milestones and stuff

Beckham turned 10 months old yesterday.
 
I'm sure that makes sense to you...
but to me... his mommy...
I ask myself everyday,
"where has time gone?"

We call Beckham our little fatty patty-- because we have not found anything that he will not eat, yet.
He eats more than Maddox at every meal, and is still a booby milk connoisseur.  He is already wearing 12 month clothing and soon I will be bringing down the 18 month tote to sort through as well! 

At at his 9 month check up, he proved our labeling wrong however.  So far he is long and lean, per his measurements.

He was 20lbs and 9oz and 29 1/2" long, putting him in the 95th % for height and 50th % for weight.  And though I didn't write down his head measurements, it was big.  (which he comes by honestly)

I am 5'8" and Lance is like 6'2", so I think it is fair to assume our kids will be tall...  But Lance and I come from completely builds otherwise, so the rest is left up to chance!

I thought Beckham would be running by 10 months, seeing that he has been taking up to 10 steps for a full month now... but he's not.  He has learned to walk on his knees like E.T., so he now trades out between crawling, E.T.ing, and walking short distances.

He sleeps really well (about 10 hours straight)... except when he is teething-- or sick.
He's sick right now.  We were up all night.
I have a crick in my neck from sleeping in Maddox's twin bed with Beckham last night... but that's part of the job.  Right?
He still naps a ridiculous amount-- like 3 times a day.
I hope that's okay?!

He is coming into that stranger-danger stage... meaning he is all over his momma.
He has gone to the church nursery the past 3 weeks in a roll without tears though, so we are experiencing growth!

There are things about Beckham that are so Lance, it is unreal... like the way he observes everything that comes his way.  Maddox would have gone to the devil in a scream mask, laughing the entire way... but Beckham is slower to warm up.  He smiles at people often... and laughs a lot too... you just have to work a bit harder than we did for his brother.  And his facial expressions are 100% his Daddy's.

Like me, however, he is a bit testy at times.  He loves to watch Maddox and play with him and laugh.  But when things start cramping his style, he lets you know!  He wants Maddox to adore him-- but he wants his space too.  (have you read about my marriage... there may be a parallel here?!).  His patience is short sometimes... which is another trait from his momma's side.  I am going to try and break the cycle... mainly because I don't have the patience for the shrill squeals! ;)

He says momma, bubba, bye-bye, uh-oh, and dada.  We swear he says uh-uh (for no) and uh-huh (for yes).  Possibly a coincidence... but it has happened many times!
He can clap, wave bye-bye, and loves to pat me on the back when I pick him up.

He loves putting things together and taking them apart.  He loves putting smaller things into larger things.  He loves stacking blocks.  He loves to take the straw out of Maddox's empty juice boxes and then line them back up and put back together.  He loves to throw or drop things and then say, "uh-oh."  I am pretty sure he is going to be an engineer! ;)  

Though that may be a stretch... I am certain that whatever Maddox chooses to do (good or bad) the mag pie will be a step behind to try it too.


And for the most part, I think he will set a good example.
He is so stinking sweet to Beckham, and usually is very wise in his decisions.

But then again three is suppose to throw curve balls... right?

or at least throw balls.
At my bedroom window...
like he did just now while I was typing this.

I have loved 3 so far... maybe my favorite age yet.
He is funny and smart, fairly self sufficient and so so so loving.

My biggest complaint being that he will not be still and his best means of transportation comes from jumping.
Over things, on things, off of things and onto things.
Climbing onto everything and going 100 mph, all day and barely stopping for his (still mandatory) nap.
Running, never walking, and randomly dropping to the ground for a barrel roll, popping back up and going again.
I say, "what are you doing?!" about 363 times a day.

Over the past week however, he has started talking back and gained some sass that we never knew he had.
Maddox has always been a rule follower and never really a fit thrower...
but this past week he has certainly pushed the boundaries... knowing that it is going to land him on his bed, he sometimes turns and walks that way before we can even tell him his punishment.
Other times he crumbles to the floor, crying as if we are unjust.



He has become so picky at meal times that he is hardly eating anything.  Even the things he loves, sometimes sit untouched on his plate.
It is a normal milestone... but it makes me crazy nonetheless.






He is still super funny... and though I could write a book here over the funny things he says, I will tell you about his prayer time, which is not only my favorite part of the day because it is sweet... but it also always gives me a few giggles.

He has always done the normal, singy, "now I lay me down to sleep..." prayer but recently he has started breaking away from it and free styling on his own.

The other day, while color was processing on my hair, he randomly started praying aloud that my hair wouldn't turn black like his daddy's.  (I have a history of at-home-hair-disasters, so it was all that I could do to not make him retract his prayer!)
A couple of nights ago, he prayed that God could forgive his daddy.  (which  I am sure is from hearing me asking for forgiveness for our sins...) but Lance and I still had to open one eye and make eye-contact, like "what?! Do you need to tell me something?!" ;)
He prayed (the night before Lance started his new job) that his daddy wouldn't go to a different job, and he would like to keep things just the way they were.
He randomly prayed for his friend Katie while trying to send her a Happy Valentine's Day video... he over dramatically he dropped his head and full of soul he said, "Dear Lord.... God of the world... thank you for my friend Katie."
I made him re-record a Valentines Day message... but I kept his gospel recording as well, because it cracked me up!

He is a mess... and I love every piece of him.
Like any good momma would.

I also love that Maddox has a buddy in Beckham already but sometimes I can not wait for him to be older so that can actually play... and wrestle... and burn energy.
(and maybe I secretly can't wait for him to ask someone besides me questions all day.)

Speaking of burning energy-- yesterday, we were able to take advantage of this amazing weather we are having and played for over 2 hours at the park.  Though I am a magnet for weird people, (the mom who doesn't have custody of her children... but got them yesterday and wanted to talk parenting with me.  The mom who's 14 month old was fourteen pounds and the nurse in my was clawing to get out and tell her how not okay this was... and the random old lady with her dog-- who had no kids in site but was acting as if the park was actually a dog park, making sure her pup got its turn?!)
But one nice lady came over to tell me how sweet Maddox was to her little boy.  (which my ears needed, atop his moody week he has had) but she didn't stay long... probably unimpressed with the crowd.

Anywho, Maddox and a boy named Braydon played until his eyes were almost closing.
And back home, he told me he was going to get a bite of his grilled cheese, but really tried to sneak out the front door to see if our neighbor was home.

It was good for Maddox to burn off some of that energy... and it was good for me to see that all the other boys had the same amount of it as mine did.  (just as I am believing that mine is possessed.)

But Maddox is at his worst when he's crazy-eyed tired.
The park play got him that way.

So today I was parked out.
We really should have gone again...
That's what the good moms would have done given this awesome weather in February--
But today I did not land myself in the "good mom" bracket...
and luckily Maddox hasn't asked to go, so no one but me knows which bracket I am in!

this past week...

I was uploading pictures and realized that I hadn't documented this past week of life just yet!
oh my!  ;)

So I will start where I left off last...
(pre the Valentine's Day post)

My sister agreed to watch the boys last minute for us, and Lance and I went to the awards assembly for the Fire Department.
(It wasn't a dressy-gig before you get to judging my attire!)

I will share a mini-story from the night...

After leaving, I went into a gas station to buy a newspaper and get cash to pay my sister.

The clerk said (and I {embarrassingly} quote), "you are gorgeous." 
Of course I responded (very confused like), "me?!"
To which she said, "yes.  You are very pretty.  I bet you get that all of the time."

I told her that I have actually never gotten that, but I thanked her for making my night life.

When I got back to the truck I told Lance what she said...

and he responded (again, I will quote), "she must really like to compliment people... she told me she liked my boots."

I thanked him for being so kind.
(please insert sarcasm)

He apologized because "he really didn't mean it that way"
He explained that I compliment people a lot, and it really is a nice quality to have.
Whatever!
I forgave him.

Because I have told you before, he really is the worst compliment-er alive.
I know he digs me.

...and my new MAC eyelashes I sported that night!

He's just....

Well...
Lance.
I'm immune to it!! 
(and I love him)

Sunday, my mother-in-law came over and we finally swapped out our Christmas gifts.
Maddox has worn his football uniform every day since he got it.
He swears he catches better and throws further when it is on...
He may be right!

Wednesday, Lance and I both were off work.
We decided to go to the Fort Worth Stock Show and see a few animals.
Little did we know, there are days that there are actually no animals in the building.
Of course, we went on *that* day.

We still made the most of the baby animal exhibit.
We got to see a few rabbits and chickens on display...
and we walked through the shopping exhibit.

This year, your ticket to the stock show also gets you into the museums.
Lance had to leave for a class he was teaching that night, but my mom met me at the science museum and we played a little more.

Maddox could have spent hours in there playing...
and luckily he now can.

Mom split the cost of a family pack, season pass with me....
so we have many more days of play in our future.
(and it gets in up to 5 people, so our friends can benefit too)

With the pass, you get into the Stock Show this year and next year for free as well...
so now we also get another chance at seeing some animals!
(hopefully next Thursday.)

Thursday, we had CiCi's for lunch.

This is a random story, but cute. (to me)

Maddox got a kid's cup and it was green.  (they all are) but he thought he lucked out, and was uber-excited.

Then, I ordered a special pizza so they gave me a number.

We somehow managed to get his and Lance's favorite number 3...

Maddox thought he had struck gold, and asked me to take a picture for my computer!
(the blog)

Today, my dad came over for a visit.
I did not think to get my camera out, but he visited for a good while.

I was not feeling well, and after he left I took a 2 hour nap while Lance watched the kids.
It. was. so. nice!!!
Rare, but so appreciated!

Finally,
the last news of the week...
Beckham turned 9 months old on the 22nd.

He has 3 teeth and is days away from cutting the 4th.
He stands alone for long periods of time but will not take a step unless he can make it with just one, and he gasps and laughs and gets super excited about his big adventure!

He loves to push and walk behind all of his toys, but does not have the control, just yet, to walk.

He sleeps well these days, from about 10:00pm to 8:00am, but he has thrown a few curve balls with this teething-business.

He says "momma", "bubba", signs "milky", and says "ba ba" (rhyming with da da) for daddy.

He is a eater.
He still loves his booby-milk, but there's not much he won't eat, food wise... and now that he has mastered his finger-grasping, he wants to feed himself.

He is such an easy, happy little guy.

We really lucked out in the baby department with both boys, however, Maddox was a mild little soul too.

And then he got bigger.

And rowdy.

The poor thing has bruises and scratches all over him because he will.  not.  stop.  jumping.

I hear it is a stage.
But it doesn't mean I can't wait for it to pass!

His new helmet may just serve to protect him from himself, rather than just football!

He's a mess!

Milestones and Maddox'isms

Today Beckham turns 8 months old.

Over the past month, he has mastered a few new things.
His pulling up has now turned into full fledged cruising.
Along the couches...
from the couch to a toy...
And today, down the hallway-- holding on to the wall.

He can now walk behind push toys...
and occasionally will let go all together for a second or two!!

He loves to sit on his knees...
and is a fast little crawler.

[this all still blows my mind, since Maddox was just learning to army crawl at this point!]

In the last few days he has cut his 2 bottom teeth, let go of the island and took a step toward me and learned the B sound.

I am not sure if it is just the sound... or short for Bubba... binky... bite-bite... bye, bye... or booby!!

I work daily with "momma" and "daddy"-- but no words have arrived yet.
Just babbles and bubbles, so far.  (and this B business)

He loves to eat.  Anything and everything!!  (and I am far less crazy this go around with him trying things; even not-so-healthy things)

I still feed him baby foods (out of convenience) but he would rather pick up his food and feed himself. So at home I steam him veggies and let him make a mess!

He is such a happy baby, and honestly rarely cries.
We really lucked out... because just like Maddox, people constantly ask, "is he always this happy?"

Unlike Maddox, however, he is a thinker.
I don't think he is as outgoing as Maddox was because he is always watching everyone and soaking it all in. 
He still smiles constantly... you just may have to work for it a bit!

He adores his momma, and loves to shower me with kisses.
{however, he is a bit stingy with them to the rest of the world.}

He likes to be layed in his bed when he is tired, with his binky in his mouth, and snuggy over his face, and left alone.
He still takes about 3 naps a day.
And goes down for bed at night around 10:30... wakes to feed around 4:00... and then goes right back to sleep until 8:00ish.
[although last night he slept until 9:00am!!]
When he is ready to get up, he takes his binky out of his mouth, pulls up in his crib, and chunks the binky out of the bed.
[this is really the only time he will take a binky]

He is learning to climb.
[as I found him today, standing up in his little baby-rocker!]

Again, I feel awkward leaving Maddox out...
but at 3, they just don't change a lot month to month.

One new milestone that he has learned, is that he can now pick out letter sounds within the word and not just the start.
Like, "momma, staple has a P in it.  sstaPle... hear it?"

Otherwise, Maddox is just funny.
Sometimes, hysterical!

Here are a few of his Maddox'isms from the last few weeks or so:

**He comes in with toys tucked all over him, a baseball bat down the back of his underwear, things under each arm and a bowl on his head and says, "everyones going to pay attention to me in this suit, I am fully equipped."

**When frustrated recently, he said, "may I have a word with you?"

**Instead of saying he wanted another one, he said, "I would like one as well."

**He thumps my neck and calls it "get'cha neck meat!"  --I hate it.

**We had this conversation the other night and it got Lance and I both tickled!
"What is my feet, momma?"
"What is your sweet?"
"No, my feet!"
"I don't know what you are asking me, son."
"Like three or five, or what?  It is just how you say 'how tall' in Spanish."
After laughing for a minute, Lance said, "No buddy, you're still speaking English."
And he replied, "English?  I've never heard of it."

**I have been writing his conversations in the notes section of my phone, so that I can remember them but I seriously only remember to jot down about a tenth of the hilariousness.  Or in this case, the embarrassment.
"I am so freak'n'tired."  (all one word, just like his momma says it.  oops.)  or tonight, when he repeated his daddy, "why the hell didn't daddy's show record?"  (bigger oops.)

**Sometimes he tries to talk so old... but he's just not.  "Being great means being really good at something... like caring... or being able to carry 4 things at once."

**And because he tries so hard to be big, I forget and talk to him even bigger sometimes... which always ends up a lost cause:
"Baby, did you know that there are some kiddos that don't get toys at all for Christmas?"
"Yep.  Because they're bad, right momma?"
"No buddy, some kids are not as fortunate as others, meaning that they don't have any money for Christmas presents.  Would you like to buy these kids a present?"
"Yes I would, but they really should save their moneys better."

**"I'm sick of being a super hero, I just want to go back to being your granddaughter."

**Randomly he offers advice, "Sometimes you've just got to breave in and breave out."

**He gets frustrated with me often, "Momma?  Mommmma?  Momma, are you wistening to me?  Unfortunatewy, this is very important."

**But he loves me so much too.  He constantly tells us that he loves us and is the kissing-est little thing.  He and Lance are truly best friends right now but he will not admit to that in front of me.  He says, "We're all best friends.  We're a familwy."

**"If I tell you that I love you with all of my heart... but you say you don't... then that changes my heart, and it is berry breakable mom."
-I have never told him that he doesn't love me and have no idea where this came from?!

**The other night while I was taking call, I had asked him to be quiet while I was on the phone with a patient.  Once off the phone, it stayed quiet for a minute... until he broke the silence, "you want to talk about the freckle on my weenie?"

**He clears his throat and says "excuse me..." when he wants our attention.  [yay for changing 'hey' to 'excuse me'.. not so much for the subtle coughing before hand.]

**He isn't always great for my self esteem, like this conversation...
"momma, sometimes I think you wook like a princess." 
"Awe, that's very sweet buddy."
"But not today.  Today your hair wooks awful."

**and with my job...
"Momma, you're a good nurse at the doctor's office."
"Thank you baby."
"Yeah, but you're not a very good nurse at home."
"What?!  Why do you say that?"
"Because Beckham cried a wot today.  It takes a good nurse to keep him happy."

**He asked me yesterday if I knew what today was... when I asked what (thinking it was going to be a conversation about Christmas) he said, "fall!  See how all of the trees have wost their feathers?!"

**Yesterday he asked Lance where he was going...  "your neighborhood Braums or Japan?"

**He typically is very sweet to Beckham but since he can't throw him off of him, he complains a lot about Beckham crawling all over him.  I told him to stop whining, that Beckham was just trying to play and doesn't mean to hurt him and he respond (rather pissy-like) "well... it feels wike there's a thorn in his belly button... you should wet him crawl on you!"

**Finally, his favorite show right now (besides any Nick Jr show or the movie, Gnomeo and Juliet)  is this military show on the History channel that Lance watches called Bomb Patrol and his favorite soldier's name is Ricky Thibeault.  The show follows a specialized troop who's job is to lead the convoy and search and deactivate IEDs with robots.  Definitely too mature for Maddox but he begs to watch it and it isn't a shoot and kill type show.... so he and Lance record it and watch it together.
However, the other night, Maddox fell asleep on the couch with Lance during an episode.  While sleeping, he started gagging and coughing and holding his chest and I panicked and asked him what was wrong.  I could tell he was a bit disoriented so I asked him again if anything hurt as he still held his chest.  He calmly replied, "Its my froat.  I think I swallowed a pressure plate."
*Maybe* he has watched a little too much Bomb Patrol.  *Maybe*, as in, he chose a canteen to attach to his hip with a carabiner from the army surplus store today, on his boys day with Daddy, rather than a toy.  
In the words of Wonder Pets, This.  Is. Serwious.

milestones

Beckham is six months old.
Where has time gone?

I honestly feel like he should be 2 months old... maybe 4... but definitely not six?!?!

Here is where we are at within the last month::

• His belly scooting has progressed to full-fledged army crawling and he is all over the house.  Room to room... you won't lose that boy!
• He can drive the jeep [walker] like it is stolen.  Back and forward... whip it around corners... and maneuver it through the hall around the trunk.
• He is a chunk.  A grade-A fatty-patty.  He is still mostly munching on booby milk but we have introduced many foods to him and cereal is still the only one he refuses.  [I have all the supplies to make my own baby food, I am just a bit over-whelmed by the idea at this point so he either eats off of our plate or from good 'ol Gerber, thus far]
• He gets on to his hands and knees and rocks, so we know he is close, however-- he has not mastered 'real' crawling yet.
• He can sign 'milk' and Maddox is working hard to teach him 'mommy' and 'daddy' in sign language also.
• You know he is tired when he starts rolling like a crocodile.  He likes to be placed in his crib... on his belly... binky in mouth... snuggy by his face... and left alone.  [although sometimes I fight him just to pacify my need to snuggle a sleeping baby from time to time]
• He really only takes a binky when he is sleeping... or very tired.  And he is specific to one special binky from my friend Chanda.  [which just so happens to cost over $5 a piece]
• He smiles a lot and laughs a lot too.  Although his laugh sounds more like snorting.  
• He loves to take baths and splash around.
• He adores his big brother.
• He is wearing 9 month and some 12 month clothes!!
• We just had to buy diapers for the first time (the nice thing about the 2nd one is the amount of diapers you get as gifts) and he wears a size 3.  He pees so much however, I have to fork up the money for Pampers or else he pees out onto his pjs.  [$50 for a case!!]
• He still refuses to sleep longer than 3 hours at night.  His mommy hasn't slept in 6 months.  She's tired.
• He loves to look at himself in the mirror.
• He will get whip-lash at the sound of my voice.  Definitely a mommy's boy.

Maddox:
My 3 year old.

Obviously doesn't change month to month... and I don't want to keep repeating his letter sounds, and spelling his name, etc... so I'll give you a few Maddox-isms.

• When I am leaving for work each day, he stands in the garage-- waves-- and yells, "remember me!" over-dramatically as if it were a scene in Titanic.
• He recently told Lance he was about to head north to the south pole.
• I hear myself in him when he answers me with, "absolutely" or "fantastic". 
• The neighbor-boy told us he was going to be Justin Beiber for Halloween and Maddox proudly told him he was going to be Gnomeo.  A few days later, while laying in bed, Maddox said, "I still don't know why Robby wants to be a fever?"
• He is a fabulous magician.  I should post a video... "ladies and gentlemen, boys and grills..."
• I will be sad when he says 'girls' correctly.  Or when he pronounces his Ls as the L sound, rather than W.  Or when 'yesterday' stops sounding like "yeestherday".
• His favorite color is green.  And his favorite number is 3.  [just like Daddy's]
• Everyday, when he gets a fruit snack, he saves a red one for Lance.  Usually he doesn't even say anything about it, I will just see it on Lance's nightstand or next to his cap.  He is a big-time daddy's boy right now.
• He got his first watch yesterday. [Lance is a shoe watch freak] It is Toy Story.  [anyone who knows my hatred of character-stuff, knows this is big. I even looked at a pair of Yo Gabba Gabba Vans yesterday... they are only little once, right?!  I am slowly letting go!]
• I have to share this painting Maddox did a couple of weeks ago.  I posted it on FB, but I wanted to share here.  Maddox was painting along, and he said, "Oh man, I messed it up."  I replied, "no you didn't buddy, it looks perfect" to which he responded, "momma... [paused sadly] I made Woody look like Dora."   --Touche'  

milestones

Beckham:
5 months 4 days

• laughing, screaming, cooing
• rolling and inching his way all around the room on his belly
• sleeps 5-6 hours on his first stretch, then feeds every 24 seconds from there (however, last night, he slept over nine hours!)
• [sadly] loves the tv, he will wiggle into the perfect position to see it while nursing.
• he adores his brother, by just Maddox walking into a room, he laughs or kicks his feet.
• He gives big, open-mouthed, slobbery kisses-- pulls your hair or ears to pull you in for the smack
• He chews on everything
• We recently discovered he can drink from a sippy cup
• He naps 3 times a day, usually.  Sometimes 4.
• He likes to be put in his crib, on his belly, binky in mouth and left alone to sleep
• He has tried bananas, pears and green beans.  He hates cereal.  
• His newest trick: he has learned to spit/ blow bubbles.  
• Now he can sit up, but doesn't stay up long.
• His eyes are brown now.  (just like his mommy said they would be)  ;)
• And though sometimes he resembles his brother (who looks just like me), I think he still looks like his daddy.
• My favorite thing about this age::  nursing him.  I love the cuddled up closeness we have while feeding and (if you don't/didn't nurse it may sound strange) I love to watch his little jaw move so rhythmically and they way he stares into my eyes a if I am the only person he knows to adore on this earth.  He plays with my necklace while feeding and I love when he will smile, inevitably pouring milk all over me, but for no reason at all other than it is one of his only way to communicate at this point.

Maddox
3 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, 2 days

• Can ID all of his letter and their sounds, shapes, and can count to 17.
• Can spell his name (recite the letters, not write)
• knows his address (minus the zip code)
• never stops jumping, climbing or flipping.
• Is always talking or asking questions.  (even in his sleep)
• naps once a day, most days-- and starts the night in his bed but 9/10 times is in mine by morning.
• loves anything Toy Story, or Cars.
• loves playing outside or inside with his matchbox cars
• Is obsessed with his daddy lately and is always talking about him or by his side
• Loves chocolate milk, go-gurt, raisins, string cheese and Cars fruit snacks.  He would eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for every meal if we would let him.  (and sometimes I do)
• He is so intelligent, and floors me daily, if not hourly, with his brilliance!  [spoken like a true mother ;)] I know I wrote this on FB, but I want to remember it::  He asked me how the red lights on the stroller wheel light up.  When I said, "I'm not sure buddy?" (out of laziness) and he responded, "probably just the sun hits them and reflects the light."
• he is hilarious. 
• He loves Beckham.  He kisses him, cuddles him and tells him he is "perfect".  He is very protective of him.
• My favorite thing about this age::  his compassion.  He loves to give kisses and hugs and never has a problem expressing his love for me or others.  He isn't old enough to lie yet or act mean for the sake of doing it, and is still baby enough to need me and my love.  However he is old enough to accomplish most things on his own and doesn't require my constant attention as much now.  I have heard horror stories about 3, and so far it has not been bad. We have bad days, jut like every other stage, but we either adapt and overcome or we toss that day in the trash and start new again tomorrow.