Age TWO!!!!! Our sweet boy is TWO!
Loving a special dairy queen treat after soccer one night.
Reading a bedtime story with daddy and showing off a big grin after we moved his car seat forward facing for our big boy! He LOVES riding forward and after this photo, he even got a new carseat and moved to the middle. Preparing for a little sister/brother!
September 30, 2015
Dear Levi, my TWO year old!
Oh boy, you are celebrating another birthday and we so madly
in love with you! I really had no idea
what having a son would be like, and honestly from that first moment when daddy
said "we have a boy!", I was nervous.
But, I think, now two years later, I can say that we have done pretty
well together. You make me smile, you
make me laugh, you basically just fulfill everything I need as my sweet baby
(for now).
Here's some of what is going on in your two year old body right now…..
You are just so goofy and silly. We often just sit around and watch you…and laugh at your funny faces, funny poses, funny noises, and funny BOY tendencies. You like to copy sounds which often turn out hilarious – burps, farts, deep voices, etc. All boy!
If there is a motorcycle anywhere even remotely close, you are sure to let us know. And, mommy has finally figured out you are not asking for "more crackers" but instead yelling "motorcycle". There was some confusion for a period of time! Other vehicles are obsessed with are monster trucks and choo-choo trains.
You like to say the "A, B, C's" though it's quite a bit of jibberish. Daddy taught you these and it makes me so happy. It started during bedtime routine when he'd sing it to you, then eventually with you and now if you ever wake up at night and having trouble settling back to sleep (and happen to end up in our bed), Daddy will say just one round of the A, B, C's, you will repeat to about G and then be dozing again. Each day you get better at it and your vocabulary gets better and better. I our days of communication issues are passing as you are becoming more vocal and get "get your point" across much easier. So thankful!
Bedtime is sometimes super easy with you and sometimes a disaster. As a third child,
Mommy and Daddy need to take the blame sometimes. We miss that magic window of getting you
settled down before you are overtired, or we stray from a routine that totally
throws you off, or we just lose patience all too quickly when your big sisters
are involved or also trying to get to bed at the same time. It also does not help that Mommy and Daddy
have different opinions on the "right" way to get you to sleep. We have at least agreed that getting you to
sleep while laying with you in our bed is NOT a good idea. Because just a few hours after transferring
you to the firetruck bed, you are awake and yelling for us. Pretty sure when you fall asleep in our bed,
that is where you expect to be all night.
But now that we agree on that, Daddy now likes to sit and rock you, and
then just sit in the rocking chair (messing around on his phone) while you get
comfy and settled in your bed. But, unfortunately
this has created a habit and now you insist on someone sitting in your room until you are 100% asleep. We are working on it and I just keep thinking how every stage and phase passes quicker than it seems. I try to take lots of deep breaths and cherish these quiet, dark moments in your rocking chair (even when my mind is racing and telling me I should be doing dishes, laundry, or at my desk working).
Mornings are also hit or miss. Some days you sleep right up till 7am, come into our room super and happy and ready for a GREAT day. Love these mornings. Other times you wake up at 5am or whenever, make your way to my side of the bed and want to join us…..at which time you then squirm and wiggle, in a restless sleep for a few hours. Not best case scenario for mommy! Some mornings you are the biggest grump and refuse to get dressed or get ready for the day. These are the hardest because we basically have to force you into clothes and drag you downstairs for the day. Usually Daddy is then running late and it's just not ideal to start our day. Let's work on that buddy!
Daddy almost always takes you to Miss Amy's house which is such a great blessing for Mommy. You are ALWAYS happy to go to her house, have no issues with getting shoes on, giving kisses and heading out the door. I'm so thankful this routine has worked and I even smile on the rare occasion that Daddy leaves without you and you get so upset because you want to go with him. I think you love playing at Miss Amy's and being in her home.
Your wardrobe is amazing for a 2 year old who has a mom with little interest in shopping and definitely little time to do so. We are so thankful that Cousin's Luke and Landon have given us so many options. Your favorite jammies are ones that monkeys on them and your favorite shirt is your orange monster truck shirt. It's interesting to now have a little boy with an opinion when for so long we could just pick something out and be good to go.
You love your sisters so much! You get really excited to see them at the end
of the day and most days like to give kisses and hugs, though sometimes you
give them the cold shoulder. You also squeal and run to your daddy when you are reunited with him at the end of the day.
Words and phrases are finally coming to you! You often say love you, right here, please and thank you, Go Royals!, and so many more. It is so great that you can communicate!
Things we struggle with right now are markers and the booster seat. You LOVE markers and there are so many meltdowns when we take them away because you are drawing on things you should not. Sigh. And, the booster seat, ugh. You think you are a big boy and should just get a chair, but you don't stay seated on your pockets. Some nights you just start running around the table or off playing with toys. The nights I strap you in to make you stay put, you just scream and cry…throw your food and it's also not a good outcome. We are working on solutions.
Though you often don't like to sit with us at dinner, that's where you often begin. And, you are tolerating and even participating in prayer time. It's great! You try the sign of the cross and sort of get it right. Then you put your hand together and rest your elbows on the table. So cute! What a good boy! You know the words, or at least have heard them enough, that you often start the sign of the cross a little early at the end so you can start eating again. It is sweet and we are proud of you for finally "getting it"!
Things you really, really love are tags and blankies. Tags almost immediately calm you down. Tags on your blankies or tags in your shirt, wherever you can find a silky tag to hold onto. You just rub them between your fingers. Your favorite blankets are still your swaddle blankets and you often carry around 4 or 5 of them. At night you like to be covered up with your Cars blanket from our neighbor/babysitter Sophie.
That's a lot going on buddy! It has been so fun watching you grow these past few months. You are NOT a baby anymore and most definitely a little man with curly blondish hair. We just love you to pieces and are excited to make you a big brother in just a few short months.
Love,
Mommy
What a little stud, riding his superman scooter in the street (completely supervised!). He wants to do what his sisters are doing. Always.
