30 Days of Thanksgiving ~ Day 21

It was another early morning this morning, courtesy of Steven. For whatever reason the last week he has thought that 5:00 or earlier is a great time to get up for the day. Most days we've been able to get him to go back to sleep after some cuddles and encouragement. Today, not so much. It was back and forth, back and forth for me this morning. Nathan tried to take over a couple times, but each time he did, Steven would scream out, "Mommy, mommy" in the most pitiful voice you've ever heard. We didn't walk him to wake Bradley so, I had to go back in. Finally, around 6, we just gave up and brought him in our room, where he played Angry Birds with Nathan on his phone. It was certainly frustrating, but I know these early morning wake ups won't be forever. Eventually, he'll be a teenager and I'll be begging him to get out of bed at noon.

Today is the 21st. Steven is officially 22 months old. Only 2 months away from being 2 yrs old! He has gone from my little baby to my little toddler and is quickly changing into a little boy. I am so thankful for him.

Steven's vocabulary is growing tremendously. He mimics everything and loves mimicing the sounds things make (this includes the dishwasher, airplanes, trucks, the vaccuum, etc). He is so aware of things that are going on around him now. Just the other day we were riding in the car and Nathan was listening to a football game. Steven heard the game and started clapping and shouting, "Touchdown!" and "Football!" while raising his arms over his head (something Nathan proudly taught him to do).

Steven is truly all boy. His world is all trains, planes, cars, balls of any kind (especially footballs) and ferocious animals (especially lions). Almost every morning begins with going into the family room to play with his "choo, choo's". His current favorite part of the set is the "copter" - this routinely gets brought all over the house. He loves to play with his cars and will even race them across the floor going, "vroom, vroom" when I tell him to go faster. He takes his toy airplane and spins in circles "flying" it around the room. I love seeing his personality come out in the things he enjoys. It is also sweet to see how even in his rough and tumble discoveries he still has a soft side, like saying "night, night" to his animals and giving them hugs and kisses and trying to feed them his crackers.

We love to read together. Yes, the books he gravitates to first are about trucks, trains or cars, and we read them over, and over, and over again, but I am so glad he loves reading. He is very good at sitting quietly while Nathan or I read to him, and we've noticed that we can read longer books to him now than before.

Lately we've really emphasized praying with Steven. We pray before all of our meals and before bed. He is finally grasping this concept and now folds his hands upon getting into his high chair and says, "pay, pay, pay" until we stop what we are doing, fold our hands, and pray with him. He does something similar at bedtime. I'm so excited to see this become an action done out of sincere love for the Lord than just a formality or "should do" before meals and bedtime. It is the cry of my heart to see he and his brother love the Lord with everything they are. I know this will come in time and I'm excited to be a part of teaching him this way.

I would still say that my all time favorite thing to do with him is "uddle". He is the best snuggler (when he wants to be - otherwise forget about it!). I will be so sad when he no longer thinks his Mommy's lap is the best place to be. But for now, I will cherish every time he comes running up to me, puts his arms up and says, "uddle!"...makes my heart happy.




Dirt + trucks + great outdoors = one very happy boy!