18 months has come and gone and now we are 19 months old! So much has happened and I just haven't had time to sit down and document it all. I know I'll be sorry when I realize I can't remember stuff.
The major event in our life happened in early November. My mom's dear older brother passed away after an 8 year battle with Alzheimer's. He was only 62. He was a wonderful person, touching lives as a pediatrician as far away as Cuba and Tanzania. He meant so much to our family and we will miss him. My aunt, his wife, passed along to Owen and Mason a handmade quilt that he frequently used while he was in the Alzheimer's facility. We will treasure it.
On a happy note, here are some funny things that Owen and Mason do:
Cooooold
They both have learned what cold feels like. I don't remember specifically teaching them this, they just picked it up and latched onto it for some reason. Their favorite meal time game is to say 'cooooold' and stretch out their hand towards our soda cans, glass of water, etc. They HAVE to touch it and say 'coooold' before they will let it go. So random. They also picked up 'hot.' Again, we didn't teach them this specifically, so we didn't realize that it was time to stress that we do not touch hot things. We're working on this, don't worry.
Bath time belly flops
Owen knows that after dinner it is time for 'baff.' Recently they decided to use the bath tub as if it were a padded room. They stand up and flop down, hitting their head against the side of the tub, each other, a toy...and just laugh and repeat. Definitely boys! They also started this new thing when the water is draining out. They wave and say 'bye bye agua' (no, we aren't actively teaching them Spanish. One of Aaron's uncles taught them agua). Then, when the water is fairly shallow, they both lay backwards and say 'nigh night.' I think they'd stay all night long if we let them.
Mason has a name!
For the longest time, both boys referred to each other as Owen. They have finally learned (for the most part) who to point to when asked where Owen/Mason is, either themselves or brother. Even more exciting is Mason has finally learned to say his name. Even though he says 'Ason' it is still adorable. And so is their little voices calling brother's name when he isn't in the room. The other day Mason woke up as I was getting him out of the car. Owen was already in the house so when Mason opened his eyes he didn't see Owen. The first thing out of his mouth, before he was fully awake, was 'Owen, Owen.'
Bye bye
Owen has fully learned the meaning of bye bye and uses it correctly. He lets me know when he is ready to leave a store that I am dragging them around in. The other day we were in Toys R Us and we walked passed the front door. Owen started saying 'bye bye, bye bye.' The lady walking in said 'wow, I've never heard a kid ask to leave a toy store!' Poor guy, he must have been bored.
Eat
They both let me know, loud and clear I might add, when they want to eat. This is a fairly new word so I was surprised to hear it pop out of their mouth in the correct context. The other day we were eating a casserole with large elbow macaronis in it. Mason picked one up, held it to the side of his head, and started talking. It took us a second but we realized he was pretending it was a phone. So smart!!
Sharing
There is always a teachable moment regarding this concept. Owen is such an 'in the moment' kid that he doesn't understand that if Mason has something it will still exist in a little while for him to play with. He gets so frustrated and usually cries as he finds a little corner to cool off in. Mason, on the other hand, understands that one toy is exactly like the other toy so when Owen is insisting on having Mason's, Mason is okay with trading. He is very good about letting Owen play with something he has. I have to regulate though and make sure that Mason gets his turn when I feel like he really does care about having a turn.
Mother's Day Out
We are MDO hunting. Hoping to get the boys started sometime after the new year. I think they'd really like it and I sure could use a bit of time to get errands done without involving a stroller.
Words, words, words
Owen has really progressed lately in his speech. He used to listen more but now he is trying new words out. He is still not as articulate as Mason but he isn't far behind. Both of them have increased their vocabulary so much lately. I didn't realize they could say 'hand, horse, granddaddy, eat,' etc until it popped out of their mouths. They are also very good at mimicking a word you say and are really on the cusp of speaking in sentences. We are realizing as their speech gets more understandable that all this jibber jabber has been words to sentences. They just weren't good enough at saying it yet. We are hearing the sounds of familiar words taking shape in the common phrases they use. We find ourselves saying 'Ohhh, they've been saying that this whole time...'
I'm sure there are a million more things that I will think of later. I'll post as they pop into my brain again.
In the mean time, our family wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We hope that your holidays are filled with love, wonder, and laughter.
