please...

Please, if you are my Daddy's friend on Facebook or you have his e-mail address, please, please please tell him I need a hair cut.

Thank you...

CJ

turns out he's mine too...

For a long time, I saw a lot of Scott in CJ. He is silly. He is stubborn (because I'm not stubborn at all). He is all boy. He loves girls. He loves to be outside. He's very coordinated (because I'm not at all). There are so many ways he is like his daddy. He even has his eyes. And for a while, I was a little bummed I didn't see more of me in him. But, I decided, if he has to be like someone in this world, I'm glad it's his daddy.

Lately though I have been seeing more of me in him. Specifically in his tendency toward being a little OCD. Scott swears I have OCD, and I have even taken screening tests to prove to him I don't. So I turn all my cans facing forward in the cabinet...that way you can see what's there. So I fold all my towels the same way...that way they fit in the closet nicely. So I have to put things away when I am finished with them...that way I can find them easily the next time I need them. He could give you many more examples, but it turns out since none of these things effect my daily relationships and I don't HAVE to do them, I don't have OCD. CJ on the other hand...I'm not so sure about. He has gotten quite particular of late. And I honestly think it is hilarious.

Auntie Julia was the first one to notice sometime was up. A few months ago, you could get goldfish that had basketballs mixed in with the fish. Juls was sitting with him and noticed he would eat all the basketballs, then all the partial basketballs, then all the fish, and then the partial fish. Every time, same order. Here is is doing it while we were at Richard and Krista's.

Since then, here are some other new funny things he has become quite particular about...

*I was putting his books in the basket in his room, and the basket wasn't quite pushed up squarely against the corner of his dresser. He grunted with displeasuer, when over, moved it square, and said, "huh," which is his sign of approval.

*If this kiddo sees trash he MUST throw it away. He will run from the back of the house to the kitchen to throw a piece of paper away. One day while I was at the gym, the girl in the childcare room said he kept picking up paper from a craft project they did with the kids and bringing it to her to put in the trash can (that was out of his reach, otherwise he would have to do it.) This morning at church, I asked him to throw something away in my classroom, and even though he isn't in there very often, he walked right over to the trash can, threw it away and grinned at me. The only thing that makes it more funny is that he does it with great glee and sometimes even shreaks of delight.

*If he gets oatmeal on his lips, fingers or the tray, it must immediately be wiped off.

*He loves to close drawers and doors. He will run to the car, wait for me to put his bag in the front seat and then close the door. When we get home, he closes his car door, runs for the back door, and closes that behind us as well. This morning I was getting ready for church, and when he came in the bathroom, he first closed the closet door, then closed my drawer and said "huh." All was right in his world again.

*He has a spoon preference. No longer are the Take and Toss spoons OK. We must now use the Munchkin spoons. They are better for teaching him self feeding though, so I don't mind this one at all.

*One morning last week he soaked through a diaper and his shirt. I hung the shirt on one of the knobs of his dresser to dry before putting it in the dirty clothes. I was in the kitchen and I could hear him over the monitor doing something in his room. When I went to check on him, he had taken the shirt from the knob, opened his dirty clothes drawer, put the shirt in the drawer, and closed the drawer behind him.

He's such a funny little guy. I love that he is developing personality which includes preferences, an order to how things should be done in his world and the desire to do things for himself. I can't wait to see how he will continue to grow and change. But for now, I am savoring ever last minute of littleness because they are getting fewer and further between.

confession...

I want a minivan. I wrote Scott an e-mail last night with lots of other information, but that confession was my closing. Here's his reply...

"There was a bunch of stuff that I was going to reply to, but then you said minivan and I threw up in my mouth a little bit. I'll tell you what, as soon as you collect my life insurance you can get whatever minivan you want. I'll have to write more later...once my head stops spinning and I can collect my thoughts."

So I think I hear him saying, "Over my dead body." Right?

today at church...

Today at church CJ's Sunday School teacher told me he was SO sweet. My first reaction was to smile and think she was being nice, honest, but just something nice she says to all moms. But then she went on to tell me that when other kiddos would cry, CJ would go over and pat them, put his face next to theirs and try to make them feel better. She also said he was a good helper, and when other kids would loose their juice or toy he would take it to them. Make my heart melt!!!

mr. independent...

I love and hate that CJ is doing so much by himself. I love it because it means he is growing like he should be, but I hate it because it means he isn't my teeny tiny baby anymore.

Lately, we have been working on using a spoon. He was getting good at scooping fruit (with a little help), so I though trying it with yogurt might be interesting. He thinks this is the greatest thing ever. Yogurt is his favorite food, so then getting to scoop it out and put it in his mouth only makes a good thing great. I usually hold the cup for him, but since I was taking pictures, he did pretty well without my help...

oh the blessing of cousins...

When CJ was sick a few weeks ago, we had to postpone a trip to see cousins in FL. Even though we only got to stay for a few days, he got some serious loving time with them.

I loved to see him and Jayden start to be interested in each other. Jayden had lots of older people at his house, so it was funny to see him be interested in another person about his size playing with his toys and sitting in his high chair. He would just look at CJ. Very, very cute.

And CJ LOVES Kayley and Lexi...always has. Those girls make him melt. Here are a few shots of Kayley and the boys and then Kayley, Lexi and the boys. (For those who can't tell them apart...aka Uncle Scott).

The funniest part of the whole trip was Saturday morning in the pool. CJ wasn't too amped about going in because the water is pretty cold. But, he was very interested in having Kayley and Lexi help him get things just so-so outside. First, when we were in the pool, he wanted the balls at the other end. They would bring them to him, he would hit them, they would float away, he would point at them, and the girls would bring them back. Then, when CJ had enough of the water, this game continued with him directing from the edge of the pool and the girls bringing him the balls and as well as rafts. He would stack them just so on the edge of the pool, and then throw them all back in. Then the game would repeat. They were so patient and sweet with him.

CJ has also become very interested in shoes. If he sees shoes not being worn, and you are barefoot, watch out! He's coming for you. I told the girls that he convinced his Nannie to wear shoes in the pool the day before, and they thought that was funny. They wanted to see what he would do, so they got out some flip flops, and sure enough, it wasn't long before Kayley and Lexi were also swimming in shoes.

And he also was concerned that Kayley and Lexi stay hydrated. Nannie brought us all some water in plastic tumblers, and once CJ saw Nannie take a glass to Kayley and Lexi, who were still in the pool, he decided they hadn't drank enough. He would carry the glasses back and forth from the table to the girls. He didn't want them to help though...he wanted to hold the cup and pour it into their mouths. They were so sweet to take multiple dousings of ice water.

gran's visit...

Phew, am I behind! After CJ was sick, he got me sick, my mom came, she got sick, we all got better, my mom left, CJ and I went to Florida and now we are home. Goodness gracious.

But we had lots and lots of fun while Gran was here. CJ and I both got spoiled. :)

One of CJ's new favorite things to do is wallow on the bed. He grins, he laughs, he has fun. Here he is playing with Gran in her room.

He also realized there was something fun hiding under the covers...

...it was Gran's camera case. He had fun putting things in it, taking things out, snapping it shut; you name it, he tried it.

And here are some other fun shots...

Two mornings I spent about 5 hours outside cleaning up our back porch. CJ didn't like me being outside and him being inside. Thankfully, mom is a good entertainer, and he survived it, and I will now let him out there to play again.

Mom also brought CJ a fun new toy...a shoe box with a string attached. He has had more fun pulling the string in and out, putting things in it and dragging it around. This morning he took Scout, his puppy dog and his bear for a ride all over the house. Such a cutie...

It wasn't all fun and games while Gran was here though. CJ had been smacking Connor with anything he could get his little hands on. Sometimes it was because she was in his way, but most of the time he was just hitting her because he thought it was fun. So frustrating! Here he is hitting her with a book.

While mom was here we both played it tough. As soon as he would hit Connor, we would take away whatever he hit her with, put it on the mantle, and then he would go to the pack and play for a time out. The first few days the mantle was full...

After I would get him out of time out, we would go practice giving Connor gentle touches. Today, I am proud to report, he only had one toy on the mantle at the end of the day. And honestly, Connor kinda deserved it. She was in his face and he hit her. I told him not it hit Connor, and he held the toy up to the mantle for me to take it. He totally gets it now, and knows the consequences, so I had to take it from him...even though I wasn't going to originally. You have to stick to your guns...

He also had fun in the bathroom with Gran. He got to unroll the toilet paper, and I couldn't get too mad, because at my Nanny's house, there is a picture of me doing the same thing at about his age.

He also wanted Gran to do everything for him. Smart boy. :) And it was not OK for me to do normal things like brush his teeth or give him a drink. He would shake his head no and then hand his toothbrush or cup to Gran. Here he is after an unsuccessful attempt on my part to brush his teeth, asking Gran to do it for him. Very funny...

He also was a good eater for he the last few days. I am so glad that someone else has seen how much he eats. There are days I wonder where it is all going. The doctor told me to feed him when he is hungry, so that is what I do. I think at this breakfast, he ate an entire bowl of oatmeal (like what I would eat for breakfast), 8 strawberries and then some Kix cereal. If he keeps this up, I can't imagine what he will be like as a teenager...

And, of course, there were lots and lots of cuddles.

I had such a great relationship with my grandparents, and I am so thankful CJ is building the same kind of relationships with his grandparents.