This little light of mine

my two boys were having a growling competition after dinner and these pictures show the result. A little boy who knows his dad is his hero and shows it with pure delight and giggles. This is one of my favorite things about John--the joy and light that shines through his eyes when he is happy. I want to bottle it up and keep it close to my heart so I don't forget moments like these.

yogurt

want some? I walked in the room right as bingo came on tv and he started clapping and yogurt started spraying all over the sofas. At least he feeds himself.

happenings

j can't get enough of his red balloon. The last couple of times we've been to the grocery store he's gone crazy saying balloon the whole time b/c the store has been decked out for vday. Mike bought him one when they were there last Thursday. He carries it around with him everywhere. I've been amazed at how long he can hold on to it--through feedings, diaper changes, getting dressed, playing...it never leaves his hand (meaning I always have this balloon in my face).

 some vday decor left from our little valentine's party.

 J's new trick as of this morning. He can climb on the rocking chair and then transfer to the computer chair to reach the mouse and keyboard.

some things I want to remember…
-Favorite songs right now: itsy bitsy spider, bingo, monkeys jumping on the bed, pat a cake, 5 little ducks, doggy in the window (he does most of the actions and can say some of the words)
-Always folds his little arms for prayers
-Walks like crazy. His favorite is to walk down the sidewalk to the street corner, then he screams while we bring him back to the start and he does it again, and again...
-loves slides and swings
-He's a big help during Sacrament meeting with my new calling as ward organist. I turn the organ off and on probably 5 times during the meeting.
-Loves feeding himself. I'll put the food on the spoon then he'll take it to put it in his mouth. He really likes blueberries and toquitos, cereal, yogurt, waffles, and his jars of baby food.
-Still doesn't cuddle (except for when he's upset) but we love bringing him in bed in the mornings with his bottle to snuggle for a little bit.
-Whenever Mike closes a door in the apartment he waves and says "bye" in this really breathy high pitched voice. It's really the cutest thing.
-Loves balls, cars, and putting stuff in containers. He collects the most random things and we find them all over the house (in the fan, the piano music basket, the printer door, the kitchen drawers, the oven drawer, on his bookshelves...really wherever he happens to be at the time)
-He's obsessed with dogs. can never get enough

growing a baby

about our week

morning cartoons (sometimes I forget to button his undershirt) (and sometimes he yells at the tv)

 We've been sick around here the last couple of days so I took advantage and made some new pillows. complete with an invisible zipper (done w/o a zipper foot) on the bottom. I think it's faster to sew on a zipper than to try and hand stitch a closure.

there is hope.

I finally figured out today why it's so important for me to keep going to church, even if it means I'm out in the hallways for 3 hours holding a screaming baby. The last couple days I've noticed J doing this, but today we were sitting in Sacrament meeting and I told him it was time for prayer--he folded his arms and bowed his head. It may have just been for a few seconds, but it was an important moment for me to reinforce the goals I'm trying to achieve as a parent. He is a sweet little boy, even if he did bite me and pull my hair multiple times today.

cookie monster

Contrary to how it may appear, I really do try not to give J that much sugar--really only in times of desperation (like a meltdown at church). But sometimes its hard to resist the "mmm" when he sees something he wants because he gets so darn excited over it. Notice the out of control post-tub hair in this picture...

AND...He's finally walking! Yesterday (stand up on his own day one) he got up to 11 steps and today he got up to 20! He's completely choosy as to when he stands up, but its really cute when he does. I also noticed tonight that all of his one year old molars are in (thank goodness) and that one of his top eye teeth broke through, making a grand total of 13 teeth on my little monster.