time for a toddler

Well folks, I feel confident in saying, my little baby is becoming a toddler.  It makes me excited to see him change, grow and blossom.  Everyday we see more peeks of what his personality is like.  The best part is seeing how proud he is when he accomplishes something new.... I know he is no longer a baby.  My days of holding and cuddling my sweet little baby are slowly stretching away.  I have been consciously be more aware of the moment and being in gratitude each night I nurse him to sleep in my arms.  At that moment, I realize just how little he still is.  I know his nursing days are nearing an end, and that is ok; he is getting older.  He no longer needs or wants that from me, but I am going to savor each moment that we have left in that journey.

But this post really isn't about me soaking in his last days of a baby, but rather it is all about the trouble that he has been getting into in his first days as a toddler!

His latest achievement is that he has begun to crawl on his belly!  Earlier this week he did it with each of his physical therapists.  He needed a little assistance, but he was doing most of the work. Well, now he is fearless and doing his best to fling himself forward and pull himself towards toys, books and anything he sees that he wants.  Yesterday I ran upstairs from the basement for a moment and when I returned, he was no longer sitting, but he had moved a foot and looked like this....

He was taking every book he could off the shelf and was sooo proud!

Just a couple hours later I heard a thud during his nap.  I ran upstairs to find that he had thrown his book out of the crib and had pull his way upright and was holding onto the rails looking out. I almost ran down to grab my camera to take a picture (because it was pretty amazing to see a child, paralyzed, upright on his body, gripping with his strong arms); but then I realized what a stupid idea that would be and instead snatched him up and cheered with him for being such a strong boy!

Needless to say, that night, daddy lowered his crib.  I can honestly say, I never thought I would need to say that we lowered his crib!

He has been ornery as ever and loves rolling around and getting into things.  He likes to go over to things he knows that he is not suppose to, looks at me, says, no no, then touches it.... like the trash can, the baby-proofed outlet covers and the drawers on our side table.  He is such a stinker.

But perhaps my favorite part of all is the new phrase he has been saying, "look, momma!"

Here is a glimpse of his budding personality.

Silly boys at lunch