23 months

HAPPY 23 MONTHS, LITTLE BEAR!!!!

It's true...you celebrated your 23-month milestone on December 18th.
Only one more month, and our baby boy will be TWO!

FLASHBACK: here you are a year ago at 11 months!

Hold on....let me get a tissue!!!
No really, I'm serious! Where does the time go?!?!

I'm pretty sure I said this last month too, but it really seems like your vocabulary has grown by a thousand words in the past few weeks! It is just amazing to me, when I hear you say a word, and I had no idea you even knew it! I just assume that you should only be saying words that I've taught you. It's crazy to me to hear you say something you've just heard and remembered. The toddler mind is amazing! I can't even try to list the new words you've been saying. You have finally started saying "Ga-ma and Gam-pa" (Grandma & Grandpa) though, and they are thrilled. You've been saying everyone's names for many months, but theirs were just a bit harder to figure out.

Daddy and I are having so much fun watching you experience all the Christmas traditions this year. Last year you were only 11 months, and you didn't really get it all. This year you are enjoying the Christmas lights, the presents, "no-men" (snowmen), and helping Mommy with the Advent Calendar.

Every morning after I get you out of your crib and we come out to the family room, you look at the Christmas tree and say "oh no, Mama." If the lights are turned on, you think something's wrong. So we have to turn them on right away, and leave them on all day. We're both going to miss the beautiful tree after Christmas is over.

You've also developed quite the love (border-line obsession) for a certain Christmas movie...The Polar Express! I DVR'd it one day, thinking you might like to watch a little of it. I had no idea how much you would love it, all because of the choo-choo! You dropped Elmo like a hot potato, and he was quickly replaced with "choo-choo, Mama." We used to cuddle on the couch for a few minutes before your afternoon nap and watch a little Elmo. Now, you demand that we watch "choo-choo" instead.

You favorite question to be asked these days:
"What do you want Ho-Ho to bring you for Christmas, Barrett"?
Your QUICK response: "BIKE"

It's the cutest thing! I sure hope Ho-Ho is working on that bike! I don't want my baby boy to be disappointed on Christmas morning :)

* I love the excitement on your face when you hear a "choo-choo"
* I love the way you try so hard to put on your own socks, shoes, jacket and hat when it's time to go bye-bye
* I love the concentration on your face when you're coloring
* I love that you like to work with paper, zip dry and markers...just like Mommy does
* I love the way you run to the back door when Daddy gets home from work at night. You usually hug his leg and say "hi Dada"
* I love to listen to you count "three, four, five, eight, nine, ten"
* I love that your vocabulary has grown leaps & bounds in the last month
* I love to hear you say "choc milk, mama"

Daddy and I LOVE you very much, Little Bear!
We can't wait for your 2nd Christmas, and to get to celebrate with all our family and friends!

*Mommy just realized last night, that your 2nd birthday is less than a month away...
I'm off to make your invites and get to planning!!