The Rocking Chair: camping

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Letter to Leo- My 2 year old

Feb 2014

Jan 2015

Dearest Leo,

I can hardly believe I am writing to you on your second birthday. Wasn't I just writing to my new one year old? You are growing so fast. You have been perfect every second of everyday since you have arrived in my life. Even though I know this to be true, you somehow become a better, more vivid version of yourself everyday as well. I have a hard time figuring out how that is even possible.

Let me tell you a bit about our last year together. We had some glorious times when I was able to stay home with you but you have loved going to your Aunt Emily's and playing with your cousins since I had to go back to work. You are definitely having more fun than me... I miss seeing you all day, every day. We finished up breastfeeding right before Thanksgiving but we still have a wonderful relationship and you still need me (something I was afraid might change too soon). We have decided to grow our family and you are so ready to take on being a big brother. You told me the other day "I love babies. I want to hold them." We'll ask you if you still love them after Junebug gets here ; )

A few new things you have been doing...

You love singing. Your song repertoire consists of (but is not limited to) Baby Mine, Dooley, If I had a Hammer, Twinkle Twinkle, In the Jungle, Take me Out to the Ballgame, Blowin' in the Wind, Jesus Loves Me, Amen... I could go on but you get the drift. I am sometimes so surprised because I will pause in a song and you will fill in the word! It surprises me because I didn't know you knew every word but you actually do...

When you drink a bottle you like to maintain contact with me by placing a hand on my heart (a remnant of breastfeeding I am sure as it started right after we weaned). You also call it Mama's milk... for example while sitting in the car drinking a bottle, you stretch your hand out towards me and say, "Mama. need it! Can't reach Mama's milk." You have also been asking me to sing Baby Mine. Now Baby Mine was the song I sang to you in utero and when they first handed you to me in the hospital. I have sang it everyday of your life since then and you have just started showing a preference for it. I chose that song for us, for you, and now you love it too. You even know the words and will sing it sometimes... I love hearing you sing it and imagine you singing it to your own baby someday.

You really love going to Gymboree and when I tell you we are going you say "Gymborwe Day, Hooway!"

A few favorite shows... Blue's Clues (still), Veggie Tales (aka Movie Tales), and Old Donald and Mickey cartoons. There is a Mickey one "A Brave Little Tailor" I believe, that you love and since watching it you have been talking about a giant. When we ask about it you say it is a friendly giant... we have even pretended the friendly giant rode on top of our car one day since it was apparently stomping around but wanted to come to our house to play. (all told to me by you, except I suggested he ride on top of the car) Your first imaginary friend perhaps?

This year (although not your first) still had many "firsts" for you. First haircut, first days away from Mama, first bike ride, first camping trip, first bike, first sentences... you went from walking to running in no time flat and that is exactly how it feels watching you are grow up.

Ready to be a big brother!

You've recently decided that you like Mama's tea so we have had tea a few times together and you are so sweet. You hold a conversation with me and do your best to drink when I drink and to hold your cup just like I do. I hope we can always have moments like that.

Just before my baby turned 2...

2nd Birthday Party (Blue's Clues!)

One day I hope you will look at me and have some understanding of how much I love you. I know (from experience) how hard it is to fathom a parent's love before you are one yourself... definitely possible but hard. I was thinking today about my life just 3 short years ago... Before you were a physical part of my life... you were definitely there my son, my heart wished and prayed for you daily. I am so blessed that I get a front row seat to you.

Love,

My favorite picture of us from 2014.

Mama

Mommy

Mama Anna

My Mama

(and my favorite) Mama mine : )

Monday, August 18, 2014

18 Months

This past month has been pretty crazy so although this post is almost a month late I am going to pretend like it is on time so sit back and let me take you to almost 2 months ago when Leo was entering his 18 month of life...

A few things about this month, Leo's half birthday is right around the corner! This month also marks a year in this apartment. I remember how sentimental I got when leaving the old apartment that I brought my tiny baby to and now I am amazed at how much he has grown in this past year and how many things he has accomplished (and still accomplishes) every day. On move in day my sister Emily, while watching her own toddling 15 month old, remarked how she could just imagine Leo standing at the door waiting for Daddy or watching the outdoors. Now we are there and she was right... Leo LOVES being able to look out the back door and will run to it if I happen to hear the car pull up and tell him that Dada is home. I know Evan loves being greeted with a big smile and hug.

Leo got his first haircut this month...courtesy of his Mama ;) I was very sad to cut off his cute little curls he had going on at the nape of his neck but looking back at pictures he was looking a little scraggly in the hair department lol. Still adorable in my book though.

The haircut required two episodes of Blue's Clues and a HUGE bowl of blueberries (Leo's favorite).

Here are some after shots, along with a photo shoot that reminded me of the photo shoot I did for his half-birthday last year.

It is amazing how much he has changed but how much he has stayed the same. I still see my baby : )

Leo continues building his vocabulary and just wants to communicate so badly. There are days when he repeats a word or phrase over and over and I just don't understand then he gets so frustrated... but if I cuddle him up and look him in the eye and tell him "Leo, I know you want Mama to understand you but I am not sure what you are saying... let's try again." My amazing little man will calm down and either repeat himself again or try a new technique like pointing or something. I am astonished every time it happens because I know he understands what I am saying and that he trusts me to try my best. It is a very gratifying feeling and while I know our open line of communication might not always work so well, I am just soaking it up for the time being. Among the most memorable words he learned this month... chipmunk (munk) "Aww, look at all the cute monks running around the campground!"

We celebrated the Fourth of July with our friends Toby, Joe, Doris, Greg, and Melody. It was lots of fun!

We went camping twice this month! The first time was a test night and boy it was a lot of fun (this was said dripping with sarcasm). We went on a weeknight and headed to a campground only about a half an hour from the house which we also decided to do the day before (great planning!). It doesn't help that it was light out until about 9:30 pm but Leo just wasn't having the whole sleeping on the ground thing. Our normal routine went up in flames and ended up with Leo finally falling asleep exhausted at about 9:45. Only to wake up again at about midnight and thrash violently while I tried to comfort him. When he finally fell back to sleep it was on my head. I wished I had a picture so much that I decided to draw one... forgive the horrible artistic skill and enjoy the humor.

Needless to say I got very little sleep that night (about 2-3 hours) and Evan had to go to work the next day leaving me to care for "child who also missed out on lots of sleep and was extremely cranky all day". It was lots of fun folks... LOTS of fun.

My handsome men

The second camping trip went better since I knew what to expect and at least didn't set my hopes too high... plus we had friends to share our misery with! Doris, Greg and their daughter Melody came as well as our friend Toby and my sister Emily, nieces Sara and Rebecca and BIL Steve. It was lots of fun having so many people to go camping with. The kids loved playing around the campsite and it was fun watching a new generation enjoying the great outdoors. Leo was again having problems going to sleep with the added fun of 90 degree weather (in eastern Oregon) but I think he fell asleep around 9:30 on the 1st night, so... progress! Our trip was going to be three nights this time so I figured if we continued on this train by the 3rd night he would be asleep by 8:45! His normal bedtime is 7 pm but no worries, we just did what we could and managed to survive. We got to do lots of fun things while in the Bend/Sun River region. Including (but not limited) to tubing down the Deschutes River, hiking at Smith Rock State Parkand, and exploring the Lava River Caves. Here are some pictures from our vacation.