17 months

While the last month has been a lot of fun, it has also brought a new set of challenges related to Mason's development. He is starting to get much more vocal, opinionated, and demanding, which is a tough combination when you have the comprehension level of a 17-month old. I try to remember its all just attention-seeking behavior and learning his limits, but its really tough when you're "that mom" in Target with the screaming child. But, the good comes with the bad and there is plenty of good to balance the tough days.

Milestones:
***He is walking about 75% of the time. He still can't stand up from sitting yet unless he pulls on on something, but he is really working at it. Watching him walk is hysterical because it reminds me of a zombie.
***He will finally let us put shoes on his feet without screaming. He still isn't fond of them and will pull them off if left unsupervised, but its progress so we'll take it.
***He is mimicking us a lot with words after we say them. He now knows the dogs names and which name goes with which dog. However, he won't say Aubrey's name. Go figure.
***He knows where his ears, belly, and eyes are and attempts to call them by name.
***He can follow simple directions and has started nodding his head when we ask questions.
***We haven't really had any success adding new foods to his diet except for ketchup. And he is obsessed with it. Like, sucking it off his fingers/food his obsessed. He makes a huge mess with it but it helps him eat and keeps him entertained while we eat so I try not to worry about the mess too much for now.
***He is still working on his bottom molars. Luckily, he is making good use of the teething toys we bought for Aubrey that she never used. If he can't find one of those, his fingers stay in his mouth instead.
***I took both kids to Discovery Place Kids for the first time this year. It was Mason's first time really playing with the toys there and he was so excited. Especially when we got to the water area.
**He had his first carousel ride and he was fascinated.
***It finally warmed up enough to get the water table and baby pool out for the kids and Mason took to both instantly.
***We took our first boat ride of the summer and even though he looks like a turtle in his life jacket Mason loves being on the boat.

Aubrey's Events

We have been living a crazy busy life in this house the past 5 months between school, parties, dance, gymnastics, and just regular life stuff. I am glad that its summertime so we can slow down a little from the hectic pace.

The past 3 weeks have been so awesome for Aubrey. It started with her dance dress rehearsal and recital on the 17th and 18th. She loved the getting ready beforehand and was all about making sure her make-up and hair were perfect. I had to fight back a few tears after seeing her all dressed and ready to go but luckily we were running a little late so I was also a little frustrated and this helped fight the tears. I was so excited that things have changed in the dance world since I was a kid. No longer are there 25 moms in a tiny dressing room fighting with their kids and costumes. Now, the moms are banished to the auditorium to enjoy the show while helpers take care of the kiddos and their costumes. It was nice to enjoy watching the other dancers and not having to worry about entertaining a bored 4-year old. I was a little nervous about how Aubrey would handle the pressure of being on stage in front of a crowd, but was pleasantly surprised when she turned on the performing light and sang and danced her heart out. On dress rehearsal night, we stayed after her dances were finished so she could watch the "big" girls dance and she was fascinated. It was a late night, though, and we didn't get home until after 11 so she was exhausted the next day. Her performance wasn't quite as entertaining on recital night but she still seemed to enjoy herself and that was good enough for me. She was so excited to get her first certificate from Mrs. Rhonda and then thoroughly thrilled with the fact she got flowers after the show. It was a lot of fun to see her enjoying herself and I hope she continues to enjoy it as she gets older.

The following Monday was her last day of preschool, which included a singing performance. She did a great job singing her songs and as usual, was one of the loudest on the stage. It was a little bittersweet after the show to tell her teachers good-bye because these ladies have worked so hard and done so much to help her grow, but we are all ready for a school break. I hope her teachers next year are just as awesome and love her just as much.

The last big event of the "school" year was Aubrey's first gymnastics exhibition. We debated on whether to let her do this event because it was a little expensive, but I wanted Todd to see what she has done all year and to see her show off myself. She seemed to have such a great time during the event, but it was so chaotic for us because they had 4 different "events" going on at the same time. The best part of the show was the end when Aubrey got her first trophy. Her eyes lit up when she got that trophy in her hands and she refused to let go of it until we bribed her to get out the car with frozen yogurt. I am glad we did the show, but we don't get much break from gymnastics as that is her only activity of the summer. We aren't sure if she will continue gymnastics in the fall since funds have gotten a little tighter in the house so we are glad she can enjoy it over the summer until a final decision is made.