Sol Video

video: Janers rides her scooter

video: Janers reads to Sol

So she's singing to Sol. She is reading Solly his Highlights Hello magazine. Every issue has stories, poems, and a song.  They are all very simple and quick and Jane has them all memorized (she has an amazing memory anyway!). She"read" him the whole issue pretty much word for word. Solly loves books, so he was a very attentive audience. Of course I only grabbed my camera at the end.  It was so adorable! I love watching these two interact and love each other.

The words (to the tune of Row your boat):

Splash splash splash your duck all around the tub

wash your knees and elbows clean and give your toes a scrub

soap toys bubbles too baths are lots of fun

wrap you in a towel now because your bath is done.

Also, Jane picked out Sol's pajamas. I wouldn't normally choose to dress my baby in a skull with a pirate patch.  She has a matching pair.

Thanks for visiting

Grammy, Grandpa, and Parker visited for the weekend.  They were on their way to Hawaii.  It was a quick trip, but so much fun!  We are excited to come to the cabin this summer!

a note to my beautiful daughter on her third birthday

Dear Janers,

Wow! What a year you had!  You learned and grew so much this past year.  I think the biggest change for you happened last spring when you started talking ALL ON YOUR OWN.  In several word sentences.  It was amazing to watch you go from a silent little girl to a talker literally overnight.  It was a humbling lesson in allowing you to develop at your own pace.  Having Sol has also given you a chance to grow as you've had to learn to share your toys but also your mama!  Here are some new things you are doing now that you are BIG THREE!

You love to read books.  All books.  And recently, we started reading you chapter books.

We are reading Magic Treehouse Dinosaurs Before Dark
  and it is VERY suspenseful and a little scary! 

You are very interested in letters.  You know all of the uppercase letters and most of the letter sounds.  And you picked all that up from play, books, and art.

Playing a letter sidewalk game that we
made up

You are still such an artist.  Recently, your artworks has taken a major shift from process to product (but we still do process artwork, too!).  Pictured: dinosaur drawing and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree

You get so excited when you get to do "homework".

You've had your big green bike for several months but only recently gained the confidence to ride it.  This is just another reminder to me that you need to do things on your own time, when you are ready.

You have your father's engineering and science brain.  You gravitate towards play activities that involve building, problem solving, and constructing.  You are very good at logic games and puzzles.

making an ABAB pattern

You love to get dirty!

super sandy

You almost always let Solly join in on your adventures.  You often "never mind" (i.e., don't mind) if Solly knocks over your creations or takes a turn, too.  You and Sol are such great friends!  The other day you actually slept in.  Solly did not sleep in and went into your room looking for you and calling, "Nay" (that is how he says Jane).  He wanted you to get up and PLAY!

Enjoying the beach on our recent vacation to California

You become obsessed with characters or subjects inspired by movies or books.  This year you went through a Cars phase, a Curious George phase, and you are recently on a dinosaur kick.  You learn a lot, but the repetition drives us crazy!

Playing Cars

Snuggling George

Making a dinosaur picture

You have a very difficult time when things don't go your way, especially if you are tired or hungry.  My top hope for you this coming year is that you learn to become more flexible and find more productive ways to express your big feelings.  

I miss the days when you were teeny tiny...but my oh my do I LOVE doing all these big girl activities with you!  You are such a smart little girl and it really is such a privilege to be able to spend my days with you!  Love you little lady!

Love, Mom

Here is the 2 year old post

Here is the 1 year old post

Third birthday sign photos :)

 click HERE to see second birthday sign photos and HERE to see first birthday sign photos. My how our girl has grown!

Seattle SNOW!!!

We got some SNOW!  Jane was so excited when she looked out the window this morning.  Of course she couldn't wait to head out to play. So we had a quick breakfast (luckily! often we head out without eating) and went out to play.  And I locked us out of the house shortly after the sledding picture was taken.  And Erik is out of town today.  I called and texted him in a panic. He found a locksmith (so thankful for my husband today!).  The kids and I were already out and bundled up so we headed to the park to sled, play at the playground, and have a snowball fight.  I love living in a neighborhood with nice kids and families!  Two other families came out to play at the park as well.  After hearing about our predicament, we got two offers to come over and play.  Jane was having so much fun outside that she wanted to stay outside.  So we played outside for almost 2 hours while waiting for a locksmith.  He came, we got it! It cost $230.  So frustrating!

Solly woke up from his nap in such a bad mood.  He was sobbing big sad tears and could not be consoled.   This is so unlike him!  We finally snuggled up in the rocking chair and read books, which camled him down.  Until we got up from the rocking chair.  So I bundled us all up and we headed back outside again this afternoon.  We made a family of snowmen (not pictured).  Jane rolled some of the snowman part all by herself.

Sol finally calmed down once he was in the backpack and outside.  He even started happy babbling, the first I heard all afternoon.

Then we made a snow castle.  Sol was happy out of the backpack for about 30 seconds, then the tears started again.  So back in my arms he went!  Poor baby.

Our finished castle :)

Sol WALKS

Sol has been taking a step or two for a couple of weeks. But tonight was the first time he really started walking.  Love how he walks with his hands in the air, full speed ahead!  If turning 1 didn't make me a mama without a baby, this milestone does.  Grateful that my babe followed the house rule of "no walking before first birthdays!"  

cake photo comparison

JANERS

SOLLY-O

Solly's cake smash

Finally!  A cake smash success! Solly had a grand time during his cake smash.  He just dug right in.  I made everything from scratch.  The cake kind of sucked, to be honest (sorry bud) but Solly didn't seem to mind.  The frosting was whipped cream frosting (cream cheese, whipping cream, and 2 T of sugar), which is what he ate the most of.  There are a lot of photos in this post!  I took about 4 times this many.  There is a video at the bottom of the post.

Jane waited so patiently for Solly to enjoy his cake.  She got to join the fun after Solly had a big turn by himself.  Of course Jane used a fork, so as not to get her hands dirty.  Also, she did not like it when Sol tried to touch her.  

VIDEO!

A letter to my little monster on his first birthday

Dear Sol Bol,

Oh Solly-O (Jane's nickname for you), you are ONE!  It has been so incredible to watch you grow and learn new things this year.  I loved each one of your baby stages and milestones, from the littleness of your newborn days to learning to roll over, sit up,crawl and most recently learning a few words.  Some words that describe you are laid back, serious, patient, clever, daring, and curious.  Here are some things that I want to remember about you at age 1:

You are not a snuggler but you are such a lover. You frequently cover our faces with big slobbery kisses.  Of course you planted your first kiss on Jane...that's ok, though because I was your first word!

You are such a little monkey.  You learned to climb around 9 months and haven't stopped!  I'm so glad you are my second child as I am much more relaxed about that sort of risk.

And you are a little dare devil.  The second child thing also applies here. 

 

You are a serious baby but that does not mean that you are unhappy.  You like to watch and figure things out.

We have all sorts of toys in our house.  Too many, probably.   Of all the things we have, you are completely drawn to balls and cars (such "boy" choices).

You like sensory play.

Your relationship with Jane was the most surprising and amazing part of your babyhood.  Jane loved you from the very first second she saw you. When you were first born, she would bring her toys and books to you and play right alongside you. You would look at her the way you looked at nobody else.  You would smile and laugh for Jane more than anyone else. Now that you are a big boy, you two play together so nicely. We put so many of your baby toys away months ago because you wanted to play whatever Jane is playing with. You two love each other so much!  One of my top hopes is that you and Jane will always be great friends.

THOSE CHEEKS! Need I say more!  I kiss those chubby cheeks countless times throughout the day.  One would think that you would get annoyed with all of those kisses but you don't.  You lean right in and let me smooch those chubby cheeks.

Also, you are so squishy and I love it! 

You recently started enjoying books.  I make a consistent effort to read to you before your two naps and bedtime.  Your favorites are Peekawho, Red Truck, Freight Train, Brown Bear, and any lift the flap.  I love snuggle time that we have together, just the two of us.

You take 2 naps a day.  You sleep in your crib all night long.  You like to snuggle your blanket, but only when you are sleeping or tired.

 

You are not walking yet, but you are so close. I am happy to report that you followed our house rule of waiting until you turned 1 to start walking.  Here you are pushing your wagon up the sidewalk after your big sister.

You enjoy gross motor activities.  Here you are riding your new bike that Grammy and Grandpa gave you for your birthday.

You enjoy being outside.

As I was rocking you to sleep tonight, I kept thinking about how your babyhood whizzed by, more so than with Jane.  I attribute that thought to a couple of things--how quickly you grew (both in height and weight), your ability to explore (you do have a big sister to keep up with!), and finally, just the fact that I am busier with two kids than I was with one.  It went so fast!  But I also had a conflicting thought,--has he really only been with us one year?  You fit so well into our family that it feels like you've always been with us.  You are the perfect fourth member and I am so glad that you are here!  We all love you more than you can know.  I cannot wait to see what adventures we will have during your second year.

Love,

MaMaMa