Running from the Law: Baby Mac - 20 Months

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Baby Mac - 20 Months

Dear Baby Mac,

Please stop growing up so darn fast!  Your poor mother can't even keep up with all the awesome things you are doing and saying these days.  You are truly amazing and I am so grateful every single day that I get to be your mama.  
You are still an excellent eater.  Everyone that dines with you comments about what a good little eater you are for a toddler.  You can be picky (and you'd rather have cake than anything else, although I can't blame you there), but for the most part, you eat well and quite a bit.  You still love pasta and noodles (mac & cheese), fruit and rotisserie chicken.  You'll eat anything you can dip in ketchup (or sometimes you just eat the ketchup off your fingers).  Veggies are a little tougher to get you to eat, but I think we're doing pretty well there.  I really hope you keep it up.  You love feeding yourself and are really good at using a fork and spoon.  Although, you'd much rather use the grown-up fork and spoon than your little toddler ones.  Go figure.  
Sleep has been better...and worse.  You're going through a phase where it's nearly impossible for me to do bedtime with you because you won't let me leave the room.  Every time I get up to put you into your crib, you grab onto my hair or necklace and say, "mama, rock."  So we go back to the rocking chair and snuggle and rock.  I'm a softie and it works everytime.  Your dad has been having to do bedtime for the last week so we can avoid this hour-long power struggle and we can get you to bed at a decent time.  But once you're down, you usually sleep for a solid 11 hours.  It's wonderful!  Of course, occasionally we have a few setbacks when you're sick or not feeling well.  We had one middle-of-the-night puke clean-up due to a stomach bug and the last couple nights have been absolute doozies, with your dad and I taking turns holding/rocking you due to a nasty cough and lots of snot.  We hate it when you're sick - not just for the lack of sleep, but it's just so hard seeing you struggle and not feel well.  Breaks my poor little heart.  
You still sleep with your little stuffed puppy and kitty (whom you sophisticatedly call, "cat" and "dog").  They are your constant companions and dog goes lots of places with you.  You also have a giant stuffed St. Bernard the lives in the playroom that you affectionately named "Boo Boo" that you love beyond words and spend a lot of time tackling, hugging and snuggling.  You got a giant stuffed horse from Santa that you call "Bed Bug" (or something like that) that you like to ride and make horsey noises, which is adorable.  And there's another small dog and giraffe that make random appearances at naptime and both receive lots of snuggles.  You are so sweet and just adore all your animals.  
As for your real animals, you love them too.  Maybe too much at times.  Sage (the golden retriever) is great about putting up with you riding her like a horse and using her as a stepping stool.  She probably knocks you over as many times a day as you torment her, so you're even.  Mally (the sheltie), on the other hand, is not your biggest fan, unfortunately.  She is getting pretty crotchety in her old age and doesn't have a high tolerance for your shenanigans.  She does, however, love you when you eat because you're a mess and she reaps the benefits.  Jigs (the cat) is by far your favorite pet and you are OBSESSED with her.  You stalk her, you tackle her, you chase her, you love her SO much.  She puts up with it, but spends a lot of time in hiding (poor kitty).  You also help me with our fish.  They are horny little devils and we've had a recent population explosion in our tank.  We must be up to 80 baby fish these days!  (Also, what the hell am I supposed to do with 80 baby fish???)  You love watching them and helping me feed them.  
Your two favorite things to do right now are play in the sink and on the iPad.  One is a total disaster and ends with my kitchen flooded and the other makes me feel guilty that you're getting way too much screen time for a toddler.  We try to limit both activities, but you are pretty insistent and sometimes it's necessary to give in so we can get anything done.  You're insanely good at using the iPad, which both worries me and makes me think you might be a "Mac Genius" (obviously).  Your favorite apps are ones about trucks and puzzles, which I feel like are relatively harmless.  However, you've recently discovered your dad's "Buck Hunter" app and you love to shoot the moose, which has me slightly nervous.  You turn it on and yell "SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT!"  I guess you come by that honestly, though.  In this family, you're destined to be a hunter.  
Your "Papa Golf Cart" (my dad) made you the most incredible kitchen helper stand, so you can stand up at the counter (or sink) with me and you love it.  What a game-changer  and blessing that thing has been.  You love being up high so you can see what's going on in the kitchen and this way I don't have to hold you the whole time or worry about you falling off a stool.  Thank you Papa!  You love standing on it at the sink and washing dishes.  You have a particular cup with a handle that you request and no other cup will suffice.  It's blue, but you insist it's purple, so we call it "purple cup."  You have a hard time keeping the water in the sink and you love dumping entire cupfuls of water on the floor to see us freak out, so sink time usually ends in taking the privilege away and tears.  We are the worst parents ever.
You're also really getting into trains these days.  Seriously, what is it about toddlers and trains?!  I do not understand, but you sure do love them.  Your favorite phrase in the world is "All Aboard!" and you probably say it a hundred times a day (see a video here).  Some days I wake up to hearing you shout "All Aboard" over and over to yourself in your crib in the morning.  It's the cutest thing ever and puts a giant smile on my face every time.  We have a train table in the playroom and you love pushing your train around the tracks, making choo choo noises and shouting "All Aboard."  And riding the train at the zoo is the biggest thrill of your life!  One of these days we need to do that "conductor for a day" program where you ride the train and say "All Aboard" over the microphone all day long.  That will probably be the greatest day of your life. 
I absolutely love all the talking you're doing these days.  I understand the majority of it and it helps so much knowing what you want and what you're thinking.  You've got words for so many things and they are all adorable.  My favorite is you say "chair" and point to where you want us to sit.  Kills me.  And all of a sudden, you're putting words together.  I expected you to start doing this a month or two ago, but you're just now starting...and you're good.  Instead of starting with 2 words, you put together 4 or 5 at a time.  You basically just skipped 2 words and went straight to sentences.  It's amazing.  One day you wanted me to sit by you and throw the ball and you said, "Mama, chair, more ball."  And then I swelled up with pride and exploded.
Alright, enough gushing.  I just want you to know that you're basically the most amazing child in the whole wide world and you make me proud beyond belief.  I still can't believe you're mine.  

Love, 
Your mama





Likes:
  • trains
  • iPad
  • pooping in the bath tub
  • your grandparents
  • the mailman
  • tractors
  • stuffed animals
  • hopping
  • jumping off of things
  • playing in the sink
  • Mally, Sage and Jigs
  • peeing in the potty
  • horses
  • chocolate cake
  • chocolate anything 
  • music
  • books

Dislikes:
  • diaper changes
  • getting dressed
  • not getting to eat the lotion
  • ouchies/boo boos/bandaids
  • getting out of the bathtub
  • wearing socks
  • getting your nose/face wiped



24 comments:

  1. You are such a wonderful mama. Look at all these mini milestones you have counted. Mac sounds like one smart and sweet babe!

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  2. He is ADORABLE!!! (He does remind me of Cam, so I think he's extra adorable!) Isn't it amazing how smart they are??? I have to look back on your post about apps for toddlers...we bought a "cheap" tablet that SUCKS so we will be getting an iPad and will need to load it up for Cam. I always feel like he is in front of a screen too much, too, but it's good educational stuff, so I let myself feel a little better about it. And, we get stuff done, so it's a win-win. ;)

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  3. He really is so precious! I'm impressed with all his words...Hayden's coming around but most of it is still jibberish besides a handful of words. That video was absolutely adorable!

    How awesome that your dad made him a stool!

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  4. oh how precious is he?!? love this entire update! I also worry about too much "screen" time with Elyse, but we really do try to limit it to 15 minutes at a time...and I justify it by having a fair amount of educational apps on there! And you know, sometimes there is no other way to shower or go to the bathroom in private or to fix dinner than to break out the iPad or a short movie! ha!

    and I'm so jealous of your kitchen stand...elyse normally just stands on one of our kitchen chairs...thankfully they are really sturdy!

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  5. I fully understand the feelings related to the sink and the ipad and the feelings of giving in too! He's such a little cutie! Total heartbreaker material :)

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  6. So cute!! I cannot wait for this stage. Mac is such a big boy!

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  7. how does he keep getting cuter? i swear, he's literally the cutest little boy out there. those big eyes totally make me swoon! happy 20 months!!

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  8. He is adorable!!! You'll be so happy you have all of these milestones documented! You think you're going to remember "everything", but it's amazing how quickly the new milestones "take over" the old ones in your mind {if that makes any sense at all}!!!

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  9. We went through the same sleep thing at 20 months. I blamed it on bringing home a new baby, but maybe it's a developmental phase or something. Luckily it ended, but dad has taken over bedtime since I'm usually linked to the baby around that time.

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  10. Loved reading this and I completely agree with Jen! You will be so thankful for writing these milestones and memories down! He is such a precious little guy --- wish we lived closer so our two little perfect angels (ha! -- some days, right?!) could run wild together!!

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  11. Man, he reminds me so much of Truman at that age! I cannot get over the 'All Aboard!' video and also the concept of him saying this in his crib to himself in the mornings. OMG. Too much!

    Love those standing things---have been meaning to have my grandpa make us one and this might have sold me on the request.

    Great update, feeling like my 20 month update for miss C will not be so positive unless she snaps out of this major funk-attitude we are dealing with at the moment!

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  12. Cutie patootie!!! Happy 20 months, Mac!! And yes - if someone could explain the toddler obsession with trains, I'd love to hear it! M is crazy for them. It takes all the power I have to drag her out of the Barnes & Noble kid section with the Thomas train table without inflicting a thermal nuclear meltdown on everyone else, lol. Le sigh... the joys of parenthood!

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  13. I always love reading your updates on Mr. Mac...makes me realize that Ethan has a lot of the same ones {and a lot more he's still working on!}.

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  14. I seriously cannot get over how alike Mac and M are!
    Right down to the sleeping, iPad use, and using the "big people forks"!
    Right now M is loving an app I found after searching "kids trucks". The first app to pop up is Kids Trucks: Puzzles (how original). It's like the Melissa and Doug wooden puzzles, but on for the iPad (yay for no random wooden puzzle pieces all over the floor). And, once a puzzle is successfully completed the screen fills up with bubbles to pop - which is obviously *my* favorite part.
    Happy 20 Months Mr. Mac!!

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  15. I love these! aren't little boy's pjs the cutest??? I never can resist buying more for my little guy.

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  16. I love your updates! Those eyes of his are going to be stealing girls hearts before you know it! And the horny fish are cracking me up. :)

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  17. He is growing up so fast! I love one of the last photos of Mac holding the Snuggle Puppy book. Eloise loves that book too and sings along at the "OOooo" part.

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  18. Mac is the cutest little guy...like, ever! This write up melted my heart- love the "All Aboard!" stories!!

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  19. Love the update! My son just turned 18 months so this gives me a good indicator of the future. BUT I also found myself shaking my head and agreeing with a lot of what you were saying. Such a sweet boy! Happy 20 months!

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  20. Love the update!! Sadie does so many of the same things - I can't believe how big he is!

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  21. Awwww, so sweet!!! Hope I get to see him again soon. :-)

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  22. I think we need to see a picture of all these little fish! Mac is just so adorable! Don't you just LOVE the helper stand. It seriously is the BEST idea for toddlers ever made.

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  23. Such a SMART and handsome little man! Happy 20 months, sweet Mac!!!

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