Pictures!

Recent trip to the zoo...first time on the carousel. Not thrilled about it...He's walking now! It's so funny to see him just cruising across the room. He's so pleased with himself!

Banks loves driving his trucks around the house.

Naked man on the loose! He walks with one arm up in the air...for balance, I guess? Perhaps he's getting ready for a one-handed cartwheel or round-off.
Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch! He had a blast riding the horse, petting the animals and picking out his pumpkin!
Pre-church photo op:

Posing:

Preparing to launch out. It takes concentration and perfect tongue placement:

And, what most of my pictures look like these days:

No pictures, just words

So, I totally understand if you just want to skip over this post. Our computer is on it's last leg...it only took me three hours to connect to the Internet just now and it won't let me upload any pictures.

What many of you know about me is I like to be right which often comes with pretending that I know everything. Here, in a blog exclusive, I am admitting that I am not always right nor do I know everything. For example, I do not know how to unattach Banks from my side. Last week he came down with Rotavirus. Well, let me clarify, the Urgent Care doctor told us it was Rotavirus. We're waiting on the poo analysis (technical term) to come back to tell us what it was for sure. Not that it matters now that he's all better. Better but still attached to my hip. HELP ME. I come near to losing my mind everyday.

And while he's driving me crazy, he's still as charming as can be. His vocabulary is increasing every day. New words are "bus", "tru" (truck), "buh" (book), "mommy", "daddy", "cat", "dis" (this), "ba" (ball). He is getting better at "telling" us what he wants/needs. Yesterday I guess he was hungry so he crawled into the kitchen, got his bib and brought it to me. He is also getting better at pitching a fit when a) we don't understand what he's trying to say and b) he doesn't get whatever it is that he wants. He's silly, likes for us to chase him, and likes to dip his finger into something, lick it clean and say "mmmmm." He's learning to eat off a plate and drink from a sippy cup without handles. I'm nervous about trying the spoon...I can see the mess now.

He's becoming more brave with his walking. Just in the last day or so, I've noticed that he'll let go and walk over to something without our coaxing him to do so. He's able to go further and further each day! He can point out several body parts but refuses to learn any new animal sounds. He's getting better at directives. Soon enough I'll have him folding clothes and putting them away. He seems to be hungry all the time, still boycotts most veggies and loves all fruits. Loves sticks, balls and tractors. He loves to go head first down the slide. He loves books. Can destroy a room in two seconds flat. He can make me sooo mad and then melt my heart the very next second. He gives great hugs and can blow a kiss. Makes me feel loved when he calls "mommy, mommy, mommy!!!"

Someone at the park told me yesterday that 15 months was her most favorite age. I haven't been able to pick a favorite. All the stages are hard in their own way and fun in their own way. The I-won't-leave-your-side phase is growing a bit old but hopefully it'll be over soon and we'll be on to a new phase. As for (almost) 15 months...we're enjoying it too...now if only I could upload some pictures to prove it to you!!!

He's a boy...

Not that you've forgotten or anything. And I am proud to say that many, many trips to the grocery store have been logged without someone calling Banks "she." However, I'm noticing that all the gender neutral baby toys are slowly being replaced with trains, trucks, and balls. Banks is starting to prefer boy stuff over girl stuff...which means that we cannot be outside for more than .5 seconds before he's found a stick and a dirt pile in which to dig. He's especially fond of rubbing his hands around in the dirt, picking up a huge pile of it and throwing it up in the air. It proceedes to fall directly in his hair/really cute smocked outfit and I bite my tongue. You know, I want him to be cute, but I want him to enjoy being a boy more. Oxyclean is my best friend; we go throug about a bottle a week. So play on, brother.

Yesterday, I put him in a new fall outfit, brand new pair of white lace-up Keds (WHAT WAS I THINKING???) and took him outside for a photo op. See above if you want to know what happened. Photo op didn't work out so well, but I did get a few shots of him getting dirty.

Big boy digging around in my compost

And digging in the dirt

Just because he can take a few steps doesn't mean he does all the time...still loving his lion!

And totally unrelated but totally cute!

Big things...

...are happening at our house. Banks took his first steps yesterday!!! He's still wobbly and unsure but soooo proud of his new skill. It's hilarious to me to see him standing there. I think in my mind I still view him as a little baby, not someone who should be standing up, smiling at me! I still think it will be a while before he actually takes off but it is so fun to see him learning to walk. He started off by just taking one step and then by the end of the day he was taking three! He still prefers to crawl or walk behind his push toy but will take steps with some coaxing.

In other news, we had a baby extravaganza in the Grove last weekend. Yes, we got Banks, Charlie and Will matching outfits. Yes, people asked if they were triplets. And tons of people asked if Banks and Charlie were brothers! So funny because I've never thought of them looking alike. Interesting what a little matching outfit will do...

Anyway, they had a big ole time. Lots of crawling, snack eating, sweating and playing. It was way easier than I thought it would be. I envisioned constant baby chasing, fishing chicken bones out of his mouth and dirtyness. Well, they were definitely dirty. Crawling in a dusty grove will do that to a baby, I guess. And Matt was a big help too...I think he was trying to make up for a lack luster performance when we took Banks to the grove last year. I will now let that story die since he was such a help this time.

Banks petting Will

HOT!

Banks, me, Molly, Charlie

Nothingness

It's official. My life is boring. I have nothing riveting about which to write. I doubt how you want to hear that as I type Banks is throwing pieces of grape over his tray while I shout "no throwing!". And there went the sippy cup. He says "uh oh" like he didn't mean to do it on purpose. That little rascal. Is it possible for a 13 month old to be starting the terrible twos? Banks has just started to pitch mini-fits-complete with wailing, leg kicking, and limpness-when I tell him no or when he wants to go outside (he "tells" me this by ramming his push toy into the back door OVER and OVER again) and I don't.

Here's an example. This time he wanted to go into Matt's office while he was on a conference call. That is a no-go, Banks couldn't understand: cue meltdown.

And I can't stay mad for long cause then he gets all sweet and innocent looking. I had to sneak in and steal this photo one night. I kept singing "fat guy in a little coat" to myself as I was taking the picture.

Some new fun things about Banks...he LOVES to climb and sit Indian-style (usually not together). This guy is busy, busy. I seriously can't take my eyes off of him for one second or he's into something. Man, have I got my hands full!

I'd also like to report that Banks and Buford or as Banks calls him, "Oh-ford", are making progress. Buford nipped at Banks a few times and I threatened to give him away but seems like the two are getting along better these days. Nothing like a little lawn spraying to bring the two together:

Tug-of-war

Banks' vocabulary is growing by the day. Most popular are bay-bee, uh-oh, mommy (no longer mama) and Oh-ford. New additions are ewwww (what the cow says), ba (what the sheep says), and arrrrrrr (what the lion says). I'm hoping he's going to be a smarty. Recently, he has started to love books! He will pull every single board book out of his basket for me to read. EVERY time we have to read the bubbles book. EVERY time. I'm tempted to hide that thing.

Making the selection and whadda you know...the bubbles book!

Read it mommy. And hopefully this will leave you with a smile. Post mud-hole playing:

Beach, babies, and besties

Last week we traveled to Sea Grove, FL for a week-long trip to the beach with some of our best friends and their children. Lauren and Wes have a son, Will, who is about 4 months older than Banks. Molly and Garner's son, Charlie, is only a day older than Banks. It must be known that I am officially a grown-up. Packing used to include swim suits and a cooler (for water, of course). Packing with a baby includes diapers, Dreft, sippy cups and grits (among 100 other MUST HAVE items). I washed clothes at the beach. Do you hear me? I packed detergent and actually washed several loads of clothes. I washed dishes, unloaded the dishwasher and even thought about sweeping but thankfully Molly came to the rescue and saved me from that travesty. When they tell you life really changes once you have a baby they mean it!

Aside from doing lots of grown-up things we had tons of fun! Charlie, Banks and Will had the best time playing together!! I think it is amazing that these little boys will grow up together! I hope they will have as much fun together as all of the parents do!! It's hilarious to me that out of 7 days all three boys were never on the beach at the same time. Someone was always sleeping or eating or crying. There was poop galore and lots of snack eating. I'm talking about the kids here in case you've gotten lost.

This week was also a learning experience for me. Here's a run down of what I've learned about Banks:

• He is a snack thief and isn't scared to knock a baby down to get to some food.
  
• He eats WAY more than other babies. I'm thinking I should put him on a diet.
  
• Banks feels that everybody elses toys are way cooler than his own and again, isn't scared to knock another kid down to swipe his toy.
  
• Everyone is a "bay-bee." We laughed so hard at Banks calling Charlie and Will "bay-bee's" in his deep man voice. Rest assured, if you are under 5 feet he'll probably call you a baby.
  
• Banks is an explorer...the guy is not scared to crawl away on the beach.
  
• Banks hates riding in the car. Out of 9 hours travelled in the car Saturday he slept for 1. O.N.E. Which means he pretty much cried for the other 8. Miserable.

And, without further adieu, here are a few pictures from the week!

The lap of luxury:

It only took 79 trips with that tiny bucket to fill up the baby pool

Bath time! Daddies bathing the babies

Big highlight of the week for Banks: pushing Will around on the fire truck

Rare photo of all three boys together

Bribing them to get together with a snack. They were like the sea gulls flocking to bread.

Banks and Charlie

You know how you get an idea of something in your head? I had envisioned Christmas-card like pictures of our family and of Banks on the beach. Instead I get this: eyes closed. Way to go Kyle and Matt.

Group shot. Lots of closed eyes, again. Sigh...

And a few of my beach bunny:

What we've been doing

Lately, we've been doing a lot of this...

And stopping to look at things like this...

And taking lots of breaks for this (cause who doesn't want nice thick milk when it's 1,000 degrees outside?)...

He's not afraid to conqueor the hills...

And has learned to semi-steer his rig but does lots of this when he can't...