Matthew, 15 & 16 months

Matthew Jay 15 & 16 months

What are you up to these days???

At 14 months and 4 days you became a BIG BROTHER! Watching you as a big brother has been the sweetest, most tender thing I can experience as a mom! Of course you have had some ups and downs transitioning to having a new baby in the house, but you have been nothing but sweet and loving towards your baby sister.

You LOVE to give Mollie hugs and kisses. You give hugs with your head, so we have to remind you to be gentle. I don't think you realize how big your head is!

When you wake up in the morning, you point to Mollie's room and say "Sissy!" You love to look at her in our video monitor. You are a big helper and like to rock Mollie while she is in her car seat.

Trying to teach a 14 month old how to be nice and gentle around a newborn is nearly impossible. One time I ran to the bathroom really quick while Mollie was sleeping in the swing. When I got back, both you and sissy were in the swing! Luckily, she was oblivious to you sitting on top of her. You love to brush other people's hair. Another time Mollie started screaming while she was laying on the couch. I came in and found a brush on her face and you looking quite suspicious. I can only guess that you were trying to brush her bald head a little to rough. I have quickly learned that I have to keep a very close eye you!

You are SUCH A BUSY BOY! By the end of the day, I am exhausted! You are a lively, and curious little toddler, (it still catches me off guard to call you a toddler!) who is into anything and everything. You go from one activity or toy to the next. You will sit and watch a TV show for about 5 minutes in the morning before you get down to start playing for the day. You love to open and explore cupboards and drawers. Papa tells us that we have our hands full with you!

You LOVE to dance to the "Hot Dog Song" on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. You shake your head from side to side when you dance! You are always making us laugh.

At 15 months you transitioned to one nap a day. You now nap for 3 hours from about 12-3. You go to bed about 7:30 and sleep until 7:30 or 8 in the morning.

You love to be around and play with other kids your age. You are having to learn how to share. You don't throw fits when someone takes a toy from you, but you will go up and just take a toy from someone else.

You are repeating everything! I cannot believe how quickly your vocabulary is growing. You can say 2 and 3 syllable words now. One of my favorite things you are saying is "Love you." You don't say all of your words very clearly, but Daddy and I have heard you say them so many times that we understand your "language" pretty well.

We love your curly hair.

You love to watch Daddy mow to lawn. Every time you are in the garage you point to the lawnmower and say "Mommower" You also say "Bye bye" to the lawnmower and just about everything else when we leave, come inside, or go upstairs for naps.

You like to play with the vacuum, but you get scared when we actually run it.

Daddy's baseball team went to the state baseball tournament. They unfortunately lost in the first round. You LOVED being at the game. The game was up in Bellingham, so we rode with Grammy and Grandpa. The car ride was 2 hours, and you absolutely screamed for the last 30 minutes. At that point you were completely done with being in the car, and wanted nothing but to get out. You wanted to ride home on the bus with Daddy.

When we ask you to go get a diaper, you get one from your cubby of diapers!

You LOVE being outside. We got a small swing set for the backyard, and you LOVE to swing on it.

You have learned how to climb. You started by climbing onto the chairs. Then you learned how to climb onto our bar stools, and finally up onto our kitchen counters. You were in time out a lot for doing this because it is dangerous, but you weren't getting it. A couple of weeks ago you fell off the counter while I was nursing. Thankfully you didn't hurt yourself, but you scared yourself enough that you haven't tried climbing onto the counter tops since!

You like to roll cars and toys down the slide in your playroom. We are starting to see your imagination!

When we tell you that it's time to eat, you clasp your hands together, ready to pray. Daddy prays with you every night before bed, and you fold your hands and just stare at him with the biggest eyes. When he's done praying you always say "Amen!"

Daddy taught you how to laugh. When we ask you to laugh you say "Ha, ha!"

You have been whining a lot when you want something. We are trying to teach you how to use your words instead.

You have big blue eyes!

You love to play Patty Cake. You roll it, pat it, and throw it in the oven!

You learned how to open to doors at Grammy & Grandpa's and at Papa and Grandma's house. Now nothing is safe!



(We cut his toenails after I took this picture and realized how gross they were. Opps!)

You also learned how to turn lights on and off when we hold you up to a light switch. When you wake up from a nap or in the morning, you turn off your white noise machine by yourself. After you turn it off you clap your hands, so proud of yourself!

I'm amazed at how quickly you have developed a little temper. Don't get me wrong, you have the sweetest, most charming personality, but you also have quite a determined will that gets you in trouble. You gaged yourslef once because you put too many fingers in your mouth. I obviously told you to stop doing that. You didn't like to be told no, so now when you are upset, mad, or we tell you no, you will gag yourself, or pretend to gag yourself in opposition! You have also started to arch your back or grab our face when you are mad. You are so darn cute when you are mad that it's hard not to laugh when you are being naughty. We are learning how important consistent disciple is. You get so upset when we have to put you in timeout and are thankful that it has been a great tool in correcting your behavior!

Your smile is contagious. It seriously lights up your whole face.

Daddy is now on summer break. We are SO excited to have the whole summer to spend together. We have a couple of trips planned, and a few projects around the house and yard to accomplish, but we are mainly looking forward to creating memories as a family!

Matthew Jay, we love you SO much!