Walter-20 Months

Weight:  He weighs 26 pounds. He seems heavier every time that I pick him up.

Health: He has had cold this last week. There was also a random night where he threw up on me about every 30 minutes for 3 hour span and would only sleep if I sat in a chair holding him. It’s nights like that that make you very thankful for your full night’s sleep routine.

Diet: George and Daph started being picky right after they turned two, but Wally is starting his refusal for foods now. I don’t know if it has been because he has been a little under the weather lately, but he has hardly wanted to eat anything. Eating at our house is an adventure with everyone’s special pallets. He loves all fruits and yogurt. One of his new favorite past-times is pounding his tray hard enough that everything flies off or he just flat out likes to dump it on the floor and then say uh-oh.

Clothes: He is in size 18-24 month clothes, size 6 in diapers, and size 8 shoes. He is starting to wear some 2T stuff. We have definitely moved beyond the onsie phase.

Sleeping:  For the most part he does really well sleeping. He goes to bed around 7:30-8, and then wakes up usually around 8am. He has one nap mid-day. I still won’t allow anything in his bed, and he wont sleep without a zipadee zip. He seems to be doing better when he wakes up in the middle of the night. For the most part he has been self-soothing himself back. Through our vacation and then having him in our room while we had guests during the 4th, we have found that he does not like other people to sleep in the same room as him. He would do fine in the pack and play if he was in a separate room. But if he could see your bed, no sleep for him (or you).

Likes:  He loves watching So You Think You Can Dance, and he tries to dance along. He loves his dancing Elmo, and hearing him say “Elmo” is so cute. He is obsessed with the water table, and he would stay out there all day pouring water all over himself. But interestingly enough he does not seem as fond of the pool. He likes the show Bluey, and I mean who doesn’t? He really loves when everyone comes home and will greet us all with smiles and hugs. He loves his siblings, and they can get the biggest laughs out of him. He loves drinking out of any water bottle he can find. He loved the zoo, and making all the animal noises.

Dislikes:  He is not a fan of being woken up in the morning. Same dude, same.

Nicknames: Walt, Wally, Wally Bear, Wallington Bear, Wally Olly, Waller, Wallace, Wallaby, Butters, Sweet Bean, Stinkerdoodle, Waltie baby, Cutie baby, Sweetie baby, Baby guy, and Baby Walter.

Milestones: His language has really taken off. I have lost track of all the words, and I feel like he has a new one every day. My favorite new one is “George.” He can open the fridge on his own. He got his first haircut, and he did so amazing at the barber. He can sing “Twinkle Little Star,” “Skidamarink,” and the ABCs. He is really good at putting things away including putting dishes in the sink.

Quirks: If he is not holding something, he has to be feeling fabric between his fingers. He immediately will pinch your clothes if you pick him up. You cannot go into the pantry without him being your shadow, and he will try to snag a snack while he is in there. George has started doing a nasal spray every morning to help with allergies, and Wally tries to mimic him by putting a pretend baby bottle in his nostrils.

We parents are:  in a really good place. We had the best vacation this year in Colorado Springs, and it was so fun to explore and just be with each other. Then we got to celebrate the 4th of July, which is a favorite at our house. There is nothing like it. We are both doing really great at work. There are some big things coming up at work, and I am excited to see where things end up. I am starting my 9th year at CC, and it will be my 7th year teaching there. How crazy is that?

Big kids are:  doing pretty good. They just ended summer school last week, so we are back on summer mode here. I still can’t believe that we have a 2nd grader and a kindergartner! George did so amazing in class, but on the first day he said “2nd grade is way more strict than 1st.” He just really clicked with things this last month, so hopefully that is indicative of how the next year will go. His teacher is a CC alum, so that was fun to connect with her in that way. We did go through a full allergy test this past month, and we learned that he is mostly affected by the barometric pressure than what you presume to be allergic reactions. So that was really informative, and hopefully with this new regimen, we will be able to keep him from getting sick as often. George loves hard, and we have had to work with him lately on being gently even though it seems like Wally can handle more horseplay. George often takes it a little too far energy wise. But Wally is in awe of George, so he usually doesn’t mind. He loves to cuddle with George when they watch TV together. Daphne is obsessed with Wally. Wally had a hard time when she was in school for the full day. He would try looking for her during the day. They love playing together, and Wally is always be in her space. He is definitely trying more and more to be one of the big kids.

Daisy is: doing great. Wally is smitten with her. He hugs her and pets her all the time. And he loves to feed her off his plate.

In case you are curious, here is George at twenty months and Daphne at twenty months.

I knew I loved you before I met you little dude.

Walter-18 Months

Weight:  He weighs 24 pounds. He looks like a lanky little kiddo, especially now that we see him in shorts every day. I love his little features.

Health: He has had an on-going runny nose these last few months. Unfortunately, I think he got my allergies just like the other two kids. He is also still cutting about 4 teeth, so I am sure that is playing into the runny nose and diaper rashes as well.

Diet: He is starting to get picky about vegetables, but he still eats really well other than that. He has not met a fruit or a carb that he doesn’t like. His favorite is blueberries, bananas, oranges, and any type of bread. He also makes it very clear when he is ready to eat, and will run to the table when we say it is meal time. He also pushes his high chair over

Clothes: He is in size 18 month clothes, size 5 in diapers, and size 5 shoes. He is starting to wear some 2T stuff. It seriously makes me so emotional changing over clothes because I see shirts that both Daphne and George have worn, and it is bittersweet to have this as a last time.

Sleeping:  For the most part he does really well sleeping. He goes to bed around 7:30-8, and then wakes up usually around 8am. He has one nap mid-day. He still is in a zipadee-zip, and I am still skiddish to leave anything else in the crib with him. The zipadee-zip is hypnotic for him. He can be crying, and then I zip him up, and he is ready to roll over and go to sleep. However, if he does wake up, he is a bear to get back down in the middle of the night…like it takes us hours and lots of DisneyPlus to get him to calm down. He is a different person in the middle of the night!

Likes:  His new favorite activity is climbing everything including on top of the kitchen table. He loves music and dancing. He is obsessed with Daphne and Daisy. He loves the outside, and I think the water table is going to be his favorite thing this summer. He likes telling you “no.”

Dislikes:  He still hates getting his diaper changed. He hates when blueberries are not on his plate. He loathes getting his hair washed.

Nicknames: Walt, Wally, Wally Bear, Wallington Bear, Wally Olly, Waller, Wallace, Wallaby, Butters, Sweet Bean, Stinkerdoodle, Waltie baby, Cutie baby, Sweetie baby, Baby guy, and Baby Walter.

Milestones: His language has exploded over the last couple weeks. He has so many new words: hello, blue, bye, don’t know, happy, wow, and apple to just name a few. My favorite though is “read,” and he will bring a book over to you and tell you to read. He is starting to really pick up on instructions and communicating back which is always really fun to watch. He has started a few tantrums…super fun. When I get home at night he runs to give me a hug. He finally started waving and running, generally not at the same time.

Quirks: He loves feeling fabric. Whenever he is near to someone, he will pinch their shirt and rub it between is fingers. He has one dimple on his left cheek, and it just melts me. He will fake laugh if you ask him to.

We parents are:  glad to have made it through the school year. I am really proud of this year for all of us. We saw some big transitions, but we still managed to make it through with more memories. Tom just got back from a training to become a Law Enforcement jujitsu instructor. He is really living out his dreams with his job, and he has some big plans with this credential. I was able to transition some work off my plate this last month. And not to toot my own horn, but I had to facilitate a discussion with the president of my institution last week, and I am feeling really proud of the result. Also we love this time of year, and the season just lifts everyone’s moods around here. We love our property, and being able to be outside more is so fulfilling for us. And we have so much going on in our garden!

Big kids are:  doing pretty good. They just ended school last week, so we are officially on summer mode here. I can’t believe that we have a 2nd grader and a kindergartner! George loves making Wally laugh, and is really good about trying to soothe him if Wally is out of sorts. Daphne is obsessed with Wally. She loves to tell me all the new things he did, and catalogs it all for me like a good caregiver would. She is constantly making up songs for him. And she loves playing kitchen with him. And the way they will cuddle up is the most endearing thing ever. He has started to grow interest in HER toys though, and we have had a few conversations about sharing with her now as the big sister.

Daisy is: doing great. Wally is her favorite, and they are so cute together. Wally has started sitting on her, and she just lays there and takes it. She is such a docile dog and so sweet with him. She also will run to the door with Wally when I ask for hugs. She is like, “Me too, me too!”

In case you are curious, here is George at eighteen months and Daphne at eighteen months.

His personality is really starting to come out as his words are forming. I love watching him interact with the world, but especially with his siblings. He is the perfect little guy for our family.

Daphne is Five!

As we rode to school today, Daphne squealed, “This is the best day of my life!”

She has been counting down the days until she turns five. One whole hand!

I truly do not have the words to express the light that this little girl exudes. But I am going to attempt anyway.

Here are five things to know about this beautiful soul.

  1. She is the best sister. She adores both of her brothers. She wants to do everything that George does. She thinks the world of him, and she easily follows along to all his interests. When it comes to Wally, she is so sweet to him and caters to his every need. She wants to entertain him and comfort him all day long. She is the perfect middle to this brother sandwich.
  2. Daphne pays attention to the tiniest of details. She loves playing with tiny things, and has a story of the why to every detail. She doesn’t forget the importance of every step of the process and is meticulous to layer every piece as elaborately as needed. It’s as though everything she touches becomes ornate.
  3. She is the biggest bucket filler. Along with paying attention to details on things, she also does this with people. She feeds into others so easily. She is always taking in people’s favorite things and interests and recalls them at later points in order to fill that person up. She is constantly trying to make things because she knows they are something we like or reminds her of her friends. She is a great gift giver and friend because of how she wants to make others feel seen.
  4. She is as stubborn as a mule. I am really getting payback on this one. She is giving me a run for my money on being stubborn. She knows how to dig her heels in when she has an opinion on something. She also does not like to be wrong, so she digs in there too just to prove a point. She doesn’t fall far from the tree on that one….She also wants to know the reason for everything, and she won’t let simple answers go. She is relentless on asking for why.
  5. At the same time, Daphne is very tenderhearted and loyal. She believes in the best in people. It has been really fun to see her at school this year and see how she is developing friendships. While she has this eternal optimism about her, it can take her a while to warm up to strangers. But once she does, she is stuck to you for life. If that wall has come down, she gives her whole self into that relationship and becomes your ride or die with her loyalty.

She is a sweet human, and I feel blessed to have her. Sometimes I feel like we are raising each other. I am definitely not the same person I was the day she was born. I am growing right alongside her.

This has been a big year for her, and she has grown so much-physically and mentally. I am constantly amazed seeing what she is capable of. I am so proud of her, and I am in awe of her.

Five whole years with this little person.

Walter-16 Months

Weight:  I never remember to weigh him until after he is in bed. He was at 25 lbs at his 15 month appointment. Whoops.

Health: The last couple months have been a little rough. He is cutting his back molars. He has basically had a runny nose non-stop. I think he is going to follow in the big kids’ footsteps and get the allergy cough. He also has had severe diaper rashes. They have been excruciating.

Diet: He is doing great with meals. He is starting to get picky about vegetables, but he still eats really well other than that. He has not met a fruit or a carb that he doesn’t like. His favorite is blueberries, bananas, oranges, and crescent rolls.

Clothes: He is in size 18 month clothes, size 5 in diapers, and size 5 shoes. We skipped right over 12-18 month clothes, partly because he can fit in 18 month just fine. But really, I could not find that size in any of our boxes of prior kid clothes. No clue where that size went off to.

Sleeping:  For the most part he does really well sleeping. He goes to bed around 7:30-8, and then wakes up usually around 8am. He has one nap mid-day. However, if he does wake up, he is a bear to get back down in the middle of the night. It takes a lot of work to get him back down.

Likes:  His new favorite activity is climbing everything. He loves anything he can pull up on or if there are stairs. He loves the movie Encanto. He is obsessed with Daphne and Daisy. He likes the first two pages of any book. He loves playing with the hose, and going outside in general. He loves to get the dirt out of the pots. He loves to brush his own teeth.

Dislikes:  Due to his diaper rash, he HATES getting his pants changed. He does not like any pages past the first two of any book. You cannot have a piece of bread near him without him getting some. The audacity that we have to eat carbs without sharing.

Nicknames: Walt, Wally, Wally Bear, Wallington Bear, Wally Olly, Waller, Wallace, Wallaby, Butters, Sweet Bean, Stinkerdoodle, Waltie baby, Cutie baby, Sweetie baby, Baby guy, and Baby Walter.

Milestones: He is a climber, of all the things. He can follow simple instructions like putting his cup away, and he is starting to know where things are located in the house.

Quirks: My favorite quirk is that he hums while he eats.

We parents are:  doing ok. The past couple months have been fairly difficulty for me at work. There have been a lot of changes and many pivots. It has been exciting to work with my colleagues to provide the best experience for our students, but the resources are slim and we are all just trying to make things work. While it has been hard, it has been cool to see the creative brainstorming we have been doing to get it all done. Tom has been awesome. He is really living his best life and has no complaints.

Big kids are:  doing pretty good. George is working extremely hard to do well in school. It has been fun to see him reading all the things. He got recognized a couple times for awards during the month, so that was heartwarming to see. He also started soccer again, which seems to be a good fit for him. It’s just cool to see him growing and learning. Daphne started soccer again too. She is doing amazing at school. She loves her friends so much. She adores Wally. One of her skills is filling other people’s buckets, and she loves to make Wally the center of her world.

Daisy is: doing great. Wally is her favorite, and they are so cute together. She is still really skiddish, but she is such a great dog.

In case you are curious, here is George at sixteen months and Daphne at sixteen months.

He does not give up smiles easily, but I love his sweet little soul.

Walter-14 Months

This blog has basically become a tribute to my kids, but here we are documenting 14 months of this little man.

Weight:  Honestly, I have no idea, #thirdkidprobs. I would say probably around 25ish pounds.

Health: He has had some colds over the last couple months, and I believe he is cutting some more teeth. But overall, he has been fairing pretty well health wise.

Diet: I am officially done nursing forever and ever. Wally had been weaning himself off for months, I just kept limping us along to get to a year. The last month I was just feeding him at night before he went to bed. We officially stopped on Christmas. He is doing really well eating wise with meals. We did have to stop giving him whole cow’s milk. He would throw up within minutes of drinking it. I drink almond milk myself, so part of it may be that I never had it in my diet to begin with. He does do other dairy just fine, it just seems to be actual milk. So he is on almond milk for now. He loves any kind of fruit and mashed potatoes. He cannot stand it if others are eating in front of him and he doesn’t have anything. He will start screaming after you. We have had to send the kids off to other rooms to eat snacks when Wally is awake. Needless to say, he has been doing really good eating, and we have zero concerns here.

Clothes: He is in size 12 month clothes and size 4 in diapers.

Sleeping:  We are officially down to one nap. Over the holidays, we were having a really hard time getting him to go to bed. It would take almost an hour with Tom and I switching off trying to put him to bed every 10 minutes. As soon as you laid him down, he would start screaming at you. He was also struggling with naps. So once the big kids went back to school, and I went back to work, we tested out only doing an afternoon nap. It has helped a lot, and the fighting sleep is much less. So he usually goes to bed around 8pm, and waked up around 7am, with one 2 hour nap in the middle of the day.

Likes:  He still loves music, baths, and sticking his hands in Daphne’s mouth. He has a couple books that he loves to carry around, a lady bug and a fire truck one in particular. He has a deep affinity for the bathroom, and its like he can sense the doors opening and darts for the bathrooms when he can.

Dislikes:  He hates when you try to do anything with his hands. He despises diaper changes. Waiting any amount of time for food.

Nicknames: Walt, Wally, Wally Bear, Wallington Bear, Wally Olly, Waller, Wallace, Wallaby, Butters, Sweet Bean, Stinkerdoodle, Waltie baby, Cutie baby, Sweetie baby, Baby guy, and Baby Walter.

Milestones: We have a walker! He took his first steps on Christmas, and now he is practically running. He can go up and down stairs now, which is terrifying. He started clapping recently too. He says thank you.

Quirks: My favorite quirk is that he hums while he eats. He also likes to burrow his head in your lap. When Tom and I come home from work, he runs to us and tries to climb up to us for a hug.

We parents are:  doing fairly good. Tom was working the evening shift the last couple months, and he just transitioned back to the day shift. I also got quite a bit of time off for the holidays, and I have been working from home all of January. It has been an interesting time with schedules. We have a weekend away planned though now that I am done breastfeeding, so that will be nice for us to have some time together.

Big kids are:  doing pretty good. George started basketball, and it is an experience for us all. George has started getting Wally out of his crib on his own, which is scary but endearing at the same time. Daphne is really coming into her own with school. She also loves Wally so much. They have started nuzzling with each other, and it is so sweet. She really is a little caretaker.

Daisy is: doing great. Wally is her favorite, and they are so cute together. She is still really skiddish, but she is such a great dog.

In case you are curious, here is George at fourteen months and Daphne at fourteen months.

He is so chill, but he does make you work for his approval. It’s so fun to see Wally’s personality really come out!