Milestones ... 2.75 years

We're a little past the actual 2-and-three-quarters mark for Miles (which would have been Feb 3, for anyone keeping track).  He's getting so *BIG* and so grown up, it's kind of shocking.  It's hard to believe he isn't three or four, sometimes, when I look at him.  But he's still a squishy, snuggly little guy, with lots of little boy in him.  He's starting to take real pride in being the Big Boy of the family, and he'll tell you "I'm a Big Boy.  I help Noah.  I teach him things."  Though whenever I ask him what things he teaches Noah, he tends to change the subject.  :)


(Miles had a run in with the edge of the sandbox at school a few days before these pictures were taken....he's got a bit of a black eye!)

At 2.75 years, Miles:

-- is still tall and skinny....He's almost 40 inches tall, and he can reach lots of things around the house (doorknobs, locks, things you tried to put "up high" on counters.)  He's wearing mostly size 4T, and size 9 shoes.

-- can get mostly dressed and undressed.  He still likes a litte help with shirts and jackets, but can do them himself if push comes to shove.

-- is a potty CHAMP.  He uses the potty reliably and remembers to let us know when he needs to go.  In the mornings, he can take his night diaper off, sit down, use his potty, and then carry his little pot to the big toilet for dumping.  I never particularly thought much about changing diapers....just part of the parenting routine, you don't bother to like it or dislike it.  But now that Miles has just about finished with diapers, WOW!  It's really cool.  


-- has some definite "best friends" at school.  Though he shows an interest in most of his classmates, and will play with whoever happens to be around, Miles is really attached to Vishwa and Brody.  When we started talking about having folks over to celebrate his birthday, he said "Can Vishwa and Brody come to my party?"  It's pretty sweet.

--  is building a rudimentary understanding of time, and has been interested in clocks and watches.  He particularly likes to listen to mama or dad's watch tick.

-- is still a train guy.  Here he's created a train out of two step stools.  The snack bag is riding in the passenger car.




-- is able to express more complex ideas.  Which, I must say, often leads to him saying "NO" in more creative fashions.  The other day, I said, "Miles, you can do this or that."  He said (loudly) "I don't like those choices!!!"  I could tell he'd been struggling to articulate this fact for a LONG time.  

-- understands who the people in his family are....he can tell you who Mommy's Mommy is (Grandma Susan) or who Daddy's Mommy is (Apple) and so on for all his grandparents.  He knows Noah is his brother, and he kind of gets that Uncle Steven is Grandpa Kirk's brother and so on.  He's also been talking a lot about his cousin Caroline lately.  "See that bus Mommy?  I rode a bus with Caroline."

-- has gotten really comfortable with daycare drop-offs.  A few minutes to settle in, a big hug, a kiss, and a high five at the window, and he's ready to start his day.  No more teary melt downs.  Such a treat for Mama.  


-- is growing braver and braver.  We were on the street as a garbage truck came by this week, and he boldly waved at the driver.  No hand holding, no leg-cowering, no "up-up!"  Just studied the truck as it went by.  And we have fewer and fewer visits from those imaginary dinosaurs that were so troublesome a few months back.

-- sometimes struggles with the realities of having an almost-toddler in his house.  Miles loves Noah to pieces (sometimes nearly literally) and will frequently treat him with great kindness.  Yesterday he said "Noah, don't roll off the bed sweetheart."  Still, Noah does tend to get into EVERYTHING Miles wants to use.  He can be a little paranoid about defending his turf.  Miles would like Noah to respond more to his commands.  :)
Everyday I'm surprised by some new thing that Miles has started to do or understand.  I guess you get used to thinking of them as "little" and then they do big things and you have to take a minute to readjust your world view. Who would have thought that 8 pound swaddled bundle would turn into such a funny, smart, loving little guy?

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Noah Notes -- 11 Months

Well, folks, there's only one more sticker left in Noah's "month" pack.  As we set up for this photo shoot, there was a part of me that was sort of glad we were nearly finished.  Not because I'm anxious for him to get bigger more quickly.  This is such a fun age, I'd happily hit a pause button if there was one.  But in my early zeal to be sure Noah was not denied any experience Miles had, just because he came along second, I set the bar for these monthly pictures a little too high.  The different shades of onsies (not to be repeated!), the animals, not to mention our improved photo backdrop....well, it's a lot to organize every month.  Add in Mama working every other weekend, and it's been tough getting these photos done even close to on time.  So I was glad we were almost done with the formal month shots.  

But then, we started taking these pictures, and Mr. Noah was such a blast, he had so much fun, even on a day with only 20 minutes of nap.... I know I'll miss it.


To the pictures!

At eleven months, Noah:

 -- is hanging in around the 25-26 pound range.  He's getting taller, though, and he's starting to look more and more like a toddler.

 -- stands on his own when he's not paying attention.  

-- says "mama" (or "mum-mum" which could be a request for his favorite rice snack or milk...makes sense to me that "mom" and "food" would be the same word to him) and "dada" and something that sounds like "ma bra bra" which I assume refers to "my brother."

 -- had  a rough re-introduction to Cry It Out.  CIO with a determined almost one year old?  Not fun.  He's worked through it, though, and has returned, at 11.5 months, to sleeping through the night.

 -- is in to EVERYTHING.  Most particularly the places you'd prefer he didn't go.  Here he is, working his way towards the only uncapped outlet in the house.  Which is behind our sofa.  He got stuck and cried, but this did not stop him from repeating the process at least three or four times.  Did I mention he is determined and persistant?

 -- is just beginning to understand the concept of "Mama's Nose" vs.  "Noah's Nose."  He likes to point at things.

-- thinks any object on someone's head is HILARIOUS.  If said object then falls off the head, so much the better.  

-- eats at the table with his friends at school.  They all sit in teeny tiny chairs and have food on little plates.  Well, the food starts on the plates, and of course, ends up everywhere.  In what other scenario would the words "Done with lunch?  Let me clean up your feet..." be reasonable?

-- is very tactile in his comfort seeking.  With Miles, it was all about the sucking...that's why chewie is still so important to him.  A pacifier would fall out and he'd wake up crying.  Noah, on the other hand, needs to touch or squeeze or explore something with his hands when he's sad.  He's an ear tugger, and a hand holder.  He grabs on to the snack tray in the stroller to fall asleep.  I'm still trying to channel this into a portable comfort object (a Noah chewie of some kind) but he hasn't latched on to anything yet.

-- is obsessed with peek-a-boo.

Happy Almost Birthday, Baby No-ee-ah.

Coming Soon

Silly Turkey

Miles cracks himself up (with the help of Sandra Boynton.)  Noah is torn between laughter and tears.

The New Library

The new Los Gatos Library opened two weeks ago today!  Seems like we've been in the new building for AGES, and thinking about it for even longer, but we hadn't been to visit as a family.  Noah and Grandma Susan went for the first Baby Storytime (we told Miles that Noah was going to the doctor!) but Nathan and Miles had never been inside the doors.  So this morning, we took an exclusive tour before the building was even open for the day.

Everybody loves the Nurdle Nooks!!

Crawling and Running through the empty children's library!  YAY!

Miles takes the whirligig for a spin, and says "Mama!  It's my number! It starts Miles!"

Noah is 30 inches tall and Miles is 38 inches tall.

The boys road test the chairs in the Teen Room.

Noah takes the kick step for a stroll.

If you're in the area, come check out our beautiful new building!!  The boys gave it six thumbs up.