Well, where to start....your favorites. Right now you are loving this bug toy that someone gave us as a hand-me-down. I know that it will keep you entertained for a very long time when I pull it out and I happen to enjoy playing with it while you just hit it and chew on the legs.
You also love your two trucks. You enjoy smacking them off of your Bumbo tray ....repeatedly.
You LOVE puffs! I mean LOVE. You have only had the sweet potato flavor, and they have become a lifesaver for me. They usually make you happy while I have to do things, things which involve both of my hands (meaning I cannot hold you constantly, like you want me to). I can pop a puff in your mouth and actually go to the bathroom by myself. I can also get dinner made while feeding you puffs. God bless the person who thought of puffs...they are right up there with the post-it notes person.
Speaking of favorites....Daddy is your favorite right now. You cry huge crocodile tears when he leaves the room. When you see him, you flap your arms up and down repeatedly, signaling to him that you want him to hold you. When I leave the room, you are delighted because you are usually in Daddy's arms. I'm dealing with it in my own way. Just remember that I am the one who takes care of you day and night, I am the one with sore arms and shoulders from holding and bouncing you, I am the one with spit-up in her hair, I am the one you consoles you with puffs right after shots. Oh well.
You also love the Christmas tree. You don't really grab for ornaments, but you like to pet it. You even have a tiny one in your room. The first thing we do in the morning is turn lights on for both Christmas trees. Then we have to stand there for several minutes while you stare and pet. The funny thing is that you don't even notice the trees when the lights are off.
One cool thing we have all noticed is that you are really starting to know who people are. You have always been a smiley little guy, smiling at any and everyone. But more recently you have started to actually have different responses/facial expressions for different folks, even greeting some of them in your own special language. You know the difference between Mama and Dada. You know Mimi since she spends most Monday afternoons with you and she takes you for walks. You know Poppie because you like to relax with him and Pumpkin in the big chair. You know Gigi because she always is so sweet to you and Nub-Nub lets you take his hat off and chew on the bill. You know UC because he always says, "Who loves ya, boy?" and AC because she will hit the floor to play with you in a skinny minute. You know B because she always calls you "nugget" and Aunt Liz and you nuzzle up in each other necks when you see each other. Great-Grandma and you like to touch foreheads and take rides in her wheelchair and you love to pet Great-Grandpa's head. Uncle Jon is more comfortable holding you now, and Aunt Meredith is a pro when it comes to playing and keeping you happy. You even know Mr. Bill and Mrs. Anne at church! Mr. Bill gives you a tootsie roll when Mama is around. You hold it until we get to Sunday School and then she eats it. Mrs. Anne calls you "Beck-Beck" and you love it when you get to stay in the nursery with her. You are learning lots of other friends too!
You can sit up for a pretty good amount of time on your own, but Mama usually puts the Boppy pillow behind you so that you can relax and take breaks whenever you need to.
You love solid food. You are still taking 5 5-6 ounce bottles a day. With your first bottle you have some rice cereal and fruit, and with your fourth bottle, you have a veggie. So far you have had bananas, apples, peaches, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash. You have also had some real green beans (which you loved) and real sweet potato (which you ate, but weren't thrilled with because of the texture).
You are very grabby when it comes to anything that Mama and Dada are holding: your bottle, a cell phone, a cup of drink, etc. We have to be very careful because you are quick and sneaky.
Sleep has been interesting lately. Lots of waking up in the middle of the night, but you always go right back to sleep. We think it may be due to some little teeth trying to poke through your gums. We can see the outline of them and we are expecting them to pop through any day.
We are really excited to celebrate the Christmas season for the first time with you. Mama has made all kinds of plans, but we are working hard to keep the focus on Jesus. We are going to be reading parts of the Christmas story in the Bible each night as well as doing this cool story/advent thing Mimi gave us. We have a couple of fun activities thrown in there too.
I think that is it for now. We love you more and more every day, and I even though I screw up every day, God is really doing a work in me on what it means to be a parent and become completely selfless. Last night was pretty rough on me, and I felt completely worthless going to God in prayer last night because I knew I had messed up. Thankfully, He directed me (rather quickly) in what I needed to be doing and praise God that His mercies are new everyday. Mama and Dada love you to pieces and I truly have almost no recollection of what life was like before you, but I look forward to every single day (good and bad) of life with you.
