Twenty-Four Months (Oliver's Monthly Photo)

He's TWO!!



Oliver woke up this morning with no idea that it was his second birthday, but I bet he has the idea by now.  We've had lots of phone calls with happy birthday singing... mostly met with smiling silence.  Although, I have to say -- Oliver has made progress in the last few weeks!



He can kind of say more and juice and thank you (day-doo) and Papa (said in a whisper) and definitely Nah-nah (Nonnie) and a very high-pitched ch! (cheese!).  He still signs a lot.




Trains are Oliver's first love.  He got a brand new train set and some add-on pieces to a wooden one we already had.  He got some "choo-choo shirts," and even a new train book!  He's a pretty big fan of the Doc Mcstuffins pull-ups Lucy picked out for him, and he loves the rocket ship that Elliot picked for him.



He's also super pleased with his new toddler bed.  He's been able to crawl out of his crib for a while now, but this will be so much easier for him.  He's good about staying in bed when he's supposed to.

The fountain was a big hit.  We're going back tomorrow.





A couple times in the past few weeks, I've come around the corner to see Oliver holding Charlie and walking.  It is unsettling.  Charlie sports a huge toothless grin, without a care in the world of being dropped.




Oliver's favorite foods are sausage, chicken, scrambled eggs, and cinnamon rolls.  He likes cheese and pizza, too.  He's so-so on veggies and fruits but hasn't just flat refused much.  We don't make a big deal about it.

Oliver's favorite songs are "Choo-choo Train, Coming Down the Track" (a speech therapy song) and "Wheels on the Bus."  His favorite activities include being tickled, going out to get the mail, and watching for construction vehicles and/or trains when riding in the car.  He is going to absolutely adore gymnastics, and although it's going to complicate our morning having three in gymnastics classes--I can't wait :).



Oliver, our sweet two-year-old.  We love you so much and are so happy to be your parents and your family.  You are a joy and a delight, and so stinking fun.  You are a wonderful snuggler, kiss-giver, play-mate, and adventurer.  We are looking forward to another year of getting to know you and love you better!



Sleep well, dear one.

Tomorrow This Kid Turns Two

Get ready, Oliver--because tomorrow your crib gets converted to a toddler bed!!



We have great things planned.  Cinnamon rolls for breakfast, frozen yogurt and a splash pad for lunch.  A solid nap, and then dinner and mini-cheesecakes!



Lucy was super excited about her birthday present for Oliver -- some Doc Mcstuffins (pink) pull-ups.  And Elliot picked out an airplane for him.  We'll let him unwrap those gifts tomorrow and then save the rest for his birthday party this weekend.  I can't wait to see his face when he sees his new toddler bed!

Sleeping Charlie

Charlie is growing so quickly.



He's still so tiny, but he's getting bigger everyday.



He is moving around now -- inch-worming his way across the room to get whatever toy has caught his attention.



He is advancing along his own little life timeline at such a rapid pace.  



These moments when he's asleep are so precious and quiet.



Everything feels so still, like the time line has paused for just a few hours, and he's not changing.



He's just sleeping.



I hope when the kids are grown I can still see these pictures and remember the little noises they made when they slept as babies, and their sweet baby smell and their soft cheeks and fine hair.



You know what I wouldn't mind forgetting?  All the issues I've had with breastfeeding these kiddos!  Good grief.  I've been treating thrush... again.



The medicine (gentian violet) is dark purple and stains Charlie's mouth... and subsequently the index finger he sucks on while he sleeps.



But isn't he the cutest purple-mouthed baby you've seen?



Sleep well, sweet Charlie Bear.

Mel the Mail Lady

We love our mail lady.  Her name is Mel.  It may be Melinda... or maybe Melanie.  I'm not sure.  But she is beloved in our neighborhood.



Almost every day, the kids (or at least Elliot) run outside to meet her.  They run to our neighbor's house so that when she gets to their mailbox, she will race my kids back to our mailbox.  They love it, and she lets them win every single time.  Thanks to postcards from Papa addressed individually to each kid, she knows their names and hands them their postcards and/or mail stacks individually.  It's adorable.



They are out there with her, rain or shine.

Twenty-Three Months (Oliver's Monthly Photo)

Only one month left!!  Our little Oliver is almost TWO!



Seems like just the other day we were strapping him into his seat on the airplane to England (at 4 weeks old).  And now he's a running, jumping, climbing, gesturing 23-month-old!



Notice I did not say talking?  He is not a talking 23-month-old, but we intend to remedy that.  Got a little speech evaluation on the calendar, and we're focusing hard core on speech now.  Lots of over-enunciating and songs with emphasis on imitating sounds.  Luckily I am friends with a couple speech therapists, so I don't have to wait for the formal evaluation to start implementing some ideas.  Daniel's been playing this little yes or no game.  It goes like this.

Hey Oliver.  Can I give you a kiss?

Ssssssssss

Hey Oliver.  Can I bite you?

Neh

Nice, huh?  The whole concept of teaching an almost 2-year-old to say no is so funny to me.  I definitely did not have to teach the first two to say no.  Granted, Oliver shakes his head very clearly for no.  There's no lack of communication there.  Merely the speech part.  Anyways... the speech evaluation is in a few weeks, so hopefully we'll have more direction then.



Other than that, Oliver's happy and healthy and totally on track with other milestones.  He loves reading books -- especially about trains and trucks.  Loves trains.  Loves them. He has one "choo-choo shirt" that he tries to wear every single day.  He goes to look for it in the dryer if he can't find it in his drawer.  In fact, I had another train shirt to give him for his birthday, but I couldn't take it and gave it to him early, just so he'd have an alternate train shirt.  Couldn't stay on top of laundering his one train shirt every night.

He's napping like a champ, still.  About 2 hours per afternoon.



He's floating great.  Not much interest in turning over to swim.  But he's a solid floater.  I'm hoping he's more interested in swimming once we start going to the pools.  We'll see.



I tried to get him off the bottle this month.  I gave him two special sippy cups that are just for him -- a train one and a fire truck one.  He went with it for a few days, but he's back to demanding the bottle at night time, and because we are tired and he is the third and we are desperate when the evening comes, we usually give in.  It's fine.  He's not going to college with a bottle.

He climbs out of his crib on his own now.  Maybe he's been doing it for 2 months or so.  It's wonderful (no, seriously--it really is).  He stays in there all night, but in the morning he often climbs out all by himself without screaming, "MAAMAAAAA!!!!!  DAADAAAAA!!!"  He just appears in the room.  It's awesome.



Oliver, we love your sweet, spunky, affectionate disposition and your adorable gestures and signs.  You are a gift, and we treasure you every single day.