Isaac: 22 Months Old

Dear Isaac,

You are speaking in full sentences and I love every stinking thing that comes out of your mouth. You say the funniest things. You love to repeat yourself over and over and parrot everything you hear other people saying. You have this funny little pattern of saying the thing you want to say, with the word "mommy," followed by the same phrase again. For example, "I love this song, mommy. I love this song." Or "Need Isaac's piggies, mommy. Need Isaac's piggies." You refer to yourself in the third person a lot, which is pretty endearing. Your dad and I love to laugh about how loud and monotone your voice is. It's hilarious!

You're a great sleeper these days. At nap time, all I have to do is get you a drink in your sippy cup, turn on your sound machine, lay you in your crib, and walk out of your room. Some days you talk to yourself or sing for awhile before you fall asleep, but most days, you just go to sleep. Night time is even easier. You usually fall asleep even faster than you do for your naps. I love that you're sleeping well. I love thinking of your little brain getting recharged and your little body growing. You look so big to me lately! You have started boycotting wearing your sleep sack, so we don't even put it on you anymore. I always worry that you're cold, but you always seem fine.

You're still obsessed with pigs, so we're going to throw you a piggie party for your second birthday. I'm excited! You'll love it. Your dad and I think your hair is looking a little less red and a little more blonde, which is sad. I hope the red will stay around forever. It's so unique! One thing that has happened this month that I simply cannot get enough of is that you've gotten a few little freckles that are sprinkled across your nose. You're my first boy to have freckles and I absolutely love them! I was never very fond of my own freckles growing up, but they look so cute on you that I wish I'd appreciated my own more.

You've had a little difficulty with tantrums this month. They're not so bad or frequent that they're actually bugging me, but I'm trying to teach you now that you can't act like that. I put you in your first time out a few days ago after you threw your completely full bowl of cereal across the kitchen after demanding more (your bowl was already filled to the brim and I couldn't even fit any more cereal or milk in). I took you out of your high chair and put you in your room for about 30 seconds. You loved it. You didn't cry at all and when I got you out, you had a big smile on your face. I think you felt like one of the big boys. You wrapped your little arms around me in a hug and said "Sowwy, mommy." I couldn't be mad, even as I was cleaning up your mess.

Your eating has gotten a little better this month. I can bribe you now, which helps. You're starting to understand the concept of "If you eat a bite of this (food you don't want), I'll give you a bite of this (food you do want)." It works pretty well with you.

I couldn't be more pleased with the way you're developing, learning, and growing. You're thriving! You are doing great with all of your physical, verbal, and emotional milestones. I feel so blessed to have such a healthy, happy little boy. Being your mom couldn't be a better gig. I have so much fun with you! Thanks for being my little ray of sunshine and for bringing me so much joy!

Love forever and always,
Mama

22 Month Stats:
Weight: 27.4 lbs
Height: 33 1/2 in

Oliver: 4 Years Old

Dear Oliver,

You are 4 years old! I can hardly believe it! I swear, each year goes by faster than the last. It feels like you just barely turned three and here you are four already. It makes me sad!

Listening to you talk is my favorite thing ever. You have the world's cutest lisp.You can't say "r's" and "l's," so it's kind of unfortunate that you're named what you are. According to you, your name is "Ahwivuh Thamuah Awbah." Sometimes, I try to get you to talk a lot just so I can hear you. I frequently get comments from people about how cute your talking is. When you're telling stories, you always get a little twinkle in your eyes and tell them so passionately.

You are the brave one in the family. In social settings, Eli always makes you do all of the talking because he's too scared of grownups. You and your brothers ring our next door neighbors doorbell almost every day and ask them for marshmallows. They have a constant supply on hand for you, but it's always you that does the talking. Eli won't go over without you.

You have two different personalities and not much in between. You're either being a sweet little angel full of cheerful excitement, or a loud, disagreeable, angry little devil. You jump back and forth between these different personalities fairly quickly. I never know what I'm going to get with you!

You're actually a pretty carefree, go-with-the-flow, relaxed child most of the time, except when it comes to the things you're passionate about- your clothes (no buttons, collars, or stripes), the color of your dinnerware and flatware (they have to match and NO PINK!), and your clothes and shoes being too tight. You like everything you wear to be loose. I'm talking like 2 sizes too big. You don't like your pants anywhere near your waist and always insist on wearing things so low that your bum crack is always showing.

When you cry, boy do you cry! You have the loudest cry I've ever heard. the worst is when you get hurt and you cry/scream in my ear when I'm trying to comfort you. When I ask you to do any kind of chore around the house, you say sigh and say, "Why do I have to be a slave?! I hate being a slave!"

You are affectionate and love hugs and snuggling. You love wrestling with your daddy and playing in the basement. You love hide and seek, board games like Candyland and Monopoly and Go Fish, and buiding forts. I've been trying to keep up on your schoolwork this summer by making you do workbooks. You can write most of your letters, and you know all of the letter names and sounds. You are a smart kid and I'm proud of how hard you work.

You never, ever, ever take naps, even when you desperately need them. I'm not saying you need them every day, but I wish you'd listen to your body and take one on days that have been especially physically exhausting. You're very naughty at bed time and are usually the one that comes out of your room a dozen times with various lame excuses before you finally make the decision to go to sleep. I feel like I've tried to get you to stay in your bed every way I can and I don't know what else to do.

Oliver, I love you so much. I feel so lucky to spend my days with you. One of our favorite activities to do together is read books. You snuggle on my lap and hold my hand while we read. It is my all-time favorite thing to do. Thanks for being such a fun, great kid!

Love always.
Mama

Height: 41.25 in (70th percentile)
Weight: 38.4 lbs (70th percentile)