Dear Bo, You've got mad hoops skills (and you're proud of it)...

 

Dear Bo, Your first visit to the Discovery Center...

{Preparing for your assault on the place}

{You loved the horsey!}

{And the kid zone with toys familiar to you.}

{This mirrored tunnel freaked you out a little bit, but soon you were crawling through.}

{The dinosaur exhibit was pretty noisy.  You weren't too sure about it.  You mostly gaped and stuck with Daddy.}

{And did I mention you were rockin' your overalls and ball cap?  'Cause you totally were.}

We'll definitely be heading back here!

Dear Bo, Your first burger, shake, and fries...

{And I think your face says it all...}

 

 

{Friday night family date night at Blue Sky}

Dear Bo, You're 16 months old...

Here's what you're up to...

• You weigh about 25 pounds, and I'm not sure on your height.  You wear size 18 months clothes (but lots of 12 months things still fit), a size 5 shoe (size 4 works for length, but your feet are too thick for them!), and you wear a size 4 diaper.  You have four teeth on top and 3 on the bottom (middle 2 and your bottom left).
• You're talking a lot, but you don't say many words.  You say, Dada, Momma (though not often), and will try to repeat most things we ask you to say. 
• You are getting more opinionated about what you eat though you're still a pretty good eater.  For breakfast you like oatmeal, apple nutrigrain bars, mini pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and you always have a banana with breakfast.  For lunch and dinner you have a veggie, fruit,and meat generally.  You like chicken and turkey better than beef, and you really like fish sticks.  You love, love, love tomatoes.  You also really like sweet potatoes and avocado.  You'll tolerate green beans, but carrots aren't your thing.  You like bananas, applesauce, peaches, and pears.  I gave you strawberries and blackberries this week, and you did not like them.  I tried all week, but it was a no go.  You like a variety of snacks...goldfish, Ritz crackers, cheerios, Welch's mini fruit snacks, and Nilla wafers.  You usually ignore bread when I give it to you, but you've recently decided you like rolls, biscuits, and the like.  You drink about 20-24 ounces of milk a day (and it's all cow's milk!!!!)--4 sippy cups.
• You're still a scheduled little guy, though we've had to start being more strict about your nap times and how long we let you sleep because you were having a tough time at night for awhile.  You get up between 7:30 and 8am.  You drink your milk in our lap while we watch Cat in the Hat.  You go down for a nap between 10 and 10:30.  We wake you by 12:30pm, and you have milk and lunch.  You play until 3:30 and sleep until 5:30pm.  You have milk when you wake then eat dinner with us.  We try to get outside if the weather is good, read, and play until bathtime at 8pm.  Then it's books and songs while you have your milk and off to bed!
• Getting to sleep at night was a little bit of a chore this month.  You had trouble adjusting to the time change so we just put you down later.  We've gradually gotten your bathtime back to 8pm, but most of the month it was 8:30pm or 8:15pm.  For several weeks, you wouldn't cry when Daddy put you down, but you cried when I did.  You've been better the last 4 nights so I hope you're past that little phase.  You were up in the night more than usual this month.  You had 2 ear infections and cut some teeth so there's no wondering why.
• We put on PBS in the mornings, and you really like Cat in the Hat and Sesame Street (you think Superwhy and Dinosaur Train are fun, too).  
• You love books.  We set up your new play area and bookcase, and we catch you pulling out books and looking at them a lot.  

 

• You love being outside---swinging, walking around picking up rocks, sticks, leaves, grass (and putting them in your mouth), playing in your Cozy Coupe, riding in the bike trailer, riding in your wagon, and playing with the basketball goal outside...you love it all.

   

• You are a mess in church.  We're lucky if we can get you to last through communion.  You love the nursery and Bible class though.
• You are a friendly little thing!  You go to pretty much anyone, and you don't fuss when we leave you in the nursery (at church or gym).
• You are a giggle box!  You love to laugh and do so often. 
• You insist on grabbing your lovey and Billy Bass when you get out of your crib in the mornings and after naps.  You carry them around and love on them; it's the sweetest thing!
• You're a big clapper these days--you really like to clap for yourself when you've done something well.
• You're just so much fun right now.  I can't wait to enjoy the rest of spring and summer with you!

{Then-4 months}

{Now-16 months}

Dear Reader, The play area is finished...

Remember this furniture The One and my talented brother made?  We finally painted it and set Bo's play area up.  I love, love, love this area.

And I am obsessed with this bookcase (a knock off and fraction of the cost of this one).

Thanks Uncle Bud and The One!

Dear Bo, Much to my delight...

...you love your books!  We spent a lot of time reading to you in the womb, and we've read and looked through a lot of books together this first year.  I've loved receiving second hand books from friends and family, and I've loved even more picking out books for you.  When I catch you sitting in front of your new bookcase, pulling them out and going through them, it makes me so happy.  And when I catch you on the floor "reading"?  Well, it makes this Momma's book-lovin' heart melt...

Your favorite books right now?

• Touch and Feel books
• Maddy the Alaskan Moose
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear
• The Hungry Caterpillar
• Goodnight Moon

You've recently been getting into lift the flap books and books that make sounds, too.  I got you this Easter book last week, and you are loving it!

Dear Bo, My favorite March Madness yet...

The nanny took Thursday and Friday off to be with her children for Spring Break.  It was perfect timing since those were the first rounds of the NCAA tournament!  This is always one of my favorite times of year.  We fill out our brackets and find ourselves invested in teams we haven't watched all year just because of those brackets.  The spring weather is just beginning so we get to enjoy that, too.  I just love March Madness!

You had a playdate with precious Claire in the mornings, then we were able to spend the afternoons together.  It was one of the best four day stretches I can remember.  Not only did we watch plenty of basketball, but we played and played (outside and inside), we cooked and grilled out a lot, and we spring cleaned.  We have not had a good spring cleaning in the 6 years we've lived here so it was quite overdue.  

Some memorable moments...

{Sticking your tongue out with Daddy on St. Paddy's day (you're both in your green!).}

 

{Helping Daddy install a bookcase on Friday.}

{Looking ever so handsome going to church on Sunday.}

{Hoopin' it up with your new basketball goal on Sunday.}

This is definitely going down in the books as my favorite March Madness yet...

Dear Memory Bank, Boys weekend in Binger...

We had such a great weekend!  On Friday, we cut out of work a little early and trekked to Oklahoma.  We dropped Daddy off with Cousins Zac and Zeb to have a little boys' weekend at Zac's land, and you and I drove on to Edmond to spend time with Aunt Donna.  We had the perfect little set up in the huge guest area!

On Saturday, we were able to visit with sweet Suzanne.  I even got to feed and rock precious Eli to sleep (which you did not really care for)!  She returned your preemie clothes to me, and I could not believe you were so tiny to have worn them comfortably just 15.5 short months ago!

{Meanwhile the guys were fishing}

We drove by our first house on Saturday, too, which always leaves me sentimental.  Each time we return to Edmond I miss it and have a longing to move back.  I never can tell, however, if I'm missing that time in my life (what felt like a simpler time) or actually missing the town.

On Sunday, we drove to Binger to pick up Daddy.

{You walked around outside like you owned the place.}

{While I tried to keep the dirt and sticks from out of your mouth.}

{We tried to get a decent picture of you in front of the pond, but you were too interested in the dirt and sticks.}

{We finally got you to look at the camera!  But no smile.}

{We tried for a smile on top of Daddy's shoulders.}

{No luck.}

{We finally gave up, and you tuckered out on the way home.}

{While we were unpacking at the car at the house, you found your shadow and were mesmerized.}

{You just could not figure it out!}

{And so you sat and played with your shadow for quite awhile...}