Turning 2

Christmas Eve 2009 brought us a wonderful early present:

All babies born in December that year at the Orem Hospital were given some homemade large stockings. Nicholas ended up with two, but this one was the one I liked the best. Nicholas was due on January 1st and came on his own December 24th.

Trying to get him in the stocking to pose for a picture is somewhat of a joke, but at least I got a picture of him on top of the stocking...the same stocking he received as a newborn. He was 8 pounds or so at birth and just yesterday he was 28 pounds.

Some of Nicholas' "personality":

-crazy energy, loves wrestling with older brother and sister and dad

-loves bedtime stories told by daddy

-climbed out of his crib, playpen, opened doors, unhooked doorknob locks, originally pulled out the eye and hook on his bedroom door (that has been remedied), climbs on counters, tables, anything he can, reaches onto counters to get whatever he wants

-doesn't like nursery...we're still trying to get him to stay without crying and screaming

-insists on having a fork/spoon while eating a meal

-while I am cooking/preparing dinner he pulls out a plate and asks for yummies

-LOVES balls and throwing things

-still loves being outside, but it's hard when it's so cold outside

-loves playing with dad's tools and now he has his own plastic set, but still likes playing with both

-loves his "shows," asks for a movie or show and a ba-ba constantly...never called a bottle a ba-ba and can say SO many words, but will NOT say sippy...we say you want your sippy (trying to correct him) and he just says Yess...he has really always known what he wants and doesn't want and can be VERY stubborn about it

-he's picky about what movie he watches as well, he has his favorites (Incredibles, Aladdin, Tarzan, Peter Pan...just a few of the current favorites)

-he loves playing upstairs with Mathew and just being crazy and copying his older brother and sister. He LOVES when the kids come home from school and Allison is a definite favorite of his!

-he LOVES his Auntie Judy and playing with his cousin Brockie...which is great for me, I can go in and help at the school and know he is having a GREAT time with his cousins and aunt (he's our only child to grow up with family around since his birth)

-loves brushing his teeth

-enjoys dancing and music

-loves and insists on sitting with mom, or laying on the couch with a sippy and a blanket with mom

A few recent stories about Nicholas:

We would tell him to do something (like lay down for a diaper change, come downstairs, let's go, etc...) and he would reply with "Oh fine" (in a resigned voice). I have heard him sigh at us as well.

The last week or so we have watched him fold his arms and pout at us when he is upset about something.

For awhile at nap time I had been having to try and lay in there with him to get him to go to sleep. I pretend to sleep to show him an example. He would lay quietly there for a few minutes then sit up and look if my eyes were closed and try to "escape."

Another funny thing happened when we were in a store as a family one night. He didn't want in the cart or to be carried. He didn't even really like walking with us and holding our hand, so he would pull at the hand until he was laying on the floor of the store. Then we would usually let go and watch him lay there or roll around. Then he would start crawling. He started crawling around a little corner and I was following him, but I don't think he knew that. As soon as he thought he was far enough away, he got up and tried to run. I went and told Michael what he had done and Michael didn't believe me. So a few minutes later he tried again and I told Michael to watch and follow him...he crawled SLOWLY all the way to the end of a long aisle and as soon as he was at the corner he tried to crawl as fast as he could away.

He is quite an energetic and mischievous little boy. There is more energy and mischief in him than in both his older brother and sister put together. He keeps us on our toes and laughing, chasing, correcting, punishing, and LOVING him to no end. What a great/challenging blessing he is to our family!