Adam's First Steps!

I don't post very often anymore, but when I do...It's usually important!  Congrats to Adam on a very special achievement tonight!

Baby Skillz

Having a 2nd child is very different.  You are in some ways, much more prepared but the toddler throws all these new curve balls that make it seem like you are a new parent all over again.  For instance, there is no such thing as "baby proofing" the 2nd time around.  When Owen was a baby, this house was completely sterile and I could leave him in the living room for 5 minutes without worrying about what he might be getting into.  Adam, on the other hand, ate his first peanut butter filled cracker tonight.  No, he's not supposed to have throat hole sized crackers and peanuts are supposed to be avoided until at least a year.  But Owen left a bowl of them within Adam's reach and...Oops.

In some ways, I feel like Adam isn't getting as much educational stimulation as Owen got at this age.  We were constantly teaching Owen words, sign language, games, etc.  Right now...Adam isn't signing as much as Owen was and we assume it's because we just haven't spent enough time teaching him.  However, in the motor skills department, Adam is a madman.  He definitely has a combination of toys and opportunities that Owen never had which allows him to push his limits on a daily basis.  One example was a few weeks ago when I was giving the boys a bath, I took Adam out in order to finish up Owen and when my back was to him for 5 seconds, he had climbed up on Owen's stool...onto the toilet lid...and had one leg on the back of the toilet tank ready to climb as high as possible.

He has been walking behind push toys for over a month now...never seeming to be out of control of them.  He can even push them up to a wall and then get them turned back around to push the other way. 

Today, he figured out how to use the Thomas ride on toy.  He has been sitting on it while we push him...Riding with Owen while Owen controls it.  But today, he figured out the button to power it himself.  I can't believe some of the stuff he is able to do at only 9 and 10 months old.  As Steve said, "this one is going to wreck the car."

Owenisms

Ok, I need to start a list of the funny stuff Owen has been saying lately.  It's been cracking me up on a daily basis, but then I forget what he said a minute later.  So here are some of the zingers lately.  I'll try to update as I can!

• I always sing "B is for Bunny" before bed.  I do (in this order) B is for Bunny, D is for Daddy, O is for Owen, A is for Adam, C is for Charlie.  I purposely leave out Pearl because her name is only one syllable and Mama because I want to save time and leaving me out doesn't make me feel guilty.  Tonight, Owen said "Oh! You forgot Mama.  Sing Mama."  Made me feel so good!
• Putting on my sunglasses he proclaims, "I'm Dr. Bubba."  If he ever becomes a doctor, I will be calling him Dr. Bubba.  I might anyway.
• He knows that after he goes to bed, Mama and Dada eat dinner.  After book and song, he usually asks for things and I say I have to go because my tummy hurts because I'm hungry.  Tonight, the conversation went like this:  "Mama, stay with me for 5 more minutes."  "I can't Bubs, my tummy hurts."  "Because you want breakfast?"  "Yes, I'm going to go eat dinner."  "Ok Mama, don't forget your beer." (This one is a little embarrassing.)

I think I'm going to start a separate list of funny ways he pronounces certain things so I don't forget.  I feel bad, but we never correct him because we know how short lived these pronunciations are and we miss them when they are gone!

• Next to each other and/or together:  "next-to-buh-gether"
• Brachiosaurus:  "Broccoliosaurus" (this Dino has a very strong neck and likes to eat broccoli.)