Oh what do you do in the Winter time?

Shave cream+food coloring+no clothes+an empty tub= Toddler Art

Shortstop loves his dad...a lot! (Just had to add this picture)

On a random note, today at Mommy School Shortstop threw up a little. Very little and he wasn't acting sick at all. In fact, he is 100% fine. So we went home and I thought about the last few times we have gone to someone else's house to play. And I remember that he has done this a few times. He gets really nervous going into other people's homes and I have to be near him the whole time. Plus he fusses more in an hour at someone else's than all day at home. So I came to the conclusion that maybe he gets so nervous his stomach hurts. Weird right? He does fine with babysitters though, because it is on his turf. I feel so bad. I know he needs to get used to playgroup and nursery and other surroundings that are not Grandma's house, but I don't want him to be so nervous he is sick.

Any of you had issues like this? I am trying to find the balance of being on his side and protecting him while still helping him see it is ok to be with other people.

Tender moments for mom

My child is a very independent child. And I know exactly where he gets it from. Many of you might think it is a Jacque thing and to some extent that is true. But really...it is an Elkington thing.

My child also gets embarrassed when he gets hurt. He does not like to be consoled. He wants people to stay away from him and leave him alone because it "huts" as he says it. (I love the letters he picks to leave out of words.) This is for sure a trait I gave him. I hate getting hurt or being sad and that creates embarrassment. Don't ask me why, but it does.

So when Shortstop falls down in his footie pajamas on the hardwood floor, or bonks his head on the coffee table after playing hide and seek, or bites his tongue with all the new teeth, he rarely wants me to talk to or even look at him. So yesterday when he slipped and fell and I picked him up, I expected a flip backwards out of my arms while crying and telling me no. Much to my delight, he laid his head on my shoulder, wrapped his little arms around my neck and said in a whimpering voice "Mama...huts". He stayed that way for almost a minute and I melted where I stood and tried not to move an eyelash for fear of disturbing the moment. He even refused kind words from his "buddee" (Dad).

I love kids and I always have. But when you are the aunt or the babysitter, you are not who they want when they get hurt. They always call for mom and she is the best medicine in the world. I envied that and looked forward to it. And yesterday it happened. He has wanted me to hold him before and he snuggles with me a lot, but this seemed different. He was in pain and he needed me, his mom. And that made it all better. I kissed his head, wiped the tears and he smiled. That is why I became a mom. There are hard days, hard hours and even hard minutes (and I very much agree with this article) but my goodness it is easy to forget those and remember these. I was a source of true comfort to my little boy.

Now we will see if it was a fluke or if he really knows I can make it all better. Because that is a mom's gift.

20 months

Shortstop turned 20 months yesterday. I know, crazy right? And so this is a post all about my little man...who is awesome by the way. I love this age! He is such great company all day and so much fun. The learning is at such a fast pace that I hope I can keep up on teaching him!

First lots of fun things for me to remember and for the grandparents to ooo and ahhh over. Feel free to skip over this part if you want to just get to pictures.

Words:

• "Help" has been added to his daily words. Anytime he gets stuck or just needs a little encouragement he says "help" in an exasperated tone
• Says "hi" in a sweet voice with his head tilted to anyone who will listen
• Loves the picture in his room of the temple we put in there recently and says "be-duh" for both temple and pillow.
• Calls out for Nemo if he ever wants alone time or feels sad. He can't sleep without his stuffed Nemo fish
• Says "pick" whenever I bring out the camera
• If he thinks something is funny he says "Silly" in such a funny voice
• Has never said yes but says a long drawn out "uh-huh" which I think is too cute. In fact, when we say prayers, he will repeat the last word in each sentence until he gets bored or something and then just says "uh-huh" as if to agree with whatever we just said.
• Says "Men-uh" for Amen
• Cracker is something he asks for all day long as is drink. I love that he can ask for what he wants
• When he says "nice" he pats his face or someone else nearby. This is also how he says "sorry" but that is accompanied by a frowning face and a sweet "ahhh"
• He asks to "watch move" a lot as he enjoys movies
• Yuck is a fun one and when he has a dirty diaper he crinkles his nose and says it
• "Buhr-dae" is birthday and that is new since his dad's birthday
• Buh-bye melts my heart with is chubby little hand wave
• Is ok with things being "gone" and understands when he can't have more
• "Pooh" has replaced Yo Gabba Gabba. He still likes the latter but we don't really watch it anymore :) :) :)
• Mom sounds like "le mama" and it cracks me up! Guess he is learning a new language
• He tries and says a new word at least every day. It is amazing what he picks up on

Things he does:

• Gives hugs and kisses all the time
• Gives high fives, bones and now powerlock (don't ask...it is something he does with his dad)
• He is so proud of himself and all you have to do is smile and says "Nice job" and he beams with pride
• He does...ok...in nursery. Not great but good enough
• He loves to counts anything and everything. He can count to ten and recognized numbers when they are written or just holding up fingers. Four is "ock" five is "dive" six is "ick" and seven just has to have two syllables but everything else you can really understand it
• Lines his toys up before playing with them, especially his shapes
• Loves to do the alphabet
• Knows about three or four shapes
• Walks all over the place...finally! And just like crawling, he never attempted to walk, he just did it. He still gets nervous but is becoming much more confident. I think he waited because he HATES falling and would rather wait and do it when he is sure of himself. He will just always do things when he is ready I guess.
• First thing in the morning he asks for his dad and then his numbers puzzle. He loves his puzzles and is so careful with them. One day I was putting away toys and put it away. When he came back in his room he just cried and kept saying "One" while knocking on his closet where they are until I got out his puzzle. He was so happy when I realized what he wanted.
• Reminds us to brush his teeth
• Animal noises- if he doesn't know it, he makes up some weird sound without even a thought
• Loves to sit on my lap
• Plays with my hair
• Knows facial expression to lots of emotions...my favorites are sad and angry.
• Talks to himself and answers his own questions
• Knocks on doors to see who is there
• Understands bargaining. Like at dinner I might say "eat one more bite and then you can have..." and he does it.

Now some pictures and videos!

This is how we watch movies, he and I...he holds my arm. I am so in love with this kid

And this is how he watches with his cousins. One of Mark's birthday week nights he went to the movies with my sister and her hubby while I watched kids. So we set up a fort and made popcorn to watch Despicable Me. I love when they pick movies I like!

Partying on New Year's Eve!

Counting! I love how easily distracted he gets with the pillows.

Walking over to me and then plopping down in my lap. I know he might only want to cuddle with me for a few more months so I take every opportunity I can!

His emotions...he was in a silly mood after all the other videos so it is not perfect but it is pretty cute still

Birthday #27

Mark is 27 now and for him he said that is a big deal. 27 made him feel older finally where all other birthdays were just another day to get presents and be spoiled. He now feels what I feel every birthday...oh crap...when did I get to this age?

His birthday was a lot of fun since we made it a birthday week. The Sunday before, we sat down and wrote something fun to do each day and for the most part we stuck with it. And enjoy all the pictures I took..oh wait. I forgot to take any! But I know it happened and so does he so we are good with that.

His actual birthday began with birthday breakfast and a present. (He also talked me into to letting him open one the night before). He got his favorite cologne and a new Mariners baseball hat. I never knew hats shrink, did you?

Anyway, then he went to work late and came home for lunch and opened another present. This one was from Shortstop. A whole box of Tasty Kake Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes.

This is a Pennsylvania treat that his mom had growing up. Now she makes sure there are always some at Christmas. Tasty Kakes have all types like Butterscotch, chocolate cupcakes, coffee cake and they are all so good! Well, Mark was gone for a lot of the time I was in Seattle and when he got back he only got one of his favorite kind... PB Kandy Kakes. So I ordered him a whole box just for himself. He was shocked and so excited! I think he about fell over when he opened it and realized what is was.

That evening we went to Red Robin, his favorite and then we went to the Nickelcade. I will never have any trouble entertaining my kids and my husband at the same time since they have the same interests. He may be 27 but he is still a 12 year old kid just wanting to hang out with friends and play sports. It was a lot of fun! I took some pictures on my phone so they are on facebook rather than on here. But I was surprised at how well Shortstop did. He never seemed to get overwhelmed, he never fussed and he just walked around pushing buttons. I could have never put a nickel in a game and he would have been just fine, but what is the fun in that.

When we got home we had cake and opened his last present, a huge book on the Crusades. Not something I would ever read but he loves learning about anything and everything.

I think the day was a success and the rest of the week we just had fun. My family came into town for my newest nephew's blessing so on Saturday Mark went to a BYU basketball game with everyone while my mom and I stayed home with the babies. He has not gone to a BYU sporting event in forever so he was thrilled to go!

Happy birthday Mark! You really are a great man, husband and father! Hope being 27 is not too traumatic for you.

Ode to Pinterest

I fought this one. I really did. And I think it is because I didn't want more craft ideas that I knew I would not complete. Anyone else feel like they have lists and lists of great ideas...and they are still just lists? I even have a little notebook I have been keeping for years with tons of ideas and traditions and things I want to do...eventually. Some have happened but most have not.

So one day I decided to take a look at it. See what the fuss was about. And now...I love it! Sure there are lots of things I may never have, do or make. But the things I have made so far are awesome and I feel like I am a better wife and mother. For example, today the family is getting over the flu and colds so Shortstop has been cooped up for a few days. I looked at my boards on Pinterest and got out some pipe cleaners and a cookie cooling rack and let him go crazy winding them through the wire. He loved it! And we were able to work on colors while we were at it. So simple and yet I never thought of it. I wish I could say I would have but let's be honest. I wouldn't.

So Pinterest and all those whose blogs and ideas are on there and I get to reap what you sowed...thanks a bunch!