At Home

These days we are spending most of our time playing in the snow and hanging at home. It's just too much work to jump in the car and venture too far from home. You never know when another storm will hit, and we don't want to be stranded! The last day and a half has brought us a foot of fresh snow. It's gorgeous, and I love it! The only way it could get any better is if we could ski more. 

I just wanted to mention a couple things we want to remember about Peter at 16 months. He cracks us up! He has definitely crossed over from baby to toddler. It is so much fun, but also really sad! I can't believe how independent he has become. He loves to play cars and trains, be outside, build lego towers (and knock them down), and be chased and tickled by his dad. He can't get enough of the pool (or tub) and is already an expert bike-rider, thanks to the awesome bike he got from Grandpa Dave and Grandma Teri. Now that Scott is finished with school, we have been able to spend so much time all together. It's kind of unbelievable. It's as though we gained another thirty hours a week!

Peter's favorite foods are still black beans (Cafe Rio in general. That's our boy!), yogurt, and wheat noodles with red sauce. He was downing broccoli last night like it was candy, and we feel very lucky to have gotten a pretty good eater. He sleeps and naps like a champ. We have a great bedtime routine that ends with our favorite river song, Peter saying some of the words of our favorite story along with us as we read, folding his arms for a prayer, and snuggling up for bed. "Snug as a bug in a rug. Goodnight, sleep tight." And he's down. It is wonderful.

Peter is goofy and knows when he's doing something silly. He loves to make us laugh. He is so happy and playful! He loves hide-and-seek, can't even stand the joy of being chased or tickled (by his dad, "Da"), and loves loves loves his cousins ("Dew," "Ben," and "Jay") and his Grandpa Dave ("Pa"). He loves to stand on a little stool and look out the window at the snow, pointing and saying, "No! No!" Which is what he calls snow. His bink is his "kink." Cup is "Puck." When I say it's time for lunch he says, "Chair!" When he wants his milk he says, "Mok," and does the sign for milk at the same time. We have a beautiful painting of Christ that my parents gave us for Christmas. Peter likes me to lift him up to the painting so he can point to it and say, "Jesus." Sometimes it comes out as "Sesus." Then he blows Him a kiss. Oh this boy! He is so sweet. I can't get enough of his cute little voice, and I hear a few new words every day. I can't believe how quickly he learns!

My very favorite thing is when Peter needs or wants something. He walks up to me, tugs at my pant leg until I bend down, puts his face on level with my face (practically touching noses), makes his hand into a little point like a bird's beak, and taps me right on the forehead, "Mom. Mom. Mom. Mo-om." I love that, "Mo-om!" It's this cute little desperation that makes me smile every time! If I can't figure out what he's asking after he has used his words and sign language, I offer him my finger, he holds it and leads me to whatever it is he wants (he usually wants to stand up on the counter and look in the cupboard). I love when he brings me a book and says, "Peas." He has a few books he can read out loud on his own. If it is an animal book, he will turn the pages and say the animal sound out loud. He was very excited yesterday to read a book to his daddy at work over the phone.

We are staying busy at home. Lots of projects, busyness, family, and fun. We are waiting for Peter's new cousin Baby Emmy to come any day!