Dear Weston,
I wasn't sure how you would handle being 2, but you know what? You are a dream. A total dream 2 year old. Here is what I say about you when people ask: He can do no wrong. I am so in love with you, it's crazy ridiculous, and the best part about these feelings is you are the most snuggliest, lovable, kissable little boy, who listens, who rarely throws tantrums, who is generally super happy most of the time, and is slowly acquiring your own independence. You kiss me ALL day, you sit in my lap all the time. You say things like "want to snuggle?" and "I wuv you." You sing songs with your sister, you play nicely with her most of the time, and you are a very happy well rounded boy. You love to make friends, you aren't afraid of people and you exude a very quiet confidence about you. You excel in your vocabulary, you have 4-5 word sentences and you talk all the time. I remember a time you didn't say too much, but now, you just repeat everything we say, soaking up every single word. You are excelling in your milestones and are very bright. It's crazy to think how about how hard of a baby you were, but now you are silly, funny, and just this bright light in our family. I cannot get enough of you, and I am with you all the time.
I really love who you are becoming, and am so proud of you.
You are growing too, 50% for weight and 97% for height. You are still picky eater, but we stick to our eggs in the morning routine, you usually snack a few times a day (on yogurt raisins, cheese, chips, crackers, or popcorn) and then eat a good dinner (pizza, quesadillas, pasta and mac n cheese). You LOVE your milk - and drink about 30 ounces a day. We just started giving you a multi vitamin in a gummy bear form and so I hope that will fill in the gaps in your diet until you start getting more courageous in trying new things (because you are missing out!).
Sleep has been great. We transitioned you into a twin bed right at 2 1/2. You have fallen out once or twice, but you do great when you are in your room sleeping. Usually our nights start off with book and then I will sit with you in your room until you fall asleep. Most of the time you prefer your bed to sleep, but occasionally you will fall asleep with me in your rocking chair and then I will move you. Our biggest problem right now is keeping you in your bed ALL night, because both you and your sister eventually come into our bed in the middle of the night. We stopped your naps all together a little after 2. It was taking you too long to fall asleep at night, so dropping your nap all together made the most sense to us.You do quiet time with Jillian and watch a movie and then you get 12 hours of sleep at night and are usually asleep within 10 minutes of your bedtime.
You were potty trained two months ago at 2 years 4 months. We let you roam around the house naked most of the time, but it was the easiest potty training. You have great bladder control, and responded well to praise and gummy treats. You still wear a diaper at night, but I am in no hurry to rush that, besides your diaper is usually dry in the morning anyways, so I am sure that will happen in the next few months.
Heres a list of things you LOVE:
1) Buzz Light year
2) Cars and Trucks
3) Still your favorite is your bruder garbage truck
4) You love the movie Bolt and the Minions
5) Your first movie was the Minions :)
6) You like to help me cook
7) You can sit patiently - I bring this up because as a younger sibling you are waiting on jillian a lot (dance, swim lessons, school, etc) and you can wait with me so well.
8) You LOVE to swim, you love to dunk under and will jump in from the side of the pool or diving board.
9) You love to jump, fight daddy, play swords and guns all those fun boy things.
10) You are obsessed with the lawnmower and will watch daddy mow the lawn in awe.
11) You like tools, we call them daddy tools. You want to play with them all the time.
12) You say "yet" instead of "yes" when you are answering a question. You used to say "mmmm hmmm" and both are irresistibly cute.
I will add to this list as I remember things, but goodness, you are just a dream toddler. Perfect in every single way and I just love seeing who you are becoming, because I am beaming with pride. You are certainly going to be a great older brother when the baby arrives, because you have a huge heart.
Love,
Mommy
Showing posts with label Dear Weston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dear Weston. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Dear Weston - 2 Years Old
Dear Wes,
It's really hard to believe that you are two. It's really sad in a way that you are growing up, but I am so happy to say that you are flourishing in all areas as a two year old. You are hilarious, you are sweet and sensitive, you have a kind heart, but most of all you are friendly. You know ALL your letters and your ABC's, you know how to count to 10 and you can recognize each letter, and you LOVE your books more than anything. While we see an extremely bright young boy, we also see a very tender, loving boy. If you see mommy upset, you come up to me and hug me. You say I "wub" you out of the blue. You give us kisses whenever we ask (well most of the times, sometimes you do say no kisses and push our faces away), but there is never a shortage of hugs from you. You love to dance. You love stuffed animals and giving them hugs and kisses. You are obsessed with cars and trucks, especially Mater (aka Matey) from Disney Cars. When you get upset or angry, you pout your lips really big and say NO! You hate wearing pants, and will only wear shorts. You have gone potty on the toilet a handful of times on your own doing. You finally mastered the slide at the park, which for you took a while to gain confidence. You could swing ALL day long. Your vocabulary is advanced for a two year old. You form 3-4 word sentences and you talk all day long. This wasn't always the case, because I feel compelled to add that I was a bit worried that you didn't say much around 18 months. This word explosion has been great in understanding what you want and need, but there are still times where we are confused which upsets you. For a 2 year old toddler, you sure do know what you want. You want to do things on your own, mostly copying your sister, but you get upset if you can't do them by yourself. You are obsessed with mowing the lawn. You say it 100 times a day to daddy. You are also obsessed with trash cans and the garbage truck. Monday mornings are a highlight when we go to the curb and watch the garbage trucks come pick up our trash. You yell, blue can, black can and green can. Which is also been helpful, because you are eager to help me take things out to the garbage!
You also love to help me cook. Which is surprising because you are still a PICKY eater! It drives me nuts. We had a red flag with your weight at your 2 year check up. You went from 30% to 10% in weight. The doctor was concerned. He told us no more nursing! He also wanted to see us back in one month for a weight check. So we stopped nursing cold turkey - sort of. I continued to nurse you before nap and bed. It was a hard transition. We had to say goodbye to the morning nursing session which was my favorite because it meant I carried you back to bed with me to nurse while I got extra time in bed and got snuggles from you. In order to transition you from super cranky monster in the morning, we put on a short cartoon of Disney's cars. You loved it. You got milk in a sippy, and sort of forgot about nursing. After naps were much easier, you didn't mind so much that we didn't nurse. It was not an easy month, but after our return visit you had gained 2 pounds!!! You were back up to 30% and doctor was very happy. In this month we started to see you eat so much more. Eggs for breakfast every day with sausage, lots of mac n cheese and pastas, lots of rice and one of your favorite foods is chic filet chicken nuggets! Honestly I was relieved on so many levels. While you still don't eat much through out the day, you are consistently eating at least one good meal a day. And we give you what you like.
As far as nursing, we are down to just one time a day, right before nap. I lay down with you in your room, let you nurse to sleep and then I get up and leave the room. You give us solid 2-3 hour naps, and most of the time wake up happy, but honestly you are a cranky riser. I think it's still because you miss the nursing, but I also think this will get better with maturity over time. Nighttime has been a huge success on account of daddy. He puts you to sleep, and personally I think you prefer it. You two have created your own routine which is books, singing songs and then laying together until you slowly fall asleep. You still cry a little when he leaves the room, but as daddy says, it's building confidence and over time this will only improve.
We had a small birthday gathering for your big day. Grandpa Curt and Grandma Mo were in town, and of course we invited over Dan and the Bielats. We ordered pizza and had a custom cake made and you got lots of fun gifts.
A few other things I don't want to forget:
1) You like to role play and can play house with Jillian or princesses, or another favorite: the farm!
2) Your favorite toy is your bruder trash truck. Every day all the time
3) You still call Jillian GiGi
4) You love playing at Jillian's school after we pick her up. You love the teeter toter and your favorite friend is Cayden (Riley's younger brother). Wow, you love him.
5) Another toy favorite: leggos!
6) Running running and running - you are speedy
7) Nick names: Wild wild west, Wes man, Wes bug and Jillian called you West
It's really hard to believe that you are two. It's really sad in a way that you are growing up, but I am so happy to say that you are flourishing in all areas as a two year old. You are hilarious, you are sweet and sensitive, you have a kind heart, but most of all you are friendly. You know ALL your letters and your ABC's, you know how to count to 10 and you can recognize each letter, and you LOVE your books more than anything. While we see an extremely bright young boy, we also see a very tender, loving boy. If you see mommy upset, you come up to me and hug me. You say I "wub" you out of the blue. You give us kisses whenever we ask (well most of the times, sometimes you do say no kisses and push our faces away), but there is never a shortage of hugs from you. You love to dance. You love stuffed animals and giving them hugs and kisses. You are obsessed with cars and trucks, especially Mater (aka Matey) from Disney Cars. When you get upset or angry, you pout your lips really big and say NO! You hate wearing pants, and will only wear shorts. You have gone potty on the toilet a handful of times on your own doing. You finally mastered the slide at the park, which for you took a while to gain confidence. You could swing ALL day long. Your vocabulary is advanced for a two year old. You form 3-4 word sentences and you talk all day long. This wasn't always the case, because I feel compelled to add that I was a bit worried that you didn't say much around 18 months. This word explosion has been great in understanding what you want and need, but there are still times where we are confused which upsets you. For a 2 year old toddler, you sure do know what you want. You want to do things on your own, mostly copying your sister, but you get upset if you can't do them by yourself. You are obsessed with mowing the lawn. You say it 100 times a day to daddy. You are also obsessed with trash cans and the garbage truck. Monday mornings are a highlight when we go to the curb and watch the garbage trucks come pick up our trash. You yell, blue can, black can and green can. Which is also been helpful, because you are eager to help me take things out to the garbage!
You also love to help me cook. Which is surprising because you are still a PICKY eater! It drives me nuts. We had a red flag with your weight at your 2 year check up. You went from 30% to 10% in weight. The doctor was concerned. He told us no more nursing! He also wanted to see us back in one month for a weight check. So we stopped nursing cold turkey - sort of. I continued to nurse you before nap and bed. It was a hard transition. We had to say goodbye to the morning nursing session which was my favorite because it meant I carried you back to bed with me to nurse while I got extra time in bed and got snuggles from you. In order to transition you from super cranky monster in the morning, we put on a short cartoon of Disney's cars. You loved it. You got milk in a sippy, and sort of forgot about nursing. After naps were much easier, you didn't mind so much that we didn't nurse. It was not an easy month, but after our return visit you had gained 2 pounds!!! You were back up to 30% and doctor was very happy. In this month we started to see you eat so much more. Eggs for breakfast every day with sausage, lots of mac n cheese and pastas, lots of rice and one of your favorite foods is chic filet chicken nuggets! Honestly I was relieved on so many levels. While you still don't eat much through out the day, you are consistently eating at least one good meal a day. And we give you what you like.
As far as nursing, we are down to just one time a day, right before nap. I lay down with you in your room, let you nurse to sleep and then I get up and leave the room. You give us solid 2-3 hour naps, and most of the time wake up happy, but honestly you are a cranky riser. I think it's still because you miss the nursing, but I also think this will get better with maturity over time. Nighttime has been a huge success on account of daddy. He puts you to sleep, and personally I think you prefer it. You two have created your own routine which is books, singing songs and then laying together until you slowly fall asleep. You still cry a little when he leaves the room, but as daddy says, it's building confidence and over time this will only improve.
We had a small birthday gathering for your big day. Grandpa Curt and Grandma Mo were in town, and of course we invited over Dan and the Bielats. We ordered pizza and had a custom cake made and you got lots of fun gifts.
A few other things I don't want to forget:
1) You like to role play and can play house with Jillian or princesses, or another favorite: the farm!
2) Your favorite toy is your bruder trash truck. Every day all the time
3) You still call Jillian GiGi
4) You love playing at Jillian's school after we pick her up. You love the teeter toter and your favorite friend is Cayden (Riley's younger brother). Wow, you love him.
5) Another toy favorite: leggos!
6) Running running and running - you are speedy
7) Nick names: Wild wild west, Wes man, Wes bug and Jillian called you West
Monday, September 22, 2014
Dear Weston - 18 Months
Dear Wes man -
You are truly an amazing little guy. Since our last update at 1 year there have been so many changes. First and foremost you started sleeping in your own crib through the night at 14 months old. We tried crying it out at 12 months but it didn't work. We tried again at 13 months, you still weren't ready. But at 14 months something just clicked and it worked. It wasn't easy, you still cried, but you only cried for about 20 minutes the first time. It was less the second night. And from that point on, you have been a really great sleeper. Don't get me wrong there are nights here and there that you wake up in the middle of night, but I let you cry it out. At the longest this could be 20-25 minutes, sometimes only 10 minutes. I also should mention I nurse you down before naps and bedtime. These nursing sessions happen after a book, and can last up to 45 minutes. Sometimes this is challenging if I have your sister I need to tend to, but mostly I enjoy this time with you because I get some alone/quiet time too. Honesty, it's a time we get to snuggle, I get to hold you, and a time that I just smother you with little kisses while you eyes start to get heavy. Naps have also been great! Right now you are just napping once a day around 1 pm until about 3 pm (2-3 hours). Sometimes when we are out for a long time in the morning you will fall asleep in the car on the way home. And you know what you have mastered?? You can transfer!! We can pick you up asleep from your car seat or stroller and move you to the crib. It's amazing and has made my life SOOO much easier.
We've got such a great routine going on with you now that you have become a more independent little guy. You wake up early, sometimes 6 am. I always bring you into bed with me and we nurse for 30-45 more minutes. Then Jillian is up and we all go downstairs and have breakfast. We always leave the house and are usually back for lunch. Naps happen after lunch, and while you nap, Jillian and I have our own quiet time and we watch a movie. After nap, we have snack, play outside, head to the park, or grocery store, and most days we go for a walk. Although once the weather in got too hot (August and September) we skip the walk and stay inside. I manage to cook most nights and once dad gets home we eat at 6/6:30. We bathe you both every other night and then it's time for bed at 8 pm.
You are such a BOY. You love cars. You take them on the couch or the table and pretend they are driving on a street or race track. You still love airplanes, but some new loves are play dough, crayons, dancing, exploring mine and daddy's cars, climbing on the couches and beds, and the sandbox. If I had to pick the one thing you LOVE the most it would be books. You could read/look at your books all day long. You love to sit your bottom right into mine or daddy's lap and hand us a book. Your favorites: Brown Bear Brown Bear, Any word books with pictures, Go Dogs Go, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site, and Colors. You are really smart. You are a little reserved, shy at first, but it doesn't take you long to warm up. Once comfortable you babble on and on. You LOVE your sister. You want to copy everything she does. You are learning to hold your own with her as well. She tends to take toys away from you, but now days you will scream back and her, telling her through your babbles to stop doing that! You sleep with your blankie. You haven't gotten attached to any sort of lovie. You sleep with a white noise machine. You are still a terrible eater. We've been able to figure you what you like and just stick to those. You are a texture eater. So anything soft, squishy, or slimy you won't touch. Which means all fruit is out. You enjoy cheese, all crackers, raisins, or yogurt raisins, chips, sweets, ice cream, pizza, all pasta, broccoli, donuts, chicken, meat, quesadilla's and cereal. Oh and you LOVE milk. I try not to stress about your diet. My only concern is if you are getting bigger and you are. You jumped up to 35% for both height and weight. You are still a little guy on the skinny side, but you have a lot more hair and your eyes are still bright blue.
You have a lot of words! A lot of things are referred to as Da Da, but besides me and Jillian, you just adore your daddy. He calls you little champion and it's your nickname. I call you Bubbs or Bubbies and mostly Wes. You respond to all. You say mama, doggy, cow, car, ding dong, A version of "I want that," cat, ball, bubbles, purple, apple, and so many more....You still point and grunt when you want something too, but you are such a sweet little guy. You are SOOOOO still suggly!! Way more than your sister. You will be playing and out of the blue you will come right up to me and give me a hug and a kiss. Actually anytime we ask you for a kiss you open your mouth and go right for our cheeks. You think about things before you do them and for your age, you are an extremely good listener. You know so many phrases and will obey me even if I am not there. You know not to climb the stairs and you will wait at the bottom until you see me to start your way up...You are just so sweet. You do hit when you get mad. You will hit me or Jillian or just hit other things. And you do throw tantrums, but they aren't very long. You are stubborn for sure. I have known that since you were a baby, but you act out if you don't get something you want. Sharing is hard for you, but I don't blame you. It's hard when Jillian is always taking things from you, so recently you have started to get really mad at her and hit her. One thing about you is you know when I raise my voice, you have done something wrong. You cry and get really upset but it's a sweet cry. You come to me and fall into my arms and just want to nurse. You use me as a pacifer, and there are sometimes you are on the boob all day. I usually don't mind, since nursing acts as a reset button. If you are upset, angry, or hurt you can nurse for a bit and once you are done, you are back to a happy little guy. I have good days and bad days with nursing. I know you still need it, but sometimes it's very time consuming. It's hard on Jillian to understand why so much of my time is with you - it's something I am trying to find balance in.
You have had a busy summer. Beach trips weekly, play dates, lots of pool time. You enjoy the water but in small doses. The beach is better with you since you LOVE the sand. Your friends are still Jillian's friends. But you are social. You are always sharing toys in the sandbox with other kids and are always curious about the little boys you see running around at the parks and beach. I really love your personality and what I see forming. While your stubborness can be front and center sometimes, you are a smart, kind little boy. You crave warmth, and love, and you enjoy sharing and meeting others. This is how I imagine your dad was as a little one. It's a joy seeing you thrive!!
I have said this before but you have made our family feel complete. You are so incredibly perfect and have come a long way. I love you so much, and feel blessed I have been able to care for you since you were born. I've gotten to personally see all your milestones and my connection with you feels incredibly magical. From nursing to all the snuggles, you are such a dream. Love you always Wes man.
Love
Mama
Below is a little list of things I don't want to forget.
- Went to Santa Barbara for a few nights and you fell off a chair and hurt your head.
- Went to Grandma Marcia's and Grandpa Bill's house for two weeks in the summer. You feed goats and horses
- Went to Palm Springs for our annual trip to the Marriott Vacation Club. BEST WEEK EVER!! You chased ducks, went swimming every day and ate your first popciscle.
You are truly an amazing little guy. Since our last update at 1 year there have been so many changes. First and foremost you started sleeping in your own crib through the night at 14 months old. We tried crying it out at 12 months but it didn't work. We tried again at 13 months, you still weren't ready. But at 14 months something just clicked and it worked. It wasn't easy, you still cried, but you only cried for about 20 minutes the first time. It was less the second night. And from that point on, you have been a really great sleeper. Don't get me wrong there are nights here and there that you wake up in the middle of night, but I let you cry it out. At the longest this could be 20-25 minutes, sometimes only 10 minutes. I also should mention I nurse you down before naps and bedtime. These nursing sessions happen after a book, and can last up to 45 minutes. Sometimes this is challenging if I have your sister I need to tend to, but mostly I enjoy this time with you because I get some alone/quiet time too. Honesty, it's a time we get to snuggle, I get to hold you, and a time that I just smother you with little kisses while you eyes start to get heavy. Naps have also been great! Right now you are just napping once a day around 1 pm until about 3 pm (2-3 hours). Sometimes when we are out for a long time in the morning you will fall asleep in the car on the way home. And you know what you have mastered?? You can transfer!! We can pick you up asleep from your car seat or stroller and move you to the crib. It's amazing and has made my life SOOO much easier.
We've got such a great routine going on with you now that you have become a more independent little guy. You wake up early, sometimes 6 am. I always bring you into bed with me and we nurse for 30-45 more minutes. Then Jillian is up and we all go downstairs and have breakfast. We always leave the house and are usually back for lunch. Naps happen after lunch, and while you nap, Jillian and I have our own quiet time and we watch a movie. After nap, we have snack, play outside, head to the park, or grocery store, and most days we go for a walk. Although once the weather in got too hot (August and September) we skip the walk and stay inside. I manage to cook most nights and once dad gets home we eat at 6/6:30. We bathe you both every other night and then it's time for bed at 8 pm.
You are such a BOY. You love cars. You take them on the couch or the table and pretend they are driving on a street or race track. You still love airplanes, but some new loves are play dough, crayons, dancing, exploring mine and daddy's cars, climbing on the couches and beds, and the sandbox. If I had to pick the one thing you LOVE the most it would be books. You could read/look at your books all day long. You love to sit your bottom right into mine or daddy's lap and hand us a book. Your favorites: Brown Bear Brown Bear, Any word books with pictures, Go Dogs Go, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site, and Colors. You are really smart. You are a little reserved, shy at first, but it doesn't take you long to warm up. Once comfortable you babble on and on. You LOVE your sister. You want to copy everything she does. You are learning to hold your own with her as well. She tends to take toys away from you, but now days you will scream back and her, telling her through your babbles to stop doing that! You sleep with your blankie. You haven't gotten attached to any sort of lovie. You sleep with a white noise machine. You are still a terrible eater. We've been able to figure you what you like and just stick to those. You are a texture eater. So anything soft, squishy, or slimy you won't touch. Which means all fruit is out. You enjoy cheese, all crackers, raisins, or yogurt raisins, chips, sweets, ice cream, pizza, all pasta, broccoli, donuts, chicken, meat, quesadilla's and cereal. Oh and you LOVE milk. I try not to stress about your diet. My only concern is if you are getting bigger and you are. You jumped up to 35% for both height and weight. You are still a little guy on the skinny side, but you have a lot more hair and your eyes are still bright blue.
You have a lot of words! A lot of things are referred to as Da Da, but besides me and Jillian, you just adore your daddy. He calls you little champion and it's your nickname. I call you Bubbs or Bubbies and mostly Wes. You respond to all. You say mama, doggy, cow, car, ding dong, A version of "I want that," cat, ball, bubbles, purple, apple, and so many more....You still point and grunt when you want something too, but you are such a sweet little guy. You are SOOOOO still suggly!! Way more than your sister. You will be playing and out of the blue you will come right up to me and give me a hug and a kiss. Actually anytime we ask you for a kiss you open your mouth and go right for our cheeks. You think about things before you do them and for your age, you are an extremely good listener. You know so many phrases and will obey me even if I am not there. You know not to climb the stairs and you will wait at the bottom until you see me to start your way up...You are just so sweet. You do hit when you get mad. You will hit me or Jillian or just hit other things. And you do throw tantrums, but they aren't very long. You are stubborn for sure. I have known that since you were a baby, but you act out if you don't get something you want. Sharing is hard for you, but I don't blame you. It's hard when Jillian is always taking things from you, so recently you have started to get really mad at her and hit her. One thing about you is you know when I raise my voice, you have done something wrong. You cry and get really upset but it's a sweet cry. You come to me and fall into my arms and just want to nurse. You use me as a pacifer, and there are sometimes you are on the boob all day. I usually don't mind, since nursing acts as a reset button. If you are upset, angry, or hurt you can nurse for a bit and once you are done, you are back to a happy little guy. I have good days and bad days with nursing. I know you still need it, but sometimes it's very time consuming. It's hard on Jillian to understand why so much of my time is with you - it's something I am trying to find balance in.
You have had a busy summer. Beach trips weekly, play dates, lots of pool time. You enjoy the water but in small doses. The beach is better with you since you LOVE the sand. Your friends are still Jillian's friends. But you are social. You are always sharing toys in the sandbox with other kids and are always curious about the little boys you see running around at the parks and beach. I really love your personality and what I see forming. While your stubborness can be front and center sometimes, you are a smart, kind little boy. You crave warmth, and love, and you enjoy sharing and meeting others. This is how I imagine your dad was as a little one. It's a joy seeing you thrive!!
I have said this before but you have made our family feel complete. You are so incredibly perfect and have come a long way. I love you so much, and feel blessed I have been able to care for you since you were born. I've gotten to personally see all your milestones and my connection with you feels incredibly magical. From nursing to all the snuggles, you are such a dream. Love you always Wes man.
Love
Mama
Below is a little list of things I don't want to forget.
- Went to Santa Barbara for a few nights and you fell off a chair and hurt your head.
- Went to Grandma Marcia's and Grandpa Bill's house for two weeks in the summer. You feed goats and horses
- Went to Palm Springs for our annual trip to the Marriott Vacation Club. BEST WEEK EVER!! You chased ducks, went swimming every day and ate your first popciscle.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Dear Weston - 12 Months!
Dear Weston,
I was quite emotional on your first birthday. It came up so fast, I wasnt ready for it. I feel like this year has had some up's and down's and it's been no secret that you have been a difficult baby for me. I remember on countless occassions, I would think to myself, "I wish you would just get older and we could pass through all this baby stuff." But the truth is, we made it, and I really feel like we are connected in a way I have never been with anyone else. For 1 whole year, it was ONLY me that could soothe you. I was your source of food, and because you would not take a bottle or a pacificier, it was just the two of us for all your needs in the beginning. Now that it has been one whole year, I would go back and do it all over again for you. Sure it was hard, but you made it feel so rewarding, and I feel incredibly blessed. My heart is SO SO SO full, Weston, and I have you to thank for that.
In the last 6 weeks, you have met every single milestone. Dr. Tang (your pediatrician) still agrees with me that you are stubborn, and you are, but there are so many things I love about you. You are cautious - you know that old saying, think before you leap? That is something you have practiced since birth. You do things slowly, but once you figure out how to master them, it's on! It's really amazing to see you thinking things over....this is how it was with walking. As predicted you took your first steps at 11 months. But you took your time. Little baby steps, nothing too crazy. Daddy and I would practice with you after dinner every evening by sitting on the ground, having you walk to and from our laps (arms wide open). Each night we made the space between us a bit bigger and finally you were mastering that no problem. But you weren't fully ready yet. So you crawled when you wanted to get somewhere or didn't feel safe. Finally at 12 months, you were ready to walk everywhere. You had a funny little walk. Arms were bent at the elbow, raised up, with hands out in front to help you balance. This mode of transportation has fueled your independence. While you have always been curious about things around you, you can know walk all over and explore. We've been to story time at the Tustin library and it's always in a big room full of parents and kids. When I put you down on the ground - off you go. Usually to say hello to another little dude your age, or just to wander. This is important to me that you have this independence about you. Its bitter sweet. I want you to be independent - absolutely - but I have grown attached to you. You hare my little man, my little bubbie, and I adore our time. I know as you get older, bigger, more adventerous, I will have to let you go. That's what is so hard about a first birthday.
You have this infectious smile, with 8 teeth popping through. You have a funny snort when you laugh, and you always are curious when you see Jillian playing with something. You just have to be nosey and get involved. She might now always love it, but you adore her. She adores you too (most of the time). She gets a little over protective of me, but there are times when I sneak peaks of the two of you playing together. She can pick you up now from the back side and carry you. You love it. She also helps pick out your clothes some mornings and she always wants to say good night to you when you go to sleep. No one can make you smile bigger than Jillian.
Speaking of sleep, I'd say we have made some advancements! You have been going down at 8 pm and sleeping 4-6 hour stretches! Usually at this time I bring you into bed with me and we sleep until morning. I think now is the time we need to let you cry it out....I am anxious for you to sleep all night and I know you can do it. Naps are now in your crib in the afternoon from 2-4, and if you are tired in the morning and we are on the go you still sleep in your carseat. I would say you are definitely still taking 2 naps a day, but I don't see that sticking around much longer, only because there are some days you only take 1 nap (the afternoon one).
Another stressful thing for me with you is your eating - I'd say you are sort of a picky eater, but one thing I have finally just LET go of, is your hatred for pureed food. You hate it. You can't stand it. You would get mad at me if I even pulled it out and put it on the table. Gone are the days where I had to do a billion things to distract you so you would chow down at least 2 of those a day. UGH! So we have changed how we feed you. You still eat what we eat at dinner, and for breakfast and lunch you get table foods. You also LOVE to hold a spoon or fork when you eat. You want to be JUST like us, which is why I think you hate the pureed food. Food you love: waffles, pancakes, goldfish crackers, cereal bars, crackers, cheese, milk, chicken, beans, pasta, sausage, broccoli (sometimes), hot dogs, corn. I wish you would eat more veggies and fruits but you are just not interested. You get about 6-8 ounces of whole milk through your sippy cup. Funny story about you mastering the straw - that took forever, and you still aren't that great at it. You take big sips and then half the milk comes spilling out your mouth. This is absolutely hysterical. Of course I was stressed you weren't getting enough milk, but like all other things with you, I have had to let it go and just go with the flow. Your dad is always telling me "just relax."
In the past year, it's easy to look back and reflect on how you have made me a better mom. I was able to grow right along side you - molding you, teaching you, helping you absorb the world around you. In turn you helped me slow down and to take the small moments and cherish them. I learned that even if I had a bad day, and the house was a mess, and I barely had time to brush my teeth, that for a fleeting second of watching you smile and be completely happy nothing could top it. I would rather spend my days knowing that these magical moments, as simple as they are, make EVERYTHING (all the hard times) worth it.
You are perfection in my eyes. There is nothing more I can say to you other than I love you with every inch of my being. This heart of mine is yours, and I know you will move mountains in your life. Here's to your first birthday and to many, many more.....
Love you always,
Mom
I was quite emotional on your first birthday. It came up so fast, I wasnt ready for it. I feel like this year has had some up's and down's and it's been no secret that you have been a difficult baby for me. I remember on countless occassions, I would think to myself, "I wish you would just get older and we could pass through all this baby stuff." But the truth is, we made it, and I really feel like we are connected in a way I have never been with anyone else. For 1 whole year, it was ONLY me that could soothe you. I was your source of food, and because you would not take a bottle or a pacificier, it was just the two of us for all your needs in the beginning. Now that it has been one whole year, I would go back and do it all over again for you. Sure it was hard, but you made it feel so rewarding, and I feel incredibly blessed. My heart is SO SO SO full, Weston, and I have you to thank for that.
In the last 6 weeks, you have met every single milestone. Dr. Tang (your pediatrician) still agrees with me that you are stubborn, and you are, but there are so many things I love about you. You are cautious - you know that old saying, think before you leap? That is something you have practiced since birth. You do things slowly, but once you figure out how to master them, it's on! It's really amazing to see you thinking things over....this is how it was with walking. As predicted you took your first steps at 11 months. But you took your time. Little baby steps, nothing too crazy. Daddy and I would practice with you after dinner every evening by sitting on the ground, having you walk to and from our laps (arms wide open). Each night we made the space between us a bit bigger and finally you were mastering that no problem. But you weren't fully ready yet. So you crawled when you wanted to get somewhere or didn't feel safe. Finally at 12 months, you were ready to walk everywhere. You had a funny little walk. Arms were bent at the elbow, raised up, with hands out in front to help you balance. This mode of transportation has fueled your independence. While you have always been curious about things around you, you can know walk all over and explore. We've been to story time at the Tustin library and it's always in a big room full of parents and kids. When I put you down on the ground - off you go. Usually to say hello to another little dude your age, or just to wander. This is important to me that you have this independence about you. Its bitter sweet. I want you to be independent - absolutely - but I have grown attached to you. You hare my little man, my little bubbie, and I adore our time. I know as you get older, bigger, more adventerous, I will have to let you go. That's what is so hard about a first birthday.
You have this infectious smile, with 8 teeth popping through. You have a funny snort when you laugh, and you always are curious when you see Jillian playing with something. You just have to be nosey and get involved. She might now always love it, but you adore her. She adores you too (most of the time). She gets a little over protective of me, but there are times when I sneak peaks of the two of you playing together. She can pick you up now from the back side and carry you. You love it. She also helps pick out your clothes some mornings and she always wants to say good night to you when you go to sleep. No one can make you smile bigger than Jillian.
Speaking of sleep, I'd say we have made some advancements! You have been going down at 8 pm and sleeping 4-6 hour stretches! Usually at this time I bring you into bed with me and we sleep until morning. I think now is the time we need to let you cry it out....I am anxious for you to sleep all night and I know you can do it. Naps are now in your crib in the afternoon from 2-4, and if you are tired in the morning and we are on the go you still sleep in your carseat. I would say you are definitely still taking 2 naps a day, but I don't see that sticking around much longer, only because there are some days you only take 1 nap (the afternoon one).
Another stressful thing for me with you is your eating - I'd say you are sort of a picky eater, but one thing I have finally just LET go of, is your hatred for pureed food. You hate it. You can't stand it. You would get mad at me if I even pulled it out and put it on the table. Gone are the days where I had to do a billion things to distract you so you would chow down at least 2 of those a day. UGH! So we have changed how we feed you. You still eat what we eat at dinner, and for breakfast and lunch you get table foods. You also LOVE to hold a spoon or fork when you eat. You want to be JUST like us, which is why I think you hate the pureed food. Food you love: waffles, pancakes, goldfish crackers, cereal bars, crackers, cheese, milk, chicken, beans, pasta, sausage, broccoli (sometimes), hot dogs, corn. I wish you would eat more veggies and fruits but you are just not interested. You get about 6-8 ounces of whole milk through your sippy cup. Funny story about you mastering the straw - that took forever, and you still aren't that great at it. You take big sips and then half the milk comes spilling out your mouth. This is absolutely hysterical. Of course I was stressed you weren't getting enough milk, but like all other things with you, I have had to let it go and just go with the flow. Your dad is always telling me "just relax."
In the past year, it's easy to look back and reflect on how you have made me a better mom. I was able to grow right along side you - molding you, teaching you, helping you absorb the world around you. In turn you helped me slow down and to take the small moments and cherish them. I learned that even if I had a bad day, and the house was a mess, and I barely had time to brush my teeth, that for a fleeting second of watching you smile and be completely happy nothing could top it. I would rather spend my days knowing that these magical moments, as simple as they are, make EVERYTHING (all the hard times) worth it.
You are perfection in my eyes. There is nothing more I can say to you other than I love you with every inch of my being. This heart of mine is yours, and I know you will move mountains in your life. Here's to your first birthday and to many, many more.....
Love you always,
Mom
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Dear Weston - 10 1/2 Months
Dear Weston,
It s been such a busy month and there has been so much going on with you. I better get this post up because currently you are about to turn 11 months, sort of a mom fail! I am going to quickly recap some of my thoughts and things you have been doing.
You are graceful.
You can balance on two legs without holding on to anything.
You have started to crab crawl, meaning your knees don't touch the floor.
When you crawl your left knee always up so it's a funny little crawl - something you have perfected and it so you!
You like to climb up on things - me included, and you love to stairs. You could climb them all day.
We don't have to use baby gates yet.
We don't have to use baby gates yet.
You have begun to bite - or nibble. Both during nursing and when I am holding you. I stearnly say, "no bite" and you get instant tears (because you know better). You definitely start to feel guilty!
You drank out of a straw and sippy cup for the first time.
You eat everything we do, and I have started to feel less anxious now that you have this whole eating thing down - we still nurse on demand and before naps and bedtime. You still would want my boob in your mouth ALL night if I let you but that's NOT happening - no thank you!
I find myself taking you in every chance I get because it's all going by so fast.
You started to point at things.
You dance when we put music on.
When you see your sister you instantly smile. You adore her, and she loves you.
You can't get enough of the bath and love to splash.
You are obsessed with airplanes, cars and balls. Those are your go to toys.
Love you always,
Your mom
At a Glance:
10 1/2 month Stats:
Weight: 19 pounds (guess)
Height: 33 inches (guess)
Head: 22 inches (guess)
Sleep Stats:
No change from last month.
Food:
You are eating everything we do. It's awesome. You love your cheerios and your gold fish crackers and of course you eat up spaghetti. It's probably your favorite! You love chicken and turkey. You still get 3 jars of veggies a day, but you really prefer to eat real food over the spoon fed stuff. You have not had any formula this past month.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Dear Weston - 9 Months
It finally happened! You have really come into your own, little man. Wow, you have a HUGE personality, with lots of grins and a taste for exploration. Not only that, but you have matured. You are getting a better grasp on this big world and are feeling more secure to take it on without me. I have left you a few times with daddy and you have been an angel the whole time I was gone. This is big deal for the both of us. I get some bonding time with Jillian or to myself and you get some bonding time with daddy. I wouldn't say you are ready to be left with anyone else other than me or daddy just yet, but it's a step!
At our new house you can see the large planes gearing up to land at John Wayne Airport. They roar above our backyard and your eyes dart to them the instant you hear them. This inquisitive nature doesn't stop here. You watch everything intently. From simple things like filling my water bottle, to watching me load the dishwasher, you are discovering the world.
You are an expert crawler, and now an expert on pulling yourself up. You pull up on everything, which also means we have had lots of bumps and bruises along the way. When you fall, bonk your head, or get hurt, you cry hard. You look for me, and I swoop you up, caressing you until you are ready to play again. It doesn't take long. When you see a toy you want, you MUST have it. You also hate it when I take something away. You cry in anger.
One thing I have learned in these last 9 months is that you have a specific cry for each thing that you want. Call it a mother's intuition, but I am more in tune with you than I was with your sister, mostly because we spend all day and night together.
Speaking of our time together, we are still co-sleeping and doing great. It's working for both of us, and I won't change this until you are at least 1.
At your 9 month visit to the pediatrician, I was a bit alarmed to find out that you dropped from the 50th percentile in weight to the 12th percentile. Dr. Tang said you are a round the clock snacker. You are on the boob a lot, pretty much whenever you need it, and because of this, you snack while you are comforting yourself. Dr. Tang wasn't concerned. He said you are still growing in head size and height and that you must just be a really busy baby. You are! You are so active you never stop. What he suggested was to start feeding you more fatty foods such as yogurt, avocado, cheese and if we felt up to it we could supplement with formula. Daddy was on board for formula and after some hesitation from me, we started to give you 2 bottles a day. In the past you have hated the bottle, but suprisingly you took it! I was shocked. Some days you drink 2 ounces, and on good days you drink 6. Other days you don't drink any and just want to boob. But because of this bottle introduction, I can leave you with daddy alone.
Some other tid bits: you takes your nightly baths with Jillian. You love balls and love to roll them and chase them. You are graceful and can balance pretty darn well. You STILL have no hair on that head of yours. You have FOUR teeth that are coming in at the same time, all on the top. There have been some trying days dealing with the discomfort but I'd say you were a trooper.
It's such a wonderful feeling to see you flourish, grow, explore and come into your own. Daddy and I call you our Wild Wild West, because we see such a crazy fun side to you. The love I have for you grows every day and I am SO blessed to be at home with you to see your daily achievements.
Love you always,
Your mom
At a Glance:
9month Stats:
Weight: 17 3/4 pounds (12%)
Height: 30 inches (75%)
Head: 20 inches (50%)
Sleep Stats:
No change from last month. Still co-sleeping
Naps: morning around 1030 in your carseat or stroller or crib if home, afternoon around 2 pm - 5 pm, with me snuggled on the couch.
Nighttime: 8:00 bedtime (wake two hours later) and I will then bring you into bed with me for the rest of the night.
Food:
Jar food - 3 a day, plus you have tried all sorts of new things: turkey, cheese, yogurt, avocado, pretzels, chicken, beans, and rice. We are also making a lot of your own pureed food and you are eating what we eat for dinner. If you get a bottle of formula it's before nap and before bed.
Milestones:
4 new teeth (6 total!)
Pulling up on things from sitting
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Dear Weston - 8 Months
You are back to co-sleeping with us. Let me start by saying, I don't feel right about letting you cry it out. It took us a while to get you to transition to your crib around 7 months, and it was hard. You fought it, I cried, and we both somehow made it through. You were doing it but you STILL would cry. There was never a night where you didn't wake and cry for us. However, once we moved into our new home, the new surroundings threw you off - way off. So the best thing for all of us, is to sleep together. After accepting this as a way of life, I realize how special this bond has been for us. Some nights are not ideal - you toss and turn and need my boob in your mouth ALL night, and my body gets put in some really uncomfortable positions, but other nights we snuggle so close, and both sleep sound. I have decided if you need me to sleep, then you can have me. I have definitely taken the approach of attachment parenting. If you cry, I pick you up and hold you tight. If you fuss, I put you on the breast. I follow your lead, your cues. You love to be held. When you hear my voice, you crawl your fastest to get to me. You make me feel important. You have made me feel like a dedicated mom. You have definitely helped me to become a much more patient person.
You certainly know how to charm our socks off. You have such a huge wide grin, with delicate eyes that sparkle when you are happy. You babble like crazy. I think we all talk a lot in this family, but my goodness you are loud and proud.
The biggest thing that happened this month was crawling! You started to crawl shortly after your 7 month birthday and you have mastered it. Not only can you crawl, but you can get yourself into all sort of crazy positions from all 4's, back to a squat like position, back to sitting. You also have this really cute scoot thing you do - you scoot on your knees, and skip the crawling, you seem to be way faster this way.
Another big milestone - you got two new teeth, your bottom center teeth, and they both came in at the same time. You were a big fussy monster during these couple of days, but once they popped through, you took the pain like a champ.
I am not sure if I mentioned this before, but you love it when I sing to you. You hate the car seat still. You take big boy baths with your sister every night and you LOVE the water now (you hated it before). You are still a high maintenance eater - when you were cutting your teeth you went down to 1 jar, and some days you eat more than others, but you always push the food out with your tongue. I hope this reflex lessens by next month.
Love you always,
Your mom
At a Glance:
7 month Stats:
Weight: 19 pounds (total guess)
Height: 30 inches (guess)
Head: 20 inches (guess)
Sleep Stats:
In your crib for afternoon nap
Naps: morning around 1030 in your carseat or stroller, afternoon around 2 pm - 5 pm
Nighttime: 7:30 bedtime (wake two hours later) and I will then bring you into bed with me for the rest of the night.
Food:
Jar food - 2-3 a day.
Milestones:
Crawling
2 Teeth!
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