Goodbye 2010

Here is Will waving goodbye to 2010!  It was a fabulous year!  Will has changed so much, and most recently he no longer is interested in going to the park every waking moment.  Loli asked him today if he wanted to go to the park, and he said "No, I play" and then sat down and played with his toys.  He is really into his Christmas toys and they can keep him busy for quite some time.  We hit a new phase where he will play alone contently and talk to himself.  I don't know if it is the new toys or the age or a combo of both, but it is just so fun to watch.

He also seems to have gained some patience.  We were watching out the window for Aunt Leen to come over and I knew it would be a little while.  I asked Will if he wanted juice or a snack before Aunt Leen arrived, and he said "No, I wait" and just proceeded to look at the window and watch for her car. 

He says "I eat", "I sit", "I stay", "I go" and most recently upon receiving a toy mop from Rosa - "I mop" - which might be my new favorite.

Playing with his new puzzle and pointing to "dad's car"

my little momma's boy

playing with his garbage truck and ambulance

Maggie rides in the Cozy Coupe

 The only thing Will likes as much as riding in the Cozy Coupe himself is watching Maggie go for a ride!  He was laughing so hard and just kept saying "again!" 

Christmas Morning Video

Granddad made this great video of Will checking out his cars/trucks on Christmas morning!

Our Little Santa 2009 vs 2010

What a difference a year (and hair!) makes!

Christmas Morning

 After Will went to bed on Christmas Eve, we got the cars and trucks lined up for him for Christmas morning.  Among other treats, Lovey and Granddad got Will a cement mixer, a dump truck, an ambulance and a Cozy Coupe.  While all the trucks are a hit, the Cozy Coupe is the favorite.  I knew Will liked the Coupe since he loves playing with one at our neighbor's house, but I had no idea how much time he would spend sitting in it, opening the door, getting out and then getting right back in.  He just loves it!

Will eagerly climbing into his new Cozy Coupe - Dukes of Hazzard style 

Using the door this time

Playing with the ambulance

Taking a break to eat raisin bread

Back in the Coupe

Watching everyone else open gifts while eating a Tootsie Pop in the Coupe

When he wasn't in the Coupe, he was usually on Aunt Leen's lap

Time with Lovey and Granddad

 Lovey and Granddad came in town for Christmas and stayed with us for 4 nights.  Will got to have a lot of time with them and he misses them now that they are gone!  We talk about them quite a bit, and they are just head over heels for Will.  Check out these big smiles!

Will's Christmas with the Blanchards

Will loves his Christmas treats from the Blanchards!  He got this awesome fire truck, a big Little People airport and guitar among other things.  He loved playing with Uncle Chuck and his fire truck.  Check out his smile! 

Pointing to a Santa ("Sansa")

4 adults with advanced degrees assemble the Little People Airport

Will and his mama

Playing his new and loved guitar (this is how he likes to hold it)

He wanted to wear his wellies!

Little Memories

I wanted to share a few cute things Will has done in the past few days before I forget them!  I am constantly amazed at all he must take in and his every growing vocabulary!

* I had taken a shower during Will's nap but I didn't blow dry my hair.  When he got up from his nap, he wanted to got to Te Te's (our neighbor Tara's).  I told him we could go but I needed to blow dry my hair first.  Will ran out of his room and I assumed he had run to the stairs.  Instead, he had run to my room and when I found him he was holding my blow dryer and brush.  He then watched me dry my hair (it takes about 2 minutes) and then was ready to go.

* I was counting "1...2...3.." and on 3 I turned on the Christmas lights.  Once I said 3, Will said 4.

* Will likes to tell you when he has two of anything.  Tonight he was holding two blankies and unsolicited he said "I have two." 

* Will loves his new fire truck room, and he likes to play with the art work above his bed.  He pushed one of the canvases away from the other and said "apart." 

* Will's currents loves are bread ("pan"), yogurt (currently "daddy's yogurt") and Dora ("Dorda").  I don't know where he heard about Dora, but he is suddenly a big fan.  Maybe it is because the only episode he has seen involves cars and a race.  He also still loves Jack Black, and he enjoys watching the making of his favorite episode.  I found it on You Tube, and he loves to watch it.

* Will still loves cars, trucks, and planes.  Trains are becoming of interest but definitely are not as cool just yet.

* He loves for me to sit in a certain chair and then he likes to sit in my lap.  He will say "mommy sit down" and pat the chair where he wants me to sit.  He is pretty clingy these days.  I assume on some level he is aware that something is going to change soon...

This may be all normal stuff for a 20 month old, but as a first time mom, it is just so amazing to watch him develop and see that he understands so much of what is going on around him.  I just adore him!

Christmas Countdown

 Will has really gotten into Christmas this year.  He talks about Santa ("Sansa"), Reindeer ("rey rey"), Christmas trees (which he is now pronouncing correctly!), snowmen, and stars.  When we see Christmas decorations out and about, he always wants to see more.  He enjoys taking his few ornaments off the Christmas tree (his favorites are an airplane, a train and a fire truck) and playing with them.  I think he will be sad when the tree goes away in a few weeks.

With Christmas coming, my due date is also quickly approaching!  With a little over 6 weeks to go, I am definitely starting to feel it.  I am slower at chasing Will around and I get tired more easily than I did just a few weeks ago.  We do a lot more things as a family on weekends (gone are the days when we would trade off and each get some free time!), and we had a great time going to the parks this weekend.  Will just loves playing with his dad at the park, and he insists that Dad go down the slides with him.  It is fun to see the two of them have so much fun together!


 

Looking in the mouth of the hippo

 

 sliding down with dad

playing with the scooper

more slides

hanging out with dad

swinging - he loves to go high!

back at bee park with our token bee picture

The Fire Truck Room

I have been busy trying to get Will's new room ready.  It has been such a fun project, and he seems to love playing in his future room!

For now, we are calling it the Fire Truck room.  We aren't ready to call it Will's room as it needs to serve it's purpose as a guest room over the holidays.  Come January, we will try naps in his new bed to warm him up to the idea of his new room.  So far, we have good signs that he will want to sleep in here.  He brings his blankies (which he calls "bobbies") into the bed with him and will lay down on them and say "night night". 

This room will be missing one key element - a rocking chair.  Will loves to be rocked and will often ask me to sit and rock with him ("mom sit rock").  I assume we will still spend lots of time in the nursery, and I am excited for it to undergo a girly transformation!

Baby, it's cold outside!

Everyday we talk to Will about how cold it is outside and try to manage his expectations about being outside all day.  He loves to put on his coat and even a hat as long as it means he can go outside.  Here he is by our front door all ready to go saying "outside!"

Will is talking up a storm these days - he has so much to say!  For the most part, I can understand him.  There are a few words I cannot understand and he will just repeat them over and over until I figure it out.  If I get it wrong, he will correct me.  I thought he was talking about Chad's car, so I said - "yes, that is Dad's car."  He replied, "No, Daddy's coat."  It is fun to hear him correct us when we misunderstand him.  It is hard to believe that just a few months ago he didn't talk at all!

Christmas Lights

I'm convinced this is the most wonderful time of the year for us and our 20 month year old.  Will has embraced Christmas, loves our Christmas tree, and always wants to see more Christmas lights, more Santas, etc. 

Tonight we went to an ornament exchange with my mom's group which was just so fun.  The little ones exchanged ornaments, and the mom's got to catch up.  Will ate his weight in snacks, and then we went and looked at Christmas lights on the way home.  His new thing when he sees a good light display is to say "WOW".  He says it with enthusiasm which is just adorable.  This is quickly followed by an "I want more."  I think we will try to look at the lights most nights this month. There are some incredible displays in our neighborhood that I could happily visit daily which would make this little guy quite happy.

Playing with a train ornament

checking out the tree

point out a Santa

Oh Christmas Tree

We took this little Santa to Home Depot to buy our Christmas tree this year.  He loved Home Depot - it is like a park for him.  There were so many things to play with that he was quickly distracted from the task at hand as you can see from the pictures.  We got the tree home and decorated it while Will slept.  It worked out perfectly, and he loves to talk about his Christmas tree (sounds more like ris-mus-ree).  Photos of the Christmas tree are coming soon - we just have to locate the tree skirt!

looking for something his size...

checking out all the trees

little Santa

found the hose...

Enjoying rides on the flatbed (until we noticed the no riding sign at his feet - oops)

dirt makes him smile

back at home, he loves going for rides in the ornament box