Miller's 18 Month Pictures

I wanted to take some 18 Month pictures of Miller so while we waited on the Campbell's to do their family pictures, I got some of Miller. Everyone keeps telling me how old he looks. He is such a big boy but he is still my baby boy.

These I took one afternoon while we were waiting to go on a walk. We have this gorgeous tree in our side yard and I was waiting for it to bloom to take pictures of Miller. However, once it bloomed, I realized that there were no good angles or shots that I could take. I noticed this afternoon that it was kind of pretty with the petals on the ground.

Oh my gosh, I love him so much!

Miller: 18 Months

It has been a while since I have done one of these but I figured that it was time for an update. 

Weight: 24 lbs (+15 lbs 14oz)

Height: 32" (+ 10.5")

Head: 20" (+ 4")

Sleep: Miller started sleeping through the night right after Christmas (when he was 15 months old) but we had a bunch of trips to TN and that messed him up. He has officially slept through the night for two and half months. I love it! He is also down to one nap a day, and has been for almost 4 months. I miss having two break times but it was becoming such a pain to get him down for both naps. Plus, one nap is nice because our day only revolves around one naptime and not two. I kind of like it actually.

Eating: I hate meal times with a toddler! HATE!!! It is a constant battle. "Are you hungry? Get in your high chair? Okay fine, just stand in the extra seat. No don't get on the table. Stop screaming! What do you want? Honey, I do not know what "uh uh" means. No you can not have mommy's fork. Fine, here is your own fork. Stop throwing your food. Want your water? Don't throw it, just tell me you do not want it. Do you want cheese? Do you want crackers? Do you want beans? You already ate enough blueberries to turn into one. Are you done? Thank God!"

Best Moment: There has been a lot in the last 6 months but he has started to become more cuddly. For the longest time, he has always been too busy for snuggles. Lately, it is like he realized the benefits of it and will just randomly come sit with me to read, or watch a minute of TV. If he even bumps into something, he comes running for mommy snuggles. The other morning I asked Ben to get him from bed while I ran to the bathroom. I heard them get back in our bed and Miller was crying. I walk out, he sees me, immediately calms down and lays down in the spot next to me for our morning snuggles. He was upset because he didn't see mommy. How sweet is that?!?!

Also, the kid is majorly into babies. He loves all kids but he stops whenever he sees a baby on TV or out in public. He has started carrying his Curious George around like a baby. We went to AAA the other day to book a trip and he played in the kids area. He found a baby doll and carried that thing with him all around the place. As we booked our trip, he sat in the chair next to me just holding the doll.

Milestones: It seems like in the last six months, things have just calmed down a lot. Yes he has his tantrums (see above: eating) and we all have bad days, but we just are in a groove finally. The best is the sleeping through the night thing.

Monthly Wisdom:I guess monthly wisdom is not the best title for this anymore. I really have no wisdom except for what I was saying about being in a good groove now. It is kind of nice to have a toddler now. You do not get that pity look from people like "oh you are in for it" anymore. Sure there are plenty more challenges ahead but once you make it through the first year, you at least have some experience under your belt and that means something.

Goals for the Upcoming Month:
- We are constantly working on the tantrums but it seems like we work through them together. It isn't just something we do as parents.
- I am going to try to be more active with him and go out. It is not that I like being a hermit but when I do take him out by myself, he is just a lot to handle. I am hoping since it is nicer out, we will spend more time outside on playdates.


Things Miller is doing:
- He knows all his ABCs.
- He says a handful of words but uses very few words to communicate. He can however, mimic tons of words. He said "dinosaurs" the other day and we swear he said "Tennessee".
- He knows about 10 body parts.
- In the past few weeks he has mastered animal sounds. Finally! After a year of me trying to get him to say moo or woof, he finally knows about 20 animal sounds.
- He has got his own dance moves (just like his daddy). I could watch him dance all day.
- His favorite toys are anything he can push. He recently got a shopping cart and toy vacuum. He will do laps around the house for an hour and each lap he will grab a different toy.
- He has started coloring but he still doesn't understand to stay on the paper.
- He actually loves to help me clean. (Yes!!) I am hoping this makes chores easier when he is older.

- When I work out, Miller joins me with 2 lb hand weights and lunges. It is the cutest thing!
- He thinks it is funny to walk around the house with a bucket on his head. It sounds like he isn't the brightest crayon in the box but I am actually pretty impressed with how well he gets around the house without being able to see. 

Here are some pictures of my goofy child. He went over to his table to play with his tool bench. He heard me come to take a picture and automatically stopped what he was doing to pose for me. The flash was a bit much so he closed his eyes. 

Then he went back to playing. 

A few minutes later he came around the corner with this bucket on his head and a big old smile on his face. 

This is his typical bucket that he likes to wear around. The whole time he is walking around like this, he is giggling in that bucket.

April Pictures

Here are just some updates from the last couple of weeks.

A few weeks ago, Isla and Ruby came over for two days. We really did have so much fun with them. 

This is what my child does when I turn my back in the kitchen. 

We had movie time and watched "Toy Story". These two cuddling up is so cute!!! Just as a comparison, look at those two just a few days after Miller was born. How do they get this big in just a year and a half?!?!

What is wrong with this picture? Miller is eating off a plate, with a fork and my cup. I am drinking from a kids cup and Ben is eating off of Miller's tray. 

Two weeks ago, we were all under the weather with different things. Ben had a pretty bad bug so he stayed home from work one day and we had a lazy day. Miller took turns cuddling on the couch with each of us and watching TV (which he never does). 

Trying on daddy's shoes.

Easter 2013

Easter is such an interesting holiday. My family has traditions for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas but none for Easter. We were thinking back on years past and we used to go to church then brunch with my cousins Megan, one year we went home to Knoxville. Our first Easter together we went to Memphis. The past two years, we went to church and then brunch at Cheesecake Factory with our friends. The first year we went, we had 7 adults and 1 baby. Last year we had 7 adults and 2 babies. This year we would have 7 adults, 5 babies plus my mom and Ally. We decided that would be chaos to go out to eat so we had a potluck brunch at our house.

We went to Easter Mass and Miller did so good. We came home and got some family pictures outside. It really isn't the best picture of any of us but it is all we have. 

The crew this year. 

The Easter Bunny visited us after everyone left. Ally and Miller's Easter baskets. 

Here is Miller's basket.

Miller ran straight to his board to look at his letters on the back. Glossed right past his basket.

Here is Ally's basket.

He went straight for the Peeps. Just like his daddy.

 

Mom and Ally left soon after and Miller napped. That afternoon we went on walk since it was nice outside. Overall, a pretty good Easter.

Pre- Easter Festivities

A few days before Easter, mom and Ally came down for a visit. Thursday evening we went on a walk and played at our neighborhoods playground. Friday, we went to the mall and then I had a friends newborn baby pics during Miller's naptime. That afternoon we went on a different walk and to a different playground and Mom and Ally babysat while Ben and I went out to dinner with some friends.

Saturday we all slept in until 10:30 (so nice!) and then went to Marietta to walk around the square and check out the shops.

I know he looks kind of angry here (he was just tired) but isn't he beautiful? I always tell him that he is my favorite craft.

Ally doing bunny ears on Miller. Her signature move. 

That evening I baked some cookies and we decorated eggs. We started with Miller sitting in his high chair playing with all the stickers and crap they put in those boxes. 

All in our traditional bunny ears. 

Miller liked the part where he got to draw on the eggs. 

 

After this picture, he kept wanting to stick his fingers in the dyes. 

I always love the look of our decorated eggs together.