Almost 1

In 2 weeks my baby boy will turn 1. I can't believe it. He is learning things so quickly these past few weeks, like signing thank you after a meal and signing drink. He also started taking the phone and putting it on his shoulder. We tell him to say hello, and he babbles something that kind of sounds like hello. He also says hi. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence when he said it and was waving, but I've heard it several times now.

He's started cruising around the coffee table last Saturday. He loves to walk around if you hold him by his hands, and today he walked across his room with his walker. It's so funny to watch his little legs and feet as they try to find stability.

Brandt is such a sweet boy! He makes the funniest faces, like squinting his eyes, smiling big and tilting his head way back. He does his "ohhhh" face all of the time. When Daddy gets home from work, he gets excited along with Lucy. He loves to climb the stairs and go in the playroom. We have the ottoman blocking the stairs and he will stand at the ottoman fussing because he wants to go up. He is also kind of klutzy... he hits his head on things when he gets excited because he starts turning circles on the floor. He's a bit dramatic when he cries, you might think something is seriously wrong, but no, that's our drama king! I love everything about him and I am so thankful for my healthy little boy.

Just thinking...

Today in the car, Lucy out of the blue announced that she was just thinking about Jesus on the cross. I said, what were you thinking about that? She was very quiet for a moment and then said, that He had nails in His hands and in His feet and I think He cried. I said, I think He cried too because that must have hurt a lot. I said, does that make you feel special that He did all that for you. She told me, yes, because He died for my sins.

Lucy, how cool that at 3 you are putting this all together... I can't wait for the day when you want to ask Jesus in your heart! So exciting!!!

100

Today was a big day for you, Lucy. You did something that you have been practicing for a long time. You counted to 100 all by yourself. You would practice while driving in the car and say, Mama, what comes after 39... I'd say, 40 and you would say oh, right, and continue to 49 and then ask again. We are so proud of you because we can see how proud of yourself you are. We'd even hear you practicing in bed during rest time or sometimes before you fell asleep at night. You've got perseverance and we pray that you always will!

2 Peter 1:5-8 "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

We love you little girl!!

Lucy Loves Her Daddy

On most days, Lucy will wake up and ask if Daddy has to go to work today. Usually, she handles the yes pretty well and I tell her how many days until Saturday. She understands that Daddy needs to work so that we have a house to live in and food to eat, etc... Well, the other day, when I told her that yes, Daddy has to work, she got very upset and she said "We have a lot of money, Daddy doesn't need to go to work." I told her that we would run out of money if Daddy wasn't working. So she told me "Well, I have A LOT of money in my piggy bank." I just laughed and hugged her because this sweet little girl was ready to hand over her piggy bank in order to keep Daddy home. She is going to be one happy girl these next 2 months because he has like 4 weeks of vacation to use up plus holidays... woohoo!!!

What's new

Brandt started crawling on September 13th while we were staying with my parents at their time share. He started out crawling like a little sweet pea, but has found his speed in the last month. Sometimes he tries to crawl so fast that his legs are going faster than his arms and he falls on his face. Whenever he gets to a hard surface, he pulls one leg up and scoots himself so he looks like he is riding a scooter. Last week, he started pulling himself up on everything and pulls everything down that he can reach. He especially loves remotes, or merotes, as Lucy calls them. Mike even gave him his very own, but he knows his doesn't work and wants nothing to do with the one he is allowed to have. Brandt has 5 teeth and I can see 3 more teeth trying to come in. In just a little over a month he will turn 1, it's hard to believe it.

Lucy made a new friend. My best friend from college came to visit and she has a daughter who is 4, and Lucy and her just had a great week playing together. They put on ballet recycles (recital) wearing their tutu's and reotards (leotard). They loved rides on Cracker's (Mike), the horse. They played house, colored, we went for walks, shopping, to the pumpkin patch, and just had a great time together. The girls only got in little "not sharing" arguments, otherwise they did great for being together for a week. It's good they love one another because they really don't have any other choice.

Big Cedar Lodge

My cousin was gracious enough to take us with them to Big Cedar Lodge. We had a great time on the lazy river, trying every pool, going on pony rides, getting canoes and hanging out. We didn't have a good time on the paddle boat. I thought all 4 of us could go on 1... didn't work so well because Lucy was on my lap so I couldn't paddle very well and we didn't have anywhere to put our bag, so I was balancing it between us. To top it off, Brandt was hot and in a life jacket... he was crying. So we didn't even make it past the marina before turning around and getting a canoe instead. That was much better, plus we took Brandt's shirt off from under his life jacket and I held him... he was a happy camper. We were planning on going to Silver Dollar City, but unfortunately the day we planned to go, was the first day all summer that they were closed. So we shopped and rode the Ducks. Lucy got to be captain of the duck for a while out on the water. Then she fell asleep on Daddy's lap.




This is Mr. Tankers driving in the car... cracks me up to turn around seeing him starring up at me! Such a cutie.

Things I learned in August

Mr. Tankers learned some new things in August. He learned to wave bye-bye... it's funny because Lucy used to wave like a princess and Brandt does it his own way, not like a princess. He learned to do "SO BIG" and to sign all done. He will do the milk pump sometimes for milk, but we are still working on that and drink. What a joy to teach and watch him learn how to communicate.

Mr. Tankers also learned that he likes food... ALL food! Doesn't matter what it is, he wants it. I am so thankful that I don't have picky eaters. It may change, but for now I am going to enjoy it.

Lucy learned that any number + zero = that number, and is learning how to write her numbers. We have "school" a few times a week during Brandt's morning nap. She loves to learn and mommy is usually the one who says it is time to quit, otherwise she would keep going. One day, she was learning to write her 3 and she could not get it and she kept working on it, and all of a sudden she did it. She even showed Daddy her workbook when he got home.