River Flynn,

My sweet little boy you are growing right into that personality and showing us all who’s been hiding under that shy side smile. We’ve been warning Sheppard that you would stand up to him one day, and while it’s subtle……you’ve found the perfect mix of arm swing and pincher grasp to get a whack and a good hair tug in when he doesn’t act right (according to you). You still prefer the tattle method of handling him, but when I don’t respond to your pitiful face and squeals you take matters into your own hands these days.

“No”s from me are still 100% hysterical to you and you are sure to cry and bring out the biggest bottom lip when you realize I mean business. You’re a toddler. You want your way. All day. Every day. Funny thing is, you’re still so stinking easy going that the “tantrums” or little outbursts are almost permissible. They aren’t battles I feel like choosing right now which I realize will inevitably cause you to give me an all out war before I know it. I know all of this, yet…..I can’t be bothered. I have two toddlers so I’m not all there in my defense.

Your favorite things are still your two giraffe lovies (namely their shredded tags), your papi, and the outdoors. You point at EVERYTHING and make your little goodly gobble talk, and high tail it outside the minute I open a door (with humongous squeals of disapproval if I close the door back without you having the chance to step out). The first thing you do is point to everything you see, then you head straight for the thomas power wheel and fuss until I set it out in the open grass/weeds for you to cruise around. You love to pick flowers and go up and down the stoop to the front door just enough to make me run to save you from yet another topple onto the concrete. Birds fascinate you and unlike your bother, you are an animal lover to a fault. Stray cats, huge dogs, bugs…..you are going to find it and squeeze it whether they like it or not. If you get hold of aspyn or evie, despite their protests you giggle and find the nearest adult to make sure they saw your accomplishment. You beam with pride as you waddle away with a chunk of their fur. I just don’t have the heart to stop you from doing it to the toothless pets in our family 😉

You just got over the stomach bug followed by a sinus infection and through it all you managed to be quite the little trooper. I can’t say enough that even your awful days are pretty mild in the grand scheme of things. You’ve woken a few times at night from the sickies and melt my heart with how snuggly you are when I come to rescue you from the crib. We always end up having to trick you back into it, but I promise you I cherish those nights even if I wake the next morning regretting them a tiny bit……there’s just not enough coffee in the world kiddo.

You’re turning around to baths and allowing us a solid 3 minutes or so to bathe you which is nice, but I have the feeling it might take a while before I can use the tub to contain you boys while I sip my coffee and watch. The whine sound you find a way to make through your papi as you stand ON my feet while I try to cook isn’t your best feature, but once I set the carb filled plate before you, you turn back into a pumpkin and love life again. If your health suffers from your diet, there isn’t much that I can do. I have tried withholding snacks, hiding nutrition in said carbs, you name it…..you’re too wise for me. Shep is off to the side somewhere telling me how delicious his raw broccoli is while you throw anything that isn’t cream, brown, and crunchy onto the floor for aspyn with a grin. Sometimes I have an off day and think you’re nuts so I try and force a small amount into your mouth, but it just doesn’t work. You’re so incredibly stubborn sometimes and I have no idea who you get it from 😉 For now, you’ll get vegetables via sweet potato apple pouch combos (the only one you’ll take), and miss out on the finer things in life like popsicles and strawberries bc you’re too silly to give it whirl. More for us!

You’re hammering down to one nap, but it’s going slow and steady and not so grand for me. Diapers are still a size 4, Dr said you weigh close to 21 pounds, and you are losing the leg rolls that I have gotten so attached to. As far as the attached photos? Forgive me. It’s a knit outfit I wanted badly and your Dolly sent. Combined with the bonnet well, you sure are pretty aren’t you 😉 ??

I adore you nugget. Every bald ounce of you.

Xx

Mommy