Happy Birthday Nicholas James!

Happy Birthday Nicholas!

My (last) baby has turned two. We moved the high chair to storage and made the switch to 2% milk. We packed all your 18 month clothes in boxes and gave you another haircut which made you look like a little man. You no longer drool or cry when we put you down for naps. You have favorites and things you refuse to do. We laugh when you make silly faces and you love the attention. We let you wander around the house without fear of you getting hurt. You eat all the food that your big sister does and sometimes clean her plate when she is done. You play on your tablet and cuddle your favorite blanket when tired. I am not sure when all these things happened but you are no longer a baby.

Two years old.

Nicky, you are all boy. You love basketball and baseball and football and really any type of ball. You love to wrestle with your brother and play fight with your dad. You love the color blue and could win a chicken nugget eating contest. You think farts and burps are funny (thanks Nick). You could play cars all day. Revving their engines around the couches and up the walls. You love shoes. You LOVE shoes. I have never met a child that was such a shoe fascination. I actually hide your shoes from you so you don't end up wearing them 24/7. Nicky, you are silly and joyful and wonderful.

Nicky, you are also a handful. You love to run and jump and test the limits of gravity. You never hold still and therefore you have had numerous injuries. Can we give mom a break please? Do we have to jump down every step? Can we sit on our butt a little more so we don't fall off the chair, taking dinner with us on the way down? As a matter of fact, can we sit on the chair at all so we aren't always perched on the table? You eat the crayons you color with and occasionally draw on couches and walls and yourself. You act up in church and just want to say hello to every pew. You would love nothing more than to play outside 24/7 even if its snowing and I have yet to get you dressed for the day. Not a care in the world.

Nicky, you are so sweet. Your crooked smile brights up my day and your stoic looks always let me know that you are taking in the environment. You like when I snuggle up to your neck and give you kisses, always letting out a quiet giggle. You like when I sing you a song before bed, but only one, before I cover you up with the blanket Nona made you. You like to put your fingers in the crochet holes and pull it close to your face in comfort. You love your daddy so much. You like to 'brush' your beard in the morning with him and snuggle on his lap watching cartoons in the afternoon.

Nicky, you do things your own way, in your own time. You may not talk much but it is getting there. You say 'yea' a lot which helps out a little when deciding on if you want milk or juice for breakfast. Forgive me when I lose my patience with you and sorry I probably only took a million pictures of you when I took two million of your sister at this age.

Nicky, you are so loved. You make our family marvelous and keep your dad and I on our toes. We would not trade a single moment - even the moments I am cleaning the wall of crayon or dragging you out of church like a rag doll - for any other moment in the world. You are beautiful and smart and funny. I thank God for you daily.

Happy birthday Nicholas James Jr. I hope today was as wonderful for you as it was for me!

Happy Birthday Nicholas!

Happy birthday to my baby boy!

Nicky turns one today and while his party is not for another 10 days, we will certainly be doing a little celebrating today.

Today started out with some green birthday pancakes which was a delight for Nicky but not so much for Marlee. She took one look at the green and said "caca". Green was not my best choice. I was able to look back at all the monthly Nick posts and it is just amazing how much he as grown. 

One thing I can say about baby boys is that they are 100% different than baby girls. Nicky is the most active child that I have ever met. He never holds still. He is even active when he is sleeping. 

Nicholas is a climber and jumper and destroyer. Seek and Destroy Nicky. Currently, his favorite thing to do is climb on the couch and he is so proud of himself when he does. It is absolutely adorable - until he jumps off the side. This little boy has no fear. And while I know that boys will be boys, I am not sure my heart is going to be able to take it. The bruise to his chest and scratch to his back is a mystery but the abrasion to his nose is from him pulling the lamp down on his face. And these are just a few of his injuries. 

Nicky has ten teeth now and it is a good thing because food is his best friend. Peanut butter and jelly, pasta, oranges, crackers, pancakes, bananas, and the list goes on. He loves his food. He is my healthy little boy. 

And he makes my heart so full. 

I love you so much baby boy. Or should I say big boy?

Happy birthday Nicholas James!

Goodbye Summer

Goodbye Summer!

You will be missed but it was time for you to go.

Bring on the football, pumpkins, bonfires, and warm sweaters!

We really did have a great summer as a family and had an action packed weekend to end it all.

All three kiddos were able to spend a little time together on Monday and even Pawpa Jim was home for the weekend. I wish I would have taken more pictures over the last couple of months but here are some of my favorites.

That last one is freaking golden. Sums up my husband pretty well (haha).

My family is so beautiful.

Goodbye summer! It has been fun but I am ready for fall. 

Eight Months Old!

Nicholas James will be eight months on Monday!

Whatttt!

My little tornado is getting bigger and stronger each day. And while we are incredibly overwhelmed with his lack of sleeping, he is such a lover. And I mean cuddly and sweet and kissy all the time. He just wants to be held and loves to hug. 

How can I not just fall in love with that everyday?!

He now has six teeth - four on top, two on bottom - and loves to eat. Anything and everything. Pancakes, check. Mac and cheese, check. Pot roast, check. Small stickers, check. The list goes on and on. He is happiest - and quietest - when he is eating. But he has terrible dexterity in his fingers so it is always a messy ordeal. Usually I will let him self feed before bath time and that is pretty much it. Bananas between the toes always leads to the bath. 

How this happens, I may never know. 

Baby Nick is also gearing up to walk. Yes, I said walk. Lord help me when this happens because the house is already owned by the children. He is standing by himself for very small amounts of time but walking as long as something is close enough to hold on to. It is only a matter of time, and a little balance. 

Nicholas is adorable. My heart is so full when Marlee and he are playing together. I have a feeling they will be the best of friends. She makes him laugh and he makes her scream. Just as siblings are supposed to be. 

Next month will be his next appointment and while the doctor says he is 'slowing down' on his growing, I have my doubts. He is wearing twelve months clothes from time to time. My big old baby. 

Nicholas Sr. is still his favorite. No 'mamas' have been muttered yet but lots of 'dadas' and growls. He loves to growl. We growl back and forth all day. 

Hope you like his cute little outfit this month. Suspenders! Oh the cuteness. 

On to the next month - and all the craziness that comes with it!