And Another Year Makes TWO: Knox

My sweet Knox,
Your birthday has come and gone, and you are officially TWO. I keep looking at you since your birthday, thinking how are you two already? You are definitely a big boy with big thoughts, big actions, big feelings, and a big body! You are growing so fast -getting taller and becoming quite the long boy! In fact just yesterday, we had your well-check with Dr. B, and you are in the 80th percentile for height. This doesn't surprise me, as you've always measured longer than average even in utero. I want to tell you so many things about you at this age that will fast-pass into distant memory long before we want it to. I keep wanting to freeze time and capture each sweet smell, touch, giggle, word, look. . . but it will fade from memory if I don't capture it now, and that's the whole point of this post, as you know by now.

So what are you up to now? I could go on and on here, but not much has changed since the 23-Month Newsletter, so I'll just hit the highlights:

-You have quite the vocabulary. It's always the first place I start recently because your list of words just grows and grows, as it should, at this point. The most notable things you say include: "Boys! Boys! Stop!" you yell so loudly whenever you are annoyed by your big brothers. "No! Mine!" isn't far behind. As is, "I WANT THAT." But, you also say wonderful things like, "More milk, please, Mommy. Thank you." (Sounds more like, "Mo milt peez, Mommy. Tane too.")

-You just love to run and hop and - skip even. You still adore My Gym and all the places we go to get that energy out.

-You know all your colors! You can count 1-10. You catch on to song lyrics very well. In fact, my favorite is when you sing lullabies with me. Our favorites are "Hush Little Baby," "Lullaby," "Twinkle, Twinkle," and of course, "Yah Yah" ("I'm Still Standing").

-You go pee on the potty. Still no poop, and I'm still not ready to potty train yet, but you are definitely proud of yourself when you go potty - usually right before bath or when you wake up.

-We're still not hearing those /x/ and /k/ sounds. So, you are still "Knot" or "Knos," and milk is still "milt," and dog is still "dot."

-You space out from time to time. This has become my only big worry for you right now. We mentioned it to Dr. B at your well-check, and he was also concerned. You are not "reachable" during these 20-40 second lapses. You don't respond to your name or to a touch or to me tapping food on your lips with a fork. I'm worried you're having petit mal seizures. They seem harmless, but what mom would be okay with her baby having seizures - great or small. We are watching you closely, and trying to document when they happen and for how long, and even trying to catch them on video. We've been told you would probably outgrow them, but still. . . not sure what's going on with this.

-You are shy at first and then warm up. You love to burrow your head into my neck or curl around my leg in a new place. And if you ever feel upset, you will "bottom lip it" and pout.

STATS:
-Weight: 28 pounds, 7 ounces = 70th percentile
-Height: 35.5 inches = 80th percentile
-Head: 48.5 cm = 55th percentile
-Developmental level - around 2 years, 5 months
-Size 5 diapers, 6 overnight
-2T clothes, size 8 shoe

Now, let's get on to the really fun stuff: CELEBRATING YOU! After one final one-year-old sleep, we woke you as a two-year-old when Daddy, Banner, Quinn, and I quietly walked into your room lightly singing "Happy Birthday to You." You were all smiles as balloons filled your crib and you bonked them out to us. Then, it was time for kolaches and donuts Daddy had run out to get early, early in the morning! We sang again, and this time you got to blow out your candle - with a "ffff" blow. Then, we headed up to school to celebrate your birthday with your class. You got to decorate your cake, and Quinn got to come join your class - and he loved being a part of that, back in his first classroom surrounded by your friends and with his arm around you the whole time! After your nap, you had a special visit from BeeBee who brought you a gift and a dozen small bundt cakes to enjoy - and to sing "Happy Birthday" for the fourth time! :) Later in the evening, we had an impromptu meeting with friends at Chuck E. Cheese. Amanda and the boys and Aunt Mischelle and the kids joined us to play games and eat pizza with you. The following day was...

PARTY TIME! I knew your theme for your second birthday party months and months ago: fish. In fact, I really wanted to have it at the aquarium, but we had too many people on our guest list to make that work. You just have always loved anything with fish - fish sticks, Goldfish, your fish projector, pointing out fish on any little thing! Nearly every night, for several months of the last year, you liked for me to sing the "Feeesh" song: "Boop, boop, dittum, dattum, wattam,  choo!" (I love how much you love this song - a song that has been sung for generations over in our family.) It's one reason we got you a fish for Hanukkah, and we had to name him FEESH so you could say it! Luckily, a fish theme is one easy party to throw! We had Swedish Fish, Goldfish, S'mores Goldfish, and blue jello "water" alongside a cheese goldfish surrounded by yummy grapes. The party favors were also easy: Bubbles, Goldfish snacks, more Swedish Fish, and a Fortune Fish. Finally, the venue was so much fun. We went to Play Date Co. for some fun with your cousins and a few classmates. It was nice to have the place to ourselves and for you to play with someone you knew at every turn!

I ended the day printing off your "I Believe," and reminiscing about the last year. I'm nostalgic for your babyhood and saddened by how fast these two years have sped by. I read off my memories to Daddy as we reflected on a year of such amazing growth that pleases us and reminds us of how very blessed we are to have such a happy, healthy boy. From our trip to San Antonio to our visits to the Little Elm beach, from our stay at Great Wolf to the GFC Family Retreat, from your shaky start to school to your ability for Daddy to just be able to drop you off in carpool, we have had such a fun year with you. You've continued to add so much to our family. Both of your brothers absolutely adore you, much to your irritation sometimes, as they kiss and hug you all over even when you clearly wish they'd leave you alone!

Knox Morgan, I wish you such a happy birthday! Thank you for being so happy-go-lucky, so fun, so easygoing, so full of joy and love. May this year be filled with more memories of love, laughter, joy, fun, learning, and health!

Love,
Mommy

Last bath as a one-year-old. You're "seeeping" (sleeping)

Last one-year-old photos

Shabbat with Hayla - dancing for your birthday 

"FFFFFFFFFFFF"

Fishy Cupcakes!

 

Grandma was in the hospital for an infection after her surgery last month. She was so bummed to miss out on the celebration!

FLASHBACK: 6-month check up compared to 2-year check-up!

23-Month Newsletter: Knox

Dear Knox,
This is the final letter I will write to you as a one-year-old. The next newsletter will be on your 2nd birthday, and man, are you so ready to be TWO! I just can't handle the passage of time moving so quickly. More and more, I go back and forth between wanting to strangle you and wanting to cuddle you.... as you are quite definitely becoming a temperamental two-year-old!! You definitely have a mind of your own and let us all know it. You get "MAD!" if we don't respond right away as you try to navigate the world and make your presence known in every setting: school, home, library, car, restaurants, etc. You want what's yours and sometimes what is everyone else's  - namely my phone or the iPad. Yep, you have entered the world of the screen, and you have quickly learned to rely on it for entertainment. Ugh, this drives me NUTS, but it's the world we live in . . . I just wish you weren't so addicted to it!

Okay, so what have you been up to this month? Well, I'll change this format up a bit and list 23 things I ADORE about you at 23-months old:

1. You have a pretty lengthy vocabulary! Your word list is ever increasing. My two favorites right now are "honeydew," and "applesauce." You say them so sweetly and perfectly!
2. You have very nice manners. You say "sa-ee" (sorry) and "peas" (please) and "tan-too" (thank you). Just tonight, you said, "Tan-too Mommy my poon," ("Thank you, Mommy, for my spoon.")
3. You don't say /k/ and /g/ still. It's still "milt" (milk) and "dot" (dog).
4. You say your own name: Knot (since you can't say the /k/ or /ks/ sound).
5. You love to cuddle and lay keppe on my shoulder. 
6. You hum with me or sing with me at bedtime.
7. You continue to be a dancing machine! You love the Just Dance app on our Apple TV and will ask for "dacine" (dancing) nearly every day.
8. While I hate that you get so upset, your angry face is just the cutest darn thing.
9. You adore Elmo and Cookie Monster. You also love Muno and Vampirina.
10. You love to jump and hop  - and love to tell us when you are doing so. "Watch! I jumpeen."
11. You have started the beginning of counting! "One. . .Feee... Fuuhh...Fiiiee..." I've heard you count 3-10 properly, but you haven't done it since that one time. When I ask you to do it again, you just smile at me, as if to say, "Yeah, right, lady! You wish!"
12. You are getting your colors! You know color names for sure - you just don't always match them correctly. You have known "ellow" for a while, but now you are trying to remember which is "bue," "geen," "wed," and I have no idea how to spell the word you say for orange (something like "george" maybe?!!). As of this evening, though, you were getting them all correct!
13. Your name for Grandma is now Dam-ma.
14. When you laugh, you say, "That's funny!" Oh, this just makes me smile thinking about how awesome that is to hear!
15. You chime in on various lyrics of pop music: Bad Blood, Thunder, Believer, On Top of the World . . . those are a few family faves around here. You love to hit those last notes of each sentence or verse with your brothers, and you are quite proud of yourself.
16. You really enjoy books, especially ones with animals so you can say their sounds or point to various animals you know. You have recently enjoyed a book you got for Hanukkah where we look for items on the page, and you like to spot the shoes or the socks or the car or the train....
17. You are quick with puzzles and seem to enjoy the challenge of doing them - matching pieces to their picture/space.
18. You have a love for your teachers at this point in the year that thrills me. I am delighted to see you give Ms. Valerie or Ms. Hani hugs before you leave the room. Just starting these past few weeks, we added an extra day at school, and I get to pick you up on that day! Seeing your connection to those teachers helps me feel at ease about you being there more often and away from the house. 
19. You're still in love with your My Gym classes - and we just started a new class since you aged out of the younger one. You are a bit feisty in that class, though - not wanting to share your space or equipment. You are quick to make a mad face and point at a "friend" who you don't want to play near you, and you spout out all kinds of gibberish at them in a mean tone. I told you - you are becoming two!
20. You love fish still - your new pet fish "Feesh," watching the fish on your projector, eating fish sticks, finding them on various objects (the soap dispenser, for example) or around wherever we are (swim school, for example). In fact, that is the theme of your upcoming birthday party! I think it's fitting and represents something you've been pretty drawn to all year.
21. The brother hug you guys give each other is quite possibly going to melt my heart completely into a puddle one night soon. The three of my boy joys with their arms locked around each other saying goodnight while laughing and hugging, it's a mama's high! I love seeing those boys tuck you in to little circle of love - my little squirt just standing there in your sleep sack next to those boys who tower over you.
22. The way you eat ice cream is both frustrating and cute. You just touch your tongue to it with a mouth wide open. You won't bite it or put the spoon in your mouth.
23. Just like Quinn used to do, when you get excited about us getting home or coming to pick you up, you immediately look for something to bring to us. Like you're shy and don't know what to do. But, pretty quickly you realize you don't have to do that - and you put it down and run into our arms with a great big smile on your face. Oh, I just love your hugs and your excitement, and that moment of being reunited with you! 

Knox Morgan, two years ago, I was uncomfortably pregnant with emerging complaints about my back, low pressure, heart palpitations that were triggered by Braxton Hicks, awful reflux, a rash, and leg cramps. I was feeling the most miserable I had ever felt while pregnant - not to be unexpected during a third pregnancy. I remember feeling like those last weeks were going to creep too slowly by and I couldn't imagine making it to your birthday in one (happy) piece! Fast forward to today, and I know this month is going to fly by, and I'm trying to soak it up - not speed it up! You bring our family so much joy, laughter, and love. So, even though you test those boundaries we keep trying to uphold, you can tug on me incessantly while I'm cooking dinner to the point that I can't even reach the stove, and I can't even look at my phone without you whining for it ("phona, phona, phooooona!"), I am going to embrace this final month of your second year. Happy 23 Months, my one-year old boy!

I love you so very much, Baby Love!

Love,

Mommy

Leaving swim lessons with your brothers- you LOVE to run. . .
it makes me super nervous that you won't stop at the end!

Ready to get in the bath - so strong pushing up by yourself

At Sesame Street Live! You LOVED it!

Sitting with the big boys at Brycen's 6th birthday party

Broom ball at Levi & Luca's birthday party

Easy Bake Oven-ing with the big boys

22-Month Newsletter: Knox

Dear Knox,
The wheels of time have decided to keep turning - and faster than I believe they have ever turned before. Only 2 months left before you turn 2, and I am just not okay with that. You are racing with glee to that second birthday of yours, and as I start to plan a celebration for that day, I am dragging my feet in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, it will take its sweet time in getting here. Obviously, I want you to turn two eventually. I do. There's nothing more bittersweet than a mother getting to watch her children age. I want to freeze you in this time, at this age, yet I wouldn't want to forego the opportunity to see you continue to meet milestone after milestone, to get to know the personality you have that reveals itself more and more each day, to celebrate your health and happiness with each passing month. And truly, your gains in maturity and development just amaze me and everyone around you.

So, what have you been up to this month?

-You are a jumper! You love to hop and jump everywhere and off anything you feel safe on (which I know will quickly change, as I've seen you experiment with taller spaces at My Gym recently).

-You are speaking in sentences much of the time: "Hold on, Mommy!" "No, no more Elmo." "Hey! That's miiiiine!""I want deidle (dreidel).""Mommy, no night-night. I want pay (play)."

-During this week of Hanukkah, every time we light the menorah, you say, "Happy Birthday?" (Although it sounds more like, "Hah bir-day?" and I LOVE it!) You have tried to blow out the candles, too.

-You can't say your /k/ and /g/ sounds yet, so you substitute /t/, or the sound is eliminated or changed in another way: Quinn is "Winn," milk is "milt," book is "boot," car is "beep."

-You're getting really good at identifying animals and sounds. "Moo" is by far your favorite. You also know the color yellow ("yewwow"), and you're starting to get red and blue.

-You enjoy trying to work puzzles, playing with cars and trucks and ramps/garage toys that you can zoom cars down, riding the Batmobile ride-on, playing with trains and tracks, Coco just this month) and enjoy anything you can "watch, watch."

looking at books, dancing, noshing, and whining when you don't have our attention. You also can't STAND to be told no to my phone (or what you call my "hewwow" (as in "hello")) or to have the iPad taken away from you. Just like your eldest brother, you are addicted to a screen. You've already been to your share of movies in the theater (

-No one would know this unless they spend a lot of time with you, but you say "thank you" EVERY time it's appropriate. No one would know because you say it like this, "Muh." I used to think you were saying "more," but I finally figured out you were telling me thank you. "Muh, Mommy!" as you walk away from me with a bowl of pretzels. "Muh, Mommy," when I put a show on for you. "Muh, Mommy!" when I help you put two Legos together for you. "Muh, Mommy, when I fix something you can't." It's so sweet and definitely a favorite thing about you at this age.

-You are so in love with your big brothers. You adore "B" and "Winn." My favorite was one day when you were in the car with me picking up Quinn early from school. My friend brought Quinn to the car for me, and as he got in you excitedly said, "HI, WINN!" You help me get their attention if they don't hear me. "B! B!! Mommy! B!!!!" as if to say, "Hey, you, she's talking to YOU!" You copy ANYTHING they do, which can be rather horrible at times. If they scream, you do. If they laugh, you laugh. You watch them closely!

-You like to pee-pee on the potty before bath and a few other times throughout the day if I ask you. I'm not in ANY way, shape, or form ready to potty train right now, but I love that you know how to use the toilet.

-You tell us when to "stop!" You tell us when to "hum on!" (Come on!) You tell us when to "Hold on!" You tell us "NOOOOOOO!!" when you're really angry. You tell us when something is "EWWWW, yuck!" You have quite the personality!

-We have continued My Gym classes. You are ready to move up to the next level class - which is good as you are definitely outgrowing our current age group. Those 14-month-old babies just can't keep up with you - talking and running and jumping everywhere. You still stifle a smile when our gym teachers are nearby - whether they tickle you or sneak up on you or swing you --- you just purse your lips together and try so hard not to let that smile sneak out. It's obvious you're trying to hide it. Our little stoic baby!

-You like to hum with me at bedtime. I usually sing Lullaby, and you enjoy humming along, sometimes a little too forcefully and silly. Recently, you request "Baby," which is your way of telling me you want me to sing "Hush Little Baby." The funny thing is that when I would try to sing this to Banner as a baby, he would immediately get emotional, and even as a toddler/preschooler, he would ask me to turn it off because it made him sad. That song became so off limits that I never even tried to introduce Quinn to it, as it affected Banner so much. With you, I still half-expect you to start telling me "No" when I sing to you. But instead, you request it over and over again. I like that we have our songs - special for just you.

Knox Morgan, my most favorite things about you are your willingness to cuddle with me, your sweet hugs, your kisses, your love of books and playing, your adoration for your brothers, and your desire to learn and talk! You definitely have your strong opinions and desires, and you let those be known loud and clear! But, you are also pretty easily appeased with some love, hugs, and attention. You still like for me to hum in your hear when you are upset, and that usually calms you. Banner even helped calm you tonight by gently singing in your ear "ABCs" until you stopped crying. We all have kind of learned what really gets you upset and what really helps calm you. We know what makes you laugh and smile. Months after starting school and having a short-lived rough time adjusting, we are adding a third day to your weekly schedule, and I'm so excited for you! I know you'll miss those mornings at Grandma's, but you're ready for more time with your friends and your teachers. (And Grandma will still pick you up once a week!)

With each passing day, we are getting closer to that 2nd birthday. Let's take it nice and slow, shall we? Let's live in the moment and not race for February 16th so quickly. It will get here, and it will get here faster than I'd like. So, let's just cuddle and hold each other and not let go for a couple months.

I love you so much, Baby Love!
Happy 22-Months!
Love,
Mommy