Newsletter: Month 19

Dearest Ben,

Whew! We made it through that last month! :) Now here you are, 19 MONTHS OLD and growing like a weed. You are a full-blown little boy that I cannot keep up with but boy do you keep yourself busy! All those rumors about little boys being active, dirty, adventurous, rowdy, loud, and full of energy are coming true right before our eyes as we watch you grow from a little baby boy into this hilarious big boy.

You are constantly moving. You still love jumping and will do it at request to show off. Every time a song comes on you immediately start dancing and sadly you still have only white boy moves. You bring your arms in to your body as if you are going to run, and then sway and bounce in rhythm all while shaking your head. If one of daddy's punk rock songs comes on, you will headbang to rock out. You very carefully have to hold your legs steady with your knees bent while your head rocks back and forth and your mouth is open and your eyes are closed. Rock on! Too cute. You've mastered walking backwards and you also like to get down on the floor and do a backwards army crawl while squealing with pride. Granny taught you how to march when you were following her through the house putting laundry away. She would sing a marching chant and you march right along behind her raising your knees high and smiling big. You've turned into a little monkey jumping on the bed and couch at every chance. Even though you know you aren't supposed to, you will jump with a huge grin and as soon as we give you the look, you jump down to your bottom and laugh whole-heartedly. 

We've had you outside as much as we can. It is already hot, hot, hot so it's been in short stints. We've gone to the park, worked in the yard, and spent lots of time in Papa & Granny's kiddy pool. You love the park, which is probably a given for every kid, but you do. You love to swing and slide and of course just take off running like a free man. You also love helping daddy in the yard. He bought you your very own hand shovel just like his, and you dig right along side him in the dirt happy as can be. And the pool...well you just love being in any kind of water, splashing, and pouring. My little water baby.

Basketball is still your favorite pasttime. Uncle Zach gave you an OSU basketball hoop and it has been out in our living room to keep you entertained for hours. You gather all the balls in the house and then throw them in...actually making quite a few baskets! We spent a week at the farm and you and papa spent hours playing "one on one" using the trashcan as a basket and papa giving play by play analysis. You even started repeating some of the player's names and you both were in heaven. Oh yeah, and you named your teddy bear Pistol Pete. I dare anyone to say we are brainwashing you. :)

You continue to get smarter and smarter and it impresses me to no end. While you continue to love being read to, and pointing out every single thing you know in each of your books, you've progressed to counting! If I ask, "how many ____s do you see?" you will point to each one expecting me to count them for you. You also can recognize colors and shapes by pointing those out too. It's crazy! A huge step was when you finally stopped shouting, "MORE" for please and politely started saying, "Peez" as necessary. It is so adorable whenever you ask for something now and you sound much less barbaric. You have clung to your adoration of the word NO, though you have become more kind with your intonation. And best of all is how everytime something falls, drops, spills, rolls, etc. you proclaim loudly, "Oh No!" in the most dramatic voice. It's so darn funny.

Your daddy is doing work for your Papa & Granny this summer so we have spent alot of time both at the lakehouse and at the farm. This has been a huge help to your big ol' pregnant mama who is getting a break by having others around to entertain you. The time is nearing when you won't be the only kiddo around and I sometimes worry that you will take negative notice when your baby brother or sister arrives. You are just so adored and constantly fawned over and the guilt of taking any of that away is eating at me. Please just know how much you are loved little man. Please just know.

 

You are such a sweet, sweet boy who pats us on the back when being held, gives tight hugs, kisses us without being asked, and loves to cuddle. It is the warmest feeling I've ever known when you walk over to me with your blond ringlets wisping in the air and lean up to give me a kiss for no reason. I was unaware of such pride and love for another thing until you started doing this. I know that this new gift you've given will never wane and throughout our lives, every time I receive a gentle kiss from you I will be the happiest mama in the whole world. 

Love,

Mama