9 Months!

My oh my, where has the time gone? Levin is now NINE months old and really turning into a little boy.  Sadly, I watch his babyness dwindle away a little more each day. It's not fair that they grow so darn fast, but I truly do love watching him develop. Words cannot describe how much I love this little soul.

He's into everything and always on the go!  We've had to bust out the baby gate to keep him secluded in the front of the house. If he makes his way to the kitchen he goes straight for the dog food, and he races to play in the toilet any time he can. He also tries to book it out the door as soon as it's opened. I had forgotten how diligent you have to be with a crawler. He's so determined and so so sneaky!

I was shocked to find out that he actually lost a pound during this last month, but also that he shot up a whole inch and a quarter. Levi made a comment that he seemed taller and boy was he right! I'm afraid these chunky legs are going to start thinning out soon with all his speed crawling and couch cruisin'. I love baby rolls...hopefully they stick around a while longer.

He is trying so hard to walk already, too!  He is a pro at cruising along the couch and I swear he's close to running along side it. He loves his little push walker also and is starting to "walk" all around the living room.

Levin loves to be outside just like his big brother! We've been going to a handful of parks lately since the weather has been so nice and it's wasn't a surprise to find out that he loves to swing. Who doesn't loved to be pushed?!

He's also a huge fan of the bike trailer. My heart about melted when I came home early from class one day and found Levi pulling the boys up and down the road. Both boys usually end up passing out after a short amount of time, but it's something that they both love. And it's definitely a workout!

We've been having our fair share of picnics these days. Levi built a fire pit out back and we had dinner outside recently. I was so impressed when he sat at this mini-picnic table to eat his snack. Food always gets his attention! Oh, and speaking of which...he now has TWO teeth! And he's been trying lots of fun new foods with his little chompers.

This is him doing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" song with me and Lucas! His all-time favorite song though is "I'm a Little Teapot" and it's hilarious to watch him light up when I start singing. There have been a handful of occasion where I've sung other songs back to back and he shows little to no interest. As soon as I begin his favorite song, his expression changes and he starts dancing. It's adorable! He also has a singing toy he got from his Great Grandma Debbie on Easter that he dances with. He sways his arms and his body while singing "hop, hop." I really need to get it on video!

 

He spends most of his days terrorizing his big brother! I give it a few more months and they'll be full on wrestling. I'm amazed at how strong Levin is already.

His vocabulary is really starting to expand! He's made up his own word...."gog". It's our ongoing family joke and we always find ourselves shouting "gog" at everything. He is so serious when he says/shouts it. I wish I knew what he was really trying to say.

He says "dada" all the time but I'm still waiting for mama. He'll say it on occasion, but it's nothing like the ways he calls for his daddy. Sometimes he even just yells "DAD!". He also says "ni-night" when he's going to bed. It's beyond adorable! He's very attached to his blanket and insists on holding it while he nurses and sleeps. While he was boobing today he kept feeling around for it and couldn't get a grasp. He unlatched, looked at me with the most pitiful face and whined "ni-night". I about died of cuteness overload! He's even put the two phrases together a handful of times and said "ni-night dada". I love our night time routine....it's one of the highlights of my day. We go around and he kisses everyone and says his goodnights. I lay him down, cover him up, and he smacks his lips until I kiss him!

 

On the sleeping note I am very jealous of his cuddles with daddy. He rarely cuddles with me these days. It appears that those are all reserved for Levi. For some reason both of the boys prefer to be nuzzled up next to their daddy. I shouldn't complain though...at least I get to witness all the love!

Lucas and I call him our little Mohawk Man! I can't believe how much hair he has already. After we rub him down with lotion we run a tad over his scalp. Doubles as a perfect gel!

I love love love this boy! He's so happy, smart, energetic, and attentive. So excited for him to explore the Alaskan outdoors this summer. Our backyard make-over is in effect. Time to build more structures for this wild one!

Last Day of Preschool

I cannot believe that Lucas' first year of preschool is already over! Today we had a large party that included games, a magic show and an ice cream social. I'm so glad that I was able to participate before getting slammed with school again myself.

The classroom caterpillars that have been in their chrysalis' for the past few weeks finally hatched! What perfect timing, too. Lucas really enjoyed toting around the butterflies and showing them off to all of his friends. 

The magic show was a super hit! Lucas woke up this morning at 6am asking to go. He was really looking forward to it! It was put on by Magic By Robbie, one of the student's father. He did an amazing job and the children were in absolute awe the entire time. Lucas was asked to come up and help demonstrate a trick and was told that he had "magic pants." Robbie tied two handkerchiefs together and looped it through Lucas' belt loop. He then pulled on one end while another student pulled on the other. I about died laughing when they pulled the handkerchief right off his pants and everyone saw a pair of underwear tied in the middle! Lucas was so embarrassed and immediately looked in his pants to see if his underwear were still on. Levi and I honestly thought that he was about to start crying as he ran away. It was definitely a must see! I recorded it on my iPhone and then was informed that I didn't have enough memory left, so it couldn't be saved. I'm really bummed, but Levi and I will never forget the look of pure shock and embarrassment on our child's face! I doubt he'll ever volunteer for a magic show again.

He ended his final day running around the playground with his two best friends, Autumn and Jacob. I'm so happy that they are all continuing on next year in the 3-day class because they've all bonded so much over this past school year. Thankfully, the preschool organizes weekly play dates at various parks so that the children and families can all stay in contact.

I can't believe how much Lucas has grown and changed during this year. I've watched his imagination and creativity blossom, and his social skills surpass my expectations. He's no longer the quiet little boy I once knew. Coming into the preschool setting he was shy, standoffish, and merely and observer. Now, he jumps right on in to activities and fulfills many dramatic roles. He has become very independent and so confident in himself. He loves to sing and dance and has gained some pretty extensive knowledge! He's formed genuine friendships with a few of his classmates and he absolutely adores his wonderful teacher. We sure love ACP!

Now we've just got to figure out how to entertain this energetic child all summer long!

The big cut

We finally did it...we cut Lucas' hair! I have been wanting to do this for quite some time but he made it very clear that he wanted to keep his long hair. Although your child's appearance is somewhat of a reflection on your parenting, his hair was just that...HIS hair. Even at three, he had strong opinions on how he wanted it to look.

One day he got very frustrated when his hair kept getting into his eyes and he screamed out, "I need a haircut!" I asked him if he was sure and he kept assuring me that he wanted to have short hair now. We waited a few days so that he could contemplate his decision and be certain that it was truly what he wanted. Levi picked him up from preschool a few days later and they made a pit stop at Great Clips. Apparently Lucas did fantastic! He jumped right up into the chair, pointed out what he wanted his hair to look like, and sat perfectly still the entire time. I am so proud! Levi said that he acted like he was ten and had been getting haircuts his whole life. I love his new cut and think that it makes him look so much older. Isn't he handsome?! Sure is a mini version of his daddy!

But most importantly, he loves it. I haven't heard a single comment of regret and he seems very content with his decision. Big strides for independence and maturity!

(Sorry Hannah...he's no longer "Buzz Longhair." Time for a new nickname!)

Life with boys

I always wanted my first born to be a boy. Always. And after having Lucas I just knew that I wanted another. So here I am. A one woman wonder in a house full of testosterone.

So because I am a mom of boys, I suppose that means I'm doomed for a life of fart jokes and inappropriate penis gestures. It's already beginning and I can see this hole only getting deeper.

Lucas is at the age where he knows what is right and wrong, what is and is not appropriate to say, and what actions he is to refrain from in public. But when it comes to the comfort of his own home...he is all about making a funny.

He loves making people laugh and will say the funniest and most random stuff all the time. He is a total goober and he sure knows it! Sometimes I can't help but laugh at the things he says and does.

Lately, however, he has been making lots of references to his 'parts' and turning them into a joke. He ran out of the bathroom recently with the head of his little member sticking up above his undies. He was laughing hysterically and asked "aint that cool, mom?!" What could I do besides laugh?

I have always found myself laughing at inappropriate times and I just knew that it would come back to haunt me when I became a parent. I used to laugh at awful moments when I was younger, especially when one of my siblings got hurt or into trouble. Sometimes I just can't help the snickers, but I really need to make sure Lucas doesn't misinterpret. When he sees me laugh, he continues on with his funny behaviors. Yikes!

I've never really considered myself very feminine, nor would I say I'm a tom-boy. However, I think being surrounded by boys all the time is starting to push me more into the feminine side. Could also be my path to a professional career, but I really enjoy pampering myself these days. And of course it's making me wonder what my life would be like if we had a girl. Lucas is all about action, fighting, super heroes and cars, and I'm sure Levin will follow suit. It's amazing how they have gravitated to such toys/behaviors without much prompting from me. I know society places pressures on what is and what isn't gender acceptable, but I have never pushed nor followed true to that. Heck, Lucas' favorite color is pink! I love my boys and couldn't imagine my life any differently....but what if?