14 Months

My Sweet Little Guy,

Sorry for taking Month 13 off. I was only planning on writing for you to a year, but after missing last month I knew I couldn't go another month without writing to you. You are doing so many new things every day! So I'm just going to write to you as I can.

I need to sum up what has been going on the last couple months though.

EASTER

Since you turned 1, you have celebrated Easter for the 2nd time now.

First Easter

Second Easter

I took you to get your Easter pics with a REAL Easter Bunny. You tried to grab his ears. A lot.

SWINGIN'

Grandpa McKinney got you a swing for those few days the weather has been nice (which it just snowed last week, yes in MAY, so the nice days are few and far between). You LOVE it. You laugh and smile at first, but after a while you are just as content as can be. You were in it for over an hour last week while your daddy BBQ-ed and I just pushed you and while enjoying a cold beer. I cannot wait for Grandpa McKinney to get off the outage at work so we can spend summer evenings at the farm, having a fish fry and enjoying the weather.

NO TO DAYCARE

You went to a daycare on Fridays 4-5 times before the woman texted me and told me it wasn't working out. You weren't adjusting well. I cried for 3 days feeling like the worst mom ever for sending you to a place you weren't comfortable enough to eat or sleep. My Mother's Intuition had alarmed from the moment I toured the daycare, but we needed a quick fix and she came highly recommended by several people. I kept telling myself it would be good for you, it would socialize you. To hell with that. Not only did you come home tired as a dog, hungry as a horse, but I would find random scrapes and bruises on you. I'm assuming from the large group of children you were stuck in. You were dirty, you would have dried food on your face and smashed puffs in your shirt sleeves. One day I went with your daddy to pick you up and I cried all the way home because when I saw you, you were so overwhelmed by all the crying children and all you wanted was to be picked up, and I watched her trying to evade you while she comforted an 11-week old baby. It still hurts my chest to think about!

SICKY

So our first daycare experience was not a good one. You also got a wicked ear infection and sinus infection after your first visit there. We had to put you on Amoxicillin for 10 days. You were so fussy and unhappy. I couldn't wait for you to smile again, it felt like it had been weeks since I had seen you like your "old self'". Right when I was getting ready  to take you back to the doctor, you recovered - thank goodness! - and I've had my happy baby back ever since.

BUSY

Busy is an understatement. From the time your eyes open til they shut at night you are a busy bee. You are into it all. Our house looks like Tornado Wyatt blew through it at all times. And you are so interested now in putting things into other things (ex. a toy into the toilet) and taking things out. Finding one of your toys or a can of Vienna sausages in the washing machine is of no surprise anymore. But the funny thing is, it's funny. The other day you totally helped your dad unload the washer and even put the clothes in the dryer. Once the dryer was full, you started pulling the clothes back out. Such a smart boy!

You are growing more handsome every day. I can't believe how much you remind me of your father, even your funny little personality.

Z...Z...Z....

Back to sleeping through the night, you will go to bed anywhere between 8:20 and 10:00, then wake up between 6:00 - 8:00. It's been nice having you sleep in because on my days off I have started to go running with Biscuit again. It is so peaceful out and even though I am tugging a 40 lb overweight puggle behind me, it's still some form of alone time that rejuvenates me.

MONKEY

You are wanting to climb everything, so it is a constant battle of letting you explore vs. keeping you safe. We have to barricade certain things now (such as the toddler recliner you have, you were climbing up on it and working your way up onto the end table in our living room!). Anything you can step on to hoist yourself up is game. The box fan in the hallway, the baby piano Grandma Darlene bought you, your toy basket in the living room. You haven't made it up onto the couch yet, but you are getting there, especially since that is where Biscuit hangs out and you have a game of making his life a living hell! 

SWIM LESSONS

Allie and I registered you and Lilly for this Mommy and Me Swim Lessons Class. You were not really a fan, but we tried it out anyway. You are more into wading in the shallow water, not bouncing around with your mom to "Ring Around the Rosie". The one weekend I didn't know about your ear infection you let everyone in the pool know you weren't happy to be there! That's also the one time I took AJ with me and you kept trying to get to him. You are definitely a Daddy's Boy at the moment. 

DADDY

In fact, you much prefer him over me. I'm trying not to let it bother me, because I am glad you love your daddy so much, but I still want you to want me too! I guess Daddy is just a lot more fun than Momma (and always will be!). 

WATER BABY

I took you to the park last week on the ONE nice day I had off and we went to Stephens Park and played at the Spraygrounds. You weren't so sure about it at first, but after you had been there a couple minutes and saw what the other kiddos were doing, you went to town. You kept running over to the fountain, putting your hands in it, and then hot-tailing it back over to me! This happened over and over again! It was hilarious. I sent several videos to your daddy.

Well, I have the day off and it looks sun-shiney out so far, so maybe we will spend the day outside. If you ever wake up!

Love,
Momma