Language continues to be his biggest development lately. He is really starting to say more two word phrases. Mostly he says "Me This" or "No That" or "Bye Bye This". Those are his three biggest phrases, but that's more than he was doing just a few weeks ago. We got him to say "Milk Please" last night too and that was pretty cute.
I think maybe even last month I said Connor was saying "No" but wasn't quite sure how to use it. Well I assure you, that he knows how to use it now. We are definitely not in that stage where it's his favorite word, as I have been told by other Moms this can happen, but he has certainly picked up on how to use it. For example, today I asked him if he wanted to read this one certain book that he usually likes and he said, "No book." I said, "Are you sure?" He said, "No Mamma."
He also has added to his cute phrase list. He started saying "Whoa Baby" last month and now he's saying "Oh no" in this cute little way when things drop, etc. He also repeated me saying "Good girl" to Maizey the other day. He is really starting to repeat what we say. I guess we better start watching those curse words. Oops.
I have been trying to write down his new words, but they have been coming so fast and furiously lately that I doubt I'm doing a good enough job actually keeping an accurate account. Some of his most recent words (as far as I can remember) are: "Star", "Mouth," "Eye", "Teeth", "Feet", "Dat" = Hat, "Choo Choo" = Train, "Plane", "Paper", "Moon", "Baseball", "Dide" = Slide, "Wee Wee" = Swing, "Moon", "Nose", "Milk", "Rock", "Minamo" = Orange (hee hee), "Shoe", "Snack", "Block", "Turtle", "Berry", "Doo Doo" = Cookie, "Boat", "Rock", "Paper", and "Nuit" = Crayon.
He has also become more and more interested in coloring and crayons. We started with this dot art that they do at school. You sort of bang the paint on the page. It's fun. Then we also played with sidewalk chalk and he really seemed to like that. Then when Gigi and Pagger Don were here to watch Connor when Jeff and I went to Sea Island (more pics of that in a bit) they got him coloring with crayons more and now he's really hooked on that too. He calls them "Nuit" and if you say "crayon" back to him, he'll respond again, "nuit." It's so funny. He likes scribbling on blank pages and also when I draw things he knows like trucks and elephants and balls and then he can try to color them in. It's fun and for the most part he still seems interested in coloring only on the paper. I'll enjoy that for now, I'm sure.
Another big boy thing that Connor had really been struggling with was holding my hand when he crossed the street or was in a parking lot. I basically just had to carry him everywhere. Since he was a baby, he never liked being manipulated in any way. I remember back in our Mommy and Baby time at the Library and trying to move his body around and how he would be all stiff when I tried to straighten his arms for the different movements. He certainly had full range of motion, he just didn't like to be messed with. All the other babies in the class were floppy and fine with it, but Connor stiffened up if you pulled at his arms or legs. That much hasn't changed a bit. Holding his hand falls into the "manipulating him" category" as far as he's concerned, but he's finally starting to get the fact that it's just the way it has to be. Before I would put him down and try to walk while holding his hand and he would start fussing and literally go limp and lay on the ground. Now he'll walk holding my hand. Of course as soon as we get to the sidewalk, he's anxious to let go, but as long as he doesn't run off or back into the street, that's OK in most cases. It was a big step for us.
Now that the weather is nice, it's basically been non-stop outside time. He gets up in the morning and after he's dressed runs to the back door and says, "Die" (outside). Anytime he finishes a meal he runs to the door and says, "Die." It's like he was sitting in his highchair just thinking about it the whole time. It's funny. We can't always go, so that of course doesn't make him happy, but he settles down pretty well.
His tantrums are still pretty manageable. He'll cry and get frustrated, but he gets over things pretty quickly, which I have to remember as soon as they start. Usually it's no more than a minute or two before he's back to good. We'll see how long that keeps up. He is getting closer and closer to being a terrible two afterall. Connor...terrible...never.
He still remains a very happy boy, and now that he's been healthy for a good month or even more, he's really such a joy to be around. He has full on giggle sessions where he is cracking himself up for almost no reason at all. You just can't help but laugh along with him.
Well check out our recent pics. There are a lot, because we've been quite busy, including a fabulous weekend away when Gigi and Pagger Don babysat Connor so Mommy and Daddy could go to fabulous Sea Island, Georgia for Jeff's work. Whoo hoo! As per usual they didn't give us one bad report and instead said he was a perfect angel. I have my doubts, but it's still nice to hear. Thanks again.
Here is just a short video of Connor improving his utensil skills. What a big 20 month old.
On Valentine's Day evening I ended up putting a little product in Connor's hair and taking a fun little photo shoot, because he looked so darn cute. Here he is posing with a football.
Then I got him giggling in a chair. This face cracks me up.
A happy boy.
Now cheering!
A closeup of a Valentine's cutie.
Playing with playdough and enjoying some wine on Valentine's Day.
Pagger Don and Gigi came to babysit Connor so that me and Jeff could attend a business weekend in Sea Island, GA.
Standing in front of the beautiful Cloisters Resort in Sea Island, GA. It is this amazing resort on this private island in Georgia with golf courses, a spa, fitness center, beach club, and all around amazing facilities. It is 5 star all the way and we felt so lucky to be able to stay there, in part, because Jeff's boss had a connection and is a member of the club.
We went to lunch at the beach club and had an awesome view of the Atlantic ocean. The hotel has three pools, but the ocean is not bad either. As you can tell, the weather was amazing. It was mid 70's and sunny all weekend.
One of the pools at the beach club.
It was a little too chilly with the ocean breezes to go swimming in the ocean, but it was fun to walk along the beach.
We missed Connor, but this wasn't so bad either.
Jeff didn't golf the first day, so we got to spend the whole day together. We rented bikes and explored the island and saw some amazing architecture.
Here is a picture of our room. The bathroom was cool too and was actually made up of two separate rooms so each guest could have their own space to get ready. It was probably bigger or as big as the main sleeping area. It was pretty crazy. The attention to detail at this place and the service was amazing. They even had stationary in the room that said, "In Residence Mr. and Mrs. Treadway."
We also had a patio that overlooked the river. We got to see some beautiful sunsets.
While Jeff golfed with the men (we were in a group of 5 couples), I hung out with the other ladies. We'd meet up for awesome dinners each night.
On Sunday, Jeff's boss's wife who knows the area really well, hosted us and took us on a driving tour of Sea Island. Then we had a nice lunch back at the beach club. After lunch we went to Christ Episcopal Church, whose first services dated back to 1736 by pastor Charles Wesley. He's the brother of John Wesley who founded the Methodist Church. It's neat because there is this old cemetery in the back with a lot of confederate soldiers and their grave markers actually contain a lot of detail about them. It's just interesting to think that they have been there so long.
There are just huge trees all over Sea Island. We had such a wonderful time.
Now back home, I just wanted to take a picture of Connor still enjoying his bin of balls. He dives right in. It's fun now, because I have recently taught him how to open the bin, so he can get in it himself.
I still like all types of balls. Let's play.
He seems to really like basketball right now. He always stops when he sees a basketball hoop in someones driveway and he gets really excited when he sees his. Unfortunately he still needs to use the ramps to make a basket, but he's getting really close to making one without it. Just a few more inches buddy.
Just some cute pics of Jeff pushing Connor around in his dump truck. Connor loved it, but Jeff thought he was going to break his back. Why did he come up with this game. Hee hee.
A happy rider.
Over the weekend we visited our friend Andrea and Eliud's newest son Samuel Faz. He was just one week old. He is precious.
The Faz's already have one son who is 19 months old, so Connor had a playmate. Mateo seems to be doing well as a big brother.
Connor really seemed to like Mateo's t-ball set. Hmm, a birthday gift perhaps. He'd put the ball back on the stand and everything. It was sweet to watch.
Beautiful new mom Andrea and her new little boy Samuel.
For a week old, he hardly looks like a newborn at all. What a cutie. I think Connor still had pretty swollen eyes at this point.
Connor having fun on Mateo's playground.
It was really funny, I guess Mateo knows how to get out of the doggy door so he showed Connor, but Connor couldn't quite figure it out. He never made it, but that's probably for the best.
We went out to dinner Saturday night to a local Mexican restaurant and afterwards on a whim, Jeff said, let's all share an ice cream. Being the sweet lover that I am, of course I wasn't going to object so off we went. Connor loved it and it was worth the 30 minute late bedtime that night. What fun.
