Around here at 18 Months

As usual, the Fall finds us super busy. The mad dash to January and the end of the year has begun.  This year it's even better because the small person like, maybe even sort of gets it!  But first ...

The World Series.  Lewis and I went to game 5.  Thank you Uncle B for baby sitting!  We sincerely appreciate it!  It was a wonderful game and we won!  Woo-hoo!

Sadly, the Series itself ended in a big yuck of a loss, and the Cardinals are world champions for an 11th time.  The Rangers had their shot to close out, and where ONE OUT away from the title in Game 6, but blew it.  The Cardinals didn't win so much as the Rangers just lost it.  Both teams were riddled with errors and misteps (La Russa brought in a pitcher to walk a guy.  No kidding.  He threw four balls to the catcher and then La Russa pulled him in a fit of temper because he was mad the bullpen misunderstood him and sent out the wrong guy.  That was game 6).  Both teams had some great bats and then dormancies.  It was a great series.  It was one of the most watched in recent history.  So way to go MLB and thank you Rangers!  It was so fun to root for you.

My mother is in town for a brief visit so we took Grady to the zoo the other morning.  He calls the goats dogs.  But he does know what a sheep is.  And says "sheep? Sheep!"  And we had him buck, buck, bucking like a chicken in the grocery store the other day.

Which brings me to the around here portion of events ...

My house is an utter disaster.  No two ways about it.  My brother has been living with us for over a month now, Lewis's uncle is staying with us for the weekend and as I mentioned my mom is here too.  My dryer is broken because apparently a family of birds decided to camp out in our vent and there was insulation in there from the first days of the house.  Greeeaaaat.  The dog's toe is healing nicely but I paid for pain medications that she doesn't even need and I haven't even picked up because I haven't had time.  G is battling some sort of sinus cold so we didn't get to go to our Halloween party this afternoon.  BOO.  It's getting colder and the sleep sack free kid seems a bit chilly at night so I put a blanket in there at nap time today and I swear he acted like I was trying to kill him.  The cries sound like, "MA!  WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DOOOOO TO MMMMMEEEE?"

He is so very verbal lately.  He says monster, bird, duck, blanket, bottle (it's a sippy cup but don't tell him that), cookie, yes, no, mama, dada, do you see it?, what is it?, truck, tractor, dog, I swear I heard Mavvy once, outside, car, cat, and a whole bunch of other things.

He walks great but every once in a while he'll trip constantly and I blame this on growing?  It's wierd.  He loves the big kids and wants to bring his tricycle outside to play with them while they ride their bikes.  The 6 year old neighbor boy will play with him; sometimes.  Only sometimes.  Because he's a big kid and G is a baby.  :)  It's adorable.

Which brings up ... everyday after naptime we must go outside.  Immediately.  The big kids are home from school and he can hear them and drags me by the hand outside.  He really does not like being in the house.  The only way I can keep him entertained (while I'm doing something else - like you know - cooking) is putting Sesame Street on.  I'll give him a pot and pan and a wooden spoon and he'll walk around with those things and listen to Elmo.

Oh he will also dance now, if you ask him to.  Which is tres cute.  He can open doors (crap) use a spoon and fork and understands just about everything.  He has hiding places so don't leave stuff out.  He took my phone the other day and thank heaven for the find my iphone app.  Lewis said if it weren't for that thing the phone would still be missing.  It'll find your phone and if it's on but on silent it'll send a ping and it makes a really loud noise so you can find it.  The hiding place of choice? The top drawer in the master bathroom.  I found my keys there the other day.  Which was handy, as we were on our way to a party.  Keys not in my purse.  But the purse had  been dragged off the chair and onto the floor.  I though I knew the culprit (hint: not mavvy) so I checked the favorite hiding spots; trash can - negative. Toy box - negative. Top drawer in bathroom - bingo.

He is so much fun right now.  He's so eager to please and learn and he gives kisses now!  And I was feeling down a few days ago and he came and gave me a hug and sat with me.  And then we played tag around the kitchen and he was just laughing his head off.  Such great therapy.  Baby laughter heals souls.

It's one of those wierd things in life ... I loved him so much last month, it doesn't seem possible that I love him more.  But the more I learn about him (and the more he learns!) the more I learn what a special little boy he is!  And I am so very grateful that he is in my life, and I get to be his mom.

Oh and he's the cutest little halloweener.  He wont say trick or treat ... but he'll be super cute.  Swear it.