The older you get, the more there is to say about you, because there is so much depth to who you have become. You have always been the sweetest little thing, and so sensitive; and these things remain true. You continue to laugh readily, and are happy-spirited. You have an amazing attention to detail and ability to focus on tasks for lengthy spans of time, as you always have. You have always loved music, but this past month it became very apparent how in-tune you are with what you're listening to. Your extroverted personality really shines around people but you are showing increased attachment to those close to you, (beyond Momma) especially extended family members. As your memory expands and your ability to express your thoughts increase, your love and knowledge of daily routines has become very evident this past month. These things also contribute to the nurturing and helpful nature that has really emerged recently. This in particular has given me peace about you becoming a big brother. We are so very proud of who you are.
Here is a more detailed summary of your past month:
- You vocabulary seemed to really take off this month. You surprise us all the time with words that you use such as "kitchen" or "Bible" or "Grandpa". You started saying "Dada" for daddy now instead of calling us both Momma. You also have started saying "thank you" without being prompted, and your good manners always impress us! We started working on "please" at the end of the month and you have picked it up quickly. The other day you asked for more milk while we were out on a walk. I explained to you that we didn't have any more with us, but that we could get some more when we got home. It seemed to appease you, but then a minute later I heard an enthusiastic, "Pease!" come from your stroller. You tell me if you see a cat or a dog and can make animal noises for cats, cows and elephants (daddy taught you how to swing your arm at the same time like a big trunk). You can say Sissy's name if we say it first, and you can also say your own name (sounds like Li Li), although we say your full name. You will refer to yourself as Big Boy, though: i.e. "Whose pants are those?" "Big Boy!" “Golda, golda, golda” is your happy noise and you will say it if you are excited or having a good time.
- Your comprehension of vocabulary is also very strong now, and Daddy and I have to be careful what we say in front of you. You are always listening and you have the best hearing! At the Thanksgiving eve service I asked you if you'd like some pie (something you've rarely had and really not something we talk about), and you started excitedly saying, "Pie! Pie! Pie!".
- You love the DC (Taylor's dining commons), and will often point across campus and say, "DC!" asking if we can go there. Daddy and I have started calling it "Hodson's" which is the formal name for the building, so that we don't disappoint you if we aren't going there.
- This month we noticed that you really started bonding with Daddy. You will ask about him throughout the day, or pick up my phone to call Dada. Often when I walk in to get you from a nap you will say, "Dada?" and we talk about how he is at work. You've become more flexible with letting Daddy help you with things, such as taking your plate or giving you a bath without Momma in the room. You love to wrestle with Dada, stack your Legos as high as you can, and "work" on your bike together with keys (at your request). You have starting requesting that Dada sing or read a story, which before was something you only wanted Momma to do. You are still a Momma's boy but we love seeing your relationship with Daddy develop.
- You got to see a lot of family this past month. You started this month while we were still in Florida with Grandma and Papa. Then Grandma flew back to Indiana with us and stayed for a few days. You really bonded with her after spending 11 consecutive days with her. You also got to see Aunt Lia, Uncle Randolph and Orla on Thanksgiving and then a few days later when they stopped by to visit and to open some early Christmas presents. They got you Duplo Legos and you love to stack them! And then you got to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Angell when they came to celebrate an early Christmas with us. You love being around family.
- When we were in Florida in November, you heard Grandma Pegelow saying, "Where is ____? Hmmmm...." Now whenever you are looking for something you say, "Hmmmm..." in the exact same intonation that Grandma uses. You are a very determined and focused little guy. You will look for something for the longest time, and will not give up or let anyone distract you until you find it.
- We celebrated your second Thanksgiving. We were done traveling until Sissy arrives, so we stayed home and had a relaxing long weekend with Daddy home from work. We drove to Uncle Randolph’s parents’ house for our Thanksgiving meal and you had a great time. You really loved Randolph’s mom’s chocolate pie. We heard you refer to Randolph’s dad as “Baba” once, which is what you call your papa - it was interesting to see you assessing the family dynamics. You were also surprisingly comfortable with Randolph’s mom, and we think it’s because you knew she was a grandma-figure and you had just spent quite a bit of time with Grandma Pegelow.
- Grandma and Grandpa Angell gave you your first bike for Christmas. It is a balance trike. I brought it out to you without much of an explanation except that it was for you, and you immediately hopped on the seat and started using your feet to propel you. You looked proudly at me and said, "bike!" knowing exactly what it was. You knew it was like the bikes we see the big college kids riding around campus.
- We went to your first Silent Night basketball game at Taylor while Grandma and Grandpa Angell were here. You seemed a little overwhelmed by all the noise and commotion when we first walked in but you handled it well. At the 10 point mark when the silence ends and the students go crazy, you didn't bat an eye.
- You "ran" your first 5K this month. Daddy pushed you in your stroller while he ran the race with Grandpa Angell. Three generations of Angell men running together!
- As I mentioned before, you have such a good memory. We can tell you remember family members even if it's been a month or so since you've seen them. You saw Grandma and Grandpa Angell getting out of there car in our parking lot when they first arrived for their visit, and started pointing and squealing (you hadn't seen them since September). One day I was getting something out of Sissy's closet and you saw your Jumperoo. You asked to use it but since it was buried under a few things I told you "Not now, but maybe when Daddy comes home from work." You seemed fine with my answer, so we didn't dwell on it. When Daddy came home from work that day, you yelled "Dada!" and took off running. Confused, Daddy asked me where you were going. I didn't know at first, but then it hit me so I told Daddy to go check your room. Sure enough you were standing by the closet with the Jumperoo and pointing to the closed doors. You knew that Daddy was home now and he could get it for you!
- Your interest in music continues to be evident and you are able to express your taste in music well now. You are VERY particular about what you like. For example, you will say "no" to quite a few songs on your CD in the car before you agree to listen to one. If you find one you want to hear, you'll ask me to repeat it over and over again. If you like a song in church, you'll listen intently and then say "more!" when it's over. If you don't like the song, you'll say, "No, no, no" and wave your hand in discontent. You only want me to sing "Jesus, Name Above All Names" at naptime and bedtime, and you love to sing along. It's one of my favorite things - hearing your sweet voice sing quietly (sometimes not so quietly) along with me as I rock you before bed. If you want me to start singing you will say, "Je," as in the first syllable of Jesus.
- If I ask you, "Who loves you?!" You will respond with, "Momma!" and a smile on your face and sometimes you will also say, "Dada!" We didn't teach you this, but we are so happy you know how loved you are.
- You love soft things! You will cuddle your blankets or stuffed animals or just rest your head on a pillow. Momma got a new scarf for Christmas, and you wanted to hold it for the longest time and carry it around with you. Grandma Pegelow mentioned that she's never seen a little one with such a love of cuddling. Throughout the day, you will leave whatever you are playing with, run to me and throw yourself into my arms, resting your head on my shoulder for a minute. Then you are off again back to whatever you are doing.
- You love your stuffed animals and interacting with them has become one of your favorite daily activities. You will bring one of them to your changing pad, carefully lay them down and then pull one of your cloth diapers out of the drawer for Momma to put on them. You will often add a diaper liner as well :). You bring me clothes throughout the day and ask that I dress your animals. You like for your animals (especially Brown Bear) to be included during story time. You prefer for him to sit on Momma's left side in the rocking chair while you sit on my right side. You will periodically point to your bear and say, "Brown Bear," indicating that Momma should show or read something specifically to him. You love to hug and kiss your animals as well as Momma and Daddy.
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| Puppy love (in matching hats!) |
- If you get hurt you like Momma to kiss wherever you got hurt. You will come to me and show me and seem to be much better after your kiss.
- You love to run around the apartment and will run from room to room often yelling, “Momma!” indicating that I should follow after you.
- You pay such close attention to detail. You get to watch segments of a Baby Einstein video as a special treat (often it's when I need a distraction for you so that I can cut your nails). I do a quick YouTube search and then let you watch on my computer but we don't have a physical DVD that you've seen. One day you brought me a book that was also put out by the Baby Einstein company and showed me the Baby Einstein logo (which you identified from your movie; this was impressive to me because I often start the movie somewhere in the middle) and then pointed to your finger nails. I realized you were telling me you wanted to watch the Baby Einstein movie and I could cut your nails.
- One day a package came in the mail and when I asked you if you wanted to help me open it you went running to the door saying, "Keys!" At first I was confused and then I realized that you've seen me and Daddy use keys to open boxes. You have such a great memory! Now anytime ANYTHING (a letter, a present, a box) needs to be opened, you will ask for keys. You also like to use keys as a screw driver. You will turn over one of your toys and if you see a screw you will ask for keys so that you can work on it.
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| Using keys (at your request) to open a Christmas box. |
- You went through a short spurt where you would intentionally "fall over" so that you were lying flat on the ground and then yell for Momma to help you get up. You will also "fall over" on command if we asked you to do it.
- You have become very consistent at coming to Momma when she asks you to come. Sometimes it may take a minute or so but usually if I encourage you with, “Run, run, run,” you will come running over and fly into my arms for a hug.
- You love looking at pictures, and really study them. You recognize family members and love to point to them when we ask you where they are. Sometimes you will mention the name of someone you see without us prompting you. You also like to point to an object in a picture and then show it to me in real life (i.e. your stuffed animals, a toy, your paci).
- On a similar note, you really look at the pictures in your books now. You can point out different animals and you understand who people are in books. If you see a family in one of your stories you can point out the momma, the dada and the baby. You will often say “Dada!” and point to the dad in the book and then point to your Daddy to show us that you are connecting the two.
- You started pointing to clocks and making a tick-tock noise.
- Daddy wiggles his eyebrows up and down and you try so hard to mimic him. You open and shut your eyes with so much concentration.
- You are a silly boy and love to make jokes. One time when I went to get you from your car seat, you had a mitten balanced on your head and your eyes were sparkling as you held your hat in your hands.
- It snowed for the first time this year and you loved playing in it! I would have to make you come inside because the cold never seemed to bother you. I ordered you a pair of boots online since I couldn't find a pair small enough in stores (you were wearing a size 3) as an early Christmas present. I put them out one day while you were napping and you said, "boots!" as soon as you saw them and wanted to put them on. You seemed so proud of them, and I saw you lifting your feet a few times to look at them as you rode in the stroller.
- You seem to thrive on routine, and I’m not sure if it’s nurture or nature (probably both) because you and I both like consistency. When I come to get you after a nap, you will point to your fan first, indicating that I should turn it off; then to your sound machine, asking for it to also be shut off; next you will point to your window. so that I will open the curtains and shades; and then lastly you will point to your lamp, so that I’ll turn it on for you. Often when this is all done, you will point to the rocking chair letting me know I can take a seat while you stay in your crib for a while and play.
- You remind me to do things throughout the day, I think due to your love of routine, but also because I see such a helpful spirit in you. Since we’ve had our Christmas tree up, you’ll remind me to unplug it before we leave the house and then tell me to plug it back in as soon as we get home. You will say “keys” as we walk out the door (which is very helpful!). You will hand me your plate when you’re done eating a meal and say, “trash” since you know I usually immediately empty the remainder of your food and wash your plate. I have seen your helpful spirit spring into action to help Momma. One night I casually asked Daddy to hand me a cloth (which we keep in a basket on your bookshelf), since some milk from your sippy cup spilled on my shirt. You hopped off my lap and ran to get the cloth. You came right back and started wiping my shirt to clean up the milk. Another day, you came up to me holding one of my shirts and lifted up the shirt I was wearing, clearly asking that I change shirts.
- You are a rule follower and a pretty compliant little guy. I think this is also connected to how well you do with routine. If you know we do things a certain way or there is a rule we always follow, you do well with it. For example, a friend commented on how well you keep your hat on your head. You are also very good about keeping your mittens on when we are outside. You know that you can take them off as soon as you get in the car and will immediately ask to do so, but otherwise you keep them on. You are quick to point out if Momma takes off her mittens when we are outside.
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| You put Momma's mittens on all by yourself! |
- One afternoon after a nap, I noticed you were awake but very quiet for about 10 minutes before you started calling for me. When I went into your room, you had white paint flakes all around your mouth confirming my suspicion that you had been chewing on your crib. I asked you if you had chewed on the crib and you said yes. I set you back in your crib and asked you to show Momma how you had been chewing. You gently clamped your mouth around the top rail of your crib, let go and then looked up at me. I said, “Thank you for showing Momma,” and sewed you a rail protector soon after that.
- You have become noticeably more outgoing when we are out and about. You were carrying a teddy bear at the library and you ran it up to a college student who was looking at books to show it to her. You gave it to her and then waited for her to give it back to you. Another time we were watching construction workers outside of Hobby Lobby until Momma told you it was time to go into the store. We walked in and you went right up to a grandma-aged-lady and signed and said audibly, “more!” I explained to her that you really liked the construction work outside the building and wanted to see more of it!
- You love dressing up! You ask to be a tiger and wear the jacket to your Halloween costume. You even wore it to church one morning. You also have a pink bathrobe that someone gave us for Sissy that you love to wear. One day we were heading out on a walk and you said you wanted to wear the pink bathrobe and your owl backpack, so I let you. On another day, you were already dressed up as tiger when you asked Momma to take off her socks and put them on you. I happily obliged.
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| Wearing Momma's socks - Tiger's can't have cold feet! |
Here's your schedule at the end of the month:
7:00am wake up and Daddy greets you for the day
7:30am breakfast with Daddy
Morning outing - we typically leave the house by 9:30 at the latest and return around lunch time
10:00am snack
12:00pm lunch
1:15pm story time
1:30-2:30pm nap time (Your naps started out at 2 hours but went back down to 1 hour or 1 hour 15 min by the end of the month).
3:00pm snack and milk
5:00pm Daddy gets home from work
5:30pm dinner
6:00pm gym with Daddy
6:30pm bath, brush teeth, pajamas, milk and stories
7:30pm bedtime
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| Trying on the new hat Momma got for Christmas. |
Big Boy - to say you impress us is an understatement. Daddy and I constantly find ourselves swapping stories about what you know or something you said or did. It's so fitting that you have recently been referring to yourself as Big Boy (Daddy and I regularly call you this) because I often find myself watching you and thinking, "When did you get big enough to do ________" We know the next couple of months will have some big changes for you as we welcome Sissy to our family, but as I reflect back on this past month, I can see that God has been equipping you to be a big brother. Your helpful spirit, your tender heart, your nurturing instincts will all be gifts to Sissy just like they have already been to us. She couldn't ask for a better big brother and we cannot wait for her to meet you!
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