Miles Turns SEVEN!

It is hard to believe that Miles is seven! He is so many things, but I were to describe him in a few words, I would choose: athletic; he throws and catches like he’s been trained by professionals, stubborn; he stands his ground even when he knows the ground is crumbling beneath him, smart; I know he’s only in first grade, but reading/writing/math/etc. come super easy to him; snuggly; he loves to snuggle and is wonderfully affectionate (when we’re not in public).

Miles has started playing organized sports. While we held off on the busyness of sports schedules for as long as we good, it was very apparent last spring that he wanted to play it all. He started with Little Kickers Indoor Soccer in the Spring, where his coach, Coach Alley, just so happened to be his coach when he was two years old. He went to practice on Fridays and games on Saturday mornings. He loved competing; his hustle and attentiveness to the game was impressive. He even scored a couple of goals during the season.

We tried baseball over the summer, which was fantastic. Practice started just before sunset and the kids played games immediately after under the lights. Miles played with his friend from pre-K, Michael Jay, and also learned a lot from Coach Jack. Again, his hustle and awareness on the field were so impressive.

Miles is just getting his ball hockey (hocket on pavement without roller blades) underway with his best friend, Maxton. Most days, Miles plays hockey in the backyard after school.

Miles loved Kindergarten, with Mrs. Van Buskirk (Ella’s kindergarten teacher) and Mrs. Rice, and is continuing his love of school in 1st grade with Mrs. Moore (also Ella’s 1st grade teacher). While in kindergarten, he received the writing award and the library award at their monthly ceremonies. He met some good friends, namely Kingston, Prince, and Tru. To my understanding, they pretty much play sports every single recess. Kingston and Prince have come over on a few occasions to play at the house. Miles excels in school, scoring in the high 90th percentiles in both reading and math.

His food palate is also expanding; he even ate multiple cucumbers with a white bean dip yesterday. Mac-n-Cheese and pizza are still his favorites. If he doesn’t like dinner, he doesn’t eat it, therefore doesn’t get a snack, and but also doesn’t complain when Ella is eating hers, so I will take that as a win. He drinks his smoothies (stuffed with greens and fruit) every day after school. I remind him that if he wants to be an athlete, he has to put nutritious foods into his body.

For a short while, Miles had obsessions with the Mighty Ducks and Harry Potter movies. He would watch them multiple times over the summer. He doesn’t draw very much any more, but his handwriting is impeccable. He doesn’t do Legos very much either, and only occasionally plays with dinosaurs, but he’s still very much a kid and will pretend play with Ella.

He’s lost six of his teeth, with most of them coming out AFTER the adult teeth have already made their way in. He is particular about what he wears; he likes wearing jeans now, even when its 90 degrees out.

Ella and Miles had shared a bedroom their entire lives, but in the spring, Miles moved into our guestroom with a Murphy bed. They weren’t asking for their own space, but we thought it might be a good time since they were still in their toddler beds!!!

It’s nice they have their own space and Miles has become very detailed with his. He likes his sports equipment, rocks, and other knickknacks in order. He has his sports medals on the wall and even has a signed VGK hockey stick hanging up.

Although Miles is a model student at school, he still struggles with his big emotions at home. He really has come so far, which we are incredibly grateful for. Scott and I are big on accountability; when we mess up, we own it, we apologize, we make it better. What’s awesome about Miles is that he doesn’t hold on to things. He might get in trouble for something, go take a shower, and come out with a new attitude.

I think not only do most parents want to have relationships with their adult children, but they want their adult children to have relationships with each other. I hope this for Ella and Miles; they had a lot of quality time this summer. Miles lets Ella teach him new things (like the greater than or less than symbol), he plays ‘the floor is lava with her,’ and I love listening to them talk about what’s happening at school.

I wanted to add a few other random things I love about this kid. He usually sleeps in sweatpants with no shirt. I love his little belly and will soak up every chance I get to see it. His smile and his eyelashes; I look at his eyelashes when he’s sleeping. He still loves his stuffed animals. I love Ella’s porcelain skin, but I also love that Miles can tan like a CA surfer kid. He’s adventurous and wants to ride faster, bike faster, and climb higher than I usually feel comfortable with. He falls on ice skates, roller blades, his bike and he just gets right back up; he is tough and determined. Although he doesn’t want me to hug him when I drop him off at Safekey in the morning, he still lets me hold his hand when I pick him up from school. And that hand, I will hang on to for as long as he’ll let me.

Miles Turns SIX!

Our once (very) chunky baby is now a very active kindergartener! We celebrated his sixth birthday with a dinosaur themed party in the backyard. He had a blast with old friends and new friends while the dug for dinosaur eggs and ran around laughing. He was thrilled to open dinosaur gift after dinosaur gift…his expressions below say it all!

Miles has started kindergarten with three teachers (Ms. Mordini, Mrs. Rice and Mrs. Van Buskirk (who Ella had)). Ultimately, Mrs. Rice and Mrs. Van Buskirk will be his teachers on a shared schedule as they have both retired and have come back to teach a shared kinder schedule. He is loving his classroom and excitedly shares about his day after school. He enjoys all of his specials, but his favorites are library and P.E.

He is already reading (mostly because Ella has taught him the tips she learned) and I’m sure his teachers will continue to guide his love of reading. He and Scott read “Elephant and Piggie” books nightly where Miles plays Gerald and Scott plays Piggie. It is so fun listening to their inflection as they read about the characters’ crazy antics.

Miles (and Ella) joined fitness club again this year. They start each Friday morning playing various sports with classmates. Speaking of sports, Miles is athletic! He picked up on baseball, frisbee, soccer and basketball so quickly. He is strong, doing pull ups at playgrounds and putting the rest of us to shame. His swimming skills are solid and I’m not worried about him in the pool anymore. He learned how to ride a bike and enjoys riding a little wild on pump tracks.

He lost two teeth so far, but I’m pretty sure that by his actual birthday he will have lost two more. Although he lost his bottom two teeth, we don’t have any pictures of his missing teeth because he had what we called ‘shark teeth.’ His two middle, lower adult teeth were in well before his baby teeth so we were anxious for his baby teeth to fall out to make room. And while I’m on the topic of sharks, Miles is super into all things animals. He loves sharks, identifying birds. (He can identify comarats, turkey vultures, crows, various hawks, sparrows, finches, ravens, and of course, pigeons, haha).

While his love of legos has lessened, his love of dinosaurs has exploded! This is for sure the theme of his birthday party this year. He has multiple dinosaur identification books, dinosaur toys, and he has seen all of the Jurassic Park movies. (Yes, they are PG-13, but while Ella and I cover our eyes during stressful scenes, that kid isn’t phased at all by arms being eaten off…maybe we should be concerned?)

Similar to Ella, Miles is small; most of the kids in his class tower over him, but thanks to Scott, he (and Ella) are confident in their stature. He is fast, competitive, artistic, and patient (only when he’s drawing). I am not exaggerating when I say that he draws most things (but especially dinosaurs) much better than I ever will. His attention to detail and ability to draw 3-D at his age is impressive.

He likes maps, collects rocks, really wants to go to Hawai’i (mostly because he wants to see lava), and loves getting his National Parks book stamped. He has learned to drive his quad on his own, and we completely trust him on his own. I think that is why Miles is a bit of an enigma. He is so responsible when it matters, so attentive and well behaved at school, but he sure lets loose at home. Everyone tells me, “It’s because he knows that he is loved unconditionally with you,” and I don’t disagree, but it’s sure hard to have him talk back and argue daily with me. He doesn’t yet have the work ethic that I hope he has one day, but I think it will come. If you ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, he says, “A paleontologist.”

While he and Ella have lots of sweet, playful moments (even hours) together, most days involve him annoying her intentionally at some point. He continues to play the annoying little brother very well. Fortunately for us, Ella plays the patient mom much better than me. If you ask either of them if they are ready for their own bedroom, they are quick to answer, “NO!!” While Ella provides stability and awareness with school, Miles plays most games with Ella willingly, and more often than not, he makes her laugh.

Miles’s favorite foods are: mac ‘n cheese, ravioli, pizza, tacos, cheese burgers, and chocolate. He still drinks his morning smoothie (stuffed with goodness), but he is more willing to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. He’ll now eat watermelon, apples, and bananas (in addition to raspberries and strawberries). In addition to broccoli, he’ll now each spinach, carrots, green beans, and corn.

He is still happy to snuggle with me, ask me to check his bottom, and is as sweet as can be when he chooses. I will soak up all that sweetness because I know it isn’t going to last forever. Happy sixth birthday to our dinosaur loving, snack requesting, adventure seeking little boy!

Miles Turns FIVE!

My goodness, this kid is five and in school! In my head, he would be going to Ms. Janet’s forever!

This is been a rollercoaster of a year with Miles, but I’m grateful for where we’re at as we approach his 5th birthday. Before I delve into that rollercoaster of a year, I’ll start by sharing some of the basics.

Miles’s Lego-themed birthday party was a hit!

The law in Nevada for students to start kindergarten is that students must be five years old by August 1st. Because Miles’s birthday is about seven weeks after that, he would not have been eligible to start kinder this year; however, we are thrilled he gets to spend a year in preschool. Miles is part of a Typical Peer Preschool Program at May Elementary School this year. It is the same program, with the same teacher, that Ella attended two years ago. Miles is a typical peer in a classroom of atypical peers; he is supposed to model good behavior for his autistic peers. I could not have imagined a better start to his school year; he is making friends, making good decisions, and racking up the Dojo points from his teacher. We are incredibly proud of him! (He even got bit by a classmate and stayed calm (no yelling) and told his teacher. While Miles continues to argue, whine, and play the annoying little brother role so well at home, he is an exemplary student at school and for that, we are thankful.

Miles loves Legos, swimming, movies, wrestling, and math. He has an exceptional brain when it comes to counting, addition, and multiplication. Just the other day he was figuring out what 24 + 24 was and thinking out loud, he said, “Well 20 + 20 is 40 and 4 + 4 is 8 so then it’s 48.” He is very quick to answer math questions.

He continues to enjoy cooking/baking in the kitchen. Superheroes are still his favorite; he has a knack for finding random, small objects outside (think screws) and collecting them in his treasure box. His art skills are awesome and if he takes his time, he can create some pretty cool monster trucks or pyramids.

His favorite foods are typical kid classics; macaroni and cheese, pizza, and pancakes, however, he is getting better at exploring new foods. He enjoys playing hockey, especially goalie, in the backyard. His favorite chore is brushing his teeth; his least favorite chore is putting laundry away. He falls asleep easily, but oftentimes comes into our bed in the middle of the night. He is sweet and tender with little kids, but wrestles like The Hulk with Ella and me. He is finally letting me tickle him more (he used to say it was off limits…taking away one of the most joyful things of being a parent). We purchased a used quad a couple of months ago and Miles has become quite skilled at driving it; even by himself!

He plays so well with Maxton and has made new friends (Michael Jay and Maverick) in his preschool class. At times, he is impatient, demanding, and argumentative. Whereas Ella enjoys her alone time, Miles prefers to have someone close by. When asked what his favorite thing about Ella is, he said, “That she helps me.” He absolutely knows what the right thing to do is, but his big emotions oftentimes remind us that he is fits that stereotypical “boys mature later than girls” mold.

Now, on to the rollercoaster part. I had a lot of fear and worry a few months ago regarding Miles’s behavior. He seemed to be getting angrier and more aggressive than a typical four year old boy. All of this happened at the start of our summer vacation. When I look back at this time, I wasn’t sure if he would be a good fit for his preschool program, if he needed to be evaluated by a professional, or if I was always walk on eggshells around him. I don’t know what to attribute his sudden regression in behavior to at that time; he was always defiant and whiny, but this was a whole new level. After a month of what seemed to be a regression in behavior, Miles slowly seemed to get better; his outbursts were less frequent and less intense. Again, what contributed to the improvement? Scott and I remained consistent in our expectations, I read books, I joined online support groups, and I prayed (more than I’ve prayed in a long time). As of now, I don’t know what changed. I don’t know why he regressed and then improved over the course of two months. Was it the scary transition from Janet’s to school? Was it normal brain development of a four year old? Regardless, I’m forever grateful that we have (knock on wood) made it out the other side. I type this with all the respect and admiration for any parent navigating a life with a child with special needs, especially those with oppositional defiance disorder (which is what I thought Miles might have). My heart breaks for those kids and for their families; we lived a glimpse of that life and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.

While I say, we made it ‘out the other side,’ Miles still doesn’t want to act the first time we ask him to do something; he still chooses to annoy his sister on purpose and he still demands an enormous amount of attention; however, we do not believe his behaviors are any more attention/power seeking than another kid his age. All the while, Miles is still shy and easily embarrassed, but also willing to ask his teacher for Class Dojo points. He is impatient. He is brave. He is affectionate. He is intense. His excitement is contagious along with his smile. He is easily frustrated. He is passionate and wants others to be as passionate as he is. He loves to be silly, especially when he’s naked. He produces more gas than… whatever is the largest natural gas producing country in the world. I think making people laugh (or at least trying to) is his love language.

Ella and Miles are incredibly different. We know it, they know it, it’s obvious. I look forward to them growing and learning from each other. Miles has helped me learn that “the process is just as important as the product.” He is as forgiving and loving as he is frustrating. He makes me laugh as much as he makes me cringe. I genuinely look forward to who his sweet, smart, silly self grows up to be.

Miles Turns FOUR!

I am so excited that this little bro is turning FOUR! I am writing this just after receiving a text from Ms. Janet and I wrote something back to her that I think describes Miles quite well, “Dramatic brainiac.” As much as I know this is forever on the internet, I also don’t want to pretend Miles is someone who he is isn’t. I want to remember these times with him, although frequently difficult, accurately. This means that I have to share that he isn’t always compliant and his smile is oftentimes mischievous. So let’s celebrate this fourth year around the sun with this “Dramatic brainiac.”

Let’s start with the brainiac part: Miles knows all his letters (uppercase and lowercase), the sounds they make and thanks to Ms. Janet, knows an incredible amount of sight words and is able to spell many three letter words with expectable pronunciation. He can count to 100 (with some help) by ones and tens, although his ‘thirteen’ and ‘fourteen’ sound the same as well as all his ‘thirties’ and ‘forties.’ His ‘th’ sound still sounds like an ‘f.’ He is curious about the world around him and asks fascinating questions. We are thrilled that his brain is functioning at this level. What we aren’t thrilled about is the ‘dramatic’ part.

While we continuously work on his problem solving skills, Miles continues to be whiny and argumentative. Although we see this behavior quite regularly at home, he is mostly well behaved at daycare and for that we are so proud of him. Perhaps his “keeping at all together” at daycare results in his “letting it all fall apart” at home. We know this is very common behavior for a three/four year old so we are continuously reminding that our expectations won’t change.

Miles and Ella both tried soccer for a few months when he was two, so we thought we’d have them try gymnastics just after he turned three. He was incredibly scared at first, but once he got to know his coach, he was such a good little student. Again, we are so proud of his ability to listen to other adults. Miles also learned to swim this past summer. He initiated taking his floaties off and within a couple of days, he was swimming across the width of the pool in one breath! He is able to float on his back and tread water for a bit too. The summer in the pool was so much more fun with Ella and Miles both becoming stronger swimmers.

This past summer Miles also gave up his nap. He wakes up about 6:00/6:30 and goes all day until about 7:30 where it doesn’t take him (nor Ella) long to fall off into dreamland. Woohoo! He seems to be right on track for growing as he measured in at 3 ft. and 1 inch (at the bottom of the height chart, but he’s on it!) and 36 lbs and 4 oz (in the middle of the weight chart) at his four year old checkup.

So what does this little guy love to do? Miles still LOVES Iron Man. In fact, he draws Iron Man nearly everyday and has them all saved in a pile of pictures. He loves to wrestle or “play silly time” as Ella likes to call it. Miles also enjoys monster trucks, especially after we went to our first Monster Jam event. He is pretty athletic and catches on to most things he tries to do. While the Knights were on their Stanley Cup run, we spent many evenings playing hockey in the backyard, where Miles enjoyed being the goalie the most. For the first time this past summer, he was able to ride a dirt bike with Scott driving and he was in love! I have no doubt that Scott’s off road hobbies growing up will rub off on Miles.

He enjoys brushing his teeth (yes, you read that right). If I ask him to help with dinner or breakfast, he usually excitedly agrees, even though he’s guaranteed to later complain about eating it. His favorite foods are very typical kid favorites: mac ‘n cheese, grilled cheese, cheese its, (I’m sensing a theme here), and cheese pizza. He still loves his milk and morning green smoothie. Although he starts nearly every meal with a complaint, his willingness to eat whatever is there has improved. Miles also loves to be funny! He tries to be goofy about almost everything, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there is ‘class clown’ award in his future.

I have read that kids have an “attention bucket” and a “power bucket” that they need filled on a daily basis. Miles seems to have VERY deep buckets that are rarely filled. BUT, he gets so excited over the sweetest things; like a simple Iron Man card, or milk, or when he accomplishes something he’s been working on…like backward somersaults! While Miles is spending his last year with Ms. Janet, who we will ALL miss so incredibly much, I hope that he gets to be a part of the same preschool program that Ella was a part of at May Elementary School. But until then, we will soak up his sweetness, silliness, and snuggles, while we continue to reform his moaning and grumbling into gratitude and determination.

Miles Turns THREE!

It’s hard to believe that we are here, but I’m thrilled that we are! So much has happened in Miles’s third year of life.

Let’s start with how big he is and the skills he has mastered. At his 3-year well health check he weighed in at 33 lbs and 8 oz and measured 35 inches tall. He isn’t quite as tall as Ella at her 4-year appt, but he sure weighs more than her! Miles talks like a mini adult. I feel like most everything he wants to say, he can. We have wonderful conversations about Iron Man and bad guys and I love listening to him explain things to me. He knows all the Avengers and their human names. He can count to 20, although he skips 14, 15 and 18 quite regularly. He knows his letters, and when he accidentally writes one while coloring, shouts, “Look, I made an ‘E’ or ‘W’ or ‘Q,’ whatever it is that he has accidentally created. Miles is fully potty trained (no pull-ups at night) and it was an amazingly easy process. I was ready to put on my armor and go to battle over using the toilet with him, but to our pleasant surprise, potty training him was a piece of cake!

Ella and Miles both took separate soccer classes last Winter and Spring. Miles was in a class where the parent worked on the field with him. Although he didn’t love soccer, he certainly got better and was doing things by the end of the season that he wasn’t able (or more likely ‘willing’) to do at the beginning of the season.

There was a long period of time where Miles didn’t want to do much by himself and would whine for help. I’m hopeful that we’re at the end of that phase. When he does things (such as put his backpack away or take his shoes off) he walks out so proud of himself and whispers, “Guess what I just did?”

During the same whining phase, Miles was also incredibly defiant for the sake of being defiant. There were days that he would lose toys, get ‘time outs’ and seem to be in trouble more than he was not. Again, fingers crossed, we may have turned a corner. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I felt hopeless that his behavior would not improve, but alas here we are.

Despite Miles’s obstinate attitude, he is so wonderfully affectionate. He gives hugs and kisses freely and would climb on us and sit on our laps all day if he could. He loves to wrestle and climb and throw footballs and whack objects (or people) as he rushes by them. He loves to touch!

Miles continues to be a somewhat picky eater. Unless it’s a smoothie, edamame beans (with soy sauce), broccoli or spinach ravioli, if it has green in it, he will make it known he doesn’t like it, even before he tries it. His favorite breakfast foods are pancakes, waffles, and eggs. He loves chicken and rice for dinner and asks for yogurt and cottage cheese for snacks. He still loves his milk in his red cup (which is really pink) with a blue lid. We’re grateful he downs his fruit and veggie packed smoothie every morning because if we let him live off of dairy and grains, he would.

Miles loves all things Avengers, especially Iron Man and War Machine. His favorite TV shows are Spidey and Friends and Rescue Bots. He loves his stuffed ‘Cap’ shield and regularly uses it in our wrestling matches. Whenever we sit or lie on the ground, within seconds, Miles has climbed on top of us. He doesn’t do much for long, but he does sit down to color and look at books. He doesn’t enjoy playing by himself much, which is probably why he is always bothering Ella. He tries to play with her by knocking over whatever she is working on….his strategy is not working out very well as everyday we hear, “Miiiilllllleeeesssss!!!! Stop it!” at least 10 times.

There are countless times where they choose to hold hands (and announce it to us so we can gush over them) and play without an argument for upwards of 20 minutes. Whereas a year ago, Ella was definitely the one ‘raising’ Miles, Miles will call out Ella when she is playing during dinner or making bad decisions. I hope that 10 years from now, when bad decisions could have real consequences, that they continue to hold each other accountable for their actions.

Miles Turns TWO!

We will break Miles last six months of life up into BHC and AHC; ‘Before Hair Cut’ and ‘After Hair Cut.’ This sweet, still blonde-haired boy has grown up so much in the last six months, especially his exploding vocabulary! His favorite phrases are, “Red milk right now,“ “Follow me right now,” “Bro turn right now,” and “Mom, Dad, watch me right now!” You can see a theme running throughout. Quite regularly, he speaks in full sentences. It’s wonderful! And although many of those sentences are making demands, he will happily say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ as well.

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Miles spends his days alternating between harassing Ella and apologizing to Ella. In between, he loves to bring his brown teddy bear, who he affectionately calls, “Corduroy” everywhere. If he could wear his rainbow shoes, red/blue shorts and dinosaur shirt everyday, he would. He likes to sweep and read “Room on the Broom” and “The Gruffalo.” He is good at kicking his legs to ‘swim’ in the pool. He loves spinning in circles (imagine a baby competing in shot put), and running intensely with raised brows. Speaking of raised brows, Miles widens his eyes and raises his eye brows all the time; it is hilarious. He still loves trucks, watching the Raiders, and whacking random objects.

He knows his letters and can count to ten (with seven through nine a hit or miss). He loves to snuggle before bed and always asks, “Sleep with me Mom. Go away don’t Mom.” He is affectionate, silly, and intensely shy. So shy in fact, that when people look at him, he immediately looks away. We blame COVID. He doesn’t willingly eat near as many fruits as vegetables as Ella, but he does love the green smoothies we make in the morning. His favorite foods are Costco spinach/cheese ravioli, cheese its, waffles/pancakes, and breakfast bars. He prefers to sleep in just his diapers, has pooped on the toilet a handful of times (but also has pooped in the bathtub a handful of times), and seems to catch every possible cold virus that comes his way. He loves to climb on us, be tickled, and wants to do everything Ella does. He wrapped up his second trip around the sun measuring 32 inches tall and weighing in at 28 pounds! He loves his family and we look forward to watching him grow!

Miles at 18 Months

Miles is still quite the character! He is goofy, affectionate, demanding, and has learned so much in his first year and a half of life! At his 18 month appointment, he measured 30 inches tall, 25 lbs 8 oz, and carries a 19.5 inch round head! Here are a few highlights from the last two months.

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Miles got a bed/room upgrade! Miles got a toddler bed, which we put in Ella’s room! He is doing really well in it; as long as I put him down for a nap/bedtime before Ella, he falls asleep easily. When he and Ella go to bed at the same time, they keep each other awake; getting in and out of bed, giggling and being silly. It is hard to tell them to get back into bed because it is pure joy to hear them laugh together. The other fantastic aspect of the toddler bed is that Miles gets himself out of bed in the morning and walks himself into our room! We scoop him into bed and turn on the TV so that we can catch a few more snoozes while he’s entertained by Cocomelon.

Miles is talking more and more, adding the following words/sounds to his vocabulary: up, down, star, cat, “eh” for Ella, “Je” for Janet, arm, nose, eye, black, blue (for all colors), and “Be” for ball and butterfly. He moos like a cow, baas like a sheep, and neighs like a horse. He knows most of his shapes but is hilariously clueless about his colors. He is still obsessed with anything with wheels, climbing and enjoys playing pretend with PlayMobils. BroBro continues to be a good eater and mostly a good sleeper, although he is waking up around 5 am most days.

As we approach the sweet spot of eighteen months, we reflect on how much Miles has adjusted his behavior. He was definitely a more defiant one-year-old than Ella ever was. She followed the rules, he looked you directly in the eye as he broke the rules. We buckled down with our expectations and stayed the course…knock on wood…we are seeing the fruits of our labor in this sweet, relatively good-natured boy!

Miles at 16 Months

Miles is quite the character! He is, as mentioned in the previous post, becoming such a good listener! In addition to his listening ears, he is revealing his sweetness and sense of humor! And I can’t forget that shortly after 14 months, he started using those tree trunks to walk!

As the holiday lover that I am, we did all the holiday things that we could safely do in the month leading up to Christmas; including a socially distanced visit with Santa!

Unlike past posts where there wasn’t a lot to share or Miles was in the midst of a developmental leap (niceties for grumpy), I am thrilled to be giving this update! Miles is walking everywhere and sleeping amazingly! Whereas in the last couple of months, he was waking up before 5am most days, he is now sleeping in! (By sleeping in, I mean, waking up at 6am)! At his 15 month well-health appointment, his head measured 19 inches in circumference, his weight was 23 lbs, 8 oz, and he was 28 inches tall!

Around the house, Miles is such a helper. He puts his dirty diapers in the trash, his dirty clothes in the laundry basket, helps give Topo her meals, and 75% of the time, does what I ask him to do! When it is bath time, he is thrilled to help take off his clothes, although he is still not a fan of getting clothes put on. He adamantly shakes his head ‘No’ when he doesn’t want something. And says, ‘Hmm’ with an emphatic head nod when he does want something. He says, “Dad, dog, duck (which all sound the same), hot, hat (which also sound the same) and Mom.” He laughs on demand, is becoming more independent, and loves his blankets, books, and baths! We are very much looking forward to the joy Miles will bring us all!

Miles at 14 Months

The last two months have been such a difference maker! Our one-time screamer, who would smile and proceed when we said, “No,” is now an occasional whiner who does in fact, listen to us! This is such a reason to celebrate!

Although our little man has only taken a few steps on his own, he is doing so many other wonderful things! He loves walking while holding on to someone’s finger. He gives out hugs and kisses that will melt your heart. He is still sleeping and eating amazingly well. He knows how to sign “more” when he wants more food. Speaking of food, he has 14 teeth to munch on just about everything! Other than “Mom” and “Dad,” everything else is said with an emphatic, “Da!” He can point to various body parts, including his hair and his teeth. He loves looking at books with animals and faces. He also is fascinated with cell phones, anything with wheels, and whatever Ella is playing with. He is not fascinated with diaper changes and getting clothes put on.

Miles is ONE!

Miles has made one whole trip around the Sun! To celebrate, we put Miles in a 70+ year old shirt that his Grandpa (who Miles is named after) wore when he was one, and threw him and his sister into a ball pit!

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At his one year doctor’s visit Miles measured 26 3/4 inches long, weighed in at 21 lbs 13 oz. and had a head rounding out at 18 3/4 inches! Don’t let this sweet face fool you…it can turn quickly! Miles is full of love and affection, giving forehead hugs to everyone, including Topo, but boy oh boy, this kid has lungs! He will scream often, sometimes out of excitement, but mostly out of frustration or some need not being met immediately.

This last month has brought on some welcomed developments for our little pterodactyl. Miles is sleeping through the night and I hate to jinx it, but he’s sleeping 12 (TWELVE!) hrs a night! His naps during the day are hit or miss for length, but I’ll take TWELVE hrs of sleep from the little guy over solid naps! Miles now has nine teeth, including one of his molars! And that mouth full of teeth loves to say, “Mom, mama, Mom, mama,” all day long. Miles is off of formula, drinking milk occasionally, but mostly drinking water. He has take some steps on his own at Ms. Janet’s, but he hasn’t shown us his new stride yet. I don’t think there is much else to report other than that he just seems so much more aware and will follow simple directions such as ‘sit down,’ ‘hand me,’ and ‘arms up!’

Below is a special photo block of Ella and Miles. Ella truly is the best big sister to Miles. She loves on him so well. She always wants to help him if he’s crying, shares with him well enough for a two year old, sings to him in the car, and when I ask her who she played with at daycare, she always says, “Bro Bro!”

Miles at Eleven Months

Oh my gosh…this little dude is almost one! This sweet face has become so much more of a kid (as opposed to a baby) this past month.

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Miles is crawling and climbing all over the place! He is standing up confidently and will walk crazy fast while holding on to his walker. He loves climbing on cushions to get on the couch and doesn’t seem fearful of falling off. You’d think his spill off of the bed while on Mom’s watch would have taught him that gravity is oh so real. His passion for cutlery is steadfast as he prefers to feed himself using a fork or spoon now. He’s added a straw cup to his drinking repertoire. He is also pointing which gives us the opportunity to say more words to him. His vocabulary consists of lots of “da”s and grunts with the occasional scream for old times sake. He is most in love with destroying things that Ella has taken the time to carefully build. His mouth still holds seven teeth, his hair is still blonde and his thighs are still massive. No one will ever sleep as well as Ella, but Miles sleeps well enough for us; he usually sleeping through the night about three nights of the week. The other nights a bottle and some quick Mom snuggles do the trick.

As COVID-19 has a stronghold on the US still, we are grateful for the people we’ve visited with both pictured here and not. We’ve had a wonderful (extended) summer watching Miles and Ella grow together. Their affection for each other is so apparent; the smiles they share with each other, the patience Ella has teaching Miles new things, and the attentive eyes Miles has for Ella just warm our hearts. We’re hoping Ella takes her job as a third parent seriously so Scott and I can throw in the towel.

Miles at Ten Months

Miles has hit double digits! What has this little blonde haired, massive thighed human been working on this last month? Well, he is eating a variety of foods without complaint. Although he still isn’t feeding himself finger foods too much, he has used a fork to feed himself a few times…perhaps he is too civilized to use his hands? He figured out how to drink water from a sippy cup. He claps his sweet hands together for himself and when asked to clap. He loves standing up and can pull himself to stand when he’s in the right position. He will only army crawl when there is a prize, like Mom’s phone or Ella’s straw cup, as a reward. Fortunately, our pterodactyl is screaming less and seems to be throwing things less frequently. He happily watches whatever is going on around him while unknowingly babbling things like, “Mama,” “Dada,” and other random grunting sounds.

Although the Coronavirus is still a looming threat while going out and about, we are trying to safely venture out of the house regularly to keep us sane. So far, so good! We’re all healthy!

Miles at Nine Months

Miles is 3/4 of a year old and continues to smile so brightly! His smile is gaining some new features, as he has spent the last month welcoming in (not so warmly) his top central incisors, with the top lateral incisors not far behind!

Miles ended his ninth month of life weighing in at 20 pounds, 14 ounces (he hasn’t quite caught up with his sister), standing 25 inches tall (same as at six months), and with an 18.5 inch head on top! This last month Miles has been busy trying to learn new skills. My favorite new skill is that he’ll wave back to you when you wave at him! He is super comfortable sitting and is getting up on his knees. Although he still isn’t crawling, he may start getting around using a half bottom/half knee scoot. He likes standing up and can hold on pretty well. Miles is mostly waking once (eating and then easily going back to sleep) at night, but he has slept through the night on occasion! Speaking of eating, he’s drinking more formula and less breastmilk these days. Mom was losing her supply and then broke her arm, so that really put a damper on things. He has adjusted seamlessly to formula, so we are grateful! Miles is also eating more real food. Although surprisingly, he’d rather be fed than feed himself, he has had peanut butter (multiple times with no reaction), grits, hash browns, eggs (multiple times with no reaction), avocado, blueberries, and bread! His absolute favorite things to do are watch his sister and throw things, sometimes at his sister. We’re trying to show him that he can throw balls, but not legos or puzzle pieces or food or blocks or cups or…the list goes on.

As businesses are opening back up, we are getting out and about more and more and enjoying seeing old friends and visiting new places!

Miles at Eight Months

Miles is 2/3 of a year old! Woohoo! After reading what I wrote for the ‘Miles at Seven Months’ post, not too much has changed. In the past month, Miles hasn’t met any major milestones, but he continues to experience new things with his signature smile.

He has his top two central incisors working their way in, so by next month, I anticipate he will have his front FOUR teeth in! Miles isn’t really any closer to crawling, but we’re spending lots of time on the floor so he has the opportunity to practice if he’s interested. He is ticklish under his neck and on his thighs. He went in the pool for the first time and enjoys sitting on the step, chewing on a diving stick. Miles has added cottage cheese, yogurt and beans to his diet. He has tried puffs, teething crackers, broccoli, and cauliflower but isn’t a fan of chewing too much yet.

Miles went camping with the family and met Cousin Tyler and Uncle Evan for the first time. His favorite thing to do these days is sit on a blanket outside with something to chew on and watch his sister.

Miles at Seven Months

Miles is seven months old and although he has spent this last month in quarantine, he has grown so much! So what has this little monkey man done? He is now sitting up by himself without a problem! I’m not saying I would plop him down on a tile floor for five minutes, but I will leave him to rely on his balancing skills on carpet. He eats anything we give him: pumpkin, squash, carrots, apple, pear, banana, blueberry, strawberry, and the list goes on. Some feedings he packs away 4 ounces no problem; other times, he fusses and I don’t even get two spoonfuls in his mouth before I give up. He isn’t crawling, but he enjoys being on his tummy so much more than Ella ever did, that I do anticipate he’ll crawl in the next couple months. Unlike my post last month, where I described a needy and whiney six month old, Miles has learned that someone is close by and he needn’t worry. His ability to play independently is so much better! And I’ve saved the best for last…he is sleeping 7-11 hrs straight consistently! Most nights he wakes once in the early morning to feed before going back down for a few hours…I am thrilled!

Although Miles hasn’t hung out with anyone this month, we’ve managed to stay sane between weekly visits to Ms. Janet’s house and social distancing outings with the family.

Let’s talk about Miles’s sister for a minute here. Most of the time, Ella cares greatly for her brother. If he cries, she brings him a blanket. If I ask her to go entertain him while I finish washing dishes, she happily obliges. No one makes him smile quite like Ella does. It’s not all peaches and cream around here though. Ella also takes toys right out of Miles’s hands. And share her ‘travel blanket’ with Miles? No way! It gets better. At daycare, she released some gas and was politely asked by another boy there to excuse herself. Ella replied, “No, Bro Bro did it.” Ah, this is what we’ve been waiting for. Now they are officially siblings. :)

Miles at Six Months

This not-so-little ‘hold me all day long…actually make sure you’re standing while you hold me…and please face me out so I can see things…and don’t forget to give me your finger to gnaw on while you hold me….all….day….long’ kid is six months old!

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Irritated Mom? Damn right! Haha! As I write this post, Miles and I are not on the best of terms. Well, let me rephrase that…I’m sure he is mad at me because I have not been responding to his every cry and I’m certain that I am frustrated with his every cry. If I could hold him all day long, this kid would exude joy, but I can’t and I know I shouldn’t. I’m not sure if this is just a phase (according to my Wonder Weeks app, he is in the midst of developmental leap five) or part of his personality, but I’m hoping that it is the former.

So now that we have the bad news behind us, let’s move on to the good news! Miles is six months! At his six month wellness check he was 17 pounds, 12 ounces, 25 inches long, and carried a 18 inch round head a top his neck. He is officially a bobble head and nearly the same size Ella was when she turned one! :)

He is chewing on everything, continues to roll to his belly and cry because he doesn’t roll back, and officially has two teeth! He experienced his first cold, along with his sister, and handled it like a champ. And I can’t forget that he got The Pink Eye! Ewe! Ella and Miles both got it and then decided it would only be fair if their Mom and Dad got it too!

He will sit up unassisted for a short time, but Mom is right there to catch him before he topples over. He tried some pear and a bean mixture and didn’t really eat either. His facial expression while trying pear for the first time, “Um, what the hell is this…I ordered milk!” Our little guy did sleep….wait for it…10 hours and 17 consecutive minutes! Yes, you read that right, 10 hours and 17 minutes all at the same time! But of course, he hasn’t done it since and continues to wake up, on average, two times a night. We are in the process of making him “cry it out” and although it makes my mama heart break, I need him to be able to fall back to sleep at night without me nursing him.

Miles at Five Months

Five months! What has happened in the last month? Miles has his first tooth in and more are on the way! He has been quite a trooper about it too! He has rolled from his back to tummy and vice versa, but he’s not consistent about it. He’ll roll onto his tummy and then cry because he’s stuck. His once dark hair is coming back in blonde! He is laughing…finally! I tried so hard the last month to get this little dude to crack up and he finally has! Unfortunately, the only good video I have of his belly laugh includes a penis shot, so we won’t post that one here. (I’m sure he’ll thank me later). Toes…Miles loves playing with his toes! He reaches for those things all day (and night) long! Speaking of sleepless nights, Miles has officially been kicked out of Mom and Dad’s room. He’s sleeping in his crib in the guest room, which hasn’t made the nights all that better, but at least we don’t hear him reaching for, and playing with, his toes at 3am.

Miles continues to enjoy adventures, small and large, with the family. He goes for regular walks in the desert (strapped to Mom’s chest…his happy place) with Topo and Ella. He happily watches his sister do anything. He received a visit from Grandma L last month and a dinner out with Schukei’s from Las Cruces.

Although the stretches don’t last that long, he goes to sleep most evenings and naps without too much fussing. He’s happiest when he’s being held regularly, like every 10 min. he wants to be picked up. He sucks on his fingers to comfort himself and loves his blankets as much as his sister. And if I didn’t post it prior, they are officially in the same size diaper.

Miles at Four Months

Joy! This kid exudes joy! Miles wakes up smiling, and although I can’t say that he goes to bed smiling, he fills most of his time awake with attentive stares and open mouth smiles!

At his four month appointment, Miles weighed in at 15 lbs. 7 ozs, measured 23 inches long, and has a head circumference of 17 inches!

Miles continues to be relaxed with anyone who is willing to hold him and happiest…well, anywhere! This sweet little boy is reaching for toys, lifting his head better while on his tummy, just starting to share a laugh with us, and although he is yet to roll over, he certainly doesn’t care!

His sleep at night isn’t getting any better, but hey, at least it’s not getting worse. And for the most part, I have his nap schedule down, so he goes down easily during the day! Hey, he can’t be perfect ;)! He completely loves watching his sister do anything. Her love for him is more than apparent. When she wakes each morning, she says “Touch, touch,” as in she wants to get her hands on little Bro Bro ASAP. Bro Bro’s love for his big sister is just beginning! :)

Miles at Three Months

Bro Bro, as Ella (and now us) affectionately calls Miles these days, is doing great! He is smiling all the time and so much more aware of his surroundings! He’s discovered his hands and will suck on them to self soothe. Occasionally, he’ll reach and grab one of the toys on his play mat or bouncer.

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Miles is sleeping longer stretches (over five hours) which makes this mama very happy! He continues to eat well too! Unlike his sister at this age, Miles is happily held by anyone! While Mom and Dad went to a Golden Knights game, Ella and Miles were watched by Lindsy and her daughter Belen for the first time. They’re willing to come back, so the kids must’ve done something right! Miles continues to do great at Miss Janet’s while Mom and Dad are working.

Ella continues to love on her little brother, giving him toys, reading next to him, and petting him ALL THE TIME. Miles willingly accepts all the petting and poking.

Miles at Two Months

We are surviving! Actually, I think I might even say that we are handling this “two under two” thing pretty well so far. All the credit goes to Miles as he continues to be a relaxed baby. He doesn’t cry for seemingly no reason, he simply watches you during diaper changes, lets Ella poke at his nose and lips, and as long as his needs are met, he’s happy! This is quite the opposite of Ella who seemed to have a default mode of “mad.”

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At his two month pediatrician visit, Miles weighed 12 lbs, 10 oz, measured 21.5 inches long, and had a head circumference of 16 inches. He is about the same size Ella was at 6 months!

So what is this little (big) monkey up to? He is smiling, flailing his arms and legs about, and attentive to your voice and face. He isn’t cooing yet, nor is he sleeping long stretches at night, but his overall easy going personality makes up for it. He starts the night with about three hours of straight sleep and from then on his time asleep ranges from 45 min. to two hours. Let’s hope he figures this sleep thing out sooner rather than later.

We’ve continued to take Miles on adventures, including an impromptu trip to Fresno, CA to buy a new (to us) pop-up trailer. As we’ve both headed back to work, Miles goes with his sister to Miss Janet’s house every other day. He’s become quite the catch over there.

I continue to be grateful that I’m able to stay home every other day as I am able to learn more and more about this sweet boy!