The Lion at 14 Months

I only recently realized that I'm a week late on talking about 14 months.  So, we've been busy, with a whole lot of crud that I can't go into, but you'll just have to believe me and enjoy the late recap. 

Our little terror is getting bigger, faster, more opinionated, and better at getting into trouble.  Don't get me wrong, I love him to bits, and he can be hilarious, fun, and SO smart...but OH so tiring.

Physical Feats

Robby's now at least a jogger, if not a runner.  He is FAST.  We were at TJ Maxx the other day, and he was sprinting down aisles giggling at the top of his lungs.  Thank goodness for the giggling, because I kept losing him!  I literally couldn't keep up!  (Note: Penn State attire is CHEAP there.  See the 2T outfit that Chris decide he needed to model.)  He can now put puzzle pieces back in the right holes (is that physical or mental?), can use a spoon, but it's slow so he gives up, can go backwards on his bike, though he hasn't figured out forward yet, and actually is falling MORE because he is moving too fast and not being careful enough. 

Mental Feats

Talking really hasn't improved.  He does tell you that a car or truck goes "Vroom" and makes the noise while pushing his toys around, but that's about it.  He is the biggest tattle tale on his furry dog sister.  If she gets on the couch he runs over pointing at her screaming, "DOOOOOOG, AHHHHHH!"  Meaning, "Dog, off!" in English.  He knows what he wants to eat, what he wants to drink, and, on occasion, even what he wants to wear sometimes now.  It can make for a lot of temper tantrums.  EVERYTHING is a reason for a wet noodle and screaming, even if it is just that you walked 5 feet away to get his shoes before you go outside.  He knows routines VERY well, and if you start one that makes him happy (like going on the evening walk) or sad (Mommy leaving for work) he reacts long before you think he'd realize what is going on.  At daycare when I pick him up, he now insists on carrying his own bag, and walking (at least part of the way) to the car himself.  He'd walk the whole way, but what can I say, I get impatient.   

Trouble

Right now, we're starting some discipline tactics.  Mostly, we're trying to start using time outs.  They're only a minute long right now, and not working so well yet, but we're trying.  He KNOWS what they mean, but it doesn't seem to stop him.  Yesterday, we did about 5 in a row of, "If you hit mommy again, you're going to time out," followed immediately by Robby hitting me again.  Hopefully it catches on soon.  I'm taking pointers from Lauren's post here.  I can only hope he gets as good as AM at it!

Favorite Things

Right now, Robby loves vehicles.  Trucks, especially, but cars and bikes are close seconds.  He also still loves dogs.  His favorite toys are, not surprisingly, his toy cars and trucks, and his ride-on bike.  I did manage to damage him when I was pushing the bike and didn't realize he had let go.  Ok, no permanent damage, but I felt awful that he fell, got a bruise on his forehead, and cried a lot.  His favorite foods are yogurt, graham crackers, popsicles, and cereal.  Hmm...have we entered a carb/junk food phase?  We really do try and feed him healthy food.  Daycare is not helping.  Their menu is SO carb heavy.  I'm trying to decide what to do about it, actually.  He used to eat about 75% of his fruits and veggies at daycare when we sent his meals in...now...it's a problem.  He's started swim lessons and SQUEALS the entire class.  Even the teacher couldn't get over how absolutely fearless he is.  He is not the oldest, or the most advanced kid in the class, but he IS the one jumping off the edge on his own and dunking his head.  I think I'm going to have to worry about my daredevil in the future! 

All in all, I still think you're a pretty awesome kid, lil man.  You're definitely a mama's boy, even if you're as rough and tumble as they come.  I love that you come over for hugs "just because" and still check in with me...before you run off, climb something, or pull something over or out of the wall.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Love you! 

Couple Peeks into the Past Week

The neighborhood vandals are still at it.  They've egged 12 cars, destroyed everyone's newspapers, and spray-painted another 3 cars.  On 3 different nights.  We're all not quite sure what to do.  Chris's car was unfortunately one of the ones that got egged.  We need to look into getting the paint repaired.  It's really sad that we hold our breath every morning before we walk out the door.  I swear we live in a VERY safe town.  This is NOT normal.  We're at a loss. 

And here are a couple of cute pictures from Robby's first day where he insisted on deciding what he wore.  Well, at least the shirt.  Dressier than I usually send him to daycare in, but pretty darn cute if I must say so myself.

And to quickly wrap up, we're exhausted.  We've been finishing up the renovation of the kitchen, and Robby is getting 2 more molars, and spending a lot of the night screaming.  So, since tiling while a toddler is awake is pretty much impossible, we stay up all hours of the night, and then pray he doesn't wake up, which...he does.  Ah well.  I suppose I should stop typing and get some sleep! 

Quick Flashback to Senior Year

In my mom's group, people are posting their senior pictures, so after I uploaded mine, I figured I'd share it here.  I was in the class of 1999.  Gasp!  I know!  It sounds like an eternity ago!

I have 5 different senior pictures, or something crazy like that, but this is the one I uploaded, so this is the one you get.  I had so much fun taking these.  And I ran into someone later in life that said they saw my picture in a flyer, but I don't know that for sure.  Kind of cool if it happened.  It wasn't this one, though, it was a black and white.

Anyway, senior year.   I was actually tan for once in my life because I cooked at night at BW-3 (now Buffalo Wild Wings) and then during the day I'd sleep on the deck.  Yes, it takes me that many hours of sunlight to not look like a vampire.  That was probably my favorite job ever.  We had a lot of fun, I really love to cook, and, even if the hours were bizarre and I didn't get to go out much, I still enjoyed the night shift.  I'd work from 5pm until close, which normally meant that I'd get off as early as midnight if I wasn't the closer, 2 am if it had been dead and we could clean before it actually closed, or between 3-6 am if it was a rough night.  Not surprisingly, my parents encouraged me to stop working there by October of my senior year because the hours were hurting my schoolwork.

During senior year, I was pretty typical.  I had such senioritis, had already been accepted into colleges, and was just having fun.  I was SOOOOO ready to move on, but thinking back I enjoyed my time there, too.  Isn't that always the way? 

What are your senior year memories?

DIIIIRRRRTTTYYYY!!!!

I've commented before that my child is a neat freak.  Well, it's getting a bit scary.  Last week he developed an obsession with the word "dirty".  EVERYTHING is dirty. 

Something falls on the floor?  DIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTYYYYY. 

Crumbs on his hands?  DDDIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTYYYYYYY. 

And then we were painting our kitchen cabinets, and I had dried paint on my hands.  I walked over to him.  He backed away from me like I was a zombie about to eat his brains, screaming, "Dirty, dirty, dirty".  Chris couldn't stop laughing.  We are getting a little concerned that this could be more than a stage.  Hope not.

I don't have any GREAT video of him saying it, but at least he does a couple times in this one.  Really, if you don't want a filthy house?  Don't take your pantry door off to paint and then let a toddler loose. 

Holiday Week at the Beach

Sure, I'll pretend the only reason you haven't heard from me is that I've been on vacation.  It's convenient, but also true.  We were in Sea Isle, NJ last week and, aside from a stomach bug, had a wonderful time.

The Lion had never been to a beach before, but just coming up the stairs to the beach, he let out the most incredible squeal.  He somehow knew it was exciting and fun.  Though, as he quickly learned, it is not tasty.  It took him 3 handfuls of sand to figure that one out.

My parents rented my husband's boss's house (little confusing there), which was absolutely GORGEOUS, and we're very grateful.  It was only two blocks from the beach, which was perfect for those of us who had to do a lot of back and forth trips.  Also, it had enough space for my parents, cousins, brother, everyone!

Robby really liked going in the water, particularly if I would hold him and "dip" him.  He wasn't a huge fan of waves coming on to him on his own.  He got braver as time went on, though.

To the point that it was a little hard to keep him out.  He was very social, and would try to play with anyone on the beach...also, a little awkward.

It's a good thing he got his father's skin and can tan, rather than mine.  Which, yes, I know, I should hide under a rock at all times, and not play in the sun ever.  Chris does call me a vampire.

Robby enjoyed the house, though we had to make pretend baby gates out of furniture to block off the stairways.  He's standing next to stairs in this picture, and would spend literally hours waving hello and goodbye to (imaginary) people and blowing kisses to them.

He was also a big fan of the "big boy" chairs and tables.  And moving them to places he shouldn't and standing on them.  Like that railing.  TROUBLE.

This was his favorite spot in the house, because he could watch cars, trucks, dogs, and birds go by.  And comment quite loudly on them.  I hope everyone on the street thought he was as adorable as I did.

And he and Aunt Sara developed quite a friendship.  He was trying hard to say her name, but it was more of an Ah-wa.  Doesn't he look cute in Ray bans?

There are lots of other stories, and hopefully I get around to writing them, but I'm signing off for now.