two.

well my lo-lo
you're two tomorrow. I can't even begin to imagine where all the seconds have gone. These last few weeks have been busy and changing.

You have been excelling at daycare since we decided my return to work would start in February, and it's become a "busy" season in our lives. One where we can get so caught up in deadlines and pick-ups/drop-offs that one can forget to seize that snuggle or enjoy the sunset park visits. I'll admit that tantrums are easy to ignore and we try not to focus on those, but can get caught up in the in between of these behaviors.

The way you call us mommy, daddy. Which seems to you to signify comfort not necessarily a name differentiation between your two parents, makes us smile.

Last Friday we had to put down our puppy Decker. He was a month shy of 6 years old, it broke out hearts and we've been devastated. Your comprehension has been limited and every morning and afternoon we here you asking "puppy?puppy? puppy?". This is one of the things I'll miss most. The camaraderie between you and Decker, you adoring him and him...tolerating you.

Than there's tomorrow, you turn two, we're off this week on vacation and we're going to be trying a few new things, movement out of your crib and into a bed. There's always change in the midts of turmoil, and we're so glad to have been chosen to be your parents through it all.

we love you.

xoxoo.
mommy & daddy

first steps

I am little behind on your one year letter, but wanted to note that you took your first unassisted steps into your daddy's arms on Friday August 19, 2011 at around 9:30 pm, way past your bedtime, but worth keeping you up for!
This past Sunday (September 11th) you took 5-6 steps in rapid succession. I love watching you grown. We are so very blessed to be your mommy and daddy!

love mommy.
xo.

11 months

Baby Lo-lo.
I started calling you that, it stemmed from me calling you roe, then roe-lo and now lo-lo. Go figure. Funny where you little names come from.

Well my boy you are officially a month (minus a few days at this posting) closer to your 1 year birthday. The one where I found the sweetest invitations for, and then had to e-mail out details due to a postal strike, so now I have a lot of copies for decorations I guess?

This past month we've been doing things for the most part solo. You're daddy has been living away from us monday-friday and we've been doing surprisingly well in my humble opinion. We're keeping busy and you my little munchkin are in exploration overload. No cupboard left unopened, no rock unturned/unchewed. I had to swipe some dog food out of your mouth yesterday, the way your face crumpled you would've thought I'd interrupted your lovefest for chocolate-if you'd had chocolate yet (the countdown is on my son don't you worry).

So food, you eat pretty much anything I give you and we've completely stopped buying any semblance of babyfood (minus arrowroot cookies), some new favorites are steak, bbq chicken and tenderloin. It always makes me laugh how one day you'll be ravenous for tortellini and the next want nothing to do with it. the same can be said for many of the foods we give you, you like them only about once a week, which keeps me cooking and trying to give you something a bit different everyday, which in turn is great because it forces me to cook for just myself and you beyond the basics. One thing you love day in and day out though is cheese. Any kind.

So on the topic of dairy, you've had a horrible bum rash for going on three months now. We've been to 4 doctors, we've tried about 7 creams, 3 prescription ones too! And nothing seems to be helping, we'd do the creams it would 90% clear up and then BAM, it is back again. So yesterday we bought you some lactose free formula, and we'll see if that makes a difference, it's hard to imagine cutting you off of some of your favorite foods at this time, but we know it's been too long and the cortisone creams only seem to make it worse (another possible allergy?). So time will tell.

Your weight this month was around 19.2 lbs, almost at forward facing carseat (woot) weight. Your fitting into and growing out of your clothing rapidly and I must admit I love the shopping. Your daddy, not so much.

You are a pro furniture creeper now, you're getting a bit more adventurous each day as you try to go from one piece of furniture to another. you've started walking holding onto mommy and daddy's hands and the way your smile spreads across your face when you are walking makes me so proud of the little man you're becoming.

we went for our first picnic and beach day this summer, you like to be outdoors and are learning to like the sand, it is a required taste I must agree.

We went for a picnic with our friends Char & Julianna and saw some butterflies at the conservatory, you seemed intrigued by them and we had a very nice relaxing afternoon looking around and exploring.

We got you your first toothbrush which you love to tote around with you and chew on, no new teeth yet and we're good with that; you've started biting  any fabric you can get your teeth into and mommy and daddy if they happen to get in the way when you get really excited and giddy.

You are more then we could have wished for my beautiful boy.
Love you,
Mommy.

10 Months

My lovedove.
You are so close to a year old, it is kind of starting to hit me, hard.

During this month we celebrated your first Easter and you had your first sleepover at grammy's without us, and you did really well.

I must say that you are such a happy little man, and so adaptable, you nap well generally wherever we put you (as long as you have a radio on) and you smile/charm/flirt with everybody shamelessly. Your dad and I love showing you off.

You met your aunty Danielle this month and she joined the group of those you've charmed. I love when people who've known me get to meet and know you, it makes me so happy.

You weighed in at 18lbs 5 oz, when we had to go do a doctor's appointment due to a crazy bum rash that you had.

We expanded your food options this month-spaghetti, pancakes (you love holding onto them) cheese, milk and yogurt are just a few that you started.

We took you with us to vote during the provincial election, and following that we took you for your first ride on a swing. You giggled and flailed in this way that we love so very much and since then have thoroughly enjoyed every swing ride that you've had.

You helped your daddy with some yard work and fell asleep in the midst of it, your dad adored this.

Your daddy had a job interview, which lasted 2 hours during which I had to keep you entertained in the car-it was interesting and I can honestly say I hope to never have to do that again! You just wanted to explore and search and were so limited in space.

You are a bonafide crawler, you have even figured our a way to speed crawl when you get really excited about something and want to move towards it rapidly. You started clapping and you have become quite vocal and say dad-da and ma-ma with a bit more clarity now, as well as a multitude of other sounds.

On the 18th of May I walked in to get you after your nap and found you standing all on your own. I will admit I did cry a little at that moment. Your daddy came home right after that and seeing you achieve that milestone helped him forget a rough day at work.

For the May 24 weekend we headed out for breakfast as a little 3 person family unit. I love time with just the 3 of us. I know these times are so very special and there will only be so little time with just us 3.
We then headed to Grammy and Grumpa's and helped them put in a new stone patio. We also got a new boat and therefore a new life jacket for you, you did not love it!

You now have 7 teeth (4 top and 3 bottom). Your toothy grin is heart melting.

You have made our lives o much more enriched my roe-lo.
I love you

Mommy.

yesterday

you learned to play peek-a-boo by covering your face with your blankie then pulling i down with a huge grin across your face and waiting for me to cheer. I love it.
You also went on your first bike ride. You've got some adjusting to do with your helmet.

love you. mommy

9 months old

This past month you've continued to grow and 'catch-up' if you will from your little bout of pneumonia.

9 months brought on 2 more teeth (totaling 5). This was tricky and hard to see you go through, but you're still so happy and content the majority of the time, and this gives us a very clear indicator of when you need some help managing your pain.

Your dad figured out that your crib could hold both his weight and yours, and I walked in to find you two this way after you woke up from a nap. Since then I find you two in here randomly, at one point your daddy had fallen asleep and you were just babbling away to him and touching his face; I found you two like that when I couldn't find you anywhere else.

We went on our first family spring walk and what a difference the time has made, you are now so intrigued by your surroundings during a walk, you rarely fall asleep and just glance around to take it all in. Even when we're holding you ow, you'll jerk and try and get around us to see everything that is going on.

Your crawling ha improved rapidly, you went from rolling in a funny way-kind of angled to get to a specific toy/goal. To pushing yourself backwards and forwards more and more and starting to push up on all fours. You also started leaning on our chests and the  pushing yourself up with your legs.

We went an house-sat/teen-sat for some friends of ours and we had an awesome week of visiting while the kids were at school and just hanging out with the teens. Everyone loved snuggling you and you adjusted so very well to your surroundings and were amazing all week long. I know your daddy missed us both very much and we skyped him as much as we could during that week.

We got to go out for lunch with your grandpa and zaidie and Lori, again you were amazing and mommy and daddy probably overwhelmed you with the amount of toys we gave you to keep you entertained, when in truth you just wanted to glance around and take it all in. You had your first tastes of challah bread and matza ball soup at the center street deli.

You have this new thing where when you get excited your legs go straight and rigid, you push up if possible and flail your arms with the biggest grin in the world across your face. We love getting you excited just to see it. Sometimes daddy will mimic it and then you both keep each other going, what a sight to behold.

We celebrated your first passover during this month as well. I can't wait for you to fully grasp the meaning of both of these holidays and become an active participant in the rich traditions of our heritage.

You my little boy also grew like a weed, and are now for the very first time on the growth chart the doctor's. You were just under 17lbs at your 9 month check-up and we got the go-ahead to not see the doctor again until 12 months. What a relief!

we love you so much

xo. mommy

eight months

my roe-lo.

This letter is a little late in being written due to a whirlwind month plus that we've had.
You my little peanut had pneumonia. We made 3 trips to the doctor's to find out that you had pneumonia after a bunch of mis-diagnosis and assumptions that you'd be fine and that you'd get over it or that it was teething. You were so very sad and having to hold your flailing arms while you had a chest x-ray done was extremely hard for you and for me to watch you in such discomfort and pain.

We then stayed in our house for a week solidly, this was hard for both of us I do believe but we made it through. While you had pneumonia and we made our first trip to the doctor, we weighed you and the results were a bit worrisome to the doctor. You had only gained 10 grams in the six weeks since your previous appointment (weighing in at 14 lbs. 1 oz.) and when we returned 2 days later to have you checked again you had dropped to 13lbs 7 oz., we were advised to see our family doctor and did so just a few days later (3 I do believe with the weekends). We didn't weigh you and then found out you had pneumonia, our doctor told us this could explain your rapid weight loss and so we made yet another appointment to check on your progress following the antibiotics and a week of steady rest.

The next week you were up to 15 lbs. 4oz, which was amazing! Our doctor was so happy with your progress that we now get to wait before we act on the pediatrician referral that our doctor recommended. We go back next week for your 9 month check-up and weigh in. You've been growing out of clothes and feeling heavier every single day so we know that you're no longer losing for sure.

We did a weekend visit to the hc and visited with both your sets of grandparents. They loved seeing you, but the nights proved tough as you cut a tooth that weekend. Bringing your tooth total up to 3. You were fabulous and so very sweet as usual.

The next weekend we returned to the area and visited with the Byle family. We had a lovely and relaxing weekend, complete with a refreshing walk outside and various snuggles with your auntie and uncle :)

We finished up our swimming classes and unfortunately have not restarted them due to you having had pneumonia we're playing it safe right now. I miss our weekly classes, but only about 6 weeks until we can start them up again.

We got you a push walker and you have done so well with it, you can walk just a few tiny steps on your own when you are in the right mood from mommy to daddy and back and forth.

You're aunt Jeannine came up and spent a sunday coming to church with us and snuggling/playing with you, we loved having her up to see you!

We've started many more solids and you love oranges!

You were a tiny bit behind on your development, or where you'd been headed before you got so very sick. But I can now see that you are right back on track and even excelling.

We love you so very very much.
xo. mommy.