Teeth, Thomas and Touchdowns

The new year has brought some changes in our home. It is always a good and healthy sign when the kids are growing and learning and the parents are also growing and learn. None of us should be off the hook in those to categories. The boys are making sure that we meet our challenge quotas.

Duncan's 4th tooth has popped through recently and it appeared tonight that he was trying to chew his dinner. He is becoming an accomplished rocker....on hands and knees with tummy high up in the air. He tries to move forward in that position, but usually ends up back on his tummy, attempting to scoot or pull himself. He is definitely moving, just not very far or fast. Such a happy baby, always ready to giggle and smile and give you the heart-wrentching "gooo" of endearment. Can't kiss those cheeks enough.

The last few weeks have seen a lot of success with sleeping as well. Duncan slept until 8:15 two mornings in a row last week! His normal wake time has been between 6:00-7:00, but Liam, on the other hand, has been a bit more unpredictable of late. Liam's excellent sleeping habits have been compromised since the addition of his little brother and he will wake for the day anytime after 5:00am. He often wakes crying in the night and calls for us. Don't want to start a habit, but it is hard to hear a cry at 1:00am and not go comfort him. Tonight he got out of bed four times, even turning his light on and getting a book to read. "Amuls Mommy!" (aka animals)

Liam has been enjoying the adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine. He received sets, tracks and trains from a few sources for Christmas and it is fascinating to watch him create and play. His vocabulary is rapidly growing. He talks of our friends 'Charlotte-Margie-Joe-Blueberries' almost every time he is asked what he would like to do or who he would like to pray for. He tells a story of going to the mailbox with daddy, scrapping his finger on the sidewalk and having daddy carry him back home. He is constantly entertaining Duncan and trying to tackle him....usually succeeding against the 7 month old. Liam has also started saying "40, 30, 20, 10, Touchdown!" after which he throws the football and falls to the floor.

We had a evening picnic in the basement on Sunday, because of the football games. Liam ran and tackled as Duncan rolled and seemed to get ahold of many things that were purposefully placed out of his reach. Fun evenings!

Six and Twenty-Four

At Duncan's 6 month well visit with Dr. Pat, he checked in at a solid and smiley 20 lbs. 2 oz. at 85% and 27 1/2" at 79%. He has his big brother beat as Liam was 18 lbs. 4 oz. and 27" at his 6 month check. All else looks great and he is a health little guy. His homework is sitting(check), crawling(no check) and slowly starting solids(check). It is surprising to me that he is growing at the rate that he is because he has never been one to spend a lot of time eating. He does not appear to care for solids much at all, either.

At Liam's 24 month (ok....2 year) found him to be 31 lbs. 5 oz. at 84% and 35 1/4" at 70%. He is happy and healthy as well. He even managed to give our pediatrician a hug, which Dr. Pat said he hardly ever gets with 2-year-olds. However, Liam was reffered to an orthopedic doctor due to his in toeing being a bit worse then Dr. Pat sees in kids at 2. He had the appointment and x-rays and structurally he looks great. This is a relief, but we are to keep an eye on things in case there is any change, as he will not have another appointment until a year from now when he turns 3!

Winter Wonderland

It is Thursday evening and the boys are snug in bed as Robert and I drink homemade salted caramel hot chocolate and anticipating a grueling game of SET. There is sleet and snow falling outside and I am certain that Liam will be asking to go venture out and play with Frosty when he sees the white.

Liam, the recently turned two year old, is full of energy, songs, words, spirit, anything that has to do with daddy and delight in every kind of ball created. If there is a circular object, it is a ball. If an object isn't circular, it is a football. If there is a long object, it is a baseball bat. If you can put an object over your hands, it is a baseball 'glub.' If it goes on your feet, it is a baseball sock or shoe. And if it goes on your head, it is obviously a baseball hat. He is a joy to be around, always helping us and watching out for his little brother.

Duncan is 6 1/2 months and has been sitting on his own now for about a week. Two teeth have popped through and though he has not been given a steak to chew on yet, he has had egg yolks, spinach, bananas, carrots and yogurt. He doesn't seem to like solids much at all, but water in the sippy cup was a fast favorite. Considering that Liam was such a happy baby, I didn't think it possible to have a happier baby. I was wrong. Duncan grins, giggles and goos at everyone and everything, especially Mommy and Liam. Surely Daddy's time will come. He is Liam's favorite now.

The month of November was a full one for our family: Robert took off on Liam's second birthday and we celebrated at the Omaha Children'ts Museum. He was excited to get a baseball and bat from us, as well as a cheesecake that had raseberries strategically arranged to look like a baseball. We spent a weekend with the Patchen's in Kansas and ten days in Ohio visiting my family. The days that we were home, though it was half of the month, it seemed to fly by. We are glad that the travel is over and that the rest of the year will be spent in our home, watching the snow, enjoying each other's company, and listening to the songs of the season...such as " I wanna get snowed in with you."