68 Weeks

Cross Country Road Trip

How old? 15 Months 21 Days

Weight: 25 lbs  

Sleep: It's been a pretty warm week and we decided to switch Linc over to his light weight summer jammies and he's been sleeping much better.  He looks like such a big boy in non-footie pjs.  We did cave and turn on the air conditioning Wednesday night when our upper levels were at 84 degrees.

Food:  We broke passover at Ozzie's Corner with Matt, Cyndi, Tyler, and Zach...we were quite the crew, but we did good.  No one had a melt down and the food was super tasty!  Lincoln had the kids chicken parm and ate almost ever bit of it, along with a cup of apple sauce and some of Mommy's pasta too!  He's a growing boy that's for sure.  

Thursday we took a page out of Aunt Ashley's play book and had taco night.  It was a big hit for sure!

Word List:  Mama, Dada, Daa-dee, nana (banana), uhoh, bye bye, touchdown, all done, book, night night, hi, thank you, yes, ball, more

Signs: more, milk, eat, all done, please, banana, water, puppies, cheese
**Learning signs: bed, car, outside, help, lets go

Best Moment This Week:  Lots of great weather so we spent a lot of time at playgrounds and out and about.  
Saturday we had a great time visiting with Brittany and Kenny and having dinner out at Benihanna.  Lincoln just loves Japanese hibachi and had a great time and was very well behaved!  After we took trip to Reston Town Center and we took Linc to play in the jumping fountain a little and grab some gelato.  YUM!

Sunday we went to an airport playground that is very near Wegmans and Daddy played with Linc on the playground while Mommy did some shopping for groceries for the week.  

Later that same day after naptime we went to another playground just next door at the elementary school by us.  We were on a mission to wear the little boy out, it definitely worked and he slept great that night!  
Linc got a package from his Grammy this week too, it had a spring basket in it.  He really liked the little chick inside that cheeps and there was a bubble blowing froggie that he has liked playing with as long as it is not running (it's battery powered) he was not happy when we turned it on, LOL. 

Tank Too Grammy

(Sorry it's sideways, can't figure out how to turn it)

Tuesday it was a beautiful day and we had to break out the bouncy house!  I mean when the weather is that nice you just need to go for a bounce.
Today Linc had his 15 month (yeah we were a little late but we really wanted to see our fave doctor) check up.  He is doing really well, hitting all of his developmental milestones.  Doctor S. was very pleased, she said he is just perfect!  Here are his stats:
Height: 32ins (75th percentile)
Weight: 25lbs (50th percentile)
Head: 18.5ins (50th percentile)
Worst Moment This Week:  Shots!  Lincoln had to get two shots today, one in each leg.  The first one was like nothing even happened but the second one was when the tears came.  Poor guy.

What We're Looking Forward To: 
RCC Spring Carnival/Beer bottling/Tony's BBQ 4/30
Reston Wine Festival - Tentatively 5/1 (anyone interested?)
Playdate at Reston Zoo
Gold Cup Races (for Mommy & Daddy only) 5/7

Andy & Taryn's wedding!!!!!!!!!! 5/14

Movement: Spinning.  Spinning and dancing.      

Milestones:  Safe spaces for play; One way to handle discipline with a rambunctious toddler us to avoid situations in which you're likely to have to dole it out. Minimize how often you have to say "no" by childproofing at least a part of your home in which your toddler can be contained.

It's not always easy to create a childproof area in your home, especially if your child is a determined explorer who's into everything. But if you can manage it, a safe space gives your child a chance to explore freely without being constantly redirected or told "no," and it gives you a bit of a break. You still need to supervise, but it's a lot more relaxed if sharp objects, breakables, plants, electric cords, trash cans, and other temptations are removed from reach.

How to Buy Yourself 10 Minutes of Quiet: Toddler Edition

Step 1: Give child a silicone spatula.
Step 2: Put child in ball pit
Step 3: Sit back and enjoy your glorious 10 minutes

67 Weeks

How old? 15 Months 14 Days

Weight: 25 lbs  

Sleep: It's always something...things were going great but then Wednesday happened.  We still aren't really sure what was going on, you can only blame so much on teething and colds, so we're going to go with growth spurt on this one.  Linc woke up around 11:30pm and was crying, like crazy inconsolable throwing himself on the floor tantrum crying.  We offered him a sippy of milk, he gulped it down.  We offered him a sippy of watter, he gulped it down.  We offered him a piece of cheese and he inhaled it, I swear he did.  Maybe we'll chalk this up to a growth spurt...  But then Thursday night he was out for the count by 7:35pm and slept until 7:00am, and then he woke up just happy as a clam.

Food: Monday was the start of Passover so we celebrated our first night with a Seder at Matt & Cyndi's.  We brought the sides, and they made the brisket, Matt's brother & his girlfriend brought the wine.  The dogs & children provided the entertainment.  It was a nice Seder and Lincoln behaved and made it almost all the way through to where the feast begins before he really needed to eat.  He even followed along in his little waterproof Haggadah, from his Grandma & Grandpa I.  He enjoyed his matzo ball soup & had a little bit of everything else, but then he quickly deteriated and needed to be wisked away to bed while everyone else enjoyed thier dinner. 

Word List:  Mama, Dada, Daa-dee, nana (banana), uhoh, bye bye, touchdown, all done, book, night night, hi, thank you, yes (sounds like yesh)
**He is starting to make animal sounds, at least trying to copying them.  I have an app on my phone that he likes to play with and he mimics the animals.  The frog is his favorite, "ribbit ribbit", in full discloser really it just sounds like he's grunting, but it is so cute!

Signs: more, milk, eat, all done, please, banana, water, puppies, cheese
He's a quick study he learned puppies & cheese in just a few weeks.  We were outside playing in the driveway in his cozy coupe and one of our neighbors has three little white dogs that they were taking outside and Lincoln looked up at us and signed "puppies" and then wanted to run over to play with them.  It was so awesome to see him make the connection, however we don't really know these dogs so we had to distract him until they were gone.  I can see we are going to have to cover dog safety with him early on.
**Learning signs: bed, car, outside, help, lets go

Best Moment This Week:  Saturday was rainy and a little cold and it was a Daddy/Lincoln day while Mommy went to the spa and got a facial and then put in some volunteer hours at a bookfair for Linc's school.  It was nice to meet some of the other Mom's with kids in the older classes at his school.  We had a good time reading to kids and running a little sead germination activity.  Then after that I ran a few errands and went home to play with my guys!  It was still rainy so we played inside down in the basement, read some new books, and Linc got to try out his new (to him) Leapfrog guitar.  Sunday we did Gymboree, then brunch with Uncle Gil, and then Daddy & Gil went to the shooting range & Linc and I did a little light shopping where I found my dress for Gold Cup this year.    After me and my little shopping buddy finished up at the mall it was nap time.
We have had some great weather this week so we left Lincoln at daycare a little longer than normal so that we could run some errands, I am sure he'd rather be up to his elbows in a sandbox than sitting in a cart at Target, just sayin'.  Though he is a very well behaved little guy when we are out running errands! :)
Worst Moment This Week:  Other than the mini-tantrum Wednesday night, I've got nothing.  No compaints here. 

What We're Looking Forward To: 
Dinner with friends Saturday night
RCC Spring Carnival/Beer bottling/Tony's BBQ 4/30
Reston Wine Festival - Tentatively 5/1 (anyone interested?)
Playdate at Reston Zoo
Gold Cup Races (for Mommy & Daddy only) 5/7

Andy & Taryn's wedding!!!!!!!!!! 5/14

Movement: Perpetual.    

Milestones:  Keeping small hands busy
Keys, pencils, lipstick, phones: All may be fascinating to your toddler. These objects are fun to look at and manipulate, and when your toddler sees you using them, he wants to do the same.
The problem is, you might not want him demolishing your lipstick! (And many of these items, including lipstick, can be toxic or pose a choking hazard.) Your challenge is to find things he can safely use to satisfy his need to mimic – like a set of plastic keys, an old purse of yours with a hairbrush and comb, a cheap wallet.
There are plenty of other ways to keep your toddler's hands occupied for more than a minute or two. For example, fill a laundry basket with safe odds and ends, such as plastic containers and lids, scarves, hats, and wooden spoons and other big utensils. He'll love getting his hands on objects that look like they have a purpose and trying to figure out how to use them.

Beginning speech: Worried because your child isn't speaking much yet? Don't be. Many children, especially boys, speak little until the middle of the second year. Chances are good, though, that your 15-month-old understands a great deal of what you say. Keep speaking and reading to your child, but don't try to coax or drill. By 18 months he should be able to say at least 15 words.

Do pay attention to your child's ability to hear, as poor hearing can create speech delays. Report any concerns to his doctor. The sooner a hearing problem is treated, the better the outcome is likely to be.

66 Weeks

Hmmm What Can I Get Into Next?

How old? 15 Months 7 Days

Weight: 25 lbs  

Sleep: Sleep in the car on the way to Cleveland did not go as planned, I repeat did not go as planned.  Just when you think you have a plan, your kid lets you know he is still the boss, ya know?  So we had decided that since it had worked well in the past we would hop in the car around 7pm Thursday night for our drive back west and Linc would already be in his PJs and he'd sleep and our 5 1/2 hr voyage would just fly by.  Fat chance.  Linc slept for a few hours - but very restlessly- then kid was UP at 10:30pm crying, quite unhappy about being stuck in a carseat and not cozy bed!

Then by the time we got in around 1:00am he was ready to hang out and play with Grandma & Grandpa and  his awesome new mega blocks that Grandpa's co-worker bought for him.  He finally went down at 2:30am, but was up bright and early at 8:00am.  At least he was snugglely and laid down with us and rested until 8:30am before he demanded breakfast!  He did sleep fairly well (in a separate room in the pack-n-play) the rest of the time in Cleveland.

Food: This past weekend was full of matzoh ball soup, brisket, challah, bagels, and of course the obligatory Chinese food meal!  Lincoln loved it all.  He can't get enough of Grandma's brisket!  He also got to enjoy a shrimp chip or two at Golden Mountain for our lunch before we headed out of town.  Oh and on the homefront,Tuesday was kind of a rainy blah day and I wasn't feeling so well, so Daddy made us tomato soup and as you can see from the picture Linc enjoyed immensely.

Word List:  Mama, Dada, Daa-dee, nana (banana), uhoh, bye bye, touchdown, all done, book, night night, hi, thank you (kinda sounds like he's saying tattoo)

Signs: more, milk, eat, all done, please, banana, water
**Learning signs: bed, puppies, cheese, car 

Best Moment This Week:  Seeing everyone in Cleveland, we always enjoying seeing our family, playing with the kids, & just catching up!  

And bonus: Grammy Sparks made a surprise appearance.  Jaime attempted to catch it on camera, but ummm I think I may have found out where Todd's poor picture taking skills came from, I think it may run in the family, lol, just kidding Jaime (totally love you and your attempt to capture the memory)!
Friday the grandparents (and really pretty much the whole family) watched Lincoln so that Todd & I could go out to dinner for our 6yr anniversary.  We enjoyed a nice dinner at Marbella, a restaurant that we went to a little over 7yrs ago (about a month before we got engaged) to celebrate the anniversary of being a couple.  Lincoln had a blast playing with his cousins, Ben & Miranda.  Miranda even worked on teaching him some more signs. 
Oh and Todd got me an Verizon iPhone for my anniversary present...I feel all techie and stuff, it is pretty sweet.  I got a fun case from the apple store and it is uber cute!  Now I aim to learn how to blog from it and perhaps I will be better about posting on here more often, it's a goal anyway.
Saturday I got to have a Mommy night out for Auntie Taryn's Bachelorette Party, which was so much fun!  

Lincoln got his first car while we were in Cleveland.  It's a used model, few scratches and scrapes, no dents though, it's what I'd call a good starter car.  And like any boy he is obsessed with it.  Sadly he only knows how to go in reverse so far, but he has some time to work on that.  He loves to put things in the little "backseat" area...toys, sippy cups, food, pretty much anything he can get his little hands on.  Once we got home from cle we had some great weather and he enjoyed cruising around our driveway, waving to & chatting up neighbors, it was super adorable.  He cries when it is time to park it in the garage and go inside (oh brother, I can't wait for him to hit 16)!
**Side note I am starting to think we should be buying stock in Little Tikes...we own no less than 5 of those toys and I can only see that number going up.  ;-P
Worst Moment This Week:  Possibly some more teething going on, Tuesday was a rough drop off morning for Lincoln at daycare.  For the most part he is one happy kiddo and is super excited to see his friends and play, but for some reason he was just not happy to say bye bye to Mommy that morning.  Many tears were shed until they could finally get his attention on a book about animals and what sounds they make.  After that they said he was happy as a clam all day, so he must have just happened to wake up on the wrong side of the crib that morning. 

What We're Looking Forward To: 
RCC Spring Carnival
Gold Cup Races (for Mommy & Daddy only)

Andy & Taryn's wedding!!!!!!!!!!

Movement: Lincoln is pretty much all about riding in and on things right now...cars, planes, sit-n-spins...if you can ride it, he's on it.    

Milestones:  Power struggles: Where there's a will, there's a won't. And your toddler is discovering that will, big time. The generally agreeable nature of a 12-month-old can morph overnight into something more exhausting. "No" will soon become one of his favorite words.
Rigid, contrarian behavior shows that your child is beginning to understand a huge concept: He's a separate person from you. (It's the seeds of the you-are-not-the-boss-of-me syndrome.) Power struggles at this age are likely to be over things like diaper changes, toothbrushing, and getting into the stroller or car seat.
Your best bet is to sidestep power struggles when you can. Let things go if they don't really matter (say, changing a shirt that has gotten dirty). Save your energy and follow-through for the big stuff (no hitting, for example).

Helping a timid toddler

If your child has a reserved personality, resist labeling him "shy." He may be slow to warm up to others, but most toddlers sometimes act shy, especially in new situations. Separation anxiety can afflict the sociable and bold as well as their more timid peers.

65 Weeks

How old? 15 Months

Weight: 24.5 lbs  

Sleep: Sleeping 7:30pm - 7:00am and napping 12:30pm-3:00pm.  Man but when he is awake he is one busy little boy!

Food: Following our DC Cherry Blossom photo shoot adventure we had dinner at a Japanese steakhouse near our home.  Lincoln had a great dinner, he really enjoyed seeing the "show".  He ate like a king...chicken, steak, shrimp, & vegetables, yum!  

Word List:  Mama, Dada, Daa-dee, nana (banana), uhoh, bye bye, touchdown, all done, book, night night, hi

**Signs: more, milk, eat, all done, please 

Lincoln is also starting to nod for yes & no.

Best Moment This Week:  All in all it was a good week, we had a fun time at Tot Shabbat Saturday & Sunday we made it through a photo session in downtown DC (with like thousands of our closest friends). 
Other than that I just have a cute Lincoln story to share...
Every morning we kennel the dogs in our upstairs hallway using a baby gate.  We give them each a treat and tell them "have a good day puppies".  Well, I have been starting to take Lincoln up with me some days when I kennel the dogs and have started letting him give them treats, which he loves to do.  One morning during the week we were doing our routine and Linc gave Alex & Guinness each a treat and giggled as they took them from him, then he turned and looked at me and signed "more" & "eat" & then the kid looked at me all pleadingly and signed "please".  He wanted to give the pups more treats,  it was adorable! 

Worst Moment This Week: Our zoo playdate got canceled because Linc's little friend was not feeling very well, so we have to reschedule. 
The road Thursday night to Cleveland did not go so smoothly, Linc decided that he wanted to wake up around 10:30pm and was wide awake when we rolled into town around 1am and had no interest in going back to sleep until 2:30am. 

What We're Looking Forward To: Nicer weather so that we can take Linc outside more to play & go for walks.

Andy & Taryn's wedding!!!!!!!!!!

Movement: Lincoln got a small pillow to practice with for  his ring bearer duties.    

Milestones:  Getting into books: Your child may love books … pulling them off the shelf, gnawing on them, stacking them, or flipping through them. Or he may actually sit calmly and happily with you and look at the pictures. While some kids can sit still at this age, others can't, so don't give up hope if your toddler is too wiggly to settle in for a reading session.  

Be persistent. Keep introducing your child to books and eventually he'll love sitting and listening to stories. In the long run, reading is likely to be one of the most rewarding activities the two of you share. Reading aloud to kids expands their vocabulary and lets them experience the joy of telling and hearing stories. It teaches them how the world around them works and helps them develop a love of learning.

Board books are perfect because the pages are sturdy and easy for small hands to turn. Choose picture books with big, bright, clear images, and ask questions as you read: Can you find the dog? What does the dog say? Where is the mommy?

If your child seems to be losing interest in one book, pick up a different book, perhaps one with a catchy rhyme, such as something by Dr. Seuss or Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. Let him help you turn the pages.

If your child doesn't want to look at books right now, try again another time. Bedtime or before a nap, when he's already wound down and ready to cuddle, is ideal. It's no coincidence that so many great kids' books – like Goodnight Moon – end with the main character fast asleep.

Toddlers often want to hear the same story again and again. Repetition helps them learn the words, and familiarity with the story – "Aha! I knew that would happen!" ­– is reassuring.

Cherry Blossom Cutie | Virginia Baby Photographer

Click the link below for the full sneak peek!

Cherry Blossom Cutie | Virginia Baby Photographer

If You Think This is Cute

Man, just wait until you see the pictures that Amber from Little Moon Photography took today of us in DC at the National Cherry Blossom Festival.  It was crazy busy & insane to get there with all the traffic, but it was so worth it!  We had a great time getting some family shots and some of just Lincoln all around the tidal basin. I am so excited to see our sneek peek tomorrow!  Don't worry I will be sure to link to them from here.  Or you can friend Little Moon Photography on Facebook.

64 Weeks

How old? 14 Months 24 days

Weight: 24.5 lbs  

Sleep:  Doing great!  Now if we could just get him to sleep a little later on the weekends we would be set. 

Food: With Lincoln not feeling so hot (due to teething, see below) we have stuck to pretty basic foods, carrots & peas with some chicken, potato soup & corn.  Nothing too adventurous for the little guy this week.

Word List:  Mama, Dada, Daa-dee, nana (banana), uhoh, bye bye, touchdown, all done, book, night night, not really a word but he does "Mmmmmm mmmm" and it is seriously adorable!
He is babbling more and more very emphatically...like he knows what he is saying and is having a really in depth conversation with us. 

**Signs: more, milk, eat, all done,please 
Lincoln is also starting to nod for yes & no.

Best Moment This Week:  Cyndi and I had a good time attending the MOPS consignment sale and I think we both got some really great deals. 

To the right is a picture of my score --->
How much do you think I spent?  $45.  Yep, and he got three new toys, 4 shirts, 3 rompers, 1 pair jeans, 1 pair overalls, 2 sleepers, 2 hats, 1 pair shorts, and 1 puffer vest from Janie & Jake that was easily $45 new. 
While I was out and about with Cyndi shopping, Daddy & Lincoln had brunch with Uncle Gil and then did a little shopping on their own at Reston Town Center.
Then Saturday night we had a chance to hang out with a good friend of mine from college, she was driving through down to Miami where she is moving.  I was excited to see Dina & have her meet Lincoln.  We had a very nice time & enjoyed catching up.  She brought him the cutest airplane toy and he cannot get enough of it.  It is his new favorite toy to play with in the kitchen while I am working on making dinner.

And...you'll see about Sunday...

Worst Moment This Week:  Sunday was kind of a downer of a day for us.  Linc was just not feeling 100% himself and just wanted to lay around and cuddle all day.  We even missed his normally scheduled Gymboree class because he wanted to snuggle and go back to sleep for an hour on the couch with Mommy.  Safe to say this is not like him.  We got to looking and it turns out he has MORE teeth coming in!  See  the chart below, filled in with approximate dates that we noticed Lincoln's teeth coming in. 

What We're Looking Forward To: Nicer weather so that we can take Linc outside more to play & go for walks.

Visiting the Reston Zoo w/ Linc and a pal. 

Cherry Blossoms in DC ***Family Pictures w/ Little Moon 4/3

A visit to Cleveland - Our 6yr Anniversary & Taryn's Bachelorette party

Movement: He's a rockstar...we'll just call this his audition for cousin James' band next time they have an opening for a drummer.

Milestones:  At the table: Your toddler is gaining new skills left and right – from waving bye-bye to drinking from a cup. But one thing he hasn't mastered is table manners – and that's okay. It's too early for him to eat neatly.
At 14 months, eating is a hands-on learning experience. So spread a splash mat or some newspapers under the highchair and watch the learning – and the mess – begin. Provide a spoon or "spork" (a combination spoon and fork) with a short, broad handle and a decent-size scoop, and let your toddler get the hang of it at her own pace.