Happy 3 Years!

It's hard to believe that my precious little baby Dylan is a big, tall 3-year-old boy who does all sorts of crazy boy things! You were this tiny (not THAT tiny, lol) little baby for so long. You were just sweet, innocent and loved cuddles and hugs (you still do). One day, I look down and I see this tall, growing boy who is testing the world.

It's amazing to watch you learn and grow. You are so curious about things. You get so excited when you pick up on something we talk about.

I'll get off the phone and you'll repeat a few things I said... when I didn't even know you were listening. So sweet.

The other day you said, "What time is it mom? Oh, it's 30 o'clock!" And you've said that a few times since, so adorable. I think it's time I teach you to tell time!

If there's anything you don't know at this point it's because I failed to teach you. It's hard to figure out everything to teach you, so I try to teach you things as soon as you start asking or showing an interest. This world is so big and I know you want to understand how every little thing works.

You have this book from the library about how cars work. It's really long and detailed and super boring... but, you love it. You like when I read to you about the carburetors and pistons.

Lately, you have been mimicking the babies.  You like to act just like them. If other people don't know what you're doing, you just look like a 3 year old who hasn't learned to talk yet. You just make an, "ahhhhhhh" sound as you point your finger or bat at my face like the babies do.

You love crawling around with your cute sisters. It makes them giggle as they follow you around the house. They think you are hilarious in everything you do... until you take their toys away, which happens quite often... then, they look at me and cry.

You are seriously testing every boundary these days. We thought we understood terrible two's... and we didn't think they were too bad... then in the last few months, it hit. You are learning that you can choose what you do and that you do not always have to choose to do what we ask you.

You spend a lot of time in time out. We are trying so hard to discipline you in the right way. We want you to grow up a well-rounded person who understands choices and consequences. We want you to make the right choice because you want to. We try to let you have choices and offer consequences... sometimes you just don't care and so we try harsher and harsher consequences to get you to care. It doesn't always work because you are stubborn and are a little young to understand a consequence.

Everything we do, we try to think about the outcome in the longterm. We pray for you and your personal growth. You often test what we'll do by hitting your sisters or pushing them over. This is really hard for us because we don't want them to get hurt, and in turn we don't want you to think that's the way to get a big reaction out of us (like you seem to enjoy getting).

We love that you explore everywhere and you love new things and places.

You are thrilled to visit cousins or grandparents or aunts and uncles. You just love family. You are so aware of the special love and bond there. Ryan and Becca's family visited our home a couple weeks ago and you were all in heaven playing together. It was so sweet to watch as you and Annie held hands everywhere you went and had your sweet little conversations.

You went to Disneyland for the first time with your cousins that week too! You absolutely loved it. You actually went to Disneyworld when you were about 16 months old, but you were too young to enjoy the magic. Disneyland, for you, was so magical. You got to meet Goofy, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh. You went on endless rides that brought Disney movies to life. You still talk about it. We got you a Buzz Lightyear Figure with wings that pop out when you push a button... you love it and call it your special Disneyland toy.

At Disneyland, you went on your first rollercoaster and at the end said, "again" and got really sad when we had to get off. You didn't get scared on any of the rides, which was a shocker. There are some scary parts and you would flinch or act scared, but you would love talking about it and you never had nightmares. So, yay! :)

You love singing songs, you make up songs all the time about anything.

You love blanket forts.

You just finished your first set of swim lessons. Grandma Terry taught you for 2 weeks, we'd drive the 30 minutes to their house for the lesson. One time you cried all the way through... but the rest were pretty successful. You love to show off. You can now put your face under water with confidence, you do the crab walk, you can drop in the water next to the pool edge, turn around and grab the wall, you can almost swim to grandma (you mostly bicycle your legs and start sinking, pretty cute).

You love your racecar. You have a red racecar, Lightning McQueen, that you have to have everywhere with you.

For dinner you mostly eat chicken nuggets, pureed carrots, beans, spaghetti, tofu. You rarely branch out of that. Oh, and rice or pasta sometimes.

Your best friends are Jonas and Seren. You and Jonas get in a lot of fights, but you love to play together.

You are in 3T clothes. The pants are the perfect length, but the shirts (which you have been wearing since your 2nd birthday, are starting to get small.

You are very tall and look much older than you are. You are quite handsome.

You love to put on makeup with mommy. You mostly use eyeshadow and my eyeshadow brush to put it on just one eyebrow really dark. You say, "I'm so handsome. Mommy, you're so cute."

Whenever I walk downstairs dressed up with my hair done, you say, "Mommy, you're so cute." or "pretty." Daddy has trained you well.

You love being outside. You love to play in the water.

You like to repeat what we say. You'll whisper back to us what we said or sang.

You love playing on our phones (which are little computers - I have the iphone 4s right now).

You love to be silly. You have a funny walk and a funny voice that you do.

You often steal food off the babies trays.

You like to lock and unlock doors. You locked me out once. It was stressful as I could hear Sylvie crying inside.

You listen pretty well. You like to be obedient and you like to make us happy.

We just put up a baby gate and you could spend all day opening and closing that gate as you go back and forth through it.

You like to be a big boy and do things just like us.

We love you so much! We love your kisses and cuddles. We love your infectious laugh. We love your independence. Keep exploring and trying new things. We love you forever.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

What's that on your chin mommy?

Oh, a polkadot?

Haha. Referring to a zit on my chin. 

My House is a Temple

Dylan: I just love my house.
Mommy: You do? What do you love about your house?
Dylan: It has doors.
Mommy: What else do you love about your house?
Dylan: My house is a temple. I can go in church with lots of nice kids.
Mommy: What else does your house have?
Dylan: My cousins.
Mommy: Does that make you happy?
Dylan: That just makes me so happy. Yes. My cousins.
Mommy: What else?
Dylan: Nice kids singing songs. Singing the temple song. Yes.

I love hearing what makes you happy. I hope these things forever make you happy.

Playtime

(As you look over at the clock...)

Dylan: Hmmmm, what time is it? Oh, it's playtime! It's 30 o'clock! It's time for playtime!

Cookiebread Man

We read the book The Gingerbread Man tonight for bed and you called the Gingerbread Man the "Cookiebread Man" and it really made me smile.

We went to Disneyland last Friday and you LOVED it. We left the twins with Grandma Terry and Jake. You met Goofy, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh. You went on your first roller coaster in Toon Town and got really sad to get off, "again!"

We played out back in our new pool for the first time today and you loved it. It's quite slippery, so you fell a few times... as did the twins... not sure what to do about that. Oh well.

In other news:

You are getting to be quite defiant. You refuse to just sit in timeout and climb the stairs or run around... you also hit your sisters to prove your point... which is...? That you don't have to listen to us? I think.

You eventually get to your sweet self again, you come over to say sorry, you give your sisters hugs and kisses. It's so sweet.

2 Years + 11 Months

Wow, I just realized that you are only one month away from turning 3 years old!! That's so big!

I wonder what we'll do for your party, I better start getting creative. Daddy will be taking the Colorado Bar a couple weeks after your birthday, so we may have to delay having a birthday party until he's home and free to play! I'm sure you won't mind. :)

We just got home from swimming lessons with Grandma Terry. Today was your first day and you did so well! It was so cute to watch you sing "Ring around the Rosies" and scrunch up your face as you put in the water at the end of the song. Grandma has so many fun teaching techniques that is making swimming lessons fun for you. I'm excited to feel more comfortable with you around water and not be so nervous that you'll drown. I love you too much and get a little paranoid sometimes.

You are such a character.

You are very brave. You love trying new things. You love jumping off higher and higher objects. You try climbing every cool ladder at the park, you are learning how to get up all of them without my help. I appreciate how cautious you are. You always ask for help if you're unsure. I never get worried that you'll fall at the park because you are very careful and aware of your surroundings.

You love bringing your sisters back to your room to play. You always coax them back.

You smashed Sylvie's fingers in the door this morning and you felt so bad. It's hard when you don't quite understand that you're hurting them, but you think it's fun to get reactions. You say that you're mean, and I always correct you. Sometimes you make bad choices, but you are a nice boy. And I am very proud of how hard you work to be a nice boy. This afternoon you made sure to pick up all the diapers and put them in the diaper pale. You make sure the girls are never holding anything they are not supposed to hold, like small items or mommy's phone.

The other day, I was at the computer and heard you run over to the babies screaming, "No, babies! No!" and I looked to see what was wrong. They had taken a bunch of wipes out of the container and so you grabbed all the wipes and the container and put them up on a high shelf where they couldn't reach them anymore. You are so helpful and sweet.

Everyday for lunch, you eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich with a fruit on the side. Sometimes you get chips. You like to watch "Sight Words" while you eat and you are getting really good at reading a bunch of the sight words. You even read your first whole book a month ago. "I Go" it's about a girl and her dragon. You read the whole thing all by yourself. "I go to the deli." Sometimes you need help with the last word in the story line, but it really amazes me! We need to get you some more reading books for sure!

Every time I pull out the camera and take a video or photo of the girls you call out "me me me!" until I take a photo or video of you too. It's so hilarious. You better believe we have tons of photos of you.

You love playing outside. You love playing with balls. You love throwing things... even non-ball objects. Haha. You love kicking things and playing tee-ball. I'm sure we'll get out more to practice when the girls are a little bigger... aka... walking around. It's hard to bring two crawling babies out into our grassy/dirt-filled/bug-infested backyard.

You constantly ask, "Is that funny?" after you just did any random number of things. Your goal is clearly to be the funniest person alive.

You love doing silly dances and call out for everyone to watch. You do the craziest moves and giggle the whole time. You have silly walks, I know I've caught many of them on video... it's impossible to catch them all. You just love to be silly, just like you're daddy.

You prefer mommy to get you in the morning or middle of the night (rarely, but you still get up sometimes). You ask for daddy all day while he's gone. As soon as he comes home you know that means playtime and you run upstairs to play with him there.

You can now buckle the top buckle of your carseat. You refuse to let anyone else help.

You love to laugh.

You have a hard time sitting in time out. You mostly get time out for hurting a sister or being disobedient and not listening. You wander out of time out and hate to sit still.

We fight you almost every night to eat your dinner. You find food a very unimportant part of your day, even when you're crying because you're so hungry. You love snacks (crackers, fruit snacks, fruit strips, teddy grahams, etc.). You'll eat chicken, beans, pureed carrots... most other food items for dinner are a struggle to get you to eat.

You are still allergic to milk. I took you to the allergist a couple weeks ago and they pricked your back again and you cried so hard, that I started crying. You cried, "I don't want to have allergies anymore." It broke my heart. You understand so well.

You are really good at associating things. When we're out and see a cement truck, you say, "Mommy, look, a cement truck, just like in my book." The other day you saw the cover of a Dr. Seuss book and then looked at your friends shirt and said, "Look, mommy, it just matches!" He was wearing a shirt with the exact book image on the front. You really amaze me with your observations and "matching" of everything.

You love kisses and hugs. You like to act like a baby, as they seem to get a lot of attention. Some morning while they are taking their morning nap you'll lay in my lap at the computer... and you like to lay "like a baby"the whole time. I love our one-on-one time. I love running around in the backyard with you and ordering all sorts of food from you in your playhouse. You pull every item out of your pocket, it's adorable.

"Um, yeah, of course" "um, yeah, sure" Those are the cutest responses when I ask different things like, "Can Sylvie sit by you on the couch?" You jump up and make room because you love when they sit by you on the couch. I love your happy little responses.

Dylan, I love you more than you may ever comprehend. I love watching you learn and grow. You are a very special child of God and I am so blessed to call you mine.

I love you forever and ever.

I just melt when you say, "I wub you!" right back. I wub you baby boy. I wub you poreber and eber.

Love,

Mommy

Cell Phone

You've been carrying around your cell phone everywhere for a few days. You keep it in your front pocket, just like daddy does.

At random moments throughout the day you'll pull it out and put it to your ear and say something like, "Oh, hi Jonas (your friend here), what are you doing? Oh, OK! Call me back and leave a message!"

It's hilarious! It took awhile for us to figure out what you were saying at the end. We couldn't understand the leave a message part. haha. I don't even know how you learned that phrase. lol.

Poop

I just love the things you say while pooping. Here are a few that made me laugh...

While you are sitting on the potty: "Mommy, there's no poopoo... (grunting) ope, there it is."

After you pooped: "Mommy, there's my poopoo! We don't eat the poopoo! That's yucky!"

There was one more... and I can't remember it now.

Potty Trained

You have officially been potty trained for about one month now! So proud of you! No accidents for a solid month... it's safe to say, you're a big boy!

Here you are - just chillin on the potty on Daddy's phone. So cute!

So, today at noon I am sitting on the couch feeding your eight month old sisters their bottles. You just finished your lunch at the table and were asking to go to bed. I usually put you down for your nap at about 1 o'clock, after I have fed the babies.

I told you that you could go to bed. You walked back to your room. About five minutes later, I realized you had not come out. Since I finished feeding the babies, I walked back to check on you and tuck you in. The door was closed. So I came back out and I checked the monitor. You had turned off the light, turned on your noisemaker, and put your self to sleep.

It was the cutest thing ever. You have never gone to sleep in your bed without mommy or daddy tucking you in. You sure were tuckered out today.

You are so cute. I love you.

Things Dylan Says and Does

We wanted to write down all the cool things you say and do so we don't forget!

Words pronounced in the best way ever:

Opacus = octopus
bikasil = bicycle
garbage = garage
Motorcycle = motorcycle (You are helping fill this out and want this word written down)
captain grabber hook (what daddy heard) = The Incredible Hulk

Sayings:

"Please I have hold you" = Please hold me
"Go in onna outside?" = Can we go outside?

You fly around wearing your Superman shirt daily, but call yourself Super Why after the cartoon you loves.

Anyone asks: What does Super Why do? 

Dylan: "Flies inna sky!"

You make up songs such as Black Bird and Fire Truck:

Black Bird -

"Black bird black bird black bird! Never wake up (quietly in deep voice). Black bird black bird black bird! (Emphasis on the last word for finality!)"

Fire Truck (made up while talking to Grandma Jill on Skype when we asked you to sing songs) -

"Fire truck fire truck fire truck police car and a car fire truck! (Again, emphasis on the last word!)" 

You have your own language:

"Feegle Faggle Fogle"

Songs you sing:

Child a God = "I Am a Child of God"
Twinkle Star = "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
ABC's

You tell us what to say and get mad when we don't do it immediately.

You point out the color of everyone's eyes (Blue for everyone but mommy who's green).

You blow raspberries on the babies' tummies and they are the best ones I've ever heard.

Dylan: You're my mommy?
Mommy: Yes, and you're my son.
Dylan: You're my moon.
Mommy: I love you.
Dylan: I love you.
(Big smiles from both of us)
I love you!

Bedtime Story

We read the book, "Baby Signs" tonight. Here is how you read it to me -

"B-A-B-Y S-I-G-N-S" BABY
"R-E-P-A-I-D" DIAPER
"S-T-R-U-H T-I" HURT
"E-M P-L-E-H" HELP ME
"Y-M-M-O-M" MOMMY
"Y-D-D-A-D" DADDY
"X-O-O-B" BOOK (THE K LOOKS LIKE AN X)

Apparently, you have decided that you spell words backwards... except for the title. haha. It was so cute! The first time we read it you did "S-T-R-U-H T-I" OWIE! haha. That was really cute. There are pictures with the words... so I assume you just looked at the picture and deduced what the word was. Pretty impressive!! My smart little boy.

Hilarious

Dylan, you are so cute. Today you said "Mommy pretty " So I said thank you so much, Dylan is handsome. You giggled. And I repeated, Dylan you are too handsome. You pulled the blanket off your head and smiled up at me and said, "Dylan two handsome! "As you held up both hands showing me that you have two of them. Ha ha. I love you.

Monsthers!

You love monsters. You love stories about monsters. You love dragons. "Cary dragons"

Everything is scary to you. Monsters and dragons are the main two things you'll say are in your room, then you'll run out to me to cuddle. You'll do it a lot of the time just for cuddles... but, lately you have genuinely become scared of monsters or dragons in your closet.

You are having a hard time sleeping through the night. You are up a few times most nights (once in awhile you sleep through the night). You get up, turn on your room light (we do have a bright night light in your room), and then just knock on the door until someone comes to get you. It usually turns into pounding on the door. Sometimes you climb back into bed and fall asleep... other times, you just don't give up and it will turn into tears... and we will come and tuck you back into bed.

We love you so much that we have a hard time not coming when you call us. But, it sure is getting rough on us getting woken up throughout the night by you and your sisters. In fact, they are sleeping better than you lately. Even though they are only 2.5 months old!

It made me so sad tonight when you started crying, I rushed in (we were still up feeding babies). You pointed at the closet and said "Happy dragons, there." So, even though we tell you "happy dragon" stories, they are still, nonetheless scary. You were so scared and started saying "Monthers (monsters) and dragons."

We looked in the closet together and made sure there were no dragons or monsters. I finally got you into bed and taught you how your blanket protects you and keeps you safe. Your doggy keeps you safe and your bunny keeps you safe. Then, I asked if you wanted to say a prayer... and you folded your arms immediately.

I asked Heavenly Father to keep you safe through the night and help you feel His love and His spirit so that you could sleep peacefully and happily. I know you felt the spirit because you were calm after and went to sleep. You were even calm through the prayer and said, "Amen" at the end. You are never calm through prayers... maybe 1 out of 30 prayers. I know you felt the spirit and I know that Heavenly Father comforted you in that moment when you needed His comfort in your room all by yourself.

I hope that you can soon understand that you can pray anytime you need comfort. I will continue to show you how and hope that you will learn by example. I love you so much and I'm so grateful for moments like these when we have Heavenly Father watching over us and showing us His love. I'm grateful for this reminder, that He loves us all, big and small.

26.5 Months Old

Wow, where did the last couple months go? Oh, that's right, your two adorable and sweet little sisters were born on August 7th in Salt Lake City. You absolutely love Sylvie and Axie. It is just so fun to watch you with them. I've gotten a little behind on your updates since taking care of you three pretty much takes all of our time! It's so worth it and fun, I just wish I had more of it documented. Oh well.

You are a little chatterbox and I wanted to write down a few of my favorite phrases of yours.

Everything crashes. "Crash!" - always followed by a giggle.
"Mommy cuggle" - when you want to cuddle with mommy. I love it!
"Yong" - when you want us to sing you a song.
"Tory" - when you want a story.
"Ahhh! Monters!" - you think there are monsters in your closet.

I wish I could capture your facials in words. You are so expressive and act out everything you think is happening.

"Cary Monters" - Scary monsters, then you run into my lap so I can protect you.
"Big crash"
"Gickle" - tickle mommy or sylvie or axie, etc.
"Wub you" - Love you
"Miss mommy"

You are Mr. Opposite. No matter what we say, the answer is "no." If we say up, you say down. Literally. You answer "no" on accident to a lot of things you actually want to do, so then you'll rethink and say "ya."

"Mommy, come" - you have become very shy and want mommy or daddy to come with you everywhere. Even down all the slides at the park.

You know all the animals by name. You love animals more than anything.

You still love your cars and especially trains.

You love giving your sisters kisses. "Kith Akie"

"Fwake" - if someone is awake
"Sleep"
"Mommy yone?" - can I play with your phone?
"Coon" - cartoon
"Daddy, see?" - Daddy, come look at what I made.

You've put up to 6 words together in a sentence. You are learning new words every day. You seem anxious to learn and love naming everything you see. Right now you are sitting on the floor behind me naming every animal in "My Big Animal Book." It's so cute! I wish I had my video camera right here.

You love music. You're a little shy with dancing and usually tell me and daddy to stop dancing... haha... other times you'll giggle and dance with us.

23 Months

Dear Dylan,

You are one month away from being 2 years old! You are such a fun little character. We just love every stage you go through and love watching you learn and grow.

You've spent this month in Park City, UT. Mommy is on bed rest until your twin sisters are born, so Grandma Jill and Aunt Maren are helping take care of you while mommy can't get up very often. You are in heaven here. One week Grandma Terry came out and played with you constantly. This week Rulan and Annie are here visiting and you just love Annie. You two giggle at everything the other one does. You ask for her every morning first thing and you even cry going to bed because she's not with you.

You at 23 months

• You carry your school bus (boo bus - with a lisp) everywhere and a little micro machine ambulance which you call the baby bus. 
• Your train is your other favorite toy. It's electric and goes around a track. You love having it go all over Grandma's hardwood kitchen floor. 
• You love milk and choose it over juice any day.
• You could watch school bus videos and sing "Wheels on the Bus" all day. 
• When you count, it's "One, two, one." 
• You're a little cautious, when other kids jump off the couch, you like to jump to somebody. We appreciate as we don't have to worry too much about what risks you'll take.
• You always "see" a rabbit everywhere, in cupboards, corners, closets. 
• You love animals. You love looking out the windows for birds. You love smashing ants. You'll lay down on the ground to get a closer look at any bug. You're going to the zoo tomorrow and I know you'll just go crazy for all the animals there. The other day at a museum you started crying when you saw stuffed bobcats and other big animals because you were so scared. 
• You love belly hugs. You life my or dad's shirt all the way up and lift up your shirt then you lay on us with our bellies touching. It's so sweet. 
• You're still a momma's boy, but you ask for daddy a lot more these days since mommy got boring and just lays on the couch all day on bed rest. 
• You love hugs, kisses, and cuddles. Many other moms comment how their kids won't cuddle with them the way you cuddle with me, all the time. You like to hide your mouth with your hands when we ask for kisses. 
• You love being tickled all over.
• You love using your vocabulary and will narrate everything. "Tickle" "Burp" "Cough" "Funny" "On" (when the tv turns on) "Coon" (cartoon) are just a few of my favorites. 
• You're starting to connect more words, but still not many sentences. 
• You have the bounciest run and love to walk around on tiptoes. You even bounce sideways in a sase move like dancing. 
• You love jumping and turning 180's in the air. 
• You're into sound effects for cars, crashes, airplanes, trains, going down stairs (uh, uh, uh, every step), etc.
• You're very polite with please and thank you.
• You love sundried tomato and basil wheat thins, clementines, strawberries, and cookies.
• I love when you run into my arms for a hug. 
• It's sad because I can't carry you with my pregnancy right now and it breaks my heart when you just cry to be picked up. At least we still get plenty of cuddle time lying down.
• You're quite a bit taller than Annie (who is one month younger than you) and only a couple inches shorter than Rulan (who is 1.5 years older than you). You look much older than you are.
• You have such a sweet personality. You get shy around new people and chat like crazy around people you know.
• You love laughing and making funny faces. 
• You know a lot of the letters of the alphabet by sight. 
• You're very obedient and most the time will stop doing something if I ask you to.
• You don't like to share. If Rulan comes in the room, you will quickly pick up all the cars you can and hide them behind your back so he can't have them. 

We love you, of course. We love you more every day and will always love you for just being you. Happy 23 months!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

22 Months

Dear Dylan,

Happy 22 Months! Right now you are running around outside exploring with Aunt Maren. You are having so much fun with her. I'm jealous I can't join you. I've been on strict horizontal bed rest for almost 3 weeks now and we've decided to move in with Grandma Jill. Maren is here helping us pack, clean, and move out there. She just moved in there, too. They will be your stand-in parents for the time being. I'm not supposed to be upright in order to keep you baby twin sisters safe and healthy in my belly for another few months, and daddy is studying really hard for the California Bar Exam... so, we needed some help with family to keep you happy and taken care of.

It breaks my heart to watch everyone else get to chase you around and take you to the park. But, I know this is only temporary and I can hardly wait for your little sisters to get here so we can all go and play together.

Here in Laramie you have been going to a new friends house every day for a few hours, and you have been having a blast. You love your friends and you have been so good for those watching you. You just giggle and play and copy the other kids. Everyone's report is the same, "He's sooooo easy!" You really are such a good boy.

We've moving to Park City in a couple days and I'm sure you'll love living with Grandma and Grandpa even more than seeing all your friends here. They just adore you.

You at 22 months:

• Your vocabulary continues to astound me. You pick up new words everywhere. You try explaining things to us and I feel so bad when I can't understand you... most the time we know what you're saying though. 
• You love buses. We sing the Wheels on the Bus everywhere we go, you ask for it by saying "bus" and rolling your arms round and round. You just got a school bus as a gift from someone who watched you because you held onto their bus the whole time you were at their place. This morning you woke up asking for your bus and last night you fell asleep with the bus in your hand. When you say "bus" you articulate clearly and say your "s" with your tongue between your teeth, kind of like a lisp. It's so cute. 
• Your new train is your other favorite toy. You could watch it go around the track over and over. You'll pretend to put things in its' path then yank them off the track right before the train gets to it. 
• You are full of giggles and if we just smile at you, you start laughing.
• You love your dinosaur dvd and ask for it every day. Since I'm on bed rest, we have watched it a lot. 
• You're potty trained as long as we're at home. You gave up other places so we just put a diaper on you when we go out.
• You love hugs and kisses. You kiss my belly saying "babies"... not sure if you understand there are babies in there. :) You always climb on me, while I'm lying down on bed rest, and just lay on me hugging me. I love you.
• We can't really do laundry or any project really, you like to throw the clothes all over the place or dig everything out of boxes. 
• Your run is a bouncy run on your tip toes... it's so funny. Everyone loves it and comments on it. 
• When you kiss you do big puckered lips. 
• You love to crawl around the floor acting like a horse, dog, lion, froggy, etc.
• You love playing in the sink, you love water and pouring it between multiple containers.
• You love milk and juice, "muck" and "jjuu". You do not like drinking water.
• You love going outside, if you hear us say "outside" you run to the door and knock on it until we leave. You love rocks, dirt, and exploring. You chase rabbits and birds and point out different cars, trucks, and buses.
• You love singing together. Your favorites are: Wheels on the bus, 3 Monkeys swing in the tree and the alligator snaps the monkey out of the tree, Head Shoulders Knees & Toes (you laugh super hard when we go super fast), Popcorn Popping, Twinkle Little Star, My Heavenly Father Loves Me (our nightly lullaby). 
• You like honey on your peanut butter toast.
• You like sharing your vocabulary and are always pointing out your elbow or cars or toes or chairs, etc. When you give a kiss, you say kiss. When you pee, you yell "pee pee". When you touch my hair you say, "hair". It's pretty adorable. You're so smart. 
• You love watching bus videos or videos of babies. 
• You love babies, we hope you love your sisters as much. You lay down and stare at babies and point out their eyes, nose, toes, etc.
• You love skyping grandma jill (video chat on the computer) and you just want to see all her animals the whole time... ducks, sheep, giraffe. 
• You love any animal and go crazy for dogs at the park. You neigh every time we drive by the horse statues around Laramie - you know where they are. 
• You ask for daddy a lot more during the day now.
• You like brushing your teeth and will bring your toothbrush and toothpaste to me at random times throughout the day.
• You now call us mommy and daddy, instead of momma and dadda. It's so sweet.

We will never stop loving you, you are the most fantastic, entertaining, sweet, giggly little boy there is. We love you forever. You can do no wrong in our eyes... I, honestly, have a hard time disciplining your because I just want you to be happy 100% of the time. I'm learning though because I know it's for your own good. I love love  love you!!! Happy 22 months my precious baby boy. 

Love, 

Mommy

High Heels

You're so cute when you're walking around half naked in mommy's shoes.
:)

 

21 MONTHS

My dearest Dylan,

You have really sprouted in the last few months. I can hardly believe we were just on the cruise in California 4 months ago where you were still more like a baby than toddler. You are so old now. You are so tall and so mature. You are starting to connect words together. Anything longer than one syllable you used to say "wee-wee" or "ma-ma" to replace the word, like mango's are "wee-wee's". But, now you can connect "thank you" with "dadda". It's so cute. You are so smart and learning so much every day. It's so fun to hear your new words and watch your understanding grow. You are the highlight of my days. Daddy and I love you more than life itself. We are constantly amazed at the love we feel for you and are constantly in awe that this kind of love exists.

You are getting two baby sisters this summer and we are so excited. We're not sure if you understand there are two babies in my belly, but you give them kisses and it is so precious. You love babies, you lie by them, and you just watch them... we think you may have a few jealousy issues at first, but you'll be the best big brother to them.

You are still a momma's boy. You loooooove mommy. I'm ok with it. Daddy gets a little jealous when you shriek at him coming near you when you just want mommy cuddle time. Most the time you love playing games with daddy, though.

You are so handsome. You have big beautiful eyes, everyone comments on them. You have such a sweet, fun personality. You giggle and love attention. I love your little fingers and toes. I love seeing your naked bum as you run around everywhere. You've been pants-less most the time while potty training.

You have such a sweet demeanor and love hugs and kisses. You kiss all your animals and cars. We just love you!

You at 21 months:

• You love to play with cars and trucks. You carry 3 cars everywhere. You also love trains and buses.
• If you see a semi-truck or a bus, you start "rolling" your arms and saying "buh" (bus)... and you start to fuss if we don't start singing "Wheels on the bus"... we sing that song multiple times every day. It is your favorite. 
• You love acting like different animals. We crawl all over the place acting like lions, cats, dogs, horses, elephants, frogs, etc. We hop around like a kangaroo, while you say "hop, hop, hop". 
• You jump off of everything that you can. You count one, two, three, jump! "boo, boo, boo, jump!"
• You generally wake up happy and only start to fake cry if I haven't come in to get you yet. When I come in the room, you smile at me and say something cute like, "hi" or "elbow" (pointing to your elbow) or "Di-so" (dinosaur - pointing to it on your sippy cup). Once we take off your diaper - since you're potty trained during the day - then you stand up and say "hodj-you" (hold you) and I pick you up and carry you to the living room where we cuddle for at least 30 minutes watching your cartoons. I love cuddling with you. You point out every animal in the cartoon and make sure that I see all the cool things you see. 
• Your favorite breakfast is oatmeal - most any flavor except strawberries and cream (you hate the red pieces in it). Every morning you ask for "oa-meal" - you don't quite say the "l". 
• You love cartoons. You always want the tv on even if it's not on a cartoon and even if you're not in the room. Sorry to say... we don't let you have your way on this one. :)
• You love cookies and treats, after going potty you like to remind us you get a cookie for going. 
• You love sitting in my lap, not next to me, it's getting hard since my pregnant belly is growing so fast with 2 babies in there... you're starting to not fit too well.
• You love the outdoors. You love running around our apartment complex, you love going to the park and you're pretty daring there (makes me nervous!), you love exploring and wandering anywhere new. 
• You love when dadda comes home. You used to get scared when you heard the door knob turning and would run to me, now you know it means dad is home and you run to the door and shout "DADDA!" when he walks in. It's so sweet.
• You love showing off all the body parts you know. Eye, nose, eyebrow, toes, knees, etc.
• You love singing songs. Head, shoulders, knees, and toes is a favorite. You giggle and giggle when we go super fast. 
• You are great at following instructions. You get anything we ask you to, including throwing things away if asked. 
• You love prayers. It's how we get you to bed easily. 
• You love brushing your teeth. You bring your toothbrush and toothpaste to me about 5 times every day saying "teeth?"
• You're usually outgoing... not a very shy kid... but sometimes you get uncomfortable and just sit quietly.
• You eat toast with peanut butter and honey for lunch every day. You don't like pb & jelly for some reason.
• If we're in the car we're either singing "Wheels on the Bus" or making horsey sounds because there are horse statues all over Laramie, WY and every time you see a bus or truck, we sing your favorite song.
• You make animal noises all day long. So cute!
• You have a "baby" - (Blankie) - that you carry everywhere around the house. You always want it on you and whine for it constantly because it's big and heavy and you can't easily get it up on the couch or around corners. 
• You always want to play in our bed. 
• You're a bit territorial and don't like sharing toys. If you find a better toy, then you'll hand over your other toy.
• Lastly, you're perfect and we love you. We could not ask for a more perfect Dylan. :)