21 Months!

Dear 3 pound, 10 ounce tiny precious Parker... oh wait.... that was 21 months ago. WHERE DID THE TIME GO?! You're 21 months old today! In just 3 short months, we'll be celebrating your 2nd birthday (probably at MyGym because there's no way 15 toddlers plus parents are coming to my house again at one time! haha)

Your 1st birthday

You're 26 pounds now... a far cry from your birth weight of 3lbs 10oz and when we brought you home from the hospital at 4lbs 10oz! You wear size 18 months clothes and still seem to linger around the 50th percentile for height and weight! When you were born, you weren't even on the percentile chart!

Your vocabulary grows by the day, although, you tend to only use most of it at home. You say and waive "bye bye" to almost every person that walks past us when you're in a shopping cart. I love that you're so gregarious. Just today you said "Avery" for the first time but you still can't say your own name. You call yourself "me." You also repeated back "love you too" yesterday for the first time and I swear if you had asked for anything in the world, I would have given it to you at that very second. Thankfully, you only asked for a free Harris Teeter cookie so that was easy to appease.

You're still wildly obsessed with Barney which you still call "Dabo" and now have favorite episodes. You like the zoo, pets episode, celebrating around the world (because it has a train) and anything that has to do with the ABCs. Lately, you've been trying to do some of the dance moves to the "Mr. Golden Sun" song. It's ADORABLE! You also LOVE to feed the dogs. You've recently broken about 6 dog bowls (even an unbreakable hard plastic one) so we're having to monitor you a bit closer. Anytime we pull in the garage you get so excited to see "mo mo." You also love shoes, balls, books, "yummies" (candy) and baths.

Your temperament has been pretty good lately. Your stranger anxiety is still somewhat debilitating but we're just loving you through it! (you did make it through church once this month but from the look in the nursery worker's eyes, we may never be invited back).  Goodness gracious you love your "inner circle" of friends and family and if someone is not in your inner circle of trust, you will NOT go to them! You've had very few meltdowns with the exception of one HUGE one in the line at Starbucks in Target to get your "bobby" (a sippy cup of soy milk). I was mortified but was sorta ready to meltdown myself so it was slightly more excusable than a normal meltdown. You're much better in time out now and always hug me when you're done. It doesn't take much time to get you to snap out of the "attitude" or habit you're being punished for.

The way you say "mommy" melts my heart and I love that you've been listening better. You never just give one kiss and when you give them, you grab my face and pull it to yours. You're so fun and I'm really looking forward to you being a big brother. For now, I'm cherishing every cuddle and second of alone time that we get. I just love you to pieces!

Daddy and you fell asleep on the couch today so I covered you two up and left you there for a nap. I'm sitting on the other end of the couch typing this with a cupcake in hand (talent, I know) watching you nap with your heads together. Precious!

PS- You just coughed like 6 times in your sleep... you better not be getting sick right before Christmas!!!!!!