Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Potty Chair
I can't even believe I'm typing this right now, but Dawson has been expressing an interest in potty training lately. He says "potty" and "poop" when he goes (not every time, but sometimes) and is very interested when Daryn and I are using the bathroom too. So after doing some research and consulting with Nikki :), I bought a potty chair last night at Target. My plan was to have him sit on it once or twice a day with no pressure and just see what happens. Well tonight I put him on the chair and he went! He received an insane amout of praise and a spoon full of ice cream to celebrate. So we'll see what becomes of this, but we are off to a great start!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
17 Months
![]() |
| Helping Daddy join the clean plate club. |
| Dawson and his GG. And he loves his GG. |
![]() |
| Obsession. |
| Superbowl Champs. Goooo Pack! |
| Second obsession: the movie Cars. |
![]() |
| Modeling his duck towel Na-Na made for Valentine's Day. |
![]() |
| Out for a winter walk. |
| Watching Cars (again) with his buddy Jackson. |
At 17 months, Dawson...
- Is able to express his preferences. One day I went to get him up from his nap and he said "Cars, Mommy. Please?" "Snack?". So we did just that. :) He is also able to tell us what he would like to have for a meal or snack, etc. Such a huge milestone for us. It's so special that he has the words to communicate, but also the knowledge of when to use them.
- Has two huge obsessions. Trains and the movie Cars. And I am talking addiction type obsession...but in a healthy way of course! :) My Uncle Paul was kind enough to lend us my cousin Grants Brio train set from when he was a little man. Delighted doesn't even cover how D feels about it. He literally runs to the train set first thing in the morning or after a nap. I'm talking B-line to the train set. Honestly, I bet we play with the train set 4 hours a day...and he has some killer sound effects to go with the train. No joke. Thanks Paul! :)
- And Cars, the movie. It is requested multiple times a day. "Queen? Cars? Please Mommy?" Trying saying no to a cute kid, signing please and asking oh so nicely. He knows how to work the system! Grandma Alice gave him a Lightning McQueen car for Valentine's day, one of those color changing cars. Well he carries it around all day, his hot little hands are enough to change the colors. I can say that we don't watch it every day, but a lot of days. This movie keeps his attention span for the entire hour and 45 minutes. And for anything to keep a 17 month old's entertained for the amount of time is saying something. And the best part, he'll snuggle with you the entire time...
- Is definitely becoming more of a lover. He'll walk over and plant a kiss on you or ask to be held and he'll lay his head down in the nook of your neck/shoulder. Or if you're sitting on the couch or a chair, he'll walk over and lay his head in your lap (this is a hint I've discovered for a back rub). This lovey trait of his that is being development is most definitely a favorite.
- Manners are also actually quite good. He appropriately signs/says "Please" and says "Welcome" at the right time. However we can't get the "Thank you" down yet. He says "Welcome instead of "Thank You". In fact he is so used to saying "Welcome" that when he gives us a kiss we would always say "Oh thank you Dawson!" that he doesn't even wait for that, just spits out "Welcome". It's cute.
- Started putting a few words together to form sentences. Just in the last few days. He'll say: "What doing?", "Getting Me!" (for when we chase him around), "More _____", "Love you", etc. What a small thing that makes such a huge difference.
- Has four molars...and others just about through.
- Remembers people's names and will ask for them. Especially his buddies Jack(son), Veda and Averi. Well and Sammy (my parent's dog). It' been fun over the last month to see how much he enjoys playing with other kiddos. It's still a lot of playing along side each other, but there is more and more interaction each time. He loves to have Jackson chase him. He'll laugh at almost everything Veda says or does. Averi and Dawson don't interact quite as much since they both are younger, but they do give each other hugs and she is most definitely requested to be seen.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
!6 Months
| Quick + Curious = This photo. |
| Pure. Joy. |
![]() |
| Don't think this one needs a caption... |
| Hard at work... |
The boy is a boy. A little man. A small human. And darn cute in all three categories.
What a fun age. I say that each month I think, but it really gets better each month. He is (most of the time!) a joy to be around. I love being his mom. :)
D is talking SO much and is picking up on so many things. He repeats everything and has an insanely great memory. My new favorite word of his "bum-bah bee". To be able to communicate with your child is so much fun. Something I've looked forward since the moment he was born.
At 16 months, Dawson...
- Sleeps (usually) from 7pm to 7:30am
- Naps for (roughly) 3 hours in the afternoon
- Knows all Abc's and can count to 10 (but starts at 2 because he used to us starting him off at 1)
- If he could be pushed around in his Cozy Coupe Car in the house all day he would be the happiest little man around.
- Can shoot baskets all on his own in his basketball hoop from Christmas
- Loves to make silly faces and make Mom and Dad laugh
- Doesn't so much like the church nursery...
- Looks out the window to find any moving vehicle: cars, trucks, snow plow, garbage trucks, mail man...
- Considers Mickey Mouse (Mowse) and Elmo (Mel-mo) his buddies
- Every morning when Dawson wakes up and we go in his room to get him up he has to introduce us to all of his stuffed animals in his crib. "Beh-awr", "Bow Wow", "Mooose", "Ooh, Ooh, Ahh, Ahh".
- Requests to climb up and down the (all) stairs
- Remembers peoples names and faces when we see them
- Holds his hands together when we pray and says "Men" at the end.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
15 Months
At 15 months, D is full of character and personality. Independent, reserved, smart, curious and a bit of a ham. It's so fun to watch his little mind spin.
GG (Grandma Judy) got D this really cool picture frame for Christmas that has the description of his name. It was oddly fitting of what we already know of him at 15 months...
"The better the joke, the merrier he is
he helps others see the best in bad times
if a road has not been traveled, he travels it
takes time to look at the sunrise
goes in accordance with truth and fact
when he raises his voice -- look out
has a strong conviction of exploring new things
keeps him going"
He is constantly on the go and eager to find out how everything works or what things are. Lifting anything in sight and very aware of his surroundings he's great entertainment! ;) Walking the isles of Target last week he was pointing and very loudly asking me "Whoo iz dat?" Over and over and over. At least people found it funny instead of intrusive...? Haha.
The kid is a total spounge. We'll sit down to read books and I'll ask him what things are on the page and very often he'll repeat them back to me "bike, tree, baby, car, clock, boots, coat, etc.". In past blog posts I've mentioned how much D loves letters. So it would make sense that currently his favorite book to read right now its Dr. Suess's "A, B, C' book. I was reading it last week and he started to say point and say some letters back to me. So we went through the whole book and he correctly named about 20 of the letters. My jaw was on the floor. I am amazed at how much he can remember. We have foam letters in the bathtub too and he can make the connection to which letters are which even though they are different colors and font. The kid gets smarter and cuter every day, which I'll take as a good sign! ;)
At 15 months, Dawson...
- Weighs 25lbs (65%)
- Is 33.5" tall (99%)
- Head measures at 48cm (99%)
- D grew 3" in three months which is crazy. And explains for the clumsiness increase. I noticed he'd been falling much more lately and now I know why. His balance can't keep up with his growing!
- Sleeps 12-14 hours each night (7pm to some days as late at 9am!)
- Takes one afternoon nap that is about 3 hours give or take...
- Obsessions: Letters, cars, balls, bath time and brushing his (7) teeth
- Talks a lot. A lot. Repeats the last word of most our sentences. Says or attempts to say most anything...starts the word off strong but the of the word trails off quickly
- Is starting to say people's names and remember them next time he seems them.
- Three cutest words he says? Cookie, baby and bear. I've got to get a video up of him saying them...
GG (Grandma Judy) got D this really cool picture frame for Christmas that has the description of his name. It was oddly fitting of what we already know of him at 15 months...
"The better the joke, the merrier he is
he helps others see the best in bad times
if a road has not been traveled, he travels it
takes time to look at the sunrise
goes in accordance with truth and fact
when he raises his voice -- look out
has a strong conviction of exploring new things
keeps him going"
He is constantly on the go and eager to find out how everything works or what things are. Lifting anything in sight and very aware of his surroundings he's great entertainment! ;) Walking the isles of Target last week he was pointing and very loudly asking me "Whoo iz dat?" Over and over and over. At least people found it funny instead of intrusive...? Haha.
The kid is a total spounge. We'll sit down to read books and I'll ask him what things are on the page and very often he'll repeat them back to me "bike, tree, baby, car, clock, boots, coat, etc.". In past blog posts I've mentioned how much D loves letters. So it would make sense that currently his favorite book to read right now its Dr. Suess's "A, B, C' book. I was reading it last week and he started to say point and say some letters back to me. So we went through the whole book and he correctly named about 20 of the letters. My jaw was on the floor. I am amazed at how much he can remember. We have foam letters in the bathtub too and he can make the connection to which letters are which even though they are different colors and font. The kid gets smarter and cuter every day, which I'll take as a good sign! ;)
At 15 months, Dawson...
- Weighs 25lbs (65%)
- Is 33.5" tall (99%)
- Head measures at 48cm (99%)
- D grew 3" in three months which is crazy. And explains for the clumsiness increase. I noticed he'd been falling much more lately and now I know why. His balance can't keep up with his growing!
- Sleeps 12-14 hours each night (7pm to some days as late at 9am!)
- Takes one afternoon nap that is about 3 hours give or take...
- Obsessions: Letters, cars, balls, bath time and brushing his (7) teeth
- Talks a lot. A lot. Repeats the last word of most our sentences. Says or attempts to say most anything...starts the word off strong but the of the word trails off quickly
- Is starting to say people's names and remember them next time he seems them.
- Three cutest words he says? Cookie, baby and bear. I've got to get a video up of him saying them...
| Looking out the window watching Dad shovel our driveway. |
| Just waking up from nap time... |
| D's favorite time of the day... |
![]() |
| Stopped to get some lunch after running some errands. I think D ate more sour cream then he did of his meal. |
| Gooo Badgers! Rose Bowl game day. |
| Dawson's "Cheese" face when he sees mom take out the camera. |
Christmas 2011
Christmas this year was hands down the best ever. Ever. It was insanely busy (Laufenburg, Schulz Christmas Eve and Allen, Towns, Towns, Allen Christmas Day). Way, way too much in two days. Last year D just slept in his car seat through most of Christmas and the years before that we never had a baby so we should have planned for this year a bit better. Two busy days with late bedtimes and no naps makes for one cranky baby...(I am pleased to report that we've recovered however! :)
Dawson really got into the present opening and was able to recognize the things he was unwrapping and immediately wanted all toys out of the box and assembled.
It was such a joy to share the holidays as a family. It brings a whole new meaning and sense of excitement and I know that will only grow each year. I can't help but think back to last Christmas and how little D was. And I am sure next year I'll look back on this year and be shocked at how yet another year passed so quickly...
Dawson really got into the present opening and was able to recognize the things he was unwrapping and immediately wanted all toys out of the box and assembled.
It was such a joy to share the holidays as a family. It brings a whole new meaning and sense of excitement and I know that will only grow each year. I can't help but think back to last Christmas and how little D was. And I am sure next year I'll look back on this year and be shocked at how yet another year passed so quickly...
![]() |
| Opening gifts Christmas morning |
![]() |
| "Bow-wow-wow" that D got from Santa :) |
![]() |
| Reading D's new book on Christmas monring |
![]() |
| Lil' man... |
![]() |
| Allen Family |
![]() |
| Checking our his new movie "Cars" recommend by his good buddy Jackson. :) |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)













