Playing Outside

This little man LOVES being outside. Today he would not stop crying after his nap ... until we went outside. Immediately he was all smiles and giggles! (Come to think if it, taking him outside was the only way I could calm him down when he was tiny and had his colicky fits)

Rub a Dub Dub, Fun in the Tub

No words needed for this blog.  The pictures explain it all.  This is pretty much how bathtime goes ... every night.  

Click here to see our last bathtime blog and how much Barrett has changed in just a few, short months.

Toddler Life

We cannot believe how fast Barrett is learning and growing! Everyday he makes us laugh with a new reaction while playing or interacting with us.  And he is learning new skills all the time.  When we put our Christmas tree up this year, he wasn't quite walking independently.  By the time we took it down, he was running circles around it!  (Made the de-decorating very interesting to say the least!)

He still loves playing with his "go-gos," and he makes a zooming noise as he plays with them.  Anything with wheels completely captivates his attention. Recently I've been watching the way he plays with his cars, and I'm amazed that he looks so much like a little boy ... and not so much like a baby boy. 

He has also become quite the sorter.  For example, if I give him Cheerios in a bowl, he will dump them out, pick up a few to put them back in the bowl, and then eat from the few he placed in the bowl.  When he finishes those, he puts more in the bowl from the pile he previously dumped out.  Last night I moved his milk during dinner, and he immediately grabbed it and put it back in "it's place."  He loves his sorting cups, and moving things from one place to another.  Over and over and over again.

He also loves playing with his blocks.  He has some baby Legos that are easy for him to stack.  Every time he makes two of them stick together, he looks up and says, "whooooaaaaa!!!"  One of his favorite games to play with Daddy after dinner is build a tower, knock it down. 

Barrett LOVES to brush his hair.  His teeth.  And his face with Mommy's extra make-up brush.  Anytime you mention the word "brush" his face lights up.  He will walk around and around the house brushing his amazing locks with his brush.  (Or hitting himself in the head with it ... depending on his mood!)

Once he started walking on his own, he doesn't stay still for long! (Really, he didn't like staying still even before he could crawl!)  He loves walking around the house and exploring every cabinet and seeing what's behind every door.  He can reach up to the door handle and pull it down to open the door to go room to room.  Recently, he's been opening the door to the pantry, getting his food, closing the door, and bringing us the food to give him.  It's really pretty cute, although I'm trying not to encourage it.  He would eat all day long if we let him!  

 Matt and I spend significant time these days trying to catch his "whoa!" face.  Once he says "whoa!' he holds his face in that same position until you do it back to him.  I've always thought his expressiveness has been hysterical, and it's so much fun now to see his little personality come through as well!

A Couple "Whoooaaahhh" Examples

 Whenever he starts to feel cooped up, the magic word is "outside."  He heads straight for the back door and waits for me to catch up.  Even if he has been in the grumpiest, tantrum throwing kind of mood ... once that back door is open he runs around with absolute glee!

 This one (above) may be my favorite.  He was watching a plane.

His sleeping patterns have also become SO much better.  On the one hand, I don't feel like I'm tricking him to go to sleep anymore.  But on the other, I miss my snuggle time with my little boy.  We used to read books in the rocking chair, and then he would turn around, face me, and lay his head on my shoulder until he was just about asleep.  2 naps a day plus bedtime, meant 3 quiet, still, snuggle times with my baby boy.  Now, we read a story, he gives me a kiss, and he says "bEdah."  (bed).  So I just put him in his crib.  Awake.  And he falls asleep without me.  Like I said, on the one hand this kills me because I miss that time with him so badly.  But on the other, I feel like we have worked really hard to get to this point with him, so I'm happy that he has a healthy view of sleep and rest now. (About this same time last year, my heart would drop whenever it got close to nap time.  It was such a battle!  I never dreamed this child would tell me when he was ready for bed!)

All Ready for Bed ....

 ... And The Face We See in the Mornings

Current Barrett-isms

Signing "more" EVERYTIME he wants food ... not just when he wants more food

"no " = no

"bwush" = brush

"bEdah" = bed

"momma " = mommy

"dada " = daddy

"dOOOOOOO" = down

"yeeawww"/ "ya" = yeah

"baw" = ball

"caw?" = car 

"tuk" - truck

"caulk" = clock

"cauck" = cracker

"eese eese" = cheese

"sauch" = apple sauce

"bocks" = blocks

"bulk" = milk (while signing)

"wa-wa" = water

"go-go" = go, car

"go-gu" = yogurt (not to be confused with "go-go"

"go-Go go-Go go-Go" = I want to watch Cars (the movie)

"go?" = where'd it go?

"ba ba ba ba" while waving = bye bye

"pease" = please (while rubbing his whole chest and tummy

"esss" = yes

"beauum" = boom

"shez" = shoes

"shew" = bless you

"ish" = fish or Cheerios

"ish! ish! ish! ish! MEEMO!" = I want to watch Finding Nemo

"whooooaaa" = whoa

"oh-oh! oh-oh! oh-oh!" = uh-oh

"Papa" = Papa

"Nana" = Nana or banana 

"Popppa" = Poppy

"Moma" = Gamma

Just so we don't forget what WE look like when we look back at this blog once all of our kids are grown  and we look back at cute baby pictures .... Here we are on a rare fancy night out on the town!

Christmas Day

Barrett really surprised us with his excitement on Christmas Morning.  He woke up really early, had 2 bottles, and was cranky by the time we were ready to see what Santa brought.  Although he has been excited at every store's animated decorations, Christmas lights, and the discoveries of Santa, Christmas trees, and Snowmen .... We didn't expect to see that "Magic of Christmas Morning" look on his face.

As soon as he saw his presents from Santa, he wiggled out of my arms and walked straight to all of his new toys.  He looked like "Is All This REALLY for me?!?!"  He carefully touched each of his toys and books, and smiled at us each time he discovered a new gift.  Matt and I both described our hearts melting during those moments.  

Then we showed him his stocking.  I kept pulling out new goodies, and eventually he wanted to pull them out of his stocking himself.  I held the stocking so he could peek in, stretch is arm inside, and pull out the last few presents that were left.  So precious!

We left him in his Santa pajamas and headed to Nana and Papa's house for breakfast and more presents.  While we were there, it started to snow.  Even though we were totally unprepared ... no coat, gloves, hat ... we got him dressed and took him outside.  The excitement of his cousins may have worn of on him because he was WAAAAY more excited than we thought he would be.  At that point, the snow felt like rain, but Barrett loved every second of it.

After a little play time and lunch, we headed to Gamma and Poppy's house.  After a traffic free drive, we got there just in time for dinner ... and more presents!  (Barrett spent most of the next day in his new wagon being pulled by Poppy.  He LOVES it!)

Santa Left Me All This???

 

Christmas Morning Fun

He Loves the Christmas Tree

Silly Boy

Mommy Helping Open Gifts

So Sweet

Waiting His Turn to Open More Presents

 

Keeping Us Entertained

Playing with Gamma

Daddy Helping with the New Wagon

Trying to Figure This Out ... What Exactly Does it Do?

Poppy's Helper


My New Wagon

Christmas Snow!

Barrett has really surprised is with his excitement on Christmas Day. He's not quite old enough to understand it all, but he definitely had that "Magic of Christmas Morning" look on his face when he saw all his presents from Santa! We have pictures on the camera that we will have to blog about later.

We were also surprised to actually have a White Christmas! After Barrett played in the snow with his cousins at Nana and Papa's house, we had to bundle him up in the car to go to Gamma and Poppy's.

Little Man is DEFINITELY having a fun Christmas Day!

Christmas Shopping

Shopping with a toddler can be quite difficult.  Especially when during Christmas time when the trips to the mall are much longer than they need to be, the stores are over crowded, and stops happen frequently.  Unless you go to Northpark and there are puppet shows to see, waves to Santa, and birds and turtles in the water to explore.  

We also met Gamma and Poppy there ... so there were three us us to entertain Barrett while we were out.  

We saw the Scrooge Puppet show, but I think Scrooge scared Barrett a little.  He wouldn't let go of my hand the whole time! He was definitely intrigued, but he had a death grip on me. Then we found the Santa's Helper's Puppet Show a little later.  This was a whole different experience.  Barrett couldn't sit still.  He kept pointing, dancing, and walking up to the stage to see everything up close. 

 Deciding Whether THIS Puppet Show is Scary Like Scrooge, or Fun!

Dancing with the Ballerina

Enjoying the Show

Mommy, Did YOU See that Too??

Then we found some birds and a turtle when we crossed the bridge in the middle of the mall.  Barrett kept pointing at them saying "ish!  ish!" while bouncing up and down.  I think he was just excited to be out of his stroller for a few minutes!

 He did so great today!  And even had a smile on his face as we headed towards the car.

Cheeeeeeeeeze!

Santa 2012

We are LOVING this Christmas Season with our little man!  Last year he was only two months old, but this year he is noticing all the lights, decorations, and the Christmas hoopla that surrounds him.

Every time we take him to a store that has a blow up Santa, or more importantly a blow up Mickey Mouse dressed as Santa, he starts kicking his legs and pointing at it while he smiles and makes noises.  (I assume this is excitement!)  

We also went to go visit Santa, or "sntttt" as Barrett calls him.  The whole time we were in line he kept pointing and smiling at Santa .... until it was time to sit in Santa's lap.  I included all the pictures below because the progression of the betrayal Barrett expresses is pretty funny. 

I think he tried to make a run for it! 

The second we picked him up, he turned toward Santa to wave "bye bye" to him with a smile on his face.  

Below is last year's Santa picture ...

What a difference a year makes!!!

Barrett Christmas-isms

• "Sntttt" = Santa
• "ah-mAnnnna" = Snowman
• "iissss iiissss" = Christmas