Roy Post

I can hardly believe it's been a year since I last posted. This blog used to weigh on my mind weekly ("I really need to get around to posting again...") in much the same way that journal writing has weighed on my mind my whole life (gosh, you'd think I could just get into a schedule...maybe a habit....Gretchen?). But then this past year I think I went 6 months or more without even a single thought to the blog. Which is a huge relief actually, to not have something weighing on your mind. But now I look back at my last post and am so sad I didn't write more along the way! I did write in my journal and Roy's (that guilt is doing its job!) but I already forget so many of the little things Roy does. So...at 2 years old and some-odd months, Roy....

• Just started saying 'noooo' to everything. Not in a defiant way. In a playful way, like he doesn't want to fold his arms for prayers, or put on shoes or get a diaper change (still annoying, but easier to ignore if he's not doing it to be mean). If he's in the mood, he also says "no thanks" which is just adorable.
• LOVES reading. We get 5 library books per week at the library and we read them all at least once per day. He catches on so fast with the rhymes and even "reads" them by himself sometimes.
• Is the smartest little kid ever (no bias here ;) ). He can sing his ABCs and recognize all the letters, he regularly spots things out and about "I see a red octagon stop sign!" and strings plenty of words together "Please can I have one more candy please?" 
• He knows the names of all his friends (and any pets they have, haha), and asks to see them all the time. If I say we can't play with them that day, he thinks it's because they're at their own home taking a nap. 
• Just started enjoying coloring books, painting and art projects, and drawing. He also is getting so creative - he "draws" his own constructions trucks, helicopters, etc. and always wants Shenli or me to draw very specific things - a train with a smiley face, a pickup truck, a cement mixer, etc. And we do it all in every color of crayon every time.
• (how did I forget this one until now??) He loves to take off all his clothes anytime my back is turned. Not just clothes - diaper too. He has even done it at friends' houses when we weren't looking. So now he gets to wear onesies under all his clothes, and also wears only zip-up PJs at night (they have to have a button or he figures out how to unzip them too). He has only pooped one time without his diaper on, and left it alone during his nap and told me afterward, hah. That is what prompted the onesies! I guess potty training is on the way..although he doesn't seem to have much interest besides being constantly naked.
• Loves church, seeing his friends and playing in nursery, and is becoming quite musical. He can sing most of I Am a Child of God, and say almost all the first Article of Faith. He used to say prayers too..but now is playfully against that too.
• Is saying more things with inflection the way I say it. At the top of the stairs, he'll say "I'm coooooming", or when I'm busy with something else, he says "two miiiinutes". He also says "aaaawwwww" around animals, even stuffed animals, and I wore cat ears for Halloween and he said it to me! haha
• Is just the best best best baby in the world. He loved Halloween (sorry, no pictures in this whole post because I'm really just excited to get it posted!) and I can't even wait until Christmas this year.

The Update

It's been a while, but things off the blog have been busy and hectic and boring and normal all at the same time! We had Grandpa Steve come visit us at the end of October, and due to some crazy thunderstorms, he was able to stay with us a few extra days! Even though I'm sure Grandpa missed being home and in his normal routine, we sure enjoyed having him here. Despite the crazy weather, we were able to go out to eat at all our favorite places, and took Roy to walk around the Bass Pro Shop near us. Roy loved the live fish, and I can't wait to take him back! Thanks Grandpa for coming to see us!

The weather was nice at least one day!

The bear and live fish at the store

Is it terrible my first thought when both families would be here was "now we can take pictures of each family!"

We also had Grandpa Ira and Po-po here for halloween, and all of us adults had fun taking Roy trick-or-treating, and then eating all his candy of course. Roy sure has all of the best grandparents a kid could ask for!

Roy was a jedi for halloween, which actually only involved a brown cloak and a "light saber" made of a bubble wand. Hey, points for frugality when he won't even remember it! He actually loves the cloak, and still reaches out his arm for me to put it on him every time he sees it in his closet.

The cutest little jedi who wouldn't stop moving for pictures :)

light saber!

We're in the height of "fall" in Texas I think. With the rain, we've also seen some drops in temperature (Shenli said "it's kinda cold" in his shorts while Roy and I are already bundled up in winter extreme clothing with our hot cocoa). But I do love the crispness in the air and the upcoming holiday season!

Here are some things about Roy lately, so that I can remember these forever. I just went through our calendar pictures for this year, and I've already forgotten so much from when he was little-r!

Roy:
-squints at the camera when the flash goes off
-says "ahhh" after drinking..and eating, and any time he just wants a laugh from us
-has a new word: "wow" and he makes his mouth as big as he can
-is getting picky about food "one bite of this, then one bite of that" and won't eat until he gets it. Also, if he decides he wants something else to eat (like if I bring out a new food), he'll spit out his entire mouthful of food so he can start in on the next thing.
-runs away at night after the bath so he doesn't have his diaper on. He knows it's a game and will wait until I chase him before he gets too far
-knows that the mail key goes in the mailbox door
-is learning so much about his toys, he seems so smart! He knows the rainbow order of his rings, so he takes off one if he puts on the wrong color. He will only drive his car around if there is music playing, so he stops when the music stops and presses the button again before continuing. He is almost getting the hang of "cleaning up" at the end of the day, and he almost knows which puzzle pieces go in which slots too! We sure love this boy more every day

Life as the Mom of a 1-Year Old

I thought I'd write a similar post to the previous one about life as a 1-year old. Here is what it's like to be me! Not even any pictures because it's early and I'm lazy.  I tried to think of more, but life as a mom of a 1-year old is pretty normal I guess. :)

• You buy all-the-snacks at the store (crackers, fruit snacks, cookies) for "baby" but secretly you just plan to eat them all because he needs fruits and vegetables of course!

• You've now given up on keeping the tupperware cupboard organized, but actually you're happy about it because it's a safe toy! Plus, it is so adorable to see the baby learning to put things inside tupperware.

• You love the new rug in the hallway, but what you're most excited for is seeing how the baby plays with it, walks on it, and treats it like a new alien in the house. The same goes for all new home decor - seeing the baby play stare at it is the best.

• You consider all onesies "too small" now (even though they're not), just so you can buy adorable new big kid t-shirts and pants.

• You still argue (not really) with your husband over who gets to keep the baby (but I want to take him to the store, he's the best!) - hopefully this argument will continue forever... :)

• You are constantly amazed at how smart, talented, hilarious, and adorable your baby is. You hope he never grows up at the very same time that you can't wait for him to keep growing and learning.

Life As A 1-Year Old

It hasn't even been a month since Roy turned one, but I already feel like he's lightyears ahead of last month. This isn't an official 13-month post (will I even keep doing them now that the months are in the awkwardly-too-high-to-really-tell-how-old-he-is range? We shall see...), but here are some things about what it's like to be one. Also, I really feel like Roy just grew up overnight. Not like "it's gone so fast!" but literally like he learned how to do so many toddler things in a day....or a week at least!

• Your dance moves become super awesome, including swaying, head banging, stomping, and some erratic crazy dances.
• You think everything is a phone, including your bare hands and your sippy cups.
• You no longer use a bottle. Sad day for you (you cry several days in a row hoping mom will give in and give back the bottles) but it is the happiest day ever for mom to not do bottle dishes any longer!
• You think you are really strong and can carry around giant boxes, Tupperware, puzzles, books, and your toy riding car.
• You get super frustrated when you aren't strong enough to lift the biggest things, like the "What to Expect" book. You throw the book on the ground in anger until mom gives you some light sci-fi to "read" instead.
• You also get frustrated at other little things like: not being able to reach the deepest toy (computer mouse) hidden in your toy box. Also: trying to read your book in your crib late at night in the dark and not being able to see anything.
• You are obsessed with putting things in containers. A book in the trash can? Yep! The door stopper in your crib? Yep! Everything is a container and everything needs to be "put away".
• One of mom's favorites is that you can concentrate on things for a long time now. Like doing a puzzle or putting two blocks together - you won't take time to laugh at mom's jokes or be distracted. You just keep sitting there, concentrating away!
• Most of all, you know you are hilarious and you know everyone loves you.

I call this picture "everyone needs a haircut". But also, Roy is obsessed with coming to sit in our laps. He just walks right up, turns around, and plops down as close as he can get.

He is also super good at doing the puzzle. He can get most of the pieces if I put them close to their spots!

Picture with mom because they are few and far between!

You concentrate on reading books, and you love to do the animal sounds. Currently every animal (including the neighbor's dogs) says "mooo", but you're getting there!