So I’ll post the AFTER pictures sometime this week(end) but for now Just for reference between the two here is a before shot:

His room really is a good size (almost feels too big for a small person sometimes)  The toddler bed is new-ish.  he moved into it about a month ago. He currently has two cube shelves – one of which isn’t pictured but is directly across from the one shown on the opposite wall. The table is new, it was one of the things I wanted to have when I thought of re-doing his room. 

Kids love projects, and blocks etc - enter table.   The blue rug, and curtains (semi shown) are part of his new room, but were not a part of his infant room – I just added them earlier than the other stuff ( because his old curtains did a sucky job at blocking light during naps) -

As for the crib, that totally doesn’t match?  (it matched his baby furniture – changing table etc) It’s still in there because even though he’s done so well in his big bed at night time, I haven’t had the guts to test him on staying IN the bed during naptimes yet. so he sleeps in the crib for naps, and the big bed for bedtime (think he’s confused yet? )  and yes.. that means I am moving that crib/toddler mattress between the two, twice every day.   blah!   stay tuned for the after.

Vocabulary:  33 words!  ( I can’t believe this. )  It would be a long list So I’m just going to update his new words

• bread                        
• bush
• ball
• paper
• puppy
• “dip dip”  – (pancakes or anything that involves dip)
• pig
• C’mon
• toes
• book  ( not new, but it wasn’t on the last list)
• hello
• Milk  (also not new, but forgotten)
• In   (when he wants.. In something of course)
• One.   (as you say this you hold up both index fingers)

You :

• Can Kick and throw a ball
• Jump off the ground.
• Sleep in a “big boy bed”
• have been (slowly – we’re taking our time) potty training
• Know a Pig says oink.  A Cow says Moo.  A puppy says woof.
• Still sleep with your blanket and puppy every day/night.
• Climb everything.  coffee tables, baskets, couches, dishwasher doors…..
• Love matchbox/hotwheels cars.    and trains
• Love to color
• Love spaghetti & garlic bread.  Bananas.  Zuchini & squash.

I installed a baby gate today.  a baby gate…  18.5 months in.   Jack has transitioned into a toddler bed (without much fuss might I add) and that freedom has gone to his head.  The first night he was in it, He woke up at 4am, perhaps he woke up from time to time in his crib as well, but now when he wakes up – it’s his choice to stay in bed or not.

I have been sleeping on the couch since he changed beds, because I have yet to find a decent baby monitor and at 18 months, really dont want to go through the elimination process, it wouldn’t be used long. When he was in his crib I would simply leave his bedroom door and my bedroom door open at nights so I could hear when he got up.  this doesn’t work when he can now leave his room whenever.  So I’ve moved to the couch because the living room was the least dangerous place he could be… or so I thought.  Of course he became a pro at climbing onto the couch the same week we got the bed.  figures.

I’ve gotten up numerous mornings now to him climbing ontop of me ( on the couch), that’s problem number 1.   Problem number 2 is, in our apartment his room is right off the kitchen (also not a place I want him wandering around if he happens to wake up without me) and there is no way to gate the kitchen off from him, unless you gate  his room.  So I did.  Now I can move back to my bed, and he has a safe place to be/play if he has anymore 4 am wake up calls.   Though.. it may become annoying to have to let him in and out of his room when he wants to play… but luckily he sees the living room as his second bedroom and it has a good amount of toys laying around at most times.

But.. I hate how sometimes it starts to feel like a chore.  Somedays When nothing spectacular has happened I find myself with paragraphs of things I’d like to say.  While other days I struggle to form a single sentence. 

As of right now I have a ton of things/topics I want to post about but I haven’t gotten around to it, because the thought has been exhausting.  It’s overwhelming to take a little break and come back with a collection of things you’d be disappointed not to document , but not have the motivation for the job.

I’ll get my act together soon.

Jon is up and down on a daily basis on how he feels to have a little brother.  I know he loves Jack everyday, and that if needed he’d give whatever he could for him. but… It’s hard to go from a single child – the absolute center of your parent’s world for nearly 9 years to having to share every extra minute with someone else.  Jon may not love it when Jack wants whatever he has at any given moment. He may yell to me to ” get the baby cuz he’s bugging him” more times than I can count on a weekly basis .. but he loves his little brother, and it’s not every day that I can document the simple love between them, the love that only brothers would understand, and that every mother hopes they share through out life.

It’s fun to watch as this little person grows, physically and mentally.   To witness the Changes.  Though sad at times, completely rewarding. Speaking of changes we are definately making some big ones.   We are officially on the potty training track. We’re taking things slowly, and letting Jack take the lead – wish us luck!  And because I’ve come to the conclusion that little boys look  so cute in big boy underwear to soften the blow of growing up – here’s a picture.

I don’t even recall him having the cars with him when he was messing around with the dishwasher. Boys are so sneaky.