21 Months

This was too sweet to not take a picture...Beau holding his Daddy's hand :)

Beau's 21 months today! How unreal it is to realize he'll be 2 in 3 months! He's getting so big and looking so much more like a big boy. Here's what I want to remember about Beau at 21 months:

(This is a 6-12 mos onesie; as you can see, it fits just fine)

• You have NO fear! Unless the dogs bark very loudly and then you crumble. That's a fairly new development. But as far as trying new things, you're all in.
• You can stack blocks up about 5 high. 
• You're eating so much better! I think we've come to the conclusion that you're just not a major breakfast guy, but your dad isn't either. I figure as long as you eat well at other times, it's ok.
• You wear 18 month pjs, 12 month pants, and can still wear 6-9 month shorts. Most of your T-shirts are 12 months. I think pjs must run small.
• You can pretty much repeat anything we say. Pretty awesome.
• You're NOT a morning person. You're like your mother that way. You're slow to rouse and can be a total grouch if you don't get enough sleep. This has been a challenge this week with our new schedule and has made for some rough days.
• You are HIGH energy like your dad. You're about a minute away from turning flips yourself and once you do, I figure there's no stopping you. 
• You love to ride on your dad's back. That's your biggest request when playing with your daddy.
• You're becoming much more social, and it seems friendships are starting to become important to you. You've made new friends this week, like Faith. You talk about Faith, Hope, Cash, Foxy, and Trent all the time now. And Jack (Jackson) is such a buddy and you get so excited when you see him. I think sometimes you overwhelm him with all the hugs you want to give, but we know its just your way of being sweet.
• Everyone comments on how BEAUTIFUL your hair and eyes are. I think we must hear that at least 10 times a week. But it's true.
• We're still working on getting your bowels figured out. It's a tough time some weeks, but we're working on it.
• Favorite shows are Toy Story, Backyardigans, Sesame Street, and Mickey Mouse Playhouse.
• You love "mus-kick." Every time we get in the car, you request it. You also hum along with Mom in the kitchen. I love that.
• You're so smart. We've been told several times how smart you are. You also have fabulous manners. We get lots of compliments on that too. You pick up after yourself and are very good about using "please" and "thank you."
• You can count to three. 
• You also can tell who inspired the Bible (God), who God's son is (Jesus), that Jesus is our (Savior, or as Beau says, Sav-ee), and who built the ark (Noah). I love your love for the Lord! You often remind us to pray. 
• When you get excited, you do a little waddle and it cracks us up. This is something your dad mentioned he NEVER wants to forget.
• You love ice cream, strawberries, hot dogs, peas, and crackers with peanut butter. M&Ms, Pez, and "cake" (anything that resembles a muffin/cupcake) are also sweets you like.

We LOVE you so much Beau and are enjoying watching the little boy you're developing into! 

A Day of Firsts

Today was a day of firsts in our fam! One, Beau was going to preschool by himself. Two, Beau would be going to the sitter for the first time today. Three, neither Brandon nor I wouldn't get to eat lunch with our boy for the first time.

So how did it go?

Preschool ended up being somewhat of a mess. Apparently Beau was NOT used to getting up as early as I got him up, and so he was tired and cranky and kind of weirded out his teacher, so she sent him to Angie (his sitter) and he stayed with her most of the day. He took a two hour nap from 9:30-11:30 (100% NOT our boy!) but did eat with the kiddos his age. But I think the rest of the day was spent with Angie. From what it seems, the first teacher was the only one who had any major problems.

Angie's house went really well. She said the only time he started to get upset was when they were leaving preschool and she asked if he wanted to get in Mrs. Angie's car to which he replied a very clear "NO!" But he got in, and apparently as soon as they got going, he and Faith (her 4 year old) were laughing and playing together. She said when they got home from picking everyone up from school (she has 3 other children in school), Beau did awesome and played with everyone so well. She felt really good about it, and that made me feel really good. He actually loved it so much that he cried when we left! I told him no worries, that he'd be back tomorrow.

Our no lunch with him went ok. I missed the boy A LOT today, but I know time will help. Brandon's so busy I don't think he thought too much about it until I was going to pick him up.

So here's some pictures from the morning, hopefully next Thursday will go a little better for school!

Watching some Elmo before school

Eating some peanut butter crackers (his choice)

A VERY sweet note my husband left on our front door; he's such an encourager!

Here we go!

First Trip to the Zoo!

Today was our day off as a fam so Brandon and I decided it would be so fun to take Beau to the zoo for the first time! What worked out even better was that Wednesdays are half price day at the zoo! Score! We had SUCH a blast walking around, seeing animals, going to the petting zoo, eating lunch on a picnic bench...there is nothing so great as spending time with your favorite people! We got to the zoo just a little after it opened and stayed just about 3 1/2 hours! Needless to say, our sweet buddy totally conked out on the way home...but we know he had such a good time. Here, see the pictures for yourself!

Daddy and Beau

Looking at the elephants!

Walking with Mama to see the wolves!

Reading to Beau about them

Looking at lots of BIG birds!

He wanted to touch them SO badly!

Penguins with Daddy

Petting a real live chicken! (And a goat, pig, and calf!) Beau LOVED this and would say their names and make their animal sounds! Brandon and I see a possible petting zoo birthday sometime in the future.

He got to see a real live black bear with his Dad! Can you tell he's happy?

We had so much fun and totally expect to go back at some point!

Breakfast with Daddy

Today was Beau and Daddy's day at home together. Daddy made breakfast for the boy and as you'll see, its quite the manly man's breakfast!

A boy pretty happy to have his Daddy to himself all day!

I think that's ham, bacon, cheese, and possibly brownie? Apparently Dad's the fun one for breakfast. :)

Brownie Fun

After my first day of work, I came home and made some homemade brownies for the boys! Beau was such a big helper; these barely had to get washed at all by the time he was done with them!

Yum brownie 

What a happy guy!

Look at that face and those hands!

Ha, what a sharer!

Play-Doh

This afternoon I went and got Beau some Play-Doh from Walmart. I never knew how inexpensive it was! I think this set cost us less than $5. I got turned on to Play-Doh when we were over at Em's house last week. She brought it out for the boys to play and Beau REALLY enjoyed it! For some reason, I guess I thought he was still too small for that, but he showed he CLEARLY is not! We spent a good portion of the afternoon rolling the dough out, making numbers, and making hand prints; it was a fun time!

Getting ready

Times are a Changin'

Well, not only is this the place of employment for Brandon, but come Monday at 8:30 a.m., it also becomes my place of employment as well. The decision for me to return to work is one we've been going over and over now for about six months. I started putting out my resume and filling out applications at that time as well, but it has been FAR more difficult for me to find a job than both Brandon and I ever dreamed it would be. I've had multiple interviews, all to end with no job. It was starting to get extremely discouraging. Me, a woman with a college degree, unable to find work? I never thought it would take this long. But then part of me has been secretly ok with it, strictly because I have been dreading leaving Beau. I love staying at home with him, I love the opportunities to teach him, to discipline him, to watch him grow, to snuggle...I. Love. It. And I've been very hesitant to let go of it. But, this is what is what my husband requires and I love and trust him so much and know he's making the right (and best) call for our family. Since finding out I'll be going back to work 4 days a week, both Brandon and I have been pretty stressed. Like, major. Like, he's wanting to sleep all the time (because he's so down) and I'm stress eating and have been nauseated all week. We're a funny pair, that's for sure. I know we both know once we get more into a routine we'll get better about everything, but I'd be lying if I said I'm already looking forward to the day when he tells me I can go back to staying at home with our children.

So, what will Beau be doing? Well, a friend that we go to church with is going to run a two week trial with him to see how they both do with it. She has a four year old little girl that stays home with her, so Beau will have a playmate. She'll keep Beau Monday, Thursday (after school's out; more about that in a second), and Friday. Brandon will keep him Tuesday (and will now work Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday), and our family days will be Wednesday and Sunday (the office is closed on Wednesdays, so Brandon can be with us for more than one day a week and Scot will be working from home). So our Saturday is actually Wednesday. I'll be with Beau full time Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday will be our big day to have just the two of us time. And I'm gonna look forward to that day every week.

Back to something mentioned earlier, in addition to dealing with Beau being watched with someone, we're also dealing with our child being big enough to go to preschool! Yes, Shanna (the director of Westhill's Thursday School) agreed to let Beau come since Angie (his sitter the other days) already teaches there and can just take him home after school's out. When did my child get big enough to go to school? I'm so beyond grateful for him being allowed to be a part of their program, but there just seem to be so many changes happening at one time. But he has lots of buddies that already go, so I know he'll have a blast.

So, that's the deal. In less than 48 hours, I will become a full time working mama. I'm nervous, but God's hand is firmly grasped in mine, I can feel it. I think the hardest will be leaving that sweet little boy in the morning. I LOVE our morning time. But, everything will be good, God is faithful, and I'm trusting in him to calm both Brandon's and my anxieties.

Please say a prayer for us if you don't mind, we would surely appreciate them in this large transition in our family!

Watching Boys do Boy Things

 Today I watched my friend Emily's little boy Jackson. Our families are really close, so having Jackson around is like having another child of my own! Beau and Jackson are getting older, so they're really starting to play more with each other. Not to say that we don't have some minor snags here and there, but I figure that's just going to happen from time to time when boys play. Plus, since they're boys, once it's over, it's over. No holding onto any grudge or anything; I love that! Here's some sweet pictures of our time.

Beau pushing his buddy around

They both worked on cars like boys do

And what's boys time without guns? I was a little nervous about guns with boys at first, but when Beau was around 10 or 11 months, he picked up a stick from the front yard, held it up to me and when "bam." Then I knew it was just in them to be protective and manly.

Beau telling me to put down the camera, ha.

And we ended our time with some good ole fashioned blocks and Potato Heads!

I'm so grateful to be able to watch these boys' friendship really grow; it's so sweet!

Dirt Angels

Brandon picked the title, I didn't. It's pretty cute, and it'll make more sense in just a bit. This morning I snapped a few pictures of the Beauster just smiling...that's it, just smiling. Sometimes it's nice to just snap a few sweet pictures of your smiling child.

One of his favorite spots to sit!

A little after these pictures, Beauster started running a little fever and had some diarrhea. It was just once on the diarrhea and the fever broke after his nap, so I'm hoping it was just some freak act. We let him sleep in his pjs and then he played outside once he woke up. He played on the blanket we had laid out for the most part, until he found the dirt under the bushes and thought it was so wonderful that it needed to be all over his body. Brandon was out there while I was cooking dinner, so he snapped a few pictures of our child making "dirt angels" instead of snow angels. Now, doesn't that make sense? :)

Yep, there was another bath after this!

Ants on a Log!

When Beau got up, I pulled out a bunch of stuff to make ants on a log. You start with cut up celery and smear either peanut butter or nutella (we had both on hand, but usually just have peanut butter) and then I put out raisins, chocolate chips, and a few M&Ms. I also put out some orange slices. Beau and his Daddy had so much fun eating and making these!

Yum.

Orange face!

Ha ha, my funny buddy!