Peter Update

Peter is doing so well with his speech.  In the last couple weeks, he has started making animal noises- his current favs are "neigh, baa, and moo".  He loves to get in his red car and say "Go, Neigh"... always wanting to go see a horse (probably b/c we did that daily on vacation). 
We are SOO thankful that Charlotte has just started doing speech therapy with him.  I can already see ways he is improving and its helping me know how to encourage, help him on a daily basis.

He is also SO attached to Mike (which I love!, its so sweet!)  We've been asking him lately
about his favorite people--- its always "dada" for the top 3 at least, then "pop".  Who he also likes to say he is going to see in his car.  :)  His favorite things are always the animals- with "kitty" and "dawg" mixed in there.

The big adventure that he and Mike are on now... they are sleeping the tent in the backyard for the first time!!  We ate dinner outside (loving the cooler weather) and while we were eating, Mike asked Peter where he was going to sleep tonight and he said "ttt".  It was so smart and impressive.  We hadn't really encouraged him to say that word! 

Some days/ moments are really stressful and push me (over the edge sometimes!) but other times, I just realize and am SOOO thankful for these sweet days.  Mom was here this week and said- "You know these are the best days of your life!" And it really is true.  I just love it.  I am so thankful for how each stage of life just gets better and better.

Pushing his dump truck in his new red boots

Welcome Sweet Lily!

Lillian Ruth
07.06.09
7 lbs 6 oz (same as her big bro & her birth date)
19 3/4 inches

Our little girl has been SUCH a joy!  Here she is (1 week old)...

Isn't she beautiful?!

Lily is such an easy baby and we are SO thankful.

She eats and sleeps so well.  She has sweet little rolls now and a chubbiness that I just want to hug.  She is cooing a lot now and I really just adore her.  

She is named after my two grandmothers.  

My mom's mom was Lillian and my dad's mom was named Ruth.

We thought it OK to have both her names come from my side.  Peter is named after Mike's grandfather and his middle name, Thomas, is Mike's dad's middle name.

We love our Rock and our Flower ;) and how very special that they bear the names of our grandparents, who we cherish.

Spoiled by Summertime

I've been spoiled by summer this year. I finished watching Landon at the end of May.

The first week of June, I spent 3 days with Melissa and Annika in Williamsburg. We spent time shopping and at the pool.

The second week I did lots of house projects- like finishing Peter's new room and other things to prepare for the baby.

The third week we headed to the river for Flythe vacation week. (Haven't uploaded pics yet.)

Last week we saw the Murphys and then both got sick (not related). The other big news from last week is that Peter started sleeping in his big boy bed! He is doing great in it and doesn't really try to get out. :) Our main problem is that the new room is on the side of the house that the sun rises on so he is waking earlier- stirring in 6 o'clock hour and then raring to go at 7. So I am trying to decide if I should give it some more "adjustment time" or maybe move his bed to the other side of the room, away from the window.

More cute Peter things....

Over the weekend, I was asking Peter to tell Mike "I love you" (he can't really say that yet) and Peter stretched his arms out- like in the book "Guess how much I Love You"... so sweet!

On Monday, we were on our way home from an outting and drove by Freeman HS where all of the school buses are parked for the summer. I decided to drive him thru the lot. He thought it was the greatest and couldn't stop exclaiming a high pitched- BU! BU! BU!

Bus, Bus!

Mike and Peter just hopped on a GRTC bus for Peter's first BUS RIDE! They are going to the Children's Museum for the morning!
We got a great suprise this week as Mike finished the big project he'd been working on at work. They finished their program for the state of Hawaii on Monday. He'd worked several weekends and long hours so he was able to take a "comp day" on Tuesday, had 2 vacation days for Wed and Thurs, and then has Fri off for 4th of July. So I am feeling totally spoiled and loving that he is around for the week. What a great and needed end of pregnancy treat!

Peter & the New Baby

My favorite things that Peter is doing lately (@21 months)...

*Pretending to read... "Yiggle, yiggle, Dickle, dickle" and sticks his tongue in and out as he does it!
*He also loves to say "yeah, no, mama, & dada". Those are probably his favorite words (not all together). When he says "Yeah", he sorta squints his eyes and smiles, then says "YEAH!" with a lot of concentration & happiness. He likes to say Dada and Mama in sequence- Mike thinks its b/c he likes it when we are together.
*Another favorite word is bus- "bu" but you know he means bus b/c he then moves his two pointer fingers back and forth- meaning that the wheels go round and round. He can spot a bus anywhere, from far away.
*There is a fire and rescue station near our house so we hear a lot of sirens. He has started saying "oooo" when he hears them. He squints tenses his eyebrows to really concentrate as he says it.
*He hears dogs barking in the neighborhood and says dog- then goes "ro,ro,ro" as his barking sound.
*He has obviously gotten much better at imitating sounds--- probably didn't start this til about 20 mo. So its fun to try to get him to say sounds. Mostly, he still makes b, d, and m sounds.

He's a sweet, fun, happy, smiley, silly, little boy! We love him to pieces!


We are preparing for the new baby...

We've prepared Peter's new room- painted it brown, Mom and Dad bought the quilt for his bed and the rug. (THANK YOU!) Mom is having a chair recovered to put in his room ("b/c he loves having books read to him"). This morning I painted the inside of his closet with the left over lime green paint from the kitchen- it looks fun and fresh. I've moved all but the hanging clothes over and pulled out the itty bitty newborn onesies. Often, as Peter sits in my lap or I hug him, I can hardly imagine that I am going to have twice that sweetness soon and love another sweet baby that much. :) It makes me excited!
I am also trying to rest as I realize how much I won't rest after the baby comes. :)
I am very blessed to have a sweet husband, our second child arriving soon, and to have so much help and love from our parents!