Bigger Every Day

We seem to be wading through a fairly large transition - Daniel's mental shift towards seeing himself as a "big boy" capable of handling more responsibility. This shift has resulted in a lot of changes in the way daily life happens... there is more interaction, more freedom of choice, and more flexibility.

There is more responsibility all around, too - for us, we are realizing what a critical phase this is for helping Daniel form the basis of a strong character. And for Daniel, chores have become a reality. We have slowly added to the amount of household work we've been assigning him. He now responds well to complex requests: "Daniel, please take off your shoes, open the closet, put the shoes inside, close the door and come back over here."

He demands independence when it isn't offered, even in the mundane routines. He wants the option to pick between items (snacks, books, toys) - but often withholds declaring his selection, just because he can. What's interesting is in these cases, he will revert to intentional gibberish as a way to not say his answer. He is answering - but defiantly. In a way that he knows we can't understand.

He absorbs more information than we gave him credit for. His memory is amazing, especially for his age. Weeks after seeing Ice Age 3, his first full movie in a theater, he asked us randomly, "Mommy, Daddy... remember the big elephants running? And remember the tiger on the ground? And remember Sid finding the three eggs?"

A recent "too good to be true" moment occurred when spontaneously, Daniel pointed to the piano and asked to play it. We climbed up onto the piano bench together, opened the cover and began playing around on first the black then the white keys. I started in on the chord progression from Heart & Soul (Daniel's recent favorite bedtime song) and he recognized it immediately. I started singing it while playing, and Daniel banged keys enthusiastically while singing loudly to the parts he knew... smiling broadly up at me in between verses. It was one of those magical moments I could live happily in forever.

He loves to wrestle. He screams if you tickle him, but if you stop, he lifts his shirt and says "more?!" He invents games. If you invent a game, he memorized it and repeats it until you wish you hadn't invented it. He dances to songs. He laughs at everything and says "that's funny". He knows his friends by name, and can tell you who he played with that day. He loves eating and is constantly hungry. He loves being chased, and chasing us: "I'm gonna get you...!" He is very affectionate with us - more so than he's ever been. He understands "tomorrow" and "yesterday". He is very quickly mastering the alphabet too, but out of memory, can "read" us many of his books, verbatim. He finds animal shapes in the clouds, pointing out alligators and rhinos at random times.

The differences between having a baby and a toddler are big... but the differences between a toddler and this new "man child" phase are mind-numbing. Sometimes I look at Daniel and don't recognize him - seemingly overnight, a lanky, tall chatterbox replaced my tragically cherubic baby.

Luckily, I don't have time to feel sad. I'm too busy having fun with the new Daniel :)

We Danced. We Sang. We Stole Things.

Like that album title, for example.

Desperately in need of clearing our heads for a few days, we skipped town last week and headed north to our favorite getaway: Sedona. New each time, and never disappointing.

Each vacation must have a soundtrack (Amaro Family Rule #48) and this time, tracks #2 and #3 off Jason Mraz's latest piece of work were the (only) songs on our playlist. By day 3, Daniel was singing along. No joke.

Who would have guessed that those quirky, over-played top-40 hits would turn out to be our family's love songs? Those two opening chords to "I'm Yours" relaxed us more than a massage or martini ever could. (It's so fun to make drinking jokes when you don't drink...)

This mini-vacation was exactly what we needed. We ate homemade breakfast on the patio. We went creek-stomping in our backyard. We soaked in a jacuzzi under a billion stars. We played in warm fountains and breathtakingly cold creeks. I'll spare you the exhaustive list of luxuries, but suffice it to say that by the end of day three, the tension had melted away. In it's place were easier smiles, sillier songs and more family hugs.

In a perfectly magical moment near the end of the trip, Daniel and I danced barefoot on the red rock patio to the antequated guitar stylings of a local musician. Puffy white clouds drifted lazily through an impossibly blue sky. The day practically sparkled with perfection... or maybe it was just the misters. Either way. I could live happily forever in that moment.

This trip was less about Daniel and more about his parents. But Daniel, as you read this later, understand this: The right priorities in a family don't always happen automatically. You have to work for them. And fight for each other. And make a concerted effort not to let each other get lost in the day-to-day shuffle.

And sometimes, that kind of clarity can only be achieved with a roadtrip and some cold creek water.

Buttered Popcorn and Apple Juice

Last weekend, we reached a huge milestone. Well, huge for us. The three of us went to our very first family movie in a theater. We saw "Up", the newest Pixar movie. Despite Daniel's total and complete inability to control the level of his voice, we had a blast!

Daniel kept waiting for deafeningly silent moments to point and yell at the top of those little lungs: "Look at DEEZ!" He loved the balloons ("bee-oons") and the Snipe ("duckie") and asked for them each and every minute they were not on the screen. Loudly. At one point, Daniel got down from his seat and turned around. He had apparently not realized there were other people there, and with glee, he pointed and yelled "Look at all the friends!!" I believe we entertained/annoyed some strangers that day.

My favorite moment might have been when I glanced down and saw Fernando and Daniel, both absent-mindedly reaching in for more popcorn without removing their eyes from the big screen. Like father, like son. Fernando's love of the theater is legendary, passed down from his father. Now that he can share it with his own boy, he's one happy camper.

On the way home, Daniel recited all of his favorite parts of the movie. We frequently ask him if he had fun at school, so he gazed out the window and asked himself questions all the way home:

"Have fun with the bee-oons? Have fun with the duckie? Have fun with the doggies? Have fun with the house high-up-in-da-ky? Have fun with mommy and daddy? Have fun with the moo-mie? Want see more moo-mie please?"

Life is good.

I Never Want To Forget

You're probably tired of reading it... honestly, I'm tired of writing it... but I swear it's true: I have never loved him more.

Time is racing by at an unfathomable rate. I wish it would stop. Or pause. Or at least slow down for two seconds.

I hope I never forget...

- The way he says "hold me hand".
- How he always wants to see/play with the "poo". (Pool. Don't worry.)
- His obsession with jumping. He's good. Really good.
- Up high in the sky. (Hup - in - da -kye).
- How he likes to mime "Itsy Bitsy Spider" at the dinner table.
- How he likes to mime clapping for himself after miming the song.
- His love of bathtime, so long as there are matchbox cars to splash in mixing bowls.
- The logic he uses. "First, then..."
- How Fernando taught him the "let me see..." game, with his finger on his chin.
- How suddenly he began saying "oh my goodness!"
- His preference for Penny (the dog) over anyone else... Mema, Papa, TK or Quito.
- How his little musical voice never stops... He. Is. Always. Talking.
- How he absent-mindedly plays with my hair while I'm holding him.
- How the phrase "I love you" now happens spontaneously, without prompting.
- His love of movies. The latest: "Ahhhs Age" and "Mad-e-car". He likes to move it, move it.
- The recent increase in politeness. Me: "How do you ask?" Him: "Mommy... more milk please!"
- His lack of inhibition. Particularly when imitating our rowdy Mexican yells during "Camisa Negra".
- How everything is more fun in the closet, in the dark.
- The reluctant bravery he's developing in the water - it increases each time we swim.
- How incredibly fast that perfect little mop of hair grows.
- The way my heart melts each night when he says (in his sleepiest voice), "Mama stay here".
- How he sings along when I sing "Heart & Soul". (glaaaaaaaadly.....)
- The way he sings "Baby Bumblebee" to himself when he thinks he's alone.
- How he counts crib bars for entertainment. And can go up to 14. But still prefers the number 8.
- How he is always hungry. We'll hear "Oh hungry eat?" on the way home from dinner.
- His tendency to obsess over relatively minor characters in a movie. The "bad fishies" in Ice Age, or the Snipe in UP.
- His increasingly physical displays of affection... sometimes he'll run from one to the other parent, just hugging us and saying "I love you."

Right back at ya, kid.

Shark Bite

Daniel has always loved animals, but he goes through specific phases. We've been through an alligator phase, a butterfly phase, a fish phase, a bird phase, and others.

Last week, we officially entered the shark phase.

In a specific scene from Madagascar 2, a giant shark chases after a tiny lemur. When the scene started, my husband and I rushed to get the remote and fast forward to the next scene... we thought it would scare Daniel. We were too late, but Daniel wasn't scared. In fact, he clapped with joy and asked repeatedly for "more shark!"

At Target last week, I picked up a thin paperback book on sharks. Even though it was written for much older kids, Daniel loves the photos and learning the names of the sharks. (He knows Mako Shark, Hammerhead, and ... Shamu. Ok, so one of the photos looks like a Killer Whale... I don't have the heart to correct him just yet.)

At the end of the book is a photo of a surfer with only one arm - she had survived a shark attack. We glossed over this the first few times, but curiosity eventually got the better of me.

Me: "Daniel, what happened to her arm??"
Daniel: "It fall down?"
Me: "No, it didn't fall down... what happened to her arm?"
Daniel: "It go bye-bye?"
Me: "Yes... Daniel, a shark bit her arm and ate it."
Daniel: (concentrating hard, staring at the picture with a concerned look on his face)... "It's ok... come here... I got you... I got you..."

He consoled the photo. He felt sad for her. How precious is THAT!?

It didn't last long. Now he turns to that page with glee and says "Shark eat the arm... go CHOMP!" And laughs.

I may have created a monster.

A quick update: Yesterday I asked him what happened to his arm (he has a bite scar from two months ago that we frequently discuss) and he started to say his routine "Troy bit me"... but stopped and said "Shark bite arm! CHOMP!"

Time Out!

We're not opposed to spanking. Both my husband and I were spanked as kids, and we turned out fine. Balanced. With lasting, loving relationships with our parents.

That said, we're not ready to spank Daniel. As long as alternate forms of disciple work, we'll stay away from anything physical. (Punishing violence with violence still doesn't add up in my head).

Time outs are our weapon of choice, and we've been using them on a regular basis - so far, with success. Daniel hates to be ignored, and a few minutes alone in his designated time out spot is enough to reduce him to tears, apologies, hugs, and a change in behavior.

The other day, we noticed how well he's been paying attention. Daniel looked his beloved Rhino ("Zona") square in the eye and said "Bad Choice! Time Out! Two Minutes!" and handed her to me to receive her punishment. I obliged and put Zona on the floor, gravely saying, "You're in time out for two minutes, Zona. You made a bad choice."

Zona was a trooper, and after just a few seconds had passed, Daniel reached for her and asked if she was "ready to be all done?" He made her nod "yes" and gave her a big hug.

Ten seconds later, he hit his arm with her head and said "Bad Choice! Time Out! Two Minutes!"

He is quite the over-zealous disciplinarian.

Adventures in Tents

Well, I have good news and bad news. First, the good news.

The Good

Our first camping trip was a blast! Daniel had a great time and the first day was honestly one of the best days of my life. So relaxing. So peaceful... quiet... tuned out from the rest of the world.

We set up camp in Sedona, just off the highway and a stone's throw from the river. Daniel immediately jumped in, "helping" us set up camp - and covering himself in dirt within ten minutes of getting out of the car. His excitement was uncontainable as he ran laps around the campsite, exploring all the nature he could get his little hands on.

He settled on his favorite activity: throwing rocks into the river. In fact, by the end of our trip, we were completely tired of throwing rocks in the river. "More rocks... more rocks."

We made a fire, cooking dinner and a late night S'mores snack, of which Daniel was a HUGE fan. Especially the chocolate part.

We bundled up like crazy for the night, chattering through what was not the most peaceful sleep we've ever had. Daniel, however, slept like a log, happy and warm between us. (Note: Next time... bring more blankets).

He awoke happy, nearly giddy to find the two of us next to him. We found a little pancake place in town for breakfast, and headed back to camp to hike.

Then things took a turn for the worse.

The Bad

We had taken a break from throwing rocks in the river and were eating a snack at the picnic table. Daniel was running around in circles and starting scratching his neck - like something was irritating him. A bug or a piece of grass, maybe.

Within two minutes, it went from light irritation to full on screaming, with his hand glued to his neck.

He couldn't get any words out except "hurt" in between the deafening cries. We sped to the fire station down the road, and two kind (but fairly useless) EMTs looked at him. By now, Daniel's hand was on his ear, and the screaming was worse. They directed us to the Urgent Care across town.

What ensued was, without a doubt, the longest 15 minutes of my life.

Daniel cries escalated, but dropped off suddenly every 30 seconds or so, as he appeared to fall asleep. He also appeared to stop breathing, and would jerk back to attention with a huge gasp. His eyes glazed over, and he began drooling severely. He also was holding his neck at a very odd angle, with his hand moving between his ear and neck.

Fernando sped through town, and I knelt next to the car seat, praying like I never had. In retrospect it sounds dramatic, but I have never actually feared that Daniel would die. During those 15 minutes, it felt like he was drifting away. I was there - my hands were on him - and I had absolutely no control.

The Sedona Urgent Care was a joke. The doctor reeked of New Age strangeness, and misdiagnosed Daniel with a "severe throat and nose infection". I asked why it came on so suddenly, and he said (I'm not kidding): "Everything begins at some point in time." Life is a cookie, indeed.

By now, large amounts of kid-friendly pain killers had relaxed him enough to fall asleep. Daniel was passed out in my lap, still grabbing his neck, and crying in his sleep if his head moved even a fraction of an inch.

Long story short... it was a crick. (Cric?) A very bad crick in his neck, caused from a cold and a night sleeping in sub-zero temperatures. I get them all the time - I suppose the tendency is genetic. Poor kid walked around with his head cocked to one side for nearly a week, milking us for sympathy days after the pain had stopped.

Next time, we'll wait until Summer to camp.

Month 4893...?

Ok, this "label post by month" thing made lots of sense until Daniel turned two. Now it just seems a little excessive... I think it's time to move on. (The motto of any toddler's parent. Sniff.)

Since last we spoke, the little monkey has changed quite a bit. Here are a few of the recent updates in our lives, in no particular order.

1. We bought a TV. I know this sounds boring, but we have NEVER purchased a television ourselves. After five years and five "hand me downs" (from friends to whom we are eternally grateful) we took the plunge and bought a beautiful 42" Visio flat screen. Holy luxury. The first time Daniel watched it (it was "Bolt" in blu-ray...) he sat stock-still on the couch for a solid twenty minutes, eyes like saucers, saying "whoa" and "wow" over and over. He giggles with glee when it's time to watch a "moomie". It's so fun I almost don't miss the mile-high (crooked) bunny ears or the way the old TV buzzed when there was too much red or white on the screen. Almost.

2. We survived Easter. I use the word "survived" instead of the more traditional "enjoyed" or "celebrated" because Daniel's Mommy & Daddy thought it would be smart for BOTH of them to be employed at the same church, and for churches, Easter is THE weekend of the year. Suffice it to say that Daniel spent Easter weekend with his family - just not his parents. Seven church services and a giant carnival later, we did his egg hunt on Monday morning.

(As a side note, on the Thursday before Easter, Daniel came home from preschool with a hard boiled egg and bunny ears made of construction paper on his head. I was just relieved to find out the "ears" weren't supposed to be feathers. A very un-pc Easter, indeed!)

3. The potty is now Daniel's friend. We figured out that he doesn't hate potties - he hates SITTING on potties. It would appear that he wants to stand, like Daddy. So now he drags his toothbrushing stool over to the big potty (so much for Bjorn) and climbs up, asks for help in removing his pants and diaper, and (with a little aiming help from us) pees in the potty. Then, he reaches for the toilet paper... (I know, he's a boy. But his mommy was the first one to show him this method and I didn't realize that boys don't wipe when they pee...) and then he flushes. Naturally, his favorite part. After bidding his deposit farewell ("bye bye poo poo!") we re-diaper and re-pants and he runs in his victory circle yelling "I go pee-pee in the potty!" This happens 6-8 times a day. Now, I just keep a container of Clorox Wipes by the toilet for post-potty floor duty. :)

4. One of our favorite parts of this last month is the emergence of an extremely sweet, affectionate side of Daniel. He is more cuddly than before - more prone to crawl in our laps for no reason, more likely to linger in hugs and seems to crave any and all physical contact. He asks for hugs and kisses, sometimes asks to hold our hands, and welcomes us laying with him at bedtime to cuddle him until he falls asleep. Not that he was ever a cold child, but this amount of physical affection is definitely new. (And welcome!)

5. Hide & Seek. He is a very physical little man - likes to wrestle, be tickled, be flipped upside down and thrown over our shoulders. His favorite evening game is still to "play chase" - he turns all the lights off in the house and then we tackle in the dark, using sound effects to give away our locations. (Fernando's is the whistle, and mine is "psst psst"). However this game has evolved slightly over the past few weeks into full blown hide & seek. Daniel waits in the living room and I run to hide somewhere... under the comforter, in the closet, behind the bathroom door, in the shower, etc. He loves the thrill of being scared or startled - this game can last for hours. It's fun to watch his logical processing as well - he will check all the places I was previously hiding before he moves on to new ones. Smart kid.

6. Monkey Man. Daniel's latest favorite phrase is "I climb up!". You can imagine the kinds of adventures this new mentality has brought on. He loves jumping, too... climbing plus jumping makes for a very nervous mother. The other day Fernando discovered Daniel laying on top of his changing table, surrounded by stuffed animals (did he move them first? or get lonely once he was on the table?), and covered head to toe in baby powder. Let the fun begin.

Daniel has two big events on the horizon: A new room (once we finish painting!) and his first camping trip (next week). Stay tuned for updates on both...

Month 25: Chili Night

Last night was perfect.

Daniel had a good day at school and was happy and playful when we picked him up. We grabbed a few nerf footballs and played at the park for a few minutes before heading home and starting dinner. I changed out of work clothes and into a comfy skirt, tank top, fluffy pink slippers and my treasured purple apron.

Dinner was roasted potato wedges, steamed broccoli and vegetarian chili... and it was a hit. There's nothing like the feeling of sitting around the dinner table together, laughing and eating, with Frank Sinatra serenading us all the while. The night got darker but our home only got cozier and happier.

Fernando devoured his plate, commenting about how amazing the chili was and he couldn't believe there wasn't any meat. Daniel absolutely blew us away with the sheer quantity of food he ate... a full bowl of chili and a plate of potato wedges, dipped in ketchup. He was very focused on his food, and kept eating long after we were done, showing off his mad spoon skills.

Last night, like after most meals involving red sauce, Daniel was transferred directly from high chair to shower, where one of us is waiting to bathe with him. After his shower, a cookie, a good teeth-brushing, and some soft pajamas, it was bedtime.

Daniel pulled all his pillows, blankets and animals on the floor and insisted we read on the ground. We laid on our bellies and read book after book... searching for the balloon in "Goodnight Gorilla" and acting out all the moves of "Fish Kisses". After turning out the lights, we laid on the pillow pile in the dark, singing "Swing Low" and "Sumo's Farm" more times than I can count.

As he grew sleepier, he became more affectionate. Feeling for my face in the dark and kissing my cheek over and over, Daniel laid his head on my head, giggling and saying "mama pillow".

3 Cans of Amy's Organic Chili = $7.00.
6 Red New Potatoes = $2.00.
2 Crowns of Broccoli = $3.00.
1 Pitcher of Iced Tea = $0.50
3 Chocolate Chip Cookies = $1.00

Chili Night with the Family... Priceless.

Month 25: New Classroom Anxiety

Daniel transitioned last week to his new room at school - "The Clapping Clams" ... and while there is always some anxiety associated with a change in his daily routine... new teacher... new friends... this transition has been worse than we expected.

We noticed some changes in his behavior at home that began the day he started in the new room...

1) He doesn't want to go to school. He puts on the brakes as we approach the door and has to be coaxed and/or left kicking and screaming. He ends up happy, but this initial resistance bugs me.

2) He has developed sleep issues... basically extreme resistance to sleeping at home. He will play for up to two hours alone in his room before he "gives in" and goes to sleep. I can't tell if he's scared to sleep or just has excess energy. Either way, it's presenting a problem as he is so exhausted each morning I have to drag him out of bed.

3) We've noticed a sharp increase in aggressive behaviors at home - with us, but also verbally towards the cats (he likes to discipline them?) and, strangely enough, towards his toys.

4) He is very sassy now with his words - the "no!" has drastically increased in the past week.

I know he's two, and undergoing a transition, but the timing is bothering me. I suppose it's a parent's perogative to investigate these kinds of changes, so I I have a conference with the teacher tomorrow see if she can explain any of this, or has any insight that might be helpful.

We shall see.

Month 24: My 2-Year-Old Son

I finally understand parenting: Just when I feel confident, in a nice little routine, and capable in my disciplinary role, life changes.

The proverbial rug gets pulled out.

Having a 2-year-old son is a whole new ballgame - a new level of energy, a new level of conversation, a new level of discipline, and a new level of "just how dirty can one kid get".

Daniel is developing independence right and left and is constantly looking for ways to exert it. He learned the phrases "this way" and "that way" and when in the car or stroller, he now feels compelled to tell us which way to go at every intersection. He knows how to get to all of his favorite parks, and loves the thrill of us taking his suggestion, and turning a specific way. On the flip side, if we pass a park without turning in, he loses his cool and bawls "thhhaaaaaaaat waaaaaaayyy peeeeease!"

The "please" battle is one we take seriously, and it's not as easy as it used to be. Somewhere along the way, Daniel acquired a bossy side and loves to order us around. It has it's place in play, but "more milk!" gets really old, really fast. Surprisingly, withholding the milk sometimes isn't always enough to encourage a polite approach. His stubborn side will kick in and he refuses to say please... he actually would prefer to NOT get milk than to stand down and be polite. Incredible.

At school it's a different story. (Aren't parents always the recipients of the testing?!) He is apparently polite and sweet at his preschool, and often acts as the classroom greeter at the end of the day, telling each parent "Bye! Have a good day!" on their way out. (When they told us this, we didn't believe it, but now he spouts "have a good day!" to everything in sight. Especially ducks.)

He has friends now, too. Not that he didn't before... but now he really knows, recognizes, asks for, and interacts really well with "his group" of comrades. Ava of course is still his preference, but he has a growing list of other buddies as well. On a side note, when we have families with kids over to the house for dinner, he used to have an atomic meltdown if I held another baby. Which was cause for concern, considering the impending adoption. That situation seems to be improving, however, and while Daniel isn't happy about me focusing on another child, he is more tolerant and apt to cooperate than before.

Perhaps my favorite part of having a 2-year-old son has been his newfound love of the dark. He runs around the house, turning off all the lights, then wants to play chase and hide and seek in the pitch black house. As you can imagine, many a bumps and bruises have happened this way, but so have hundreds of hilarious memories, shrieks of laughter, and moonlit rounds of "ring around the rosey" ("reegs"). And now when we pass through anything dark - be it highway tunnel or dimly lit hallway - Daniel's eyes get huge and with notable excitement in his voice he says... "Ooooo....daaark!! Play chase?!"

His vocabulary continues to astound me. But more than the quantity of words, I'm impressed by his ability to use them in context. Daniel forms complete sentences on a regular basis: "This is Daniel's seat" and "That is Dada's food". He will devote his full concentration to voicing a thought, even if it takes a few minutes to spit out: "The ladybug's going up the tree to see the monkey" (he still loves animal books, obviously).

The last major recent development has to do with his sleep patterns... and I am sticking to my earlier claim that Daniel IS his father in this area. He loves to stay up late and sleep in each morning: "More sleep, Mama. More sleep." We took off the front gate of his crib and it now takes a little longer for Daniel to fall asleep, as he's exploring exactly how far he's allowed to roam (not far!). I imagine this process will get a little easier once the novelty of nighttime freedom has worn off.

Wow! This turned into a novel. But while parenthood really has taken all kinds of unexpected turns, what hasn't changed is the crazy amount of love we feel for our baby boy. Stubborn and bossy though he can be, Daniel is our hearts' delight.

Month 24: Quick Trip to the Doctor

We always laugh that we'll NEVER learn when we should take Daniel to the doctor, and when he should stay home. This last trip, as you might have guessed, fell into the latter category. He is fine. Just a nasty cold.

But while we were there, we got some updated stats and answers to new questions.

Here we go...

1) Daniel weighs 33 pounds, 5 ounces. He is just over 36 inches tall. In both categories, he is finally out of the 99th percentile! (roughly 92% and 85%, respectively). Dr. Pham is sticking to his very early assessment that Daniel will be a very tall, big dude... a "big guy" :)

2) It's totally ok that Daniel has regressed in his potty training. We shouldn't force it, and need to remember that only 50% of boys are potty trained by the time they are 3.

3) Daniel's favorite habit of dragging his bedding onto the floor and sleeping there is nothing to worry about. As long as he's in his own room, he can sleep wherever he wants.

4) He doesn't need to go to the dentist yet, but we should be brushing him twice a day, not once. Oops.

5) Now that he's past 2, it's ok if he doesn't drink/eat much dairy or meat... as long as he's eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, the other categories can be very small.

That $15 co-pay might not have been necessary, but it's a pretty small price tag for peace of mind and a whole slew of answers!

Month 24: Sugar Overloads & Rocking Chairs

In spite of the turkeys he calls parents, Daniel survived to see his second birthday.

And what a day it was. Bright and early, we woke him up to make sure we had "photo opp" time before breakfast... so we set up a backdrop in the backyard and a little table with his oversized chocolate cupcake (jungle themed).

Not thinking clearly, we let him consume record amounts of frosting on an empty stomach... file that one in the 'lessons learned' categories. I have never seen a sugar high/crash quite so immediate.

Daniel blew out his own candle (ten times, as he kept making Fernando re-light it). And he really was a sport for a mini photo session. Although the promise of a giant cupcake at 8am will make most kids do anything. (He even demonstrated the "duck kiss" face I have been wanting to capture for a long time! This style of kissing has replaced all normal kissing...)

We then headed to Cracker Barrel for the traditional "day of" birthday meal with Ava & her family. On the way there, Daniel's sugar rush set in, as he mumbled to himself "pancakes... sleepy... cupcake... nigh-night..." :) We're such bad parents.

At Cracker Barrel, largely thanks to the sugar situation, he was a nightmare. He and Ava fought throughout the whole meal and only reconciled afterwards when we let them wreak havoc on the rocking chair patio outside the restaurant. Two dozen adult rocking chairs and ONE tiny one... a few tantrums ensued when we asked Daniel to share with Ava. (The "rocking chair planner" needs to consider that children usually come in multiples...)

After a hefty nap, Daniel spent the afternoon with Fernando (who took the day off to be with him) and the evening with the whole family (Daniel's Mema, Papa, TK & Quito) for a celebratory birthday dinner. He tore into his presents like a kid who knew what he was doing and relished the new books, toys and clothes. Ok, so he didn't care about the clothes, but the rest was a hit!

Happy Birthday, little man.

Month 23: Locks of Innocence

Well, we've gone and done it. We chopped off those gorgeous locks... and the youthful innocence apparently tied to them.

Days before Daniel's 2nd birthday, the haircut either triggered or coincided with some serious attitude shifts in our little angel! Hello "time outs" and attitude!

Maybe this haircut has been the hardest on me for that reason... it seems to represent the passing of the baby era, even though he's been a toddler for quite a while. His sweet long locks masked the devilishly mischevious side that was lurking in the background.

We took him to the kid's salon where he can sit in giant cars (this time, a plane), watch movies and eat candy while his hair is cut. It's not quite enough to make Daniel a haircut fan, per say, but it is enough to make him tolerate the discomfort of being sprayed down with water and poked with scissors.

This was his first experience with the "buzz buzz" clippers and it didn't go well. Good thing there were three adults and only one of him.

He looks so handsome... so grown-up. But if I could, I would glue that hair back on his head. I miss my baby.

Month 23: Apron Days

I am a working mom.

Not only have I come to terms with this lifestyle, but I enjoy the diversity of daily experiences. I enjoy being a part of the work force, and of the church where I have been employed for nearly five years. I recognize that my job is a "dream job" that could not have been better suited for my strengths and talents. Daniel's preschool is phenomenal, and his incredible development is attributed to the constant stimulation and affection he receives from the staff. Our family thrives in chaos, and honestly we love the hectic pace that comes with having two working parents.

I am (we are) blessed.

But there's a piece of me that longs for the Norman Rockwell experience. Sometimes I want to be the woman in the paintings - hair and makeup done perfectly, not a bead of sweat on her brow, serving a gorgeous dinner to her family, and always (always) wearing an apron.

For days like this, I have an apron. It's purple, with subtle brown and orange stripes. When I put it on, a sense of empowerment overtakes me. I feel more confident in my maternal instincts. I feel energized and capable. I feel perfectly suited to take care of a household full of kids. In some mysterious way, when I put on my purple apron, I feel a peace absent from my chaotic life. A long forgotten itch is scratched.

"Apron days" have become some of my favorite things. I get out of bed before anyone else is awake, put on comfy clothes, my pink houseshoes and my purple apron. I tie my hair up, and tackle the kitchen. Before long, it's sparkling clean and breakfast is cooking on the stove. Sometimes french toast, sometimes omelettes, sometimes an adventurous selection from a dusty cookbook. Watching Fernando and Daniel polish off their meal is indescribably rewarding. After preparing for lunch and dinner, I usually let myself get swept up in a whirlwind of house-cleaning. All the stereotypes I have grated against for 29 years are ironically fulfilled - against my own wishes, I find that I LIKE wearing the apron.

I want the best for Daniel. I still believe that for him, that means a balanced combination of social environment and home life. He has the best of both worlds right now - we are, without question, doing our best for him. But I will always wonder what life would have been like had I been able to wear the apron every day.

Month 23: The Spotless Mind

Parenting isn't all sunshine and daisies.

Sure, there are millions of unforgettably sweet moments. But sometimes it's tough going. Sometimes it's a maze of guilt, obligation and confusion... and any parent that tells you otherwise is lying through their teeth.

After all my "I Never Want To Forget" lists, here's the first "Things I'd Rather Forget" version. It's a risky move, but if we can't be brutally honest about our parenting experiences, we'll have no hope of teaching our kids how to one day parent their own kids. (And Lord knows I want the best for my grandkids!)

So, here goes nothing.

I'd rather forget...

- The way Daniel lets his arms go limp when he doesn't want to be picked up.
- How sometimes he doesn't want to be touched OR let go. Impossible to make a right move.
- The blank look on his face right before (or after) hitting someone. It's scary, and distant.
- The times he only (and inexplicably) wants one parent over the other. Heartbreaking.
- The awful horrible feeling that my rookie parent mistake caused Daniel physical pain. (The lightbulb... the stroller... the bathtub... I could go on.)
- His stubborness and refusal to say "sorry".
- Daniel's manipulation... I hate the feeling of being "played".
- The guilt of leaving him at daycare. Even though he's happily playing within 30 seconds, walking away is still brutal.
- The feeling that he's happier at daycare than he'd be with me, at home.
- The stranglehold worry has on my life. It's amplified in the last two years.
- The jealousy when he wants to be held by someone else.
- How when I look at a playground, I only see the potential accidents.
- When he doesn't want to be picked up OR put down.
- The sickening feeling of time slipping through my fingers.
- The full understanding of just how much I have to lose.
- The feeling of having to cool down and just walk away. That swell of anger and frustration... and that split-second of understanding what causes someone to hit their child. This could be the worst feeling in the world.
- The slippery trap of TV... and the guilt of realizing that I'm "that parent".
- Knowing I can never re-do the time that went by.

Well, there you go. Brutal honesty. I can't help but wonder how much of this changes with a second or third child, and how much of it is just part of the parenting scene. I suppose we'll find out soon enough!

Month 23: How Did We Get Here?

Holy cow, Daniel is going to be two. I have been asking myself a question that is not rhetorical at all... how did we get here?

He's a little man. He is so smart, so funny... honestly I feel like I fall in love with him all over again, each day. He is creative - he invents his own games and then makes up the rules. He is independent without being pushy. He knows what he wants, but is open to negotiation. He is affectionate without being clingy. He is considerate and kind to other kids, and protective of his friends and family. Who could ask for more? (That question, on the other hand, IS rhetorical).

As we approach the big day (Saturday!) I feel it's time for another quick "never to forget" list. Fernando, Daniel and I took a daytrip to Sedona last week, playing hookie from real life for a few blissful hours. We hiked, ate lunch, went shopping, walked the strip, and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a thoroughly delightful day in every aspect. While Daniel napped in the car, Fernando and I listened to Jorge Drexler and made this list together of the "right nows" in our life.

We love how he.....

- Lays on his stomach to read and kicks his feet in the air.
- Squints and is silly when we pull into the garage and see the CD player lights.
- Jumps over things that may or may not be too tall to jump over.
- Uses the word "too" profusely. Too bright, too hot, too late (??), too dark, etc...
- Yells "hiya" and "hike" while playing with footballs.
- Loves to be tickled and always asks for "more".
- Is obsessed with "Nano's Seat" (the stroller). Sometimes he finds it, pushes it to us, climbs in and says "Outside? ok!"
- Sees the number eight everywhere and thinks all amperstands (&) are "8s".
- Adores french toast.
- Can put away an obscene amount of food. Sometimes he eats more than I do.
- Calls pirates "pie-dits" and can sing the "no hero" part of the Larry Boy song.
- Gets bossy when we're dancing to music - he points and demonstrates what he wants us to do.
- Loves chocolate milk. The way his little voice says those words is priceless.
- Still adores his favorite animal "Zona"... although his pronunciation of her name changed again: "Sue-dah".
- Loves to help me feed the cats... "Nano help you"... "Keee Food".
- Suddenly learned to say "cheese" and smile for a camera. (Who taught him that?)
- Gets tired at the dinner table and wants to lay his head in our hands (but continue eating).
- Smiles. That smile evolves daily... it's bittersweet to see it change so quickly.
- Gives me nose kisses.
- Likes to discipline the cats. Fernando saw him telling a cat to get out of his crib: "Go kitty, go!" while pointing sternly.
- Loves to play "pi-joe" (the piano). He takes turns playing the black and white keys.
- Is terrified of the vaccum but also wants to help push it.
- Protects Ava and takes care of her. In return, she follows him around and corrects him when he's doing something wrong. (Is this a marriage in the making or what?!)
- Loves his Animal Book. He can recognize and say all kinds of crazy animals... Toucan, Wolf, Cheetah, Leopard, Peacock (key-kock!), Penguin, Meerkat, Crab, Jellyfish, Walrus, Hamster, etc!)
- Always wants to know "what happened?" to anyone and everything. His standard response: "Ah no no!" ("I don't know!")
- Loves to say "bless you" to anyone who sneezes and just to anything in general. The first time he said bless you, he continued for an hour: "bless you cars" "bless you horse" "bless you sock" "bless you eight"...
- Stops before crossing the street, and when asked if there are cars, he says "Nope!"
- Pronounces words with that sweet little voice. Moon: "moot", Ham: "hamp", Blue: "bee-you", Hot Dog: "hah cog"...

I hesitate to even publish this posting because I know the list is far from complete. I could spend days at a time documenting all the things I never want to forget.

Month 23: Touchdown!

I am not a football fan. My sweet husband has explained the game to me a half dozen times before, and while I am an intelligent person, the rules just don't stick.

Regardless of my lack of understanding of the game, I am as susceptible to Super Bowl fever as the rest of the world. This year, the Arizona Cardinals were the underdogs and came to the game with an amazing and inspirational story. After a quick trip to a friend's Super Bowl party, Fernando, Daniel and I got comfortable in our living room and watched the second half of the game.

In our pajama pants, we moved the couch aside and made a big space for tossing the nerf footballs around and making lots of noise when the game got rowdy. Daniel was very excitable, especially at touchdown time... at one particularly emotional touchdown, Fernando and I started yelling, hugging and jumping... and Daniel joined in! He was screaming "touchdown!" and running in circles and hugging us. It was possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen. For the fifteen minutes following the touchdown, he continued to celebrate.

The Cardinals lost (I still think that last call could have gone either way...) but we could not have asked for a more memorable evening.

Month 22: Potty Training Treacheries

We're slowly wading into the treacherous waters known as "potty training". Maybe "wading" is a bit too graphic a word for this particular entry, but brutally appropriate.

On his own, over the past few months, Daniel has expressed interest and understanding of the... proceedings... of using a potty.

A few times, I have found him attempting to pee standing up at a grown-up potty... which involves him pressing his stomach to the basin and peeing on the floor at the foot of the toilet. Hilarious. But certainly a product of him watching "how daddy does it". On a daily basis, Daniel notifies us when he needs a new diaper and frequently tells us right before doing #1 or #2. Additionally, we have received notes home from his preschool that he has occasionally accomplished both #1 and #2 in the potty.

All that to say, we decided to make a concerted effort at home to begin the potty training process. We went to Babies R Us and (using gift cards STILL left over from our baby shower!) purchased a nice Baby Bjorn lime green and white potty... very stylish. Daniel was excited to sit on it and quickly named it "Nano's potty". We got home, stripped his lower half and said "let's go potty!" He ran over, sat down and clapped for himself (without actually using the potty).

Success. Kind of. Because then he stood up and ran over to the new bathtub frog we also got at Babies R Us. Unfortunately, it's about the same size as the potty. Also lime green. Also brand new.

In a slow motion moment I will remember forever, Daniel threw a leg over the frog, squatted carefully, and emptied his bladder. The frog is a "bath frog" with a convenient draining system underneath in the shape of a rectangle... a perfect rectangle of pee on my bedroom carpet.

Anyway. It's progressing slowly but surely with the help of "potty snacks" we keep close by for when he sits bare-butt on the potty and counts from 1-10 and 10-1 in English and Spanish.

We've had lots of close calls (and the bathroom rug has been washed many a time) but none compare to the "Green Poop Incident" of 2009. Allow me to paint the picture for you, as graphic as it may be...

In an effort to build excitement and something of a "team spirit", I frequently use the potty at the same time as Daniel. He says "mama's potty, nano's potty". On this particular day, I had just taken off his diaper, and sat down to use the potty myself. He walked to the bathroom door, turned around, clenched his legs together and said "Uh oh! Poo Poo!" He starts walking slowly... legs still clenched together... towards his potty.

By now, I am... in the process... of using mama's potty, and Daniel is out of reach. So I start yelling for Fernando to come help us. He comes running, but too late... as he lifts Daniel by the armpits and swoops towards nano's potty, green poop starts flying everywhere. A really impressive amount, too. All over the carpet. The two of us trying desperately not to breath, and Daniel arriving at his potty in time to squeeze out two teaspoons of pee.

We collected the... treasures... and together clapped and cheered as we flushed them. I think the whole commotion scared Daniel as for the next few days he wanted nothing to do with the potty.

This next year will be an adventure, to say the least!

Month 22: Random Recollection

Excuse the cryptic title, but I can't think of a better way to explain it (I'm sure plenty of better ways exist...). "Random Recollection" has been Daniel's theme as of late. He can list off all kinds of things randomly, without them being present or even in his recent memory.

For example.

1) Prayers. Yes, he prays. Before bedtime and meals. It is one of my favorite things to watch. Daniel gets ready by folding his hands together, scrunching his face up, squinting his eyes (probably because he watches us, watching him, with "pretend" closed eyes...!) He begins his prayer with "Jesus, dadoo (thank you)..." and then he lists off a bunch of stuff, starting with the food in front of him: "dadoo... hah cog... strahbewy... hamp... shoclate milky..." and then he starts looking around the room (with eyes still squinted) for other things to thank God for. Lights. Window. Mama. Dada. Max. And THEN he looks towards the fridge for photos of other friends and family and names each one. Recently, he has incorporated requests into prayers... "mama... dada... bobby... more bobby... watch the bobby...." Bobby is his way of asking for Veggie Tales. At this point in the prayer, we just say "amen!" and move on to eating.

2) Old McDonald. Actually, Old McDonald is out of the picture. Once I sang "Mister Daniel had a farm..." it became Daniel's farm. Every time. He won't have it any other way. In fact, he runs around asking me to sing it, but as he cannot pronounce "farm" correctly, he ends up asking me (loudly, in public places) for "Nano's Fart". I kid you not. But back to the point... when we get to the "and on that farm he had a..." he lists of what is on the farm. Just an example of one of Daniel's farms: alligator, fan, ouch, cow, dada, eight, yellow, knee. It is always that random and hilarious.

3) Morning Songs. Thanks to his amazing daycare, Daniel loves singing group songs. His two favorites are "The Morning Song": Hello Daniel, how are you, can you tell me, who's sitting next to you? And so on and so forth. In the absence of a big group, he will make up who is singing. Last week, we sang through all the characters on his diaper (which he could not see). Ernie was sitting next to Cookie Monster who was next to Bert who was next to Zoe. We ended with Elmo. It was amazing that without visual cue, he recalled the whole Sesame Street gang. (His other favorite song is "The Jumping Song" but that's just because he can jump around like a maniac!)

Anyway. His little brain is developing in ways I cannot predict or understand. He's smarter than I imagined he would be at this age and honestly, that's a little scary. I want to be the mom who always has the answers... and at this rate, I'll be useless by the time he's in kindergarten. :)

Month 22: Feliz Navidad

It was a lovely Christmas... Daniel's second. We spent a few days in Flagstaff with some family and passed the time sledding, shoveling snow, watching the snow and talking about the snow. There was SO MUCH SNOW. Daniel initially refused to wear his mittens but after a quick encounter with snow and his bare hands ("ouchy! ouchy!") he amended his previous decision.

Perhaps as a result of the weather, Daniel wound up with a cold and was kind of in his own little world for a few days. He wasn't interested in unwrapping presents (but he was interested in playing with the new toys). He didn't eat all that much at mealtimes (but he was a garbage disposal when it came time for cookies and cake). He didn't sleep well in his pack and play (but he was very comfortable in Mommy & Daddy's bed). :) So maybe I indulged him a few times too many... I'm weak!

Sledding was a blast - he cried at the top of the hill, held his breath on the way down, and at the bottom begged for "more! more!" It was bitingly cold outside however and the sledding excursion didn't last all that long. At those temperatures, curled up on the couch by the fire was a much more appealing option.

The days after Christmas were spent in Phoenix, taking advantage of the gorgeous weather. Daniel was feeling better, so we spent quite a bit of time at local parks, just messing around. The rest of the time we worked on the house - moving our current guest room furniture to new locations to make room for Daniel's new bedroom. The goal is to move him in by his 2nd birthday to leave plenty of adjustment time before baby #2 arrives!

We're trying to narrow down decor ideas for his new room... right now it's between "space station" and "new york city park". Any ideas?

Month 22: Randomness

I have decided... THIS is my favorite stage. I think I have said that every day for the past (nearly) two years... but this really is my favorite. Daniel is more fun than I imagined in my pre-child wildest dreams.

I never want to forget...

- His fascination with snowmen ("No-bet").

- How he says "too hot" for everything remotely warm.

- How quickly he learns and absorbs new words. It's easy to teach him! He loves his zoo books, so the recent new words have been "ostrich" "walrus" "seal" "dolphin". Pretty amazing for a 1-year-old.

- His love of the game "airplane"! He now lays on his back and plays airplane with his stuffed animals and toys.

- His mastery of possessive pronouns... mama's shoes! dada's bed!

- How whenever he's excited about anything (approximately every two minutes) he inhales sharply, makes an "oh" with his mouth, and opens his eyes really wide.

- He loves colors - and knows them so well. The only one he cannot pronounce well is green... it comes out "reegee".

- How he counts from 1 to 10 in English AND Spanish... and for a while, he would skip the "2" in both languages. Instead of saying "zero" he says "oval". Walking through Wal-mart is now so much fun - they have giant numbers hanging everywhere. Daniel calls them out as we roll by.

- When he wants to be picked up, he says "Uppy" plus the person's name. "Uppy TK! Uppy TK!"

- His obsession with books. Obsession. We just bring books with us wherever we go and he's happy. He requests them by name at night, and we can use them as leverage. ("Daniel, if you brush your teeth nicely we can go read 'Fish Kisses'!")

- How he impresses everyone in a ten mile radius with his charm and cuteness! When people were stressed out in the stores before Christmas, he beamed and said "hi!" to everyone and (quite literally) spread goodwill toward men and Christmas cheer. No kidding.

- How he is not interested in opening presents at all. Once the gift is unwrapped, it's a different story.

- How he takes our hand, pulls us somewhere and says 'show me' when he wants to play with us.

- He is going green at home. He runs around behind us, turning off all the light switches. He can only reach high enough to turn lights off, not on! We are having to use lamps instead.

- His beloved rhino stuffed toy named Zona is now "Zoona" (instead of Nano).

- A little whistle/lisp has creeped into his speech on words with the letter "s". Cars = Carsh. Gussy = Gushy. Bus = Bush. It's cute... I hope it's not permanent.

- Every time (with zero exceptions) we are in the car, he inexplicably takes off his left shoe.

- He has mastered animal noises, except that quite a few say exactly the same thing (roar!). Bears... Monsters... Dinosaurs... Tigers... Lions... and occasionally Zebras. :)

It's harder and harder to leave him. Be it daycare, at Fernando's parents, or with a babysitter. The time is going so quickly - the seconds aren't sticking around like they used to. Daniel doesn't want to leave us and this makes it all the more difficult. When we do have to leave him for a while, the absolute best 30 seconds of the day are when we come to pick him up.... "Maaaa maaaaa!!!!! Daaaaa daaaaa!!!!!" and the tackling-bear hug that ensues.

There's so much more to say... but I'll save it for another post :)

Month 22: Snuggle Bug

I know, I know. That title is devastatingly sappy. But lately, I cannot seem to stop myself from hugging, kissing, tickling and just snuggling with Daniel. He is changing so quickly that suddenly it doesn't feel like long before his independence will overwhelm his need for physical affection.

Last night, Fernando had to work until (very) late. I was exhausted and planning to head to bed early, and Daniel was equally as tired. I put him in the crib after lots of books and songs, and he was drifting off to sleep quickly. I headed to my room to get ready for bed but was interrupted by a sudden yelping type of cry - I ran back to the nursery. Daniel was sitting up, blankie and Diego the turtle in hand, reaching for me. This isn't uncommon, but last night felt different. I hugged him while he stood in his crib, leaning on me. We swayed together in a hug for quite a while, and every time I attempted to walk away, he began crying inconsolably. He was lonely.

Throwing caution (and my "Babywise" book) to the wind, I scooped him up and carted him off to my room. We hit the lights and crawled under the sheets. Daniel didn't try to sit up or leave the bed once - he just laid on his back, eyes wide in the dark, watching the fan. He would occasionally lean his forehead onto mine, look into my eyes and whisper loudly, "Hi!" I wrapped an arm around him, and as I fell asleep, he stroked my arm with his tiny sweet fingers.

At nearly 1 am, I woke up next to my son. He was in a deep sleep, and I moved him back to the crib so that Fernando would have room in the bed when he got home. (I'm so thoughtful!) :) But I think Daniel would have done fine sleeping in a grown up bed for the remainder of the night. Maybe it's time to start transitioning him out of the crib.

I love the feeling of his tiny warm body nestled next to mine. I don't regret the decision to have him sleep in his own crib, but I do relish the exceptions!

Month 21: A Texas Thanksgiving

Family vacations are the best. It's not so much about doing things together as just being together... 24/7 of being with Daniel and watching him learn, grow, eat, breathe and sleep. We love it.

This year, for Thanksgiving, we made our annual trip to Texas to spend the week with family. It was eventful, so I think I'll drop in a photo for each day of the trip (as selecting just one will be completely impossible). :)

Day 1: Sunday. We left after work, and ate dinner at the airport. Daniel didn't sleep a wink on the flight, but Veggie Tales saved the day. Every time he looked out the window of the plane, he said "peeshies!" (fishies) I guess he thought we were in an aquarium...? :)

Day 2: Relaxing day on the farm at his Gramma & Tex's house (these are my parents' preferred names for themselves. Daniel can't pronounce them so instead they are "Qua-Qua and Tekky"... I hope they stick...!) Right away, Daniel acclimated to having a dog around, and was royally spoiled by all the new toys and attention. We visited my grandfather (Daniel's great-grandfather) in the hospital, and Daniel loved the wheelchair joy rides on his lap. He called him "Grampa" immediately and was very physically affectionate with him - hugs and kisses. Needless to say, it was a special time for all of us. Grampa is an amazing man and I hope that he and Daniel have many future memories together. And I think Grampa enjoyed having him around... there's nothing like a little "toddler therapy"!

Day 3: Awaking bright and early, Daniel ate breakfast and wanted to go "outside"! It was bitingly cold, but he didn't seem to notice, even after his hands had turned to ice. He ran through the yard and field, stopping to notice flowers and big rocks. He rode in the golf carts and watched the "choo choo" trains go by. He is officially a farm boy. (He learned the word ladybug too: "lalaladybuggie!") This photo is us attempting to get Daniel to smile for a "Dear Ethiopia" photo. We were (obviously) unsuccessful and now we just have a lovely "Where's Nano?" photo to show for our efforts. Oh well.

Day 4: His cousin Lucas (18 mo) arrived and even though the boys weren't too sure of each other right away, they ended up playing really well. Early in the morning (around 4 am) Daniel woke up crying. We were too tired to think and just pulled him into bed with us (something we NEVER do) and he snuggled with us for quite a while. After tossing and turning, he finally crawled on top of me and passed out! I never knew being someone's body pillow could be so much fun. I relished every moment of cuddle time. Before dinner, we headed to the pasture to visit the cows. Turns out that to a toddler, they are pretty scary up close - and apparently the cows feel the same way about toddlers! At dinner we had our family's traditional Thanksgiving meal: Chinese food! It's something we've done since I was a kid, and we will continue it (with pleasure!) throughout our kids' lifetime.

Day 5: Thanksgiving Day! It was memorable, to say the least. We had four generations around a very large make-shift table. The food was amazing, the conversation diverse and the memories irreplaceable. Before the meal, we took the boys out to the pasture to visit the cows again. They were a little braver (both the cows and the toddlers) and we enjoyed more than a few photo opportunities. After eating, we celebrated Christmas early (since we wouldn't all be together for Christmas) and opened an abundant pile of gifts! The boys got piles of new books and toys, and we each got some special gifts - clothing, gift cards (our favorite!) and even donations to our adoption. Grampa busted out the harmonica and played for a quite a while, and everyone kicked back and enjoyed conversation with each other. Grampa regaled us with war stories, his trips to high places, jokes and sweet memories of Gramma. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

Day 6: On our last day in Texas, Daniel became more than a little possessive of us around Lucas. They played well together, but when we were nearby, he staked his territory. I was reading a book to Lucas, and Daniel ran over, pulled Lucas out of my lap, climbed into my lap, wrapped his arms and legs around me and with a disdainful look towards his cousin, declared me "Nano's Mama!" After tearful goodbyes at the airport, we boarded our flight home. Fernando's laptop battery died with 90 minutes still to go in the flight, and after a brief panic at the lack of Veggie Tales, we made due with lots of books and snacks. It's amazing to me that even when we think he's being too loud or rambunctious, we get compliments from other people on his excellent behavior.

Now we're home again, and truthfully, we're pretty happy about it. Our bed has never felt better, and it's so nice to have Daniel in his own room again! Now, it's time to get ready for Christmas....!

Month 20: Ninjas and the New President

Halloween passed in a blur with work, church and family events. It was fun, and probably the last Halloween Daniel will have no recollection of whatsoever.

I grew up dressing up each and every year for Halloween - there are photos (cute and incriminating alike) of me and my sister in every costume imaginable... cowgirls... square dancers... clowns... ballerinas... jazz cats (?!)... and even one memorable year when I went as Laura Ingalls Wilder (just when you thought I couldn't be a bigger nerd...!)

But Fernando did not grow up dressing up for Halloween, so for him, this has been a more recently-adopted tradition. Consequently, he always goes a little nuts every October, gathering multiple costumes so each family member has a choice for the big night. This year Daniel could have been a) a pirate (complete with handheld hook and eye patch), b) Harry Potter (glasses, cape and all) or c) a Ninja. Option "c" won out, as the Ninja outfit was a one piece suit without removable accessories (he is still a one-year-old, after all). The Ninja headpiece was out of the question, so he was a Ninja with huge crazy hair (it was "crazy hair day" at the preschool) and a black eye (complements of a preschool slide accident earlier in the week). I think it made him look tougher. :)

Earlier in the day, we attended a "Harvest Party" at Daniel's preschool, and were able to hang out with Daniel for some activities and a really interesting look into what he does in his classroom. What did we learn? 1) Daniel is a teacher's pet already. He loves to be picked to answer questions to do activities, and sits eagerly on the edge of his seat with his gaze fixed on his teacher (Ms. Cynthia). 2) Daniel does better when his parents are NOT in the classroom with him. He assumed that our presence meant it was time to go home... oops!) 3) Daniel is completely blessed to have teachers that challenge him and engage the students in organized play and learning, engaging them well above a 1-year-old level.

After the party, we shifted gears and got ready for Halloween night. Fernando dressed up as a pirate (he looks great in dreds!) and I was a biker chic with a tattoo shirt and black Harley doo-rag (thank you, Pastor Lee). After our church's Halloween Tailgate, we headed home for a pumpkin pie gathering. Fernando's parents stole the show as Fred & Wilma Flintstone - I couldn't breathe through my laughter when I first saw them. Fernando's sisters were a 1940's movie star (Keila) and a Greek goddess (Raquel). We were a pretty handsome bunch.

Regarding the other part of my post title, Daniel is learning to pronounce the name of our new President Elect. I said, "Daniel, say Obama!" Daniel said... "Mama?" I said, "No honey, say Obama!" And now (every single time) he says "Buh-lah-buh-lah-buh-lah-ma-ma!"

Precious. We need to capture that on video before he learns to say it correctly!

Month 20: All Grown Up

It's true - he's practically grown up. Every day I find myself wondering where my baby went.

I also find myself clinging to some of the rituals and traditions that he probably should have outgrown by now in a vain attempt to stop the hands of the clock. (For example, his nightly sippy cup of warm milk on my lap while we read and sing and cuddle). But I don't care - I'm holding on to this as long as he'll let me.

He now eats a piece of pizza by himself - I don't have to cut it into pieces. (In fact, he won't eat it if I help too much). Same with a sandwich. He doesn't need lids on his cups anymore, and he goes down the big boy slides at the park alone. Heck - he runs up the playground stairs alone too. He gets things from the pantry or fridge if I ask him to, and he climbs into the van on his own. His vocabulary is large enough for him to make specific requests, ask questions, and answer our questions. He's extremely logical and understands sequential instruction.

One of our good friends is expecting the birth of her second child at any moment. Yesterday, someone told her to brace herself for one of the biggest shocks of having a second baby: The moment your first born walks into the hospital room and you realize just how grown up they really are. There's something in me that simply isn't willing to admit that Daniel isn't a baby anymore.

Fernando and I still sneak into his room every night to turn the fan and the lamp off before we head to bed. And every night, we gaze into the crib (which he's too big for!) and wonder where the time went. Our whispered conversation is the same each night...

Me: "Honey, he's huge."
Fernando: "I know... he takes up the whole crib!"
Me: "He used to be so tiny."
Fernando: "His head is enormous!"
Me: "What happened to our baby!?"
Fernando: "I don't want him to grow up anymore. I wish time would stop."
Me: "Me too."

It's the paradox of life, that it goes by the fastest just when you wish it wouldn't.