A Scattered Mess...

Seems to be the story of our lives lately.  I'm not quite sure why either.  Maybe its because we now have a walker.  Maybe its because its summer and although Phoenix isn't in school, a ton of our friends are and so we've enjoyed spending time with them.  Maybe its just because I've been lazy and haven't gotten the camera out much.  Maybe its this stupid migraine that I've had for over 2 weeks and doesn't seem to want to leave!!!!

Whatever the reason-we are still alive and well, thank God!  We've been having lots of fun lately.  Sadly, I haven't been capturing much of it on camera though.  I'll try and recap a little of what we've been up to lately.

Phoenix is officially walking everywhere.  He loves his new found sense of freedom.  It has amazed me how quickly he picked up on it.  One day he was taking 2-3 steps and the next day he was off, never looking back.  Craziness!!!  With the walking has also come this new interest and love of climbing.  He climbs on EVERYTHING.  From the fireplace to his toys, up on the couch to his riding toys.  You name it, he's climbed it.  I am surprised he hasn't landed in the ER a time or two.

Now that he's walking, I was finally able to take him to the McWane Center.  I've been wanting to take him forever, but didn't think he'd have much fun crawling around everywhere, so I wanted to wait until he was walking fairly steady.  Well, we went the other day with my sister and nieces.  To say he had a BLAST is a complete understatement.  He loved the third floor-which is aimed at his age, but he also loved the other floors (digging for dinosaur bones and all) just as much.  No surprise the water table was a major hit!  Definitely see a season pass in our near future :)

My other sister sent a TON of stuff down with my parents recently.  Adorable clothes and some super fun toys.  Especially the 4wheeler.  Phoenix loves it!  He goes for a ride everyday!  He has a John Deere one that I bought long before I was even pregnant, but its still a little big for him.  This one however, is prefect for him.  He can do it all by himself and he just goes and goes all throughout the parking lot by the house!!!

He is finally saying Mama!!!! Hallelujah!!!! Of course, I'm not sure its used in its correct context unless he needs/wants something.  Go figure-the one word he doesn't use correctly.  Whatever-I'm just happy he says it!!!  Along with Mama, we've recently added Amen to our vocabulary.

He actually only says the Ahh part and attempts to make the sign of the cross.  My heart almost explodes every time he does this.  He does it as we walk down the stairs from his room as he sees Mary and Baby Jesus, as well as when we get done changing his diaper in my room when we go to turn the light off (there is a big cross right above the light switch where we say the Our Father every morning).  He also randomly says Ahh while making the sign of the cross throughout the day.  There is nothing, not even Mama, I would rather hear my son say.

He is still using his signs.  I am very impressed with his manners, if I do say so myself.  I love watching him wipe his mouth like a gentleman and then take his napkin and wipe his eating area off.  Seeing him sign please when he wants something always brings a smile to my face.  That right there might be the one and only way that kid could ever get me to spoil him.  How do you deny him something when he is saying please?  I mean, really.

He loves taking a rag and wiping tables down, helping with the dishes, laundry, and vacuuming.  He is also very good at picking up after himself, or after his mama and dada!!!  I am definitely one proud mama, especially in this regard.

Nothing makes me feel like I'm doing at least a semi-decent job than having a complete stranger compliment me on how well my child behaves in public (while eating at a restaurant).  Telling me how refreshing it is to see a child be able to sit quietly in his own seat and eat with a fork and grab his napkin and wipe his face and behave.  She said she doesn't see that very often and it was nice for her and her husband (they were probably in their 70's) to know it still exists.  It was probably one of the proudest moments for me.  It made me realize that all my hard work, that all the discipline I am instilling in my child, that all the tears we both endure, and that all the patience I am learning to have is totally worth it.  That while it'd be easier just to give in and and let him have his way, dealing with the crying and screaming is definitely paying off.  It was definitely that breathe of fresh air just when I needed it.

We did make one pit stop to the doctors office.  Phoenix was running a fever for about three days so I decided to call and get their opinion.  They thought it was best since it had been fairly high (in the 102's) for that long to bring him in.  It was 2:30 and they wanted to see him at 3:00-did I mention I had finally gotten him down for a nap like 5 minutes prior to them calling me back.  Anyways, I loaded him up and off we went.  Thank God his ears were beautiful!!! Music to my ears!!! His strep test came back negative as well.  His blood work looked good, except the fact that he is anemic.  I knew this prior, since his last blood work showed the same thing.  I tried the high iron food diet, but guess it didn't help.  Iron drops here we come.  I must tell you-they smell aweful and poor Phoenix gags every day when we give it to him :(  How in the world does a child not even a year old become anemic???  Hopefully, the iron drops will do the trick and when we go back for his 18mth appointment we can stop them.  The fever was gone the next night.  Stupid fever virus.  

I'll leave you with a funny...Last night Phoenix had some serious gas.  It was bath time.  I told Jason we should probably hold off a bit and let him go potty first.  Well, we all know-Daddys know best!  So up the stairs we go and in to the tub it is....I bathe Phoenix and Jason and I swap places.  The whole time Jason keeps commenting on how bad it stinks.  He gets down on the stool and starts sticking his head in the tub blowing bubbles like Phoenix.  They are doing this for a few minutes.  Then it happens.  Jason comes up and says, "Oh shit!"  I thought something was wrong, but no, he meant it literally.  Phoenix had pooped in the tub while Jason had his head in the water blowing bubbles.  Jason immediately starts gagging and saying to Phoenix, "Why when my head is under?"  He grabs a towel and starts scrubbing his face.  I'm holding Phoenix in a towel trying my hardest not to pee myself.  Jason just keeps gagging and rambling on about how disgusting it was.  By far the funniest thing I've witnessed in a long time :)  One I definitely wish I had my camera for.