Nice weather... Zoo trip!

Eleven Months!!

Evan has changed so much over the last few months.  He is no longer our baby - he is turning more and more into a toddler!  He is so different from Liam, but that keeps us on our toes!!!  Here are some highlights of an eleven-month old Evan:

• Signing!  Just in the past few weeks we have some consistent signs: all done, more and shaking his head 'no no no'.  He is using all three quite functionally during meal time now.  He will shake his head 'no no' when you offer foods and then sign more when you get to the right one!  Such a smart boy!
• Crawling everywhere.  Climbing on lots of things now.  Rubbermaid containers and stools are perfect for Evan to get on top off... He loves using mommy and daddy to climb up to try to get on his couch... a new favorite activity!  He stands on the back of the couch looking out the window!  He is transitioning from knees to one bent knee to standing and holding on to reach something from the floor... he is quiet coordinated and agile!  
• Walking with his walkers quite well.  He will stand without support also for a couple seconds and every once and awhile he will attempt a step and just fall in our general direction!
• Becoming interested in books.  He will sit and turn a few pages now.  Doesn't necessarily want to listen to the story yet though!
• Babbling and very expressive with his intonation.  He has this 'huh' sound that he does with such different inflections that it truly has 10 meanings!
• Loves driving cars.  Matchbox cars especially.  He also pushes around big cars and is learning to turn them around to go right back in the opposite direction.  He is not too interested in baby toys anymore.  He loves Liam's toys.  He loves Liam so much, so this is not surprising!
• He is eating pretty much everything now, but is much pickier about it in the last weeks.  He no longer will eat many meats or veggies, but loves grilled cheese, broccoli and ANY fruit you give him.  He loves his water cup and demands that he have it for every meal!  He has recently discovered silverware and LOVES it!  He can't stab yet, but loves it when someone will stab his food for him and he can hold the fork!  He loves anything to do with being a big boy!
• Sleep is getting better (knock on wood... seriously people, do it!)  He is taking two naps at home (around 9 and 2) for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours each nap.  He goes down around 7/7:30 pm and gets up around 7 am.  Typically he gets one night feeding around 4:30 am, but just in the last two nights, he has slept through that feeding (only has happened a handful of times before) and slept until almost 8 am.  I am sure this is a sign he is getting sick, but I can still enjoy the full night's sleep!
• Sickness... it is constant.  He has had 5 ear infections, several other times he was medicated for various reasons as well.  We have our ENT appt. this week thursday, which I am sure will lead to tubes.  I am ok with that at this point.  He is still fighting a runny nose right now and just doesn't seem comfortable.  I am hoping we can make it to thursday without another ear infection.  
• No new teeth to report, but I have a feeling some are working there way through.  Currently we have all four top teeth, two bottom center teeth.  
• Evan's personality is outgoing.  He loves people, he loves exploring.  He is loving daycare and his new mobile infant room.  He is not napping at daycare very well.  Typically one mid-day nap for about 45 minutes is all he will take... this leads to a cranky baby.  Overall though since he is only there for 3 days a week, we get through it and he rests up on mondays and fridays!  
• He is so interactive lately... so big, putting things on his head to be funny, communicating all sorts of emotions (temper tantrums... boneless baby... flinging himself to the ground screaming), playing planes (flies them in the air), throws a ball to you, drives a car to you... so amazing to watch!
• Liam continues to handle being a big brother with such wonderful, caring actions that sometimes it just floors me.  He will seek out his own time at the kitchen table, but those moments are fleeting and he is right back seeking out playtime with Evan again.  Evan worships Liam.  He follows his around, wants to play and do everything he is doing.  It is a wonderful connection they have.  
• We moved up to 12-18 month clothes.  The pants are long, but they work.  Still in size 3 diapers.  

Climbing up the Stairs!

Feeding Evan dinner tonight and he looked at me and kept signing more until I gave him more bread. We repeated this a couple of times until I finally had to cut him off.

The boys have been playing quietly together for 15 minutes now! That's enough time for the parents to drink a cup of coffee in peace!

Momma gave me a fork

Let me try on that headlamp

Mommy snuck me a cookie!

He's a West... He picked out his own headlamp!

So handsome and so hard to catch!

Movie Date!

Baby Plug

Chalk with Grandma

When Brothers Attack!!

Catching up...

Somehow the last three weeks escaped me!!!

Many things have been going on!

A big thanks to Mary is needed as she rescued us when I was out of town and Jon's back went out

Evan is cruising everywhere!! Loving his turtle walker and loving to empty cupboards and shelves!

Liam is dressing himself, all by himself without us!

Evan has another double ear infection... We have an ENT appt scheduled for 4/3... Probably getting tubes put in

Liam's Four Year Old Party: PLANES

We had such a nice time celebrating Liam's party with family and friends.  Ama and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle all came over.  Grandpa Mike couldn't make it, but came earlier in the week.  Carrie, Michael and Vanessa came as well as Katie, Nick, Parker and Brody.  Some good friends we spent a lot of our summer with Kate (and soon to be Piper!) and Cole as well as Jess, Cael and Landry all were there as well.  There were people everywhere and it was a great time!!!