Dear Beckett: 36 Weeks

Dear Beckett,

We did your 8 month photos this week.  I just love how they turned out!  You were being so funny - practicing blowing bubbles, watching the cars, and munching on grass.

This is, by far, our favorite picture.  We love your fuzzy head!  Your hair is always blowing around.  You get lots of comments on it.

Big things have happened this week!  You have made several crawling moves AND you are sitting up by yourself.  Last night we put you to bed and watched on the monitor as you sat up and played in your crib. It was funny because we kept having to go in and lay you back down.  You would be so tired and go from laughing from being proud of yourself to crying because you wanted to lay down with Omar.  It was as if you forgot how to go from sitting up to laying down!  But, it wasn't as funny when this morning at 1:00 am.  :)  

You are also able to pull yourself up to the coffee table almost all the way.  You usually have one knee still on the ground.  I will look over and you are hanging on for dear life, grunting because it's so hard!  But then you get a huge smile on your face because you are so proud.  I get so worried that you are going to fall and bang your head.  I'm sure it will happen plenty of times though.

You also just LOVE going through boxes of books or toys.  Sometimes I will just find a box and throw a bunch of things in it, just so you can sort through the objects and take them in and out of them box.  

Here you are with your books.  One of your favorite books right now is this Robot book that we got you for Christmas.  It has different parts that you like to move.

You also love to hang out "at work" with dad.  It's pretty fun to bang on his keyboard and look at the computer!

You two have so much fun playing together.  

Over the weekend we went to the park.  You had the best time people watching.  You also really liked watching the water move at the creek.

Who says it isn't cool to be twins with your Momma?

We love you.

Love,

Mom

Mid Week Randoms

Soooo.... here are just some random things going on in the Mayo Casa.

* I saw the CUTEST monster pillow on this blog.  (I love her blog, by the way.  And she is a complete stranger.  Is that weird?)  Anyway, I thought that I should make one for Beckett.  I have a ton of leftover fabric from his bedding so I dug it out and got sewing.  Mine does not look as cute :(.  But I tried.

* Guy has been self employed for 3 years now.  Overall it has been a wonderful thing for us.  BUT (there's always a but) there have been some real downsides as well.  For example, since I am no longer working we have lost all of our benefits which is HUGE.  Like really, really huge.  Beckett's health insurance is outrageous due to his kidney condition, so we are on Cobra right now.  No bueno.  We also incur a ton of expenses.  We were tallying them up the other day and found some *fun* facts about our business expenses for 2011.  For example, I really couldn't believe that Guy averages $58.00 a month on toll tag expenses.  Really? And don't even get me started on those daily client meals.....Anyway, there are a lot of other pros and cons too.  Well, as of Feb. 15th Guy will no longer be self employed.  He will still do the same job, but his contracted company is being bought by a company based in California.  He will be an employee!  They will help with insurance costs and vehicle costs, so that is exciting.

* I have been running, running, running.  I want to sign up for a 5k to run with Beckett and a 10K to do with a friend.  Any takers?

* My mom and I saw "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" this weekend.  Or is it "Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud?"  "Incredibly Close and Extremely Loud?"  I have no idea.  Anyway, don't let my lack of memory deter you.  It was very good.  Very sad too.  I cried, which I don't often do in movies.

* I am currently reading the Steve Jobs biography.  He was a jerk.  And weird.  I mean, obviously a revolutionary person who changed our world but I can still think of better role models out there.

* I have been knocking out a lot of "to do's" lately.  Stuff I have wanted to do for years, but just never had the time.  Well, I have plenty of that now (in small, unpredictable chunks).  I am currently working on hanging picture frames .  We are also getting the curb fixed out front.  And a few other things too.

Obviously, I need to add pictures to them.  I also need to order some mats too.

* I'm feeling really bad and guilty that I called Steve Jobs a jerk.  But I still stand that he was weird.  Who eats only fruits and vegetables (and sometimes the same ones for weeks on end) so that they can be "mucus free?"  Gross.

*Speaking of only eating fruits and vegetables, Guy says that he wants to do something crazy for his diet. "Like eat a fresh fruit?" I ask.  (If you know my husband, then you would understand that the man loves meat, meat, and more meat.  Fruits and Veggies are not on his radar.  You would also know that Guy is 200% or nothing.  All in or all out.  So, if he's eating healthy then he is eating ridiculously healthy.)  Anyhow, I think he is just so sick of eating out all the time.  So, looks like I will be making a few more salads for dinner!  (Which, if you know me, is my kind of meal!)

* Picnik is closing.  That's the website where I made Beckett's onesies.  Isn't that too bad?  But you can get all of the Premium stickers for free right now.

* Whenever it's nice out I always like to take Beckett on a walk.  I was able to snap his 8 month pictures while taking a little break.  The green grass makes it look like it is Spring!  With this mild winter I keep thinking that Summer is just around the corner, but it's not.  I feel like I have hardly even had a chance to wear my scarves and tall boots.

By the way, how can he be 8 months.  Not possible!

Dear Beckett: 34 and 35 Weeks

Dear Beckett,

You are 8 months old today!  Such a big boy!

Still no crawling, BUT it's amazing how much more you have been moving around these last few weeks. One day I put you down for a nap and you were having none of it.  I watched on the monitor as you sat yourself up.  What?!?  I had to go in and see for myself....

You were SO proud of yourself.  Just grinning from ear to ear!

You get in the crawling position to "rock" and move your hands, but eventually you put your tummy back down.  Unfortunately, it's getting you quite frustrated at times.  You want a toy or to get into something, but just can't quite make it happen.  I'm sure it will happen very soon though!

The last few days you have been an eating machine.  I wonder if you are going through a growth spurt.  Your favorite thing in the whole world are Mum-Mums.  You just go crazy for them.  In fact, I cannot even say the word without you going nuts.  I predict that your first word will be Mum-Mum.  Of course, I will think it is Momma :).

You have also started to eat "puffs."  I had tried them out about a month ago, but you couldn't use your fingers well enough to get them into your mouth easily.  Now you are a pro and gobble them down.

So far you have tried carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, apples (you love them), pears, red bell pepper, avocado, bananas, prunes, and strawberries (we think you are allergic).  You are a good eater!

For awhile now we have been using baby sign language.  I just love it!  You understand the signs for Mum Mums (I just made one up), loud, and more.  We are working on other signs too: momma, daddy, bath, swing, sit, hello/goodbye, cold, and puffs (again, I just made this one up).  I try to add a new one every week or so.  

Last week your dad hung up your swing!  (You supervised.)  We have had a lot of fun using it.

The weather has been warm, so we have had lots of time to enjoy being outside.  You love to hang out at the park or sit on the patio and watch the dogs.

In fact, we have gone running together twice now that you are big enough to run in the Bob stroller.  It's a little awkward and pretty hard, but I am excited to have a little running buddy!  We have gone 2 1/2 miles each time - hopefully we can progress more when spring comes.

Our first run!

Grandma also came to visit.  You guys did lots of playing.  It was a fun weekend!

You bring us so much joy.

We love you.

Love,

Mom