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Eagle Mountain, Utah, United States
My name is Lauren, and I live in the bubble. I am wife to Marshall, the biggest BYU fan in the world; and mother to Carly, our big girl, and Wes, our wild man, and Calvin, our new addition. I graduated BYU with a degree in Social Work, and I went forth to serve at LDS Family Services. I like scrapbooking and going out to eat at nice restaurants. I am fascinated by new cleaning products at the grocery store, so I have to shop in wide circles around the perimeter to avoid the temptation to buy. I love chocolate.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Catching up: Wes


Wes, my best little buddy.  Yep, he's a ham!  He's so full of life and energy.  He is definitely allllll boy.  I don't know if it is a difference between raising a boy and raising a girl, or if it's more due to being the 2nd born, or if it's just all his little unique self, but Wes is a very big personality in a small package.  He has to keep up with Carly and do all that she does, meaning he's way ahead on all his milestones.  But he has to add volume.  

Lots of volume.

Whereas Carly thrived on attention at this age, and was generally cute to catch our eyes, Wes could care less if anyone is paying attention to him.  He'll just make his own background noise all. day. long.  I have been assured that this is directly inherited from Marshall.  He just growls, hums, makes up words, or beeps and bops to his own movements all day.  And if you engage him?  Growling.  Lots and lots of shrieking growls. 

Part of him is so independent.  We hiked the Y mountain trail back in April (or March?  Can't remember).  All I remember is that I was 10 weeks pregnant, hadn't hiked it since I was a college freshman, and was very proud I made it the whole way!  


Anyway, he hiked the whole way by himself.  And he was less tired, slow, and out of breath than I was.  He just ran up the mountain!  



The other part of him is so cuddly.  He is much more of a cuddler than Carly was at this age.  He loves to come and give kisses, or rub my back.  He's always saying how much he loves members of his family.  I love his little "You're my favorite mommy in the whole world!"  Melts my heart!

Wes is also at this really fun stage where he is aware of the camera and seems to think that anytime we ask him to "smile," he has to pose.  Like this:

Love it!!
He is also super fearless.  Anyone been to kangaroo zoo?  It's a huge warehouse full of inflatable bounce houses and slides.  We went a couple times this summer.  These pictures are from our visit in February.  So he was 19 months.  He zeroed in on the tallest slide in the place and went down over and over again.  All on his own!



All of the other parents were appalled that we let this little baby throw himself down the 25 feet or whatever it was.  Then they were equally shocked when he emerged laughing, and ran to climb it again.  

For Wes' 2nd birthday, we went to Kangaroo Zoo again, and then had a low key party at the local pirate-themed pizza restaurant.  

Does anyone remember my post about Butt Pie?  Well, for Wes' party we had another Andrews' special: Asphalt Cake.  

We bought this Cars cake super last minute at a grocery store, and were running into the restaurant.  Marshall had the presents and cake, and I had the kids.  The next thing I know, the cake was upside down in the middle of the parking lot.  After how elaborate and memorable Carly's cake was just a couple weeks before, I felt so bad that we just flipped it over and ate it anyway (it did have the plastic cover on).  We just figured, "he's 2...he won't care."




We let him have creamy alfredo pasta- a big treat since he's allergic to milk.


Carly recently learned how to take pictures on her own, using our phones or a camera.  Her favorite subject? Our Wesley.  This was one morning when I went to work and left Marshall "in charge."  I think you can see how in charge he was. (note the pajama-ed and slipper-ed legs of unconscious Marshall in the bottom of each shot as Wes lords over him.

Marshall doesn't remember any of this, and found the photos on his phone a day or two later.





That's our little growler's personality!

Our most recent parenting triumph with Wes: the binky is gone!  Carly was never much of a binky kid.  But Wes loved his and saying goodbye has been a little trickier.  We started doing the "just at bedtime" earlier this year, but seemed to backtrack occasionally when around other kids with pacifiers, or when he found one around the house and I was too tired to fight him.  But for about a month now, he hasn't had one at all.  Not even at bedtime.  And it's been such a relief.  

Fingers crossed he doesn't relapse when New Baby gets here and has his own.

Wes is also working on potty training.  But I'm not bringing it up at all.  Occasionally he'll come tell me that he needs to poop, and we'll run to the toilet and he'll use it!  This happens on average once a week.

Wes had his 2 year check up in July, and he's pretty healthy.  He was in the 17th percentile for just about everything.  Marshall is convinced I somehow stunted his growth in utero.  I have to remind him that he was only in the bottom 10th percentile growing up himself.  Genetics.  

But Wes is advanced in everything else.  Especially in speech.  Just like Carly, he's off the charts when it comes to his ability to verbalize.  He's been talking in full sentences for a long time now, and just keeps adding new words every day.  I love that I can talk to him just like I do my 4-year-old, and know he completely understands me.  I also love that he can answer me back, even if most of the time the answer is "No! I don't want to."  

We're still working on that attitude.....

But how could you ever be mad for long at a little personality like this??


We love you Wessy!!

1 comments:

KarenOjai said...

We love you Wessy! A great post Lauren.

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