Nicholas Stories

I forgot one thing yesterday on my 11 month post - Nicholas has been giving big wet open mouth kisses. I ask him if he wants to give mommy a kiss and he leans forward (sometimes) and gives a kiss while making a little sound effect. It's rather cute. I think he also understands the word hug as he will give hugs too.

And last night, we went to Cos*tco to get some diapers and because we would be getting home too late, we went out to eat. Nicholas is really wanting to feed himself these days. He likes finger foods the best. Last night, he had a spoon and reached to his food jar with the spoon (after a few missed attempts), got some food out and put it directly to his mouth. He did this several times! Yay Nicholas - on the road to feeding himself. I look forward to that - it will be so easier when he can feed himself on a regular basis.

Ben & Ella tidbits

Benjamin REALLY loves the Leap Frog toys he got for Christmas from my parents. He will be happy to sit there for a long time playing with those things. That includes sitting on the potty. Now, if he'd only go in the potty.

If anyone has potty training advice, please help as I'm not sure what to do to encourage both of them to use the potty more.

Anyway, both of them have started being possessive over their parents - they will say "my mommy" or "my papa" or even over their siblings. One night last week, though, Ella said "my papa is home!!!" and Benjamin replies with "No, that's my papa! THAT'S your mommy!" Huh - apparently, at that moment, Benjamin didn't want to have possession over me. Just papa.

The other night, Benjamin wanted me to give him another cookie. He screamed and yelled and I told him no. Eventually, he backed down and realized that his screaming and his tears were not going to sway me. However, let me tell you how hard that was not to give in.

Ella really likes playing with her baby dolls. She has taken to rocking her babies to sleep. A friend of ours recently adopted a newborn and named him Andre. Ella has now started calling her baby Andre. A little while later, Benjamin thought that was a good idea and did the same though he says his baby is a girl. Ella also talks to her babies in that high-pitched voice. It's funny. Last night, I caught Benjamin doing the same - I think that's the first I heard him talk like that and tell the baby it was time to change its diaper. Oh, and actually, I think he was talking to a Beanie Baby bear too. :-D

Things that they like to play with these days - playdoh; coloring (and Ella folds up her papers and then gives them to me or Jon - I have one such drawing up on my wall at work); Leap Frog toys; babies; toy that are for Nicholas. Ella also like to help feed Nicholas still. She can get rather upset sometimes if she is not able to help.

Anyway, that's about it for now. More later as I think of them and have time to write!

11 months

My baby boy is now 11 months old! Some news about him:

He has been saying "ma" or "mama" for a few weeks now. One time, he was saying that and Ella says "no, it's mommy" all of matter of factly. :-D

He also says "ha" for hi. And this morning it sounded like he was trying to say no - he said it like "naaa".

He is still crawling and pulling himself up to stand then cruising around on the furniture. He has let go a couple times, but he has not successfully stood all on his own yet.

The other day, we went to a kids concert. Ben & Ella seemed to enjoy the show, but didn't really participate in the show. The theme was Teddy Bear's Musical Picnic put on by the Tacoma Philharmonic and featuring these ladies. Nicholas had fun being held by myself, Jon and my mother-in-law. Nicholas even managed to make a friend with a little girl about a couple months older than him. They smiled at each other,
then they held hands for a brief period of time. It was adorable!

Also, Nicholas is very sensitive to hearing the word no. He cries if he hears it. He has the cutest pouty face too - like his whole world has crashed in. He doesn't seem to like big noises either as that makes him have the pouty face too and start to really cry.

I'll try to remember to take a picture of Nicholas tonight with my brand new camera and upload it at some point in the future. In the meantime, there are some recent pictures of my little guy on flickr.

Happy 11 months, my sweet little dude!

Christmas 2009 video

More videos and pics at www.flickr.com/photos/heathercim