toddling!

13 months old. I guess I have to keep counting in months now. 1 year is not a good descriptor I'm finding. Owen is running this house hold with his demands, and pointing, and downright busyness! I love it though! This weekend has been super fun, but I realize (now that he is down), (and it is only 7:48pm) how beat I am... I warn those of you with little little ones that this does not get easier...it changes :) He woke up at 6:30 both saturday and sunday to my disappointment, and only took about an 1.5 hour nap both days. thats it friends. But we do have fun making breakfast of toast, banana slices, and a cup of milk and scooting his high chair front and center to watch "The Cat and the Hat" at 7:30! I can totally see his eyes squaring and mind turning to mush..hahah! Then we turn on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for some running around ,and to dance away my mommy guilt :)

Owen and I have started Parent/Tot swim classes. I thought it might be a little young for him, but we will be spending a lot of time this summer in the pool and in the ocean so I wanted it to be second nature for him. I know it is not "swimming" per se, but we try and blow bubbles, kick on our backs, and bellies, reach out and pull toys in, jump from the side ( Owens favorite) and go under quickly through a hoop ( no screams, but gasping !) He even claps for the other boys in the class when the instructor does ( hysterical). He would drown just to clap for someone! And yes, in a class of 4, no girls. Oh well. There is Owen, Tanner, Caleb, and Jeremy. It is nice to talk to one of the moms who has 2 boys ( my future) and ask her about age differences in the kids. She thinks about 2.5 to 3 years has worked very well for her. She said once #2 could walk and was trouble, #1 was really independent and very good! Now I have got to get Brian on board with my timeline! :)

I will post a few videos and pictures. Owen LOOOOOOOOOOVES to be outside. And I cannot stress that enough. Rain or shine/ 20-80 degrees/ day or night. He gets his shoes for you so you can put them on, and he will walk around for hours picking in the dirt, picking up leaves, interesting rocks, grass, leaves, more rocks, and more leaves. He likes to play ball with the dogs, and push and pull his outdoor toys. He has also totally figured out the slide. He does not wait for me to get ready, he just goes ( and remember he has his hands full of leaves). He is full on climbing, running, and he can now just stand up without pulling up!!!!! Just mastered it this weekend my mobile little man!!! Now if we can only get him to say a few words! We are working on it. I'm sure one day soon it will just "click" in there and he will speak sentences. He has always been an observer. Right now he has babble with inflection. He damn well knows what he wants though, and you better not laugh and give in, or you will have a pointing, grunting, spoiled rotten boy on your hands ( ahem, daddy). A girl would have him wrapped well around his finger, I could only imagine!

We are all ready for spring on the home front. We are busy trying to get the house in order, painting, and decorating, and organizing. I feel like I ignored the house this past year, and I am finally seeing it for what it is! bleh! I am also trying to study as much as possible. We have a busy few months coming up. I am going to a 4 day conference in St. Louis in April, so I am preparing myself for missing my boy that long, and in 2 weeks, Aunt Carrie and cousins, great Grandma and Pa from IL are coming in for the week! woohoo! And don't forget to set your clocks forward next weekend. This is a fact of life I never dreaded before kids! we will see....