2 years/2 months and 7 months old!

Miles:

A few days ago, you passed the "2 years and 2 months" mark!  You have grown up so much in the past few months!  Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!  Here are a few things you are up to lately...

• So much talking!  Still not a lot of 3 word phrases, but some.  You say "Ready to go?" and "Oh boy!" and "Bye bye _____" and so forth.  You repeat at least one word of most things we say.
• You have gotten over your fear of the little wooden statue in our room.  You point to him and say "Guy!" every time you see him :o)
• You still fall asleep on the floor behind your door every night, but when we go to sleep, we put you in your bed and I think you stay there the rest of the night.  You're sleeping 8pm to 8am these days, which is great.  It's what you need.  You've also started taking a pretty long nap in the afternoons.
• You have been playing with Uncle Carter's little Western town since we brought it home from Grandpa Big's house a few weekends ago.  It's a pretty fun toy and your Daddy loves playing it with you.
• Since Spencer has started having a bedtime routine like you, I don't get to put you to bed, because I'm putting Spencer to sleep at the same time.  I miss tucking you in, but your Daddy loves to have that special time with you.  I love hearing you guys giggle before bed.
• We got to go to The Children's Museum of Cleveland and The Louisville Zoo this month.  You had such a great time and soaked everything up.
• You are starting to be a little jealous (I guess it's jealousy) of Spencer and are taking away his toys and being a little rough with him.  Mommy and Daddy are having to tell you many times a day to give the toy back to the baby.  We know it's just a phase, though, and you will eventually figure it out.
• Tonight, you went to "Big Kid Church."  Wednesday nights are much more laid-back than Sundays, so I wanted to see how you would do.  I am happy to say that you really did well!  I don't think you would have done so well if I hadn't been there, but you clapped and danced during the music time, prayed during the prayer, did your craft and snack with the others, just like you were supposed to.
• I love seeing the personality you are developing.  You are so happy and charming with everyone.  I took you to the grocery store with me (just the two of us) the other day and you were such a great little helper.  
• Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we can't wait to see what the next few months have to bring!

Spencer:

• Two days ago, you were officially seven months old!  Wow!  It's hard to believe that seven months ago, we were ending our first full day home with you and your brother.  In some ways it has flown by and other times (like the middle of the night) seems like it has gone on a long time.
• Let's talk about sleep.  So...not sure when you started to hate sleeping, but apparently you have a major aversion to sleep right now.  Eight o'clock is your bedtime, and right now it's 9:52pm.  You are on the floor in the living room, playing with a toy, completely wide awake.  You have fallen asleep once but woke up a minute later, and another time you were almost asleep but (of course) woke up.  Without getting way into it right now, I (and your Daddy) are very much looking forward to the days when you sleep soundly in your bed, all night.
• You are still doing a great army/inchworm crawl, but no "real" crawling yet!  But you get all over the place, and quickly!
• I wouldn't say you are completely sitting up unassisted, but you can get yourself to a sitting position and can stay there for several minutes.  You do really well in restaurant high chairs and have sat in the shopping cart seat once.
• You are eating more foods now, not quite every day though.  Tonight you ate cheese for the first time :o)
• You are solidly in size 12 month clothes these days, though I am trying to squeeze you into some 6-9 month outfits here in the beginning of fall so we can get a little use out of them!  You are about 18 lbs. according to our infant scale.  
• You are becoming quite clingy these days, and while I love feeling your little fist gripping my shirt when I hold you, I miss the days when I could set you down, leave the room, and you would still be happy.
• You have such a sweet little toothy grin.  Everyone at church loves to hold you and see how big you're getting.  I love seeing how you are developing every day!  

I love you, baby loves!