Sarah's Birthday (aka Reed's post Birthday or Kieran's pre Birthday)

I love celebrating Birthdays - decorations, surprises, presents, special desserts, the list really does go on and on, but when it comes to my Birthday less really is more. This year I was once again spoiled with some very generous gifts but also was doted on by my handsome boys. On Friday Jon got home a little early from work to watch the boys so I could have some alone time and get my first pedicure in a year. It was awesome!!! When I came home Reed did tell me he didn't like my bright orange toes and that he wanted them to be brown again like his. Kieran on the other hand thought they were a new toy and therefore terrific!!! After the boys went to bed Jon surprised me with ice cream and I ate entirely way too much, but it was delicious.

Saturday was my actual Birthday. I went for a solo run in the morning, came home to a Birthday sign Jon and Reed had made, and got to open some fun presents. We hung around the house for most of the day just playing with the boys and then went to the pumpkin patch after they woke up from their naps. Once we got home Jon made an excellent dinner and I opened one of my favorite bottles of wine. Kieran was especially clingy and I ended up putting him in the carrier and he was completely content with his head tilted back staring at me for like 45 minutes. My back kind of hated it, but I love that sometimes all he needs is Mom to make everything okay.

As if I hadn't already been spoiled enough, on Sunday we went out to dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Nonna, Pepe, C, Tio, and Lyla. Eureka Burger did not disappoint and all three kids were really well behaved for the almost two hours we were there. Happy Birthday to me!!!

P is for Pumpkin... and Patch... and Pictures

We have a busy few weeks ahead of us so we decided on Saturday to take advantage of a quiet day at home and make our annual trek to the Pumpkin Patch. Reed is a pumpkin veteran at this point and was very good about sitting on the tractor and posing for pictures, taking a ride on the steam train, and then picking out pumpkins for everyone (his favorite part). I wasn't sure what Kieran would think, but he did great. He managed not to fall off of the tractor and we got a few cute solo pictures of him, the steam train basically put him to sleep even though he had just taken a nap, and he LOVED the pumpkins - screeching "bah, bah, bah" as he looked from orange "ball" to orange "ball."

Eleven Months

Let the countdown begin, we are only one month away from having a one year old!!! While I won't miss certain things that come along with babies, I do have to admit to feeling a little sentimental this time around as we move out of the baby stage. Kieran has a 0 to 60 personality. He is either extremely happy or very upset and rarely anything in between. He loves to eat, but when he is done he's done and if he wants more and there isn't any he is also done. He loves bath time, but take him out of the tub and it is the end of the world. This independent kid also prefers to be held from 5:00 to 6:00 pm (which is very convenient when making dinner or getting anything else done) but prefers scooting around solo most other times of the day.

He continues to adore his brother, eating anything Reed feeds him, and asking for "braw-er" as soon as he wakes in the morning. They regularly fall to the ground because one is trying to hug the other and Kieran has even used Reed to pull up to standing a couple of times. One thing Kieran has probably been doing forever that I just took notice of is that he tucks one leg up when you hold him on your hip. It is so subtle but definitely something he does all of the time, Mr. Flamingo!!! He also loves to cuddle and nuzzle when he is tired or just waking up.

 

This month we bit the bullet and tried dairy (in the form of cheese) with Kieran. I had a knot in my stomach the first time we gave it to him, but he did great, absolutely no reaction and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Monthly Statistics

Weight: 19lbs 6oz

Height: I'll update this next month, but I think this boy is still pretty tall for his age

Clothing Size:  Tops are all 12 month, his 9 month pants are way too short, but the 12-18 month bottoms fall right off of him. Pajamas are a mix of 6-12 month and 12-18 month.

Teeth: 3.5- 2 bottom front, 1 top front, and 1 top front that keeps poking through and then recessing back up into his poor little gums.

Kieran likes: Playing peek-a-boo, eating, taking Dodger for walks, bath time, balls, watching Reed do anything and attacking him as well, VTech tow truck, watching anyone brush their teeth, taking naps, dance parties, being tossed in the air, story time (especially his favorite - I Love you Through and Through book), tickles, crawling/climbing/getting around on his own, touching people's noses, drumming on anything but especially trash cans, opening cupboards, playing guitar with Dad, being held by Mom, and Perrito his stuffed animal pacifier.

Kieran dislikes: Diaper changes, being taken out of the bathtub,  and getting things taken away from him.

Food: New additions this month have included: Sausage, bagels, raisins, cheese, sunbutter, spinach, pumpkin, and bacon.

 

Nicknames: Kier, K, K Dawg, K-Man, K-Bug, Bug, Kierito, Buddy, Buddy Bear, Smalls, Cuddle Bug, and Goldilocks.

How Kieran is sleeping: Bedtime is almost always 7:30 and he sleeps through the night until around 5:00 usually (sometimes there is a 1:00 or 3:00 wake-up). He nurses and usually goes back to sleep until between 6:00 and 7:00am. He takes two naps one around 9:00 and another around 1:30 both lasting 1.5-2hours.

Words: Momma/Mom, bawl (ball), braw-er (brother), blu (blueberry), uhhh (up), and buh (book).

Favorite Moment: Kieran has loved Reed from day one but this month he took it to a new level. He now requests Reed as soon as he wakes in the morning or from a nap repeating "braw-er" over and over again.  Once Reed is awake in the morning K loves to play peek-a-boo with him by squatting by the side of Reed's bed and jumping up laughing right in Reed's face.

Milestones:
09/07/14 Kieran starts to cruise with only one had supporting him
09/08/14 K starts mimicking what we are saying by copying me singing "Mmmm Bop"
09/11/14 The Bug does his first cheers
09/13/14 It was kind of a fluke, but he stood independently for 5 seconds
09/23/14 Kieran FINALLY starts crawling on his knees (upgrading from the Army crawl)
10/02/14 K's first formal dinner out in a nice restaurant

Favorite Photo Shoot Outtake: The bald spot documented!

Celebrating Gran

Gran's Birthday was earlier this week and while I won't say which Birthday this one was, I will say it deserved an extra special celebration. Gran is one of the classiest ladies you will ever meet - how she puts up with all of her Grandchildren, their significant others, and her Great Grandchildrens' shenanigans is beyond me. I do think under that prim and proper exterior must be a pretty good sense of humor though. Her Birthday celebration started at C and Tio's house. We were able to let the Kiddos burn off a little energy, give her a balloon and homemade card from Reed, and she opened a great photo album C had put together of the whole family.

 

We left the house to head into town for an amazing private dinner that Pepe and Nonna had arranged at Bella Rose. Before we sat down there was another gift for Gran, a photographer to take family pictures out in the garden. I really hope they turn out because it was a beautiful setting, a lovely evening, and without knowing we had all color coordinated in blues, greys, and blacks !!! Reed was great during dinner, devouring his and Jon's shrimp cocktail appetizer and even trying a spinach salad. Kieran had a little rougher go of it, but showed off his new ability to "cheers" so that was adorable.

After dinner we dropped the kids back at our house with C, Tio, and Lyla and went to an Elvis Impersonator show with the rest of the group (C and Tio live next door and have seen the show before). Gran was a great sport, even smiling when Elvis gave her his sweaty scarf.