it out and not screw up too much in the process.

Being a mom to a baby and a toddler has been such a fun and demanding season of motherhood for me. To be quite honest, the baby stuff came back to me pretty easily. The more challenging part of this newest season is navigating my toddler, especially in relation to the new baby. I've already done the baby stuff, but the toddler stuff is where I'm tested and where I feel like I'm doing it all wrong some days (case in point: potty training). I have a feeling that I'll be challenged in new ways once Louisa reaches toddlerhood; I know she's developing her own personality and will throw me for many loops as she figures out her own preferences and quirks. It's a never-ending ride!

Soon I will be the mom of a preschooler, a brand new season of motherhood that I'm excited for (mostly because Max is so excited about it), but one that I'm also struggling with. First of all, HOW did Max suddenly go from squishy little baby to almost 3 years old so quickly?! It really is true when they say that the days are long but the years are short; we have many a loonngg day in our house, but then suddenly months have passed by and I'm wondering where the time went. Victor and I have toured two preschools in the area already, and we will visit a third this week. We're asking questions about curriculum and schedules and enrichment activities, wondering how our very bright son will be challenged academically and how he will interact with his peers. In just a few short months, I will be handing my son (who has only been cared for by his parents, his aunt, or his grandparents) over to complete strangers and entrusting them with his education and care. I will watch him develop an admiration and enthusiasm for his new teachers and friends, and I will witness him foster new interests and skills that I have not personally exposed him to myself. For the first time in three years, I will be away from my son for multiple hours a day, 3 days a week. Thank goodness I have a few more months to come to terms with all of this change that's coming my way.

And that brings us to Louisa, my sweet little Lou-Lou-bird. She's getting ready to crawl and is about to sprout her first tooth (I think...please let it be soon! My poor girl is miserable!). She's getting too big for her infant car seat so we're switching her to Max's old convertible one; this means I need to switch to a different stroller and prepare differently for leaving the house--no more throwing a blanket over her car seat as I clip her into the umbrella stroller--girlfriend needs a coat! She's becoming a more voracious solids-eater, and she's starting to use a cup (though not exactly successfully). She's started letting us know when she's mad, especially when we take away a wash cloth that she could be sucking on. She loves to nurse and hates a bottle, but I know that at some point in the next four months, our nursing relationship will end. I find I'm having a harder time celebrating Louisa meeting her milestones than I did with Max; I am so sad to see her baby-ness fade away. The fact that she's less than four months away from turning one is crushing me. I'm not sure why I'm feeling more sentimental this time around; perhaps it's because she's a girl, or maybe it's because she could be my last baby, or it might be because I know what comes next and how quickly she's going to turn into this little creature who only vaguely resembles her squishy baby-self. No matter the reason behind it, I just want to keep her little forever.

I've only just begun to navigate the ever-changing seasons of motherhood. Right now I'm up to my eyeballs in diapers, Cheerios, toys, and tantrums. I'm sleep-deprived due to my baby needing to nurse overnight and my toddler having bad dreams or needing to be tucked back into bed. But I know that in the not too distant future, I'll be elbow-deep in sports schedules, homework, teenage angst, and curfew enforcement. I'll be sleep-deprived because Max and/or Louisa is out driving or on a date or applying for college and I'm up late poring over their baby books. I'll be longing for these long, loud, seemingly endless days with my baby and toddler.

Late last month, I overheard a couple in the checkout line at the grocery store discussing their kids and how they were going to approach one of them about needing to get a job and how they needed to have a discussion with another about the rules for having friends over to the house when they weren't home ("It's really a safety issue," the mom said). I remember being thankful that I didn't have those worries at this point in my motherhood journey.

I often find myself wondering how I will know that I'm making the right decisions when it comes to my kids, especially during the teenage years. I can't even begin to fathom my kids having their own cell phones and cars and letting them go out on their own. But the truth is, I don't even know that I'm making the right decisions now; I just know that the decisions I'm making are the ones that I feel are best for my kids. I guess that's all we can do, regardless of which season of motherhood we're in. We trust our gut, we put on a brave face, and we love our kids with everything we've got.

Max | Two and a half years

On November 17, Max officially became two and a half years old. I feel like I've been telling people he's "almost two and a half" for months now, and suddenly here we are. He's now closer to three years old than he is to two. I can't even believe I nearly have a three-nager on my hands!

These past two and a half years have been such a joy with Max. He made me a mama, and I can't even remember what life was like before him (I do vaguely remember sleeping in more...). Never could I have imagined that he'd turn out to be who he is today, and I'm so excited to see how his personality continues to develop as the years go by. Victor said to me the other day that it's crazy to think that in less than 16 years, we'll be sending him off to college, into the world without us. I know those 16 years are going to fly by because I swear he was just born and then I blinked and now he's almost 3.

Every day is an adventure with my Maximiliano Phillip, and it's the wildest ride I've ever experienced. He can melt my heart and make me want to rip my hair out in the same minute. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Here's what I want to remember about my boy as a big two-and-a-half year old:

+ Stats: Weight | 35.2 lbs | 93rd percentile  Height | 37.75 inches | 84th percentile  Head | enormous

+ He's moving into size 3T in clothes and wears an 8/9 size shoe. His shoes look huge now. When did his feet get huge?

+ He's the very best big brother to little Louisa. He loves making her happy and is so proud of himself whenever he makes her smile or laugh. He doesn't hesitate to retrieve her toys and frequently gives her hugs and kisses. Occasionally his mischievous side will come out and he'll give her an eye poke or a foot bite (no lie...over Thanksgiving I was holding the baby and he walked up and bit her on her foot!), but more often than not, he's being sweet, loving, and doting on his precious baby sister.

+ He's so musical. I took him to Kindermusik classes as a baby and it really resonated with him. He's got quite a collection of instruments ranging from bell rattles to a kids' keyboard and drum set. If he's watching a show and the characters start playing instruments, he runs to find his and joins in. He also frequently asks me if his cousins Courtney and Lauren can come over to play instruments with him. Victor and I will continue to encourage his musical curiosity and see where it leads.

+ He's hilarious. Even when he's not meaning to be funny. And he loves to laugh. I could listen to his giggle for hours.

+ He's loud. Always. It's only quiet in this house when he's sleeping.

+ He has a great memory. He remembers obscure places where he hides things and how he burned his finger on dad's grill last summer.

+ His favorite song is "Beat It" by Michael Jackson. We have the Michael Jackson Experience game for PlayStation and I put it on for him to "learn" the dance. Now he repeats some of the moves and says he's the "blue guy" whenever we dance to it. He's also learning more words and chimes in every time he listens to the song. I'm convinced it's going to be his go-to karaoke song choice when he gets older, and I will have plenty video footage of him singing and dancing to it as a toddler to embarrass him. I hope he always calls it "beat it fong."

+ He's still a picky eater. There was a time, back between ages 12 months and about 16 months, where he would eat pretty much anything we put in front of him. Then suddenly a switch flipped and he began refusing some of his favorite meals. I don't think I've gotten him to eat salmon in a year, and he used to mow it down! I recently read an article in Parents Magazine's November 2016 issue about methods to double the number of foods your child likes. It's a pretty fascinating concept called "food chaining" and I'm going to attempt it! See the main points from the article here.

+ He's great at making messes (his method of finding something is throwing everything that's not the thing he's looking for on the floor until he finds it), but he's also great at cleaning up. Sometimes he'll clean up without being asked and other times he needs to be reminded, but he seems to like things being in their place.

+ He's very strong-willed and stubborn. This is very challenging at times since it's nearly impossible to reason with a toddler, but he's helping me become more patient.

+ He's recently become very imaginative when he plays. He calls action figures "guys" and he plays with them ALL THE TIME. He has them walk along Louisa's exersaucer and rappel from our counter stools. He has them talk to one another, saying things like, "Hey dude! Let's go to the beach!" (in Max-speak, of course). He calls for them when he can't find them as if they'll call out in response, "Batman, where are you?!" He's all boy and loves superheroes and vehicles. He is also into dressing up and becomes Spiderman or Pirate Jake frequently.

+ He's fiercely independent but also asks for help when he can't quite manage to do something himself.

+ He says "Excuse me" after he burps, coughs, or sneezes. He also says "please" and "thank you," but he needs more prompting to use those more regularly.

+ His motor skills haven't caught up to his language skills yet, so he has some pretty interesting ways of saying different phrases. My favorites are "Me nyah voo" (I love you), "key tee" (Christmas tree), and "baby wee-ah" (baby Louisa). He can produce very elaborate sentences and rarely stops talking, but unless you know his "code," you might not be able to understand him.

+ He's starting to understand that commercials show you cool things to buy, so now when he sees a neat toy he likes, he says, "Mom, buy dee me." (Mom, buy this for me). Lord help us.

+ He completed his first "soccer class" through Soccer Shots this fall, and he was a rock star! He did so great taking direction from "Co Key" (Coach Kurt) and was a star student at a majority of his classes. He looked forward to Soccer Saturdays every week.

+ He knows where the various Starbucks locations are near us and will request a "pink pop" as soon as he realizes that we're going to get mama a coffee. He even walks up to the baristas and says shouts, "Me nyee pink pop pee!" (I need a pink pop please!).

+ He pushes/drags stools/chairs everywhere to reach things on his own, even when he's not supposed to have it. The sound of the dragging drives me bonkers!

+ He loves to help. He will put away groceries with me. He loves to help bake. We had an electrician come by last week (he was here a lot after we first moved in to get our speakers/security systems running correctly so Max knows him) to fix an internet wire, and when Max saw his tool box, he ran to his play room and got his toy tape measure and screw driver and sat down right next to him. It was hilariously adorable.

+ He still takes naps as long as he's home in his own bed, but we are considering eliminating them in favor of him falling asleep easily and sleeping through the night. On days he naps, he takes forever to fall asleep at bedtime and wakes at least once overnight. The opposite occurs when he misses his nap. This is a week of experimentation, and next week we might start forgoing naps. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Any tips/words of encouragement from veteran nap-eliminators are appreciated!

+ He loves playing with friends and family and is always sad when his favorite people leave, declaring that he "nyahs" (loves) the people who are departing. It's so sweet.

+ He keeps asking about "pee fool" (preschool) and knows that when he's 3, he'll get to go to school and make more friends.

+ He wants nothing to do with potty training. He prefers peeing in the tub.

+ He can identify numbers 1-10, most colors, and some letters. He also knows that "Max" starts with "Emmmmmmmmm."

+ His favorite colors are blue, green, and white.

+ He loves watching Bubble Guppies, Curious George, Team Umizoomi, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Wallykazam.

+His favorite toys are his "guys," cars, and his panda bear stuffed animal from Ikea.

+ His favorite food is bananas. He requests them all day long and will eat two in one sitting. He's also recently had his first smoothie (on his 2.5 year birthday, actually. Not sure why I waited so long to introduce him to them) and he requests them almost daily.

+ His current favorite books (the ones we read everyday at naptime and bedtime) are The Lion King and The Pigeon Needs a Bath.

This boy has my heart. I'm so incredibly lucky to be his mama!

Read more about Max here:

Max's Big Boy Room Tour

Max | 18 months old

The Max Factor

Max Turns One | A Monster Party

Max | 7 months

Max's birth story

Room Tour | Max's "Big Boy" Room

Now that Max has been moved into his new room for the past two weeks, I guess it's time to share the finished product with you all! I took pretty much everything he had in his nursery and moved it over to his "big boy room" with the exception of his crib and glider. His bed is my old full-size bed (still in great shape) from college and apartment life, and his chair was from his daddy's "bachelor pad." We had a nautical theme for his nursery, but it wasn't super overwhelming, so it was easy to incorporate into a less theme-y room for him to grow into. The main color scheme was navy, light blue, and red, but we've added some other colors into the mix, as well.

Come inside and have a look around! See the bottom of the post for info on where we purchased everything.

Max seems to be enjoying his new room; every time we go up for naptime or bed, he gets to the top of the stairs and runs in, saying, "Me room!" At two weeks into his transition into this new space, he is doing great! Perhaps I'll post some tips and tricks for transitioning a tot to a bed in the coming weeks. I'm by no means an expert, but I don't mind sharing the things we tried.

Headboard: Wayfair

Quilt: HomeGoods

Sheets: Target

Bed side rails: Amazon

Navy rope design pillow: Zulily

Light-blocking curtains: Target

Rug: Target (from 2015 summer indoor/outdoor rug collection)

Dresser: IKEA

Shadowbox: Target

Galvanized "M": Michaels

"live brave" print: Yellow Bungalow Shop; white frame: IKEA

Alphabet wall decals: Etsy

Chair: IKEA

Nightstand: vintage from Sweet Clover

Lamp: Zulily

Wicker anchor: Zulily

Wall shelf: Target

Oh hey, Friday! | Funny Things My Kid Says and Does

Happy Friday, lovelies! It's been quite the long, eventful week here with moving Max into his big boy room--it's quite the transition for all of us. I'm tired, a little stressed, and my brain is fried. So I'm going to let Max do the majority of the work for today's linkup post by sharing 5 of the funny things he's been saying and doing lately.

After spending 10 minutes "riding" his bike (meaning I pushed him around on it), he ran around the yard for an hour...still wearing his helmet.

1. "Me poo. Mama poo. Dada poo. Tee (Kenny, our dog) poo. Gaga (Grandma-my mom) poo. Ha (Holly, my sister) poo. Vovo (Victor's parents) poo." In an effort to make sure he's not ashamed of needing to poop, there was a time at diaper changes when I would tell him that it's okay to poop and that everybody poops, and we'd go through our family tree, saying that all his favorite people go number 2. And now, he goes through the entire family tree pretty much every time we say the word "poop."
2. Wipes his belly button with toilet paper. Blame this on me needing to pee with the door open all the time (motherhood means throwing privacy out the window). Now whenever he sees me go to the bathroom--or sees a roll of toilet paper unattended--he grabs a piece, says "Me pee," lifts up his shirt, and wipes his belly button.
3. "Uh oh! Do!" I have no idea what he's trying to say when he says this. He's been saying "do" a lot this past week, and I'm trying to use context clues to figure it out, but I'm still not 100% sure what he means. He'll say this if he drops something or if something doesn't happen the way he wants it to. And last night, he was running around in the backyard and fell to his knees, after which he shouted, "Uh oh, me do!" Perhaps he's trying to say "What did you/I do?" I have no clue.
4. If he doesn't want someone (or the dog) to follow us, he puts his hands up and says, "Hee" (here), which is his way of saying "Stay here." He says this every time we go upstairs for naptime or bedtime and the dog tries to follow us. We were at Costco this week and if people were following us too closely, he would say this to them. If people get in line behind us at Target, he says it.
5. Pumps his fists up and down alternately and sings, "Buh buh buh" over and over again anytime anyone mentions Bubble Guppies. This has become his new favorite show, and if you ask him if he wants to watch it, you darn better have one queued up or he's going to flip out. If you've never seen the intro, the guppies do a little dance as they sing the theme song, so I guess that's what he's trying to emulate. It's a cute show and somewhat educational, so I don't feel bad about letting him watch it. However, I'd like to request Verizon FIOS to make some new/different episodes available On Demand, please and thank you.

Even though this kid drives me mad sometimes, he's still the cutest stinkin' thing around. I might be pulling this post up when he refuses his nap again or throws another tantrum about nothing.

He's just too cool!

Linking up with
Karli at September Farm

Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Oh hey, Friday! | 5 ways my kid avoided sleeping Wednesday night

Hellooooooo Friday! This has been quite a week, with Wednesday marking 8 years since my dad passed away AND the day we found out we were having a baby girl! Wednesday was also made eventful by Max's bedtime avoidance antics. He usually goes down pretty well for bed, and the most he's done in the past to avoid being put in his crib is request that I read him more books (we could have worse problems, I suppose). 

Wednesday night, though, he pulled out all the stops. I have no idea why he was such a stinker about bedtime that night (he tried more of these tricks at naptime Thursday). By the time I headed back downstairs after getting him into his PJs and going through our normal bedtime routine, it was 9 PM. And between the hours of 9:01 and 11 PM, this is what he did:

1. Unzipped his pajamas. Over. and over. and over again. And every time, he would continually shout "Uh oh!" until I came to zip him back up. He kept trying to unzip them as I rocked him, so I changed him into less-warm, two-piece pajamas and socks...then cranked the heat a few degrees so he wouldn't be too cold.
2. Requested a drink of water. Much like unzipping his PJs, he also requested water a bajillion times. This was pretty cute, though, because he won't say the word "water." He signs for it in his adorable "sign-slang" by poking his chubby little pointer finger into his chin/cheek. He could be whining, crying, or babbling and then get completely silent to sign for water. Cracks me up every time. 

   

   This is the correct sign for water. via

3. Asked to kiss my belly/the baby. This is also pretty cute. However, according to Max, the proper way to kiss the baby is for me to lift my shirt up so he can kiss my bare belly skin. And then he snuggles with my belly.
4. Whine-yelled at the door. This drives me bananas! I don't know who taught him this, but good LORD it's annoying. He stands in his crib (with Curious George tucked under his arm), faces the door, and shouts, "Eh! Eh! Eh! Eh!" over and over again until my head virtually explodes. He doesn't do that any other time but bedtime or naptime. Seriously...who taught him that?!
5. Wanted the Twilight Turtle on...then off...then on. When Max gets upset these days, he can't seem to figure out what he wants. He points at something or says something, so I get/do said item/task, then he freaks out and doesn't want me to get/do that thing/task. I guess he's so distraught he can't make up his mind. Wednesday night, he wanted the stars on, then off, then on, then off. Good grief, kid! 

   

   via

And to add insult to injury, he woke up at 2 AM and did many of the same things listed above for another 30 minutes. I gotta tell ya, poorly-sleeping toddlers are WAY worse than newborns who wake up every 2-3 hours a night. At least a newborn usually just needs to eat or be changed to be happy again and go back to sleep. With a toddler, you never know why the heck they're awake, nor do you know what's going to get them to go back to sleep.

Linking up with
Karli at September Farm
Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Things I want to remember about my 18-month-old

Max is 18 months old today! I can't believe my baby is a year and a half old. In just 6 short months, he will be two...and just days away from being a big brother! It has been such a blessing to see him grow into the sweet little boy he is today. I look back at his monthly photos from his first year of life, and I find it difficult to remember the days he was a toothless, immobile, chubby-faced little baby--although the only time he was truly "little" was his first week of life; then he was in the 95th percentile or higher for weight, height, and head circumference until he turned one!

Time is flying by so fast, and I know that it is going to continue to pass at warp speed as we get closer to welcoming Max's little brother or sister to our family next spring. There are so many things I want to remember about my sweet Maximiliano at this age, so I thought I'd make a list and save it here to look back to.

What I want to remember about Max as an 18-month-old:

• how he loves to share with people.  He willingly offers food, sips of his drink, books, toys, etc. to anyone near him.
• how he claps for himself when he does something he's proud of, like putting something in the trash can or making a tower of Mega Blocks or dumping out all of my bobby pins.
• how he loves to help us unload groceries, sweep floors, empty the dryer, or carry something from point A to point B.
• how he puts his little hand in mine when we get to the last page of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom so we can point to the letters as I sing the alphabet song.
• how he's fascinated with books and will "read" them to anyone who will listen. 
  
• how sometimes he's so tired at naptime that he'll cozy up to my chest and wrap his arms around my neck instead of looking at the book I'm reading.
• how he loves to dance and somehow has learned a new dance move every time we get jiggy.
• how he walks to the end of his crib after his goodnight kiss so he can get one last kiss before I leave his room for the night.
• how he reaches for both my hand and Victor's hand when we go on family walks.
• how he points and says, "Dada" anytime he sees anything that Victor may have touched: his shoes, his belt, his coffee mug, his car, his wine glass...
• how he is usually happy to follow directions if he feels like he's helping me.
• the fact that he doesn't say the word "No" yet.
• his angelic "singing" voice.
• how he finds Curious George hilarious and giggles when he does something silly.
• how he "reads" words on shirts, in books, or on the back of his high chair by pointing and saying, "Ay, iy, ey, oh."
• how he sees us doing something and wants to do the same thing.  If we're looking at the ads in the Sunday paper, he wants to browse through one, too.  If we're writing a list, he wants to write, too.  If I'm wiping something up from the floor, the next time he gets his hands on a towel, napkin, or wipe, he's going to clean the floor the same way.
• how he won't stand on the floor to eat a snack for fear that Kenny will snatch it out of his hand. He always requests to sit on a stool at the kitchen island.
• how he thinks Kenny must be hand-fed his dog food and occasionally will sneak a few pieces for himself. 

  

  Post dog-food snack.

• how he loves to blow raspberries on any exposed skin he can find.
• his giggles when he's tickled below his neck or when his thighs are squeezed.
• how he thinks he's "jumping" but his feet never leave the ground.
• how he always chooses my cerulean flats for me to wear anytime he's in my closet with me while I'm getting dressed. 
  
• how he will ride all the way to Target (a 15-minute drive) with his lips pursed, but when it's time to give a kiss, he still gives the open-mouthed, slobbery kind. 
  
• how he brings his "boo boos" to me so I can kiss them.  Once they're kissed, he's immediately cured.
• how he'll climb onto my lap, no matter where we are, if there's a good book to be read.
• how he beats on his chest like Tarzan any time his shirt is removed.
• how he somehow makes the TV remote do things we never knew it could do, and he seems to do the same thing every time he gets his hands on it.
• how he can be entertained for a solid 20 minutes if he gets his hands on his daddy's tape measure.
• how he runs to find me for a hug and comfort when Kenny starts barking incessantly.
• how he points and nods repeatedly as if to say, "Yes, I want that," even though we have a hard time figuring out what it is he wants.  His continued nods are his way of encouraging us to play the guessing game until we figure it out.
• how he babbles and shrugs or gestures as if he instinctively knows how to look confused or perturbed.

This sweet boy of mine has my heart, and I'm so lucky that God chose me to be his mommy.