Boston's TWO!! These are a few of my favorite things...

My baby is TWO!!!! For the most part I just love the stage of life Boston is in! Two is such a fun age!

current "cheese" face. haha

Yes he is trying to be a lot more independent, but I can usually get through to him even when he's being very stubborn about what he wants. And my parents LOVE to remind me how stubborn I was as a child, (still am) and that I had this coming. But that's okay because I think being stubborn can be a very good thing. Go ahead and be stubborn about your values, and what you stand for and know is right Boston. You can try to be stubborn about not eating your carrots (currently the only veggie he won't really eat) or not wanting to brush your teeth but remember where you got your stubborn-ness... I'll be stubborn right back. ;)

Like one night Boston insisted on sleeping in his rocking chair... he loves to sit in it and rock and rock. It was hard to watch him on the monitor start to nod off, and look uncomfortable, but when we tried to move him he would cry and cry sooo... we just let him fall asleep there, and then moved him when he was deep asleep. 

  Or here when he HAD to sleep with his football AND soccer ball. Some kids sleep with teddy bears, some with balls. haha

 It was hard for Bos because he wanted to hold onto both the balls so much that he would wake himself when he would start fallin asleep and would drop one of the balls. So Dad went in and slept with him til he fell asleep. :) Pretty stubborn. lol but I'll pick my battles. 

He LOVES going to Andrew's basketball games!!!ESPECIALLY since Andrew took the boys for a guys night one night while I was at Relief Society and they bought Boston his FIRST "real" basketball. He's been practicing in the kitchen(cause it's been too cold outside) for days!!

On our way to one of his early morning church ball games Andrew asked Boston if he would play if they didn't have enough guys there, and Boston immediately and very confidently answered a quick and casual, "yeah..." I think he was waiting the whole game for them to call him in. ha ha And whenever he sees Andrew he yells "Hey Dad! Go Dad!!"

He made a little friend :)

 After the game Andrew tried to help him make a shot, and when they couldn't quite reach, they got some help from the tallest guy on the team! 

Everyday I just can't get over what a good boy he is! And how sweet he is!! He's also talking so well and has such a sweet little voice, and the things he says cracks us up all the time! I've just got to jot some of it down so I don't forget!! 

He gives kisses all the time! My favorite was when I was pregnant and he would kiss my belly. And if he ever saw the stretch marks on my belly he would call them ouchies and want to kiss them better. Seriously melts my heart. I LOVE that at this age kisses fix EVERYTHING. He'll get the tiniest hurt and ask for a "chiss." And after I give him a quick one he runs off playing as if it never happened. If only getting a kiss fixed everything as an adult. :)

We say I love you all the time, and also sign it all the time. I grew up signing it back and forth to my parents, and we still do it to each other as a family, even between siblings. Especially at times when we couldn't say it out loud: like looking back at the car before entering the school doors, during a play or singing performance I would often see my parents signing it to me from the crowd. etc. May sound cheesy but it means the world to me. So when I see Boston do it it makes my day. He can't quite get the sign, so he kind of just crosses or splits his fingers and hold his hand up in the air. We do it a lot throughout the day, and always before nap and bed time. Sometimes if he's already rolled over in bed to where he can't see me, I'll say, "I love you Boston" and do the sign and he'll just hold his hand up and do the sign without even looking at me. haha! Such a goof. 

His first big "Ouchie" was this last summer. He was following Andrew around while he mowed the lawn, and when Andrew shut off the lawn mower and walked away for a second, Boston touched the motor and burned his hand. It was very sad. However we immediately soaked it in aloe vera for a few hours and even some the next day and it healed without a scar. BUT that does not matter to Bos. Even though there is no scar, he remembers it like it was yesterday! I think maybe because it was his first big memory or incident....I'm not sure. but he HAS to tell EVERYONE about it! To this day! almost 8 months later!! One of his Grandpas will come over and right when they walk in the door he'll say Hi and then say very dramatically, "MOWER....OUCH!!! And point to his hand. ha ha And he tells Andrew and I multiple times per day almost every day. I can't believe it. And last Sunday we were reading him a book about Jesus, and pointed out the scars on his palms, and said it was an ouchie... well now Boston says ouchie almost every time he sees a picture of Jesus, or as he calls him, "Cheesus" lol it's so cute. He loves that apparently they have that in common. :) But we are quick to tell him that their ouchies are all better!!! 

Always has to fall asleep looking at his Jesus book. :)

Whenever he sees something that scares him, or that we have told him will give him an ouchie he says, or tells it to be nice. He'll say "OOOOO KNIFE...niiiice. Santa! niiice." or his latest one after he watched Monsters Inc (HUGE mistake because now he's been waking up with bad dreams...) "Scary Monsters...niiice." 

When we are walking around a store together he'll grab a shirt and say "Mom!! cuuuuuuute!" ha ha He's not very good at helping me stay on budget since he tells me everything is cute. ;)

When I;m getting ready in the morning it's quite the feat with two little ones at my feet. To give you a visual here is a pic I took once while trying to curl my hair-- yes it's dangerous, but I'm super careful.

So as you can see I have Max sitting in my lap, he loves to look in the mirror that we're sitting in front of, and Boston goes into my bathroom and gets all kinds of brushes and things he thinks my hair needs, and he'll brush my hair and tell me I'm "pitty" in the cutest little voice! Yes I love my little beauty assistants that help me get ready every day. ;)

He whispers dramatically, "MOM!!! MOM!!!" And then will point to something, and say what it is that he saw, like scissors, or a knife on the counter. lol

My FAVORITE thing are his prayers though!! For a long time his only contribution to our prayers was waiting anxiously to say AMEN!!! at the end. But now he will repeat after us, and he's doing a very good job. And throughout the day he has often asked me if we can say a prayer, so we do. One time we had just barely said one and he asked if we could say another prayer, so I said okay Bos, go ahead, and I din't prompt him at all, I just wanted to see what he wanted to say, and these were his exact words (in his own way of course):

"Heavenly Father.

 Thank you.

 Jesus, Amen."

That's it. He just wanted to say thank you. How appropriate. :) Perfect first little prayer.

He also LOVES church and will put on his church shoes and tie and ask us several times a week if we can go to church and we have to tell him, not til Sunday! I know he'll change a lot as he grows up, but I hope his love for church stays the same. :) I captured this picture of Andrew and Bos walking to church last Sunday.

I had planned to stay home that day with Max because I had a headache and had slept horribly the night before. But then after I took this sweet picture, and had seen how excited they were to get to church it lit my desire to be there with them, as a family! So I took some ibuprofen and threw on my skirt and hurried and pushed Max over there in the stroller and joined them in sacrament meeting. I am not always that strong, but I knew I had it in me that day to get there so I just hurried and did it and I'm so glad I did. When I got there and sat next to them I knew and felt I was right where I was supposed to be. :) So grateful for their examples.  

I love those little tender mercies I receive throughout my sometimes "mundane" days as a Mom. Those moments when you realize your children are teaching YOU! 

I have to add about that last picture, I posted it on Facebook and loved the comment from my brother Gary: "You and Andrew are wonderful parents! Boston WILL have a strong testimony of the gospel because of his parents example! It's hard to look at this picture and distinguish a boy and a man. When I see two men walking with purpose and not looking back. I can't wait till I can experience this joy. Love you guys!" --We love you too Uncle Gary!!

 A cute pic of Bos at church! Although I think Andrew and Boston should switch objects. lol

I don't know what it is about Church that's so exhausting, but it always requires a good Sunday nap afterwards. :)

Boston has continued to be such a great helper!! He always helps load the laundry, unload and load the dishwasher, vacuum, cook, gather garbage, wipe things down, and always helps me with Max!! He'll get wipes and diapers for me, wipe his spit up, hold him, or make him laugh when he's upset. Such a good big brother!!

Helping Dad change our highest light bulb

cute church boys

Morning snuggles

 He likes to try and use Max's toys like he's still little enough to.

He was standing by the backdoor one afternoon, holding my purse and had his beanie on and said he was ready to go! **Smiles**

Getting ready to deliver his first valentine. Complete with a homemade card, chocolate dipped teddy grahams, and sealed with a kiss for good measure. ;)

He had just figured out how to open doors in the house and was VERY excited to be able to get out of his room on his own! Well that only lasted a day... Andrew and I were nervous that whole night that he was going to quietly get out of his room and come sneak up on us and just be standing next to our bed  in the middle of the night. lol  We also worried he would wander the house without us knowing. So we got one of those childproof door handle locks and put it on the inside of his door. I was watching him on the monitor the first time he got up from his nap went to the door and realized he couldn't open it.

He tried and tried a few times and got really frustrated and just knocked on the door as he usually does. Then said loudly "Oh man!! It's BROKE!!!" And sat down next to his door! ha ha it was soo cute, and at the same time I felt kinda bad. Now every time I lay him down he tells me that his door is broken. At least for now little buddy.

STATS: He is 26lbs 24th percentile Length: 34in 38th percentile. He sleeps from between 8-830pm to 7 or 8am. Has been waking up with bad dreams occasionally the past month or two. Has most of his teeth but a few are still coming in. He wears 18 month clothes for the most part and size 4-5 shoes. He still uses his binky, but Only at night and nap times. We took a break on the potty training, cause he started hating it for awhile there. I think mainly due to the stress of having a new baby around. But we plan to pick it up again here in a few weeks. He eats great, has a few preferences here and there but there alays just a stage. He would probably prefer broccoli to a brownie, seriously. ha ha I haven't given him much sugar so sometimes he doesn't even like it or want much when I offer it. He only has one messy diaper a day. Kind of nice. ha And he's starting to run really fast, and learn to ride a trike. Not to mention he his PRO at dribbling a bball, throwing and catching, and shoots hoops outside all the time on a 4ft hoop and can usually get it in!! :) So proud of this little guy!!