Two!

Liam's second birthday party took place last weekend. I'm going to type less and show more pictures but I just wanted to quickly say that I am so thankful for all of my amazing family and generous friends who love me and my family so much that they took time out of their Saturday to celebrate with us. Most everyone who came drove between 40 minutes and 1.5 hours to get to our home and I am so glad that they did. I loved seeing all of my family and friends and their adorable children and I enjoyed catching up with those I don't get to see very often. More than that, though, I feel so blessed to have so many people who care so much about Liam. He's one lucky little boy.

I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked but that's just because I was enjoying myself so much and wasn't worrying about snapping a million pictures. I have all the memories I need in my brain and I'll never forget this super fun day. As much as I am now mourning the loss of Liam's babyhood I am looking forward to watching him grow into the sweet person he is becoming.

Chuck E. Cheese

The weekend before Liam's 2nd birthday we took him to Chuck E. Cheese's to celebrate. It was actually more of a congratulatory trip since we had promised to take him there when he was a "big boy" and weaned. Chuck E. Cheese has a large selection of printable rewards charts on their website that you can use for all different kinds of behaviors. We used the "good night's sleep" chart since we were mostly working on getting him to fall asleep and stay asleep without nursing. We thought he might be a bit young for it but it worked like a charm. He was very excited to put his stars in the boxes and he even went as far as filling all the boxes in when I wasn't looking. Sneaky boy.

When the chart was completed (the right way) we took him in as promised and showered him with pizza and tokens. We may have showered ourselves a bit as well. We spent a better part of our day there and I must say we had a really fun time. We all felt accomplished and very proud of ourselves and our little guy. It was a great way to close that chapter in our lives.

Liam still talks about that day and wants to go back. He calls it "Duck E. Cheese" which is pretty cute, too. A post about his actual birthday is coming soon.

My big big boy

My big boy turns two on Saturday. It's official. He's no longer a baby. He has been completely weaned for a full 48 hours now and I have to say that he did much better with the transition than I thought he would. Each week for the past three or four weeks we have been removing a nursing session little by little. He was really only nursing to go to sleep at night and during his nap but that also includes waking up multiple times and needing help going back to sleep, nursing when he wakes up, and his favorite: nursing during our nightly episode of Mickey Mouse. Nothing like feeling like a big bowl of popcorn. Anyway, weaning has been the hugest accomplishment for him and it has taught me a lot about how mature he is getting and how much he has changed.

I have said it a million times but he was such a needy baby. His whole first year was the biggest challenge I have ever faced. His first birthday was such a huge celebration for us because we realized that we actually made it through and it was also a big turning point in his personality. He loved being able to walk and talk, he didn't need as much sleep to feel happy, colic and acid reflux had become a thing of the past and car rides became easier. We were really living it up. This year I feel like his birthday is a celebration of how smart and mature he has become. It is truly incredible to look back at where he was just a year ago and realize that the changes he has made are absolutely astonishing.

He talks in full sentences these days and pulls words out of his pocket that I didn't even know he knew. He makes jokes and teases us. When he is feeling embarrassed he hides and says, "I shy." He knows how to count to twelve forward and backward and he likes singing his ABCs even if he skips most of the letters. His knowledge and interest in animals makes me positive he is either destined to be some sort of zoo keeper or the next Cesar Millan. He has recently fallen in love with Barney which drives us up the wall but also gives me something to distract him for a few minutes to get a few things done. His relationship with Paul is growing so quickly that, at times, I feel left in the dust but also so happy to see them bonding (and so relieved for a break).

He sits way too close to the TV at times.

He enjoys waving the dogs' leashes in their faces because they get excited and start jumping up and down. He also loves giving them treats and torturing them occassionally. He is in the 75th percentile for his height and his weight and I'm so thankful that he is as healthy as a horse. He goes days where it seems like he barely nibbles then there are days like today where he finishes off his breakfast, steals mine, then digs through his diaper bag in the car pulling every possible snack out and inhaling it all.

He's having a Mickey Mouse birthday party this weekend and he keeps talking about candles and cake and ice cream. We took him to get his picture taken today and I can't believe the difference between this year and last. I'll post the new ones as soon as I get them. I'm just so proud of my big boy and I'm looking forward to all the changes this next year will bring.