23 Months of Fun!

Dear Baby I,

Wow. Mommy is quite the slacker lately! I havent written a thing since Father's Day- how am I supposed to remember what an amazing little monster you have been this past month??? Oh that's right - I have the mental scarring from your bizarre but frequent "I hate the car seat" tantrums and "Uncle Ronnie  spit on the floor" episodes permanently etched in my brain!! Geez...I hate would hate to forget any of that! :)
So what I am about to say here is going to shock even Me. Your own Mother. THese are words I thought I would never say concerning you - my dear baby Isaac - but I am going to say them and hopefully forego jinxing myself with some evil cosmic twist of fate. Here I go....
You. Isaac. Are quite the Sleeper. OMG! I cant believe I said it!!! I hear Earth Angel playing in the background and I think I actually have goosebumps. Part in disbelief that I have actually jinxed myself and partly because I NEVER thought this day would come! But you have morphed into one little boy who loves to sleep - and hates to be woken up. FOrget all that earlier talk of me not being able to wait until I can ruin your sleep with smashing pots and pans! Sure that will come in your teen years (I PROMISE YOU THAT!!) but for now it's like this little piece of glorious heaven on Earth! You Nap like a champ! You sleep thru the night! You have even ASKED to go to bed! (Yes, mommy did cry tears of joy that day!)
It took the longest, hardest, painstaking, baffling 20(ish) months of our lives...But we did it!! Im so proud of you little monkey! All those late night drivebys at the local firehouse - see its a good thing I didnt drop you off!


Im not saying you arent completely OCD about your new love of sleep. You are the only kid who needs to sleep in his own bed, in his own room - exclusively (which makes traveling anywhere SO much fun!). You need  to have your specific - yet random assortment of dozens of stuffed animals, blankets, and toys in your bed. And of course we need to name them all before we call lights out. Good Night Scout, Good Night Bear, Good Night SHeep, Be quiet George! We need to have our 3 major Bs  - Binkie, Blankie and Baba. You need no less than 7 pillows topping your bed and of less not we forget we need to discuss what will be for breakfast in the morning. But I will take that any day over the alternative kiddo! ANY DAY!!
In other news Monkey Man, we had a great trip to Las Vegas Last week. We got to see Uncle Ronnie and the dogs. You were super excited about playing in the pool - until you realized how freaking hot it was outside! You will never go outside without shoes again thats for sure! Im really not sure how we survived living in Vegas. It is just so HOT!!
You and Uncle Ronnie had a great time together! You learned to Bless yourself (yeah!), spit in the car (boo!), genuflect (yeah!), and repeatedly tell people I beat you (boo!). YOu even taught Uncle Ronnie all about the internet...Well,  I guess it was a partial success!
Back here in Denver - and everywhere else - the big story is the heat. It is HOT! Like Vegas hot - only without the air conditioning. Boo. The heat makes everything harder - and in your case more miserable. You are HATING your car seat these days - actually just the car in general. Im not sure if you want to just stay in the hot house all day kiddo - but you getting me to the point where that is exactly what we are going to do if you keep flipping out every time we venture out of the house.
Tough Love Kiddo. Mommy is ALL about it!


Well, Summer is flying by. It is already the end of July and I have to admit I was a little giddy when I saw the pumpkin display at the store the other day. Time is flying by monkey man. I will gladly wish the summer away but I hate to think in doing so you get a little bit older. You will always be my Monkey Baby Boy! I guess the older you get the more you keep me on my toes! You play harder, sleep harder, eat messier, and scream louder these days. Did I mention you are a thousands times cuter too?? It melts my heart each time  you tell me "Mommy pretty" and "I love you too Mama" YOu really are learning how to work your Mama over well! It may be tough to stay a step ahead of you...But I will kiddo!! I will!!




  
And POOF! Just like that another weekend is here and gone. We packed a lot in just a little time! YOU and Daddy had a great together out at Horsetooth Canyon yesterday. You even weasled a new toy out of him...I bet that was hard! Today, Sunday, we had a great Mommy and Me morning at the bakeshop followed by a little bit of shopping and a VERY messy hummus lunch! Why do the weekends have to be so short? AS I sign off here you are tucked away in bed, covered in blankies, binkies,  and toys and of course stripped down to nothing but a diaper. I hear ya kiddo - jammies are so overrated!
Good Night my little Monkey Bug. I hope you have sweet dreams and sleep tight! Mommy Loves you more than the moon and the stars and all the mosquitoes in Colorado!!!


I Love you Bugagaboo!

Love, Mommy

Dear Daddy...

Dear Baby I...

And we are back!!! After a brief hiatus, our friend Mr. MacBook is back in action! Who knew a little spill off the kitchen table could do so much damage!
This past weekend wasFather's day and I would like to take a moment - a brief moment - to brag about your Daddy. You are one lucky kiddo, kiddo! Not only do you have a Mommy that thinks you are the Bees Knees but you also have one of the greatest Daddy's ever made(except for you Nono, of course)! I love the way you light up when Daddy's work truck pulls up to the house every afternoon. YOu get so excited to have your daddy home. You are definitely your 'Daddy's Little Man'. YOu follow him around like a puppy - or shall I say - Like Doc!

All day long you carry your tools around the house 'fixing things' things like your Daddy. There is also that new obsession with the boat - just like your daddy. You even leave your clothes and shoes strewn all over the floor - JUST LIKE DADDY!! (ok, you have a better aim at the hamper than Daddy) You sure learn quick Monkey Man!!
Unfortunately we live in a time w

hen not every kid is as lucky as you - some kids grow up not even knowing their dads. You, on the other ha

nd, have one of the greatest role models on earth when it comes to learning how to be "A Man". Watch and learn kiddo - Your Daddy isan incredible Man and Father and you can learn a lot from him - except, possibly, where the hamper is. Always remember, you have two parents who love you - and each other - more than anything in the world. I hope some day you realize what an amazing gift that is.
Happy Father's day Daddy! You deserve it!
In other news you have been quite a terror lately. Not in the regular Isaac-hellion-way but in a crabby-sick-miserable kind of way. At first we thought it was pink eye, then we thought you had severe allergies, now, weeks later we finally got the strep diagnosis. I completely blame Aunt Krissy. :) She is evil, Monkey! She was probably coming up with this plan for weeks! Ugh!!....(relax Krissy, my forgiveness can be bought) :) Hopefully now we are on the mend - and yeah! for you one more medicine to take. It is scary how much you like to take medi

cine. Im sure that is just another 'quirk' you picked up from your Uncle Ronnie.
We finally took Daddy's boat - or shall I say Isaac's Boat - on its maiden voyage. YOu loved it - minus the cranky-miserable-sleepless-screaming part. I think your favorite part was spitting all the peanut shells on the floor with Uncle Ronnie. Oh Uncle ROnnie - we can count on him for teaching you how to spit on the floor, medicine fetishes, and learning to say "mommy beats me". I hope the life lessons only get better from here. The water was pretty darn cold - and you are not a huge fan of the life vest - but I have a feeling you are going to be a BIG fan of "Isaac's Boat" - and I am sure that is the best present Ever you can give your Daddy for Daddy's Day (although Im sure the Bonsai tree we got him is a close second!)
Well my monkey, the summer is in full effect and we have so much planned and so much to do! I hope you enjoy every minute of it (aside from the evil strep...Aunt Kri$$y). We have festivals and farmers markets to go to, parades to watch, Libraries to visit, fountains to jump in, hoses to drink from, and plenty of parks to hit up! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! THis week we get t

o go see Aunt Sue and the Horses!!! You are already so excited to see the horses. Now if we can only get you to touch one!
Rest up my Monkey man and get the most out of that nap! Our fun is only just beginning!!

I love you baby rug rat!
Love, Mommy

On the Run

Dear Baby I

Have I ever told you watching you run makes me giddy?? Aside from your little white boy dance(/bounce) and your (not so) new found love of jumping, I cannot think of anything that makes me smile more than watching you run. Head bouncing like a bobble head and your "ahhhh" yell like you are talking into a fan, melts my heart every time I see it. Of course it usually end in some kind of fall or skinned knee, but you are quite the toughie! Usually you stand right up, smile, and say "I okay!" I know I say it time and time again - but you are the cutest kid ever kiddo!!
We have had such a busy May! After Gramma's visit - which you have since been saying "gramma go in blue truck" - we have been busy getting in summer mode. Not sure how spring crept in and snuck out so quickly, but the heat is here and my guess is it is here to stay. Your Daddy couldnt be happier! He can finally try out that new boat of his. Oh the boat. Im sure you will LOVE it, Mommy on the other hand may need some convincing. (like always)
Memorial Day was here and gone and the official start of summer has begun! We spent an awesome long weekend in NEPA. A surprise trip in to visit Noni and Nono. They were shocked - and loved having you around the house. The flight in was a nightmare. NIGHTMARE. I will never not buy you a seat again no matter how tempting it may be. YOu were tired, cranky, squirmy and LOUD! Did I mention it was a midnight flight? When we finally got to NEPA, Mommy was ready for a nap - a long nap!! YOu were ready to roll.
You made yourself right at home. Nona's room was rearranged in no time. You found all the breakables in seconds and just for Nono, you got as many crackers as you could find all over the floor! Perfect! You were running the show and had everyone eating right out of your hand! Just how you like it.
Nepa was hot and sticky - a not so fun combination - but you didnt seem to mind. You had so much fun sitting on the porch playing cars. I dont think Nono or Krissy ever sat on the porch in the heat so much! When it got too hot you were perfectly content in the house carting all your (my)"care burrs" from Nona's room to the living room - over and over again! You also wore yourself - and NOna out by teaching her to jump - over and over again!!



And then there was the parade. Oh the powers of the mighty West Wyoming Parade. You were over the moon!!! You were in awe of how many fire trucks could go down the street  - slowly -and throwing candy!!! It was like a dream come true!! And you got to sit on the curb and run out into the street to pick up your candy. Poor Emily had to restrain you from wanting to march off with the parade down the middle of the street! I never realized how far back a single parade could set back months of toddler training! You waved and waved your little arm off and shouted HI!! to every person who passed by. It was great! YOu were so happy - it (almost) made the the flight in worth it!
Since we have been back in Colorado we are still on the go-go-go!  Sadie was thrilled to have you back as you were equally excited to see her. Daddy had a boat sitting in the drive way (yeesh.). And it looks like the heat followed us back. Luckily the we left the mosquitoes behind, but the moths are crazy here - you keep yelling "butterfly" every 2 minutes!
Speaking of yelling - your vocabulary has taken a massive leap lately! you are starting to put together sentences - my favorite one being "Mommy, pretty is." Ok, I admit it - when you said that I cried - but just a little! You are also starting to sing your favorite songs - like "itchy itchy fider" and "Hoppy bertday to You. Bear" which is immediately followed by you giving yourself a big clapping "YEAH, now cake!" YOu are so damn cute I man!!!
It amazes me how much fun you are these days - and you are even sleeping like a champ (knock on wood) Everyday I wish I could freeze time and keep you at this age forever! But that wouldnt be fair to you- plus we don't have the freezer space! :)
So I will continue to watch you grow and learn and discover and I will write it all down just so I dont forget how amazingly cute all your little idiosyncrasies are - even your annoyingly cute cries of "its too dark" when you are out side in the sunshine or we have all the lights in the house on. Oh my I monkey you are truly the apple of my eye!
I love YOU Pirate Monkey Man!
Love, Mommy

A Belated Happy Mother's Day

Dear Baby I,

What a great May it has been so far! We have been busier than ever - and the spring weather has been agreeing with us tfor the most part - but the rainy breaks have been just as welcomed! You are at such an amazingly fun age right now! I try not to keep thinking that everyday you are one closer to being "too old for your mommy". I want to keep you at this age forever. Mama's little hell's angel.
I have to tell you - I have started this post several times in the past few weeks and can never find the time to finish it! Again I blame you! I cant beilieve how busy you are! "In to everything" doesnt even begin to describe you! The other day I was clearing the dinner table and in the 2 seconds it takes me to walk into the kitchen you managed to find yourself standing on top of the dinner table reaching for the ceiling fan! You are a monkey - and a danger-thrill-seeking-monkey at that!


I think its time to admit you are no longer little baby status and ALL BOY ALL THE TIME these days! If there is dirt, trucks, trains, danger, or water involved you are all over it!
WHen it comes to talking you are like a parrot! You repeat everything!! Even the not so repeatables! Talking to you is like learning a new language. The only problem is I have to remember you and I (and Sadie!) are the only ones who know this secret language! I find myself saying things like  "chi chi" (cookie) and "burn" (granola, dont ask how) in public   - or wanting to yell TRUCK!!!  every time I pass a truck on the road! It's getting hard to separate the 'me' moments from 'mommy' moments - and I couldnt be happier!

So far we have had a busy month! We have gone to Children's museum numerous times and each time it takes me a boat load of patience to get you out of the fire truck (and out of the tutus)! You love to yell "beep beep get out of the way!!" We went to Mud and Frog Classes at the Botanical Garden - note to self, extra sets of clothes for those days are a GREAT Idea! You sure LOVE some mud!!! We hung out at the Pool. We have become regular (interruptions) at church. :)
Mother's day weekend was especially fun! It started out with some prime yard saling where we found a slew of antique Tonka Trucks for sale! I am pretty sure Daddy was way more excited than you! Let's just say for 20 months old you have quite an extensive collection of trucks out back. Sunday we took a trip to Tiny Town to ride the train and see all of the miniature houses. You loved it - and you love your new Conductor's hat!!  The real fun was Sunday night. You and daddy took full advantage of the summer like weather and camped out outside - ALL NIGHT - IN A TENT!! It doesnt get much cooler than that kiddo! Nothing like waking up outside and getting to play with your trucks in the dirt - in your jammies!! Mommy and the doggies, on the other hand, slept all cozy in bed!

We are always on the go! This week you get to spend some quality time with your Gramma and you are loving all the attention! We havent seen Gramma since Thanksgiving so you sure are more of a handful now! You (and Sadie) are giving her quite a workout. Finally someone is here who hasnt read "Trucks" a thousand times!
In other news I can finally report we are in the midst (knock on wood) of a pretty decent sleeping stretch!  Halleluiah!! You have learned a slew of new words lately - some of your favorites being "God," "dark," "is," "Basketball," and "Pradabear". You sure love to talk. My guess is you get that from me - finally something!!! So we are honing in on sleeping and talking - now eating on the other hand, is still a sticky situation - LITERALLY. You are the only kid I know that needs a tubby and change of clothes after every meal - and snack!! It's amazing! Oh well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad!

Did I ever tell you how much I love being your Mommy?? How much I LOVE that I get to stay home with you everyday and watch you play and learn??  I think most people take motherhood - parenthood  - for granted until they have kids of their own. I know I unfortunately did. I never realized all the love, time, physical and  emotional investment our parents have put into us until I had the honor of doing the same for you. It is amazing how quickly my world has changed. I know it sounds so cliche and you will probably always think your mommy is such a weepy wuss, but it is so true.
These past 2 years have been the greatest experience of my life and I cant believe we are only getting started! I just can't imagine there is something greater in life than being a mother. On that note Happy Mother's day to Me - and to My Mom (your Noni) who mistakingly let me think this whole motherhood thing was so easy all these years!  And to all the 'Mothers' out there who feel the same - Happy Mother's day to you and thank you for what you do!
I love you Monster Trucker Monkey!
Love, Mommy

Hoppy Easter #2!!

Dear Baby I,
 Well it only took  approximately 19 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days for me to lose my reign of power. To my utter heart break and dismay the fateful time has come - you want DADA for everything. You wake up in the morning "Dada?" you "Dada? Dada?" all afternoon, and (sigh) you even crawl up in his at night for a bedtime story and to get tucked in!!
ARGH!!!!!!
Dada! Dada! Dada! Are you trying to kill me??? All the sleepless nights, the screaming, the kicking, the pinching, the puking, the diapers, and now all I get is "Dada!" Ugh. Well thats it! It only took 33 years but I have completely turned into Noni! Between my ugly fuzzy bathrobe, the bad back, cooking too much, and my crying over every movie I watch I may as well just change my name to Little Sandy. Oh Kiddo look what you have done to me!! You are lucky you are so darn cute otherwise I would seriously consider  giving you  away to the gypsies I keep telling you about! :) At least there is only one name you call for in the wee hours of the night....Ah Mama!!! Lucky me!

To say you are at the "fun age" would be an understatement right about now! You are into everything - and so curious and daring!! We finally bought you a helmet - and thankfully you love to wear it. It has already paid for itself too! You learned the hard way you cannot jump out of the back of the Daddy's truck (even if it is parked  in the driveway of course). Lets not forget the your high 'clutz' level either - thankfully you had your helmet on when you were running so fast in the park you smacked right into a pole! Oh kiddo, I see lots of trips to the ER in our future!

Speaking of the ER, we had the scare of our life last week when you and Little Miss Sadie were being all devilish in the grocery store cart. Your little game of "who can rock the cart the hardest" turned into an ambulance ride to the ER when Sadie flipped out of the cart and whacked her head off the cement floor! Ugh! What a nitemare! Thankfully she is ok, just an extra easter egg on her head but when I think of all that could have happened I can kick myself for putting you two in the cart in the first place - at least without a helmet! You, on the other hand, could not have been more excited to get in the ambulance. Poor Sadie was crying her eyes out and you were beaming from ear to ear  - saying Truck! Truck! Oh my little monster....
Trucks seem to be the way to your heart these days. Trucks! Truck! Trucks! Is all I hear from the minute you wake up - to the (completely lame) TRUCKS book we read EVERY night before you go to bed. And nothing is more exciting than a fire truck or a dump truck! I swear every local fire fighter think I am a stalker when they see us at the grocery store. You want to hang out by the truck because you know they will let you sit in it and turn on the sirens! You are definitely all little boy these days - playing with your trucks, usually covered in mud, wearing your helmet and stomping around in your over sized snow boots. You are such the flirt too. Watch out ladies, this one will be trouble for sure!
Well my monster Truck jammer by the time I am finishing this one up, we find ourselves on Easter Morning. I do not even remember what day I started this post! Time sure flies and you surely keep me busy! We survived church this morning - albeit with a basket full of trucks and teddy grahams the Bunny left for you. We had a great egg hunt yesterday with all of our friends and you ate more candy and cookies than I thought possible! I think at one point Daddy pulled 12 jelly beans out of your mouth at one time! Ugh!! HOw are we going to get you to know that candy for breakfast and eating treats you find outside in the grass is not the norm! Im sure this will be a tricky for both of us!
Thankfully the Bunny was a little kinder to Mommy and left you a basket full of non edible treats books, tractors, matcha (motorcycles) - and of course many many chi chi - which you conveniently think are cookies - but are really granola bars! Shhh!! And of course PICKLES!!! YOu and your daddy eat more pickles than anyone I have any seen! We are having Easter Lunch/dinner in a few hours and you are already conked out from sugar overload! Do NOT get used to all this sugar kiddo - although I am kind of liking the instant nap that follows!



Well my little Jelly Belly I hope you have a great 2nd Easter! I cant believe how much fun you are having - we are having!! I love watching you discover the world around you and the excitement you get in all I would have normally taken for granted! You truly are Mommy's greatest blessing! Enjoy your nap because when you wake up the Bunny may have a thing or two up her sleeve!
I love you MOnster Baby MOnkey!
Love, Mommy

Our LOOOOONG Weekend!

Dear Baby I,

Sorry it's been so long kiddo, we have been so busy lately! Time sure does fly when you are having fun!
We just got back last night from our extended weekend in NEPA - 8 days later. Ugh. Its not that I don't love to spend time in NEPA - but next time we need to plan a little better - and spend a little less.

We were supposed to come home on Sunday...and then Tuesday..and finally Wednesday! Ugh what a trip! Although, I must say you have become quite the little trooper when it comes to flying. You are definitely no "lap child" though. We need to book our own row to contain you! Thankfully on this flight we lucked out and got to move to an open row, otherwise that would have been the icing on the cake of this whacky trip to NEPA! I am always in awe of the parents with the children on their lap. The kids just sit there. Calmly. Peacefully. Contently. You on the other hand are like trying to wrestle a giant jelly fish just to keep you in my row!! Thank goodness the cockpits now have locked doors - one glimpse of all those buttons and gadgets in there and I would have to sedate you to calm you down!! YOu definitely are your daddy's son!

What a little curious monkey you are becoming! Into EVERYTHING. Into - and On top of - as all good monkeys do, you like to climb and crawl on top of almost anything - like the kitchen counter, the stove (not on thankfully), your sand table, the toilet, TV stand - and of course the stairs! Not only that but, your new "no fear" attitude allows you to think you can jump off of almost anything too - the toilet seat is NOT a diving board into the Tub kiddo!!! And oh how you love your trucks these days - trucks, planes, busses, horses - you are fascinated by all modes of transportation! Everything is "trucks, trucks, trucks!"
My little cute dare devil! You are quite the handful these days which made your NEPA bug all the more disappointing! Once you get sit you turn into a koala - and hang off my neck. I swear every time we get on a plane you catch something! Luckily this one was not long lived - just long enough to cost us ridiculous $$$ in US air's Change fees - and rebooking fees - and processing fees,,,,only to find out the flight was later canceled anyway. Ugh!!! And then canceled again on Tuesday. Double Ugh!!!
The good news is that you were in full Isaac-Dare-devil-monkey-mode to fly home again on Wednesday! No sicky sleepy or lazy baby flyer for us! No way!!! You were all systems GO for the flight! Although We did  get to spend some extra time at Noni's and Nono's .... and of course with your favorite Nona! (shhh! I wont tell you have favorites!!) That was great! You love all the attention of a house full of people doting on you! And You certainly love your Nona time kiddo 'almost' as much as she loves you!! You chase her around the house with her cane and love to rearrange all her statues and pictures! I love seeing you together! I think she forgets she is "almost 96" when you are around - she is just hell bent on making you giggle - and eat!! I love every second of it!
Now I know why people say kids brains are like "sponges" at this age. YOu remember everything. Everyone's name, where the cookies are stashed, the names of all your fruits and veggies, daddy home from work means time to go for a walk,  and even who HO HO is. Yup, you seem to remember everything - except for bedtime. Yes somehow every night the fact that you have to go to bed and brush your teeth is a new and not so exciting new experience. Lucky us!
Maybe it was the illness, maybe it was the plane, or maybe it was the extended stay at Noni's, but it appears we have taken a major step backwards in Child-rearing this past week. Binkies, babas, clinginess, we have all of the above.  Maybe it is because you so quickly had Noni, Nona, Krissy, Gigi,  Zizi, Emily, Max and Joycee so quickly - and tightly -  wrapped around your little finger. And just when our night time 'routine' could not get any worse come the kid koala clinginess in full boar! Don't get me wrong, I love that you want your mama all the time( and might I mention how much I love it when you call me Mama), but right now it is literally ALL THE TIME. If I am in sight you want "uppie" and if I am not in sight I can hear your crying for me - even if I am only in the bathroom! Especially at night.
Other than physical restraints I do not know how to keep you in your bed at night. You have taken freaking out and temper tantrums to a whole new level. When I finally give in and lay down with you I can barely breathe. YOu lay on top of my face as if getting inside my mouth would not be close enough for you! You're ALMOST worse than Doc! Oh kiddo, I know someday I am going to miss all this together time, but tonight I just want to go to sleep - in my own bed, without bottles dripping on me, wet sheets,  binkie clips jabbing me or your cute little feet somehow kicking me in the face. Oh I can dream kiddo!
Anywho...we are finally back in Denver. Daddy is still busy (not) house hunting, you and Sadie are happy together at last, the dogs have torn the garbage can apart 3 times (in two days) and I woke up at 4:30am just to take a shower alone - I think we are right where we left off! At this very moment you are snug asleep in your 'big bed' as your Thomas the Train bed sits there all alone collecting laundry, toys and diapers. Whatever works Mr. Monkey! Good Night and Sweet dreams my sweet little Curious Monkey Caper! Mama loves you more than all the food the doggies can eat - in and out of the trash can!
I love you baby Monkey
Love, Mommy