Baby Boy is 21 months old!

Maverick John you are a bundle of love and laughter right now. You are a complete joy and you melt your Mommy's heart a million times a day with your infectious smile and giggle. I know this post is a LONG time overdue, baby boy, but I want to fill you in on all the full things you have been up to the last few months. You see, the first big news is that we had found out since the last time I posted a monthly update about you that you are going to be a big brother, and while that is old news at this point (I am 22 weeks along) it is still a valid excuse for not taking the time to update this blog much recently. Momma is one tired lady lately, chasing two rambunctious toddlers around this house and town and growing another in my belly. The last couple months I have tried to slow down but you two keep barreling through life full speed ahead and basically dragging me along with you. Yes, at this point there are more times in the day than not that I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep, but I am thankful that your zest for life and adventure keeps my at least entertained while I am up there on my toes.

As I look at the jotted, scribbled list that I have been keeping the last few weeks of things that come to mind that I want to write about, the largest one that stands out the most is "Daddy's Guy". Your father is the apple of YOUR eye right now. You adore him. Every morning you wake you calling for him. When I come in and get you you ask "Daddy?" as if to say where or "Work?" as if you know what the answer will be. You love weekends when Daddy is home and he goes and gets you and brings you into our bed for your morning milk. You love to do anything your dad does, love to watch him mow the lawn or fix something or eat or pretty much anything. You love to get on the floor and rough house and wrestle with Daddy, and he loves to do the same with you. Watching the bond between the two of you develop (yes, it's new, you were MY GUY for the longest time) and deepen and grow has been one of the most beautiful transformations I have ever seen. There is a bond and friendship there that has no limits and has made me fall in love with the both of you all over again. Your daddy can wrestle and tickle and play rough with you, and in the next moment swoop you in his arms and give you a big smootch and tell you he loves you, he shows you affection and love in a way I wondered how he ever could. I guess being from a family of all girls the father/son relationship is so foreign to me, I worried that is may lack affection or depth. But not at all. You two are the snuggliest, love to sit together and watch tv, and often when daddy picks you up I see you rest your head on his shoulder for a quick hug or pat his back. Mav John, your Daddy loves you so much and so well, and for that you are one lucky little boy.

A close second to being Daddy's Guy in the list of important/random facts about you is the term "Monster Trucks". You are OBSESSED! Your collection now consists of 5 monster trucks. You basically always have one in your hand. At any given time you drop down to your knees and start driving it on the floor, over furniture, you set up train tracks and attempt to drive your trucks on that. One always comes in the shower and one (or two or three) always come to bed with you. You even make all the "vroom vroom" noises and sound effects. We found a Monster Truck cartoon that we DVR'ed on the TV and you loved that too. That was until we let you watch the Toy Story movie, and after that, all bets were off. ALL you want to watch now is "Buzz". Oh yes, Buzz Lightyear, your favorite new "guy" or character. The only one you know, I guess, but your favorite. You ask to watch that movie every "TV time" we have right now. You also walked up to me out of the blue the other day and pointed at your chest saying "I Buzz, I Buzz." I taught you how to hold out one arm straight and use the other hand to push your buttons on your shoulder like Buzz's lazer and you run around the house lasering everything, including me. Still saying, "I Buzz." It is adorable to watch you pretend, and so fascinating to me how different you little imagination and pretend play differs from that of your sister, even at the same age. You love to pretend, and play and it is all boy games and styles.

I was looking back on your sister's posts at this age and I think she was 18 or 20 months before she was feeding herself her morning breakfast with her own spoon. That is NOT the case with you, my boy. I think you have been using your own spoon since you were 12 months old. You did not, and still do not need any help in the food department. You love to eat and you are a fantastic eater. You will try anything, you like most everything, and you eat plenty. I have no problem getting you to eat veggies (unlike your sister) you will pretty much eat anything green, even salad. About 3 months ago, I made the decision to become a vegetarian and cook accordingly for our family, and not that you were eating a lot of meat before, but you have adjusted so well, eating lots of whole grains with fiber and lots of beans and fruit. You LOVE cheese (like your Mommy) and could eat it by the blocks, you are just starting to like your milk or water at dinner in a big boy cup, no more sippy cups at the table. You are still in your highchair and love to tell me you are finished eating by standing up in there and almost giving me a heart attack. Don't ask me why I don't just do up the buckle, sometimes I remember to now. You love your Cheerio's mixed with "Papa's Cereal" in the mornings and maybe a peanut butter sandwich for lunch with cheese and some fruit and noodles or rice and veggies for dinner. Speaking of eating, and I guess this is just a side note, but since we are on the topic, YOU SUCK in restaurants right now. You will not sit at all in there, and it is doubly frustrating because Tula is finally at the age where she is sooo good in those situations. So it makes you, poor guy, look that much worse and me THAT much more annoyed. When we are home, you are a FANTASTIC eater. At a restaurant is another story completely.

Bedtime is still a breeze with you. Naptime too. I imagine you are the kid (and I guess like your mother again) that LOVES your sleep and I never foresee it being an issue. I have been trying to start introducing bedsharing to you and your sister, since when Baby #3 comes that will most likely be the scenario. You are totally into it, you love to go lay in Tula's bed and pull the covers over your legs and sit there waiting for us all to pile in, but at this point she doesn't like sharing it with you. You are a little too playful before bed, I guess just distracted, and Sissy don't like that much, so for now we are going to keep you two separate, as it is, until a change must be made.

You are talking lots and lots, can communicate what you want/need pretty clearly and get VERY FRUSTRATED if you can't or I am not understanding you. I wouldn't say you are in incredibly patient boy, Mav John. When you do get angry or upset with me, it can be very dramatic, with great big tears and a wide open mouth with a big loud wail. Usually needs a long hug or cuddle to get over. Anyways, that doesn't happen often, most times if you can't tell me, you want to show me, and lots of times still throughout the day you come up to me and just take me by the hand and pull me where you need me and say "A mon, a mon", and then "that" or "help" or whatever you need when we get there.

This is sort of random, we haven't really started potty training yet, but I have managed to catch you twice right before you were about to poop and run with you to the potty, set you on there, and you have pooped on the potty. I am hoping that this could be the beginning of something good, but I am big and pregnant and can't really bend over so I just can't see myself pushing it until AFTER the baby is here unless you seem really ready. Which, at this point you don't. You don't seem to acknowledge peeing in your diaper at all and I am flat out to lazy to take it off and see what happens.

I saw in your last post, 4 months ago, that you had had your first haircut. Well, you have had two more since then, and I think all your beautiful curls are gone. Although it seems to grow back very thick and maybe even wavy, I think those big beautiful round curls are gone. After you get it cut, when it is super short it makes you look like such a big boy. And so handsome too.

You sure do love your big sister, and playing all sorts of games with her. Right dow, I hear her telling you lots of "come here, lion" or "c,mon, eat this, dog" of whatever and you are on your knees and Tula is pretending (and you are too I guess) that you are an animal and she is OBVIOUSLY the master or whatever. As far as toys go, you both have a really hard time sharing anything and bicker lots and lots, too much, over toys, to the point that sometimes I threaten to throw them away on you guys. It drives me nuts, you have a million things and will fight over the same one, and the SECOND I go buy another so each of you can plan with one, you both lose interest. Hopefully the sharing thing corrects itself soon for both of you guys. Otherwise, you play so well together and it is obvious that you both totally adore each other. Today in the shower you were playing with the shampoo again and I told you a few times to stop and you wouldn't so I opened the shower door and took the back of your hand and slapped it (which I never do but you are RELENTLESS with this soap. Tula looked at me and said "Hey...that's MY BABY BROTHER. DON'T HIT HIM!!!!" Yelling. And as annoyed as I was with being told off by my three year old, I sort of liked her message, and her motivation of just protectiveness and love for you. She is always looking out for you little buddy, and you are a good little bro to her too.

Maverick John, I know we are so blessed to have a happy and healthy boy like you in our life, and I am loving being a Mommy to boy more than I ever imagined I would. Thank you for your special presence in our life, our family, and my heart. You thrill me every single day. Love you Son, cannot believe you are 21 months old and we are 3 months away from your second birthday. My big, big baby boy. Love you. ~Mom