Dear Lion (aka Roooooaaaar),

I love you so. You go most places with me. Upstairs. Downstairs. Always to bed. To school. In the car for errands (you must stay in the car though so we don't lose you!). I want you first thing in the morning and last at night. You are a great pillow. Mommy and Audrey spotted you at the zoo last summer, and we have not parted ways since. I keep you tucked right under the arm. Mommy tries to figure out how to give you a bath, but you are never allowed out of my sight. After mommy kisses me goodnight, she must kiss you, too. I don't like to put you down when it is time to eat, and sometimes we just sit together in my chair. Until the time is just right for us to part for a few minutes. To eat. Last night, when you were coming upstairs with me for bed, I made sure you alternated your legs going up the stairs. Just as I do. You are getting so big! Just like me.

Love you!
Ian

Gymnast

With Audrey taking gymnastics lessons on Mondays, Ian gets to hang out with me and watch Audrey do her thing. I love this time since I do not have much of a chance to just spend one-on-one time with him. So, I bring him hungry and he snacks, snuggles, does puzzles, and reads books with me while Audrey has her lesson.

Oh, and he warms up when the others warm up. And jumps when they jump. And essentially tries to mimic their every move.

So, Ian is stretching his arms and legs. Trying to jump up and down. And somersault. From the second story balcony that all are to observe the lessons from...

Since Audrey also tries to practice between lessons, Ian practices as well. He can now somersault. Apparently off the cedar chest. And is working very hard on a handstand.

The gymnastics coach for the 2 year-olds wants Ian. Bad.

Doesn't he already have him???!!!

Ian loves to build with blocks. Quite elaborate towers if I do say so. Of course, he likes to knock over his sister's architecture. And sometimes his own, too. Look at how handsome this little boy is (especially in his St. Paddy's Day green)! Happy 21 months!

Bye, bye Nuk!

Ian gave up his pacifier this week. His beloved Nu-nu. I am shocked! I thought it would be harder than it was with Audrey since he insisted on having one in his mouth while sleeping and having one to hold. But, for the past two nights, he really just wanted a teething ring to fall asleep. I knew that we needed to break him of a pacifier ASAP as he had started to bite through them. Glad he made it so easy!

I will take full credit for this since Eric is out of town for a conference. He gets to potty train! :)

Christmas

Ian definitely got into Christmas more this year than last (you know, when he kept crawling away from the excitement), but mainly because of Audrey's excitement. He loves her so that anything exciting to her is equally exciting to him! He had learned to check his stocking over the recent weeks, but the prize on Christmas this year was the football from Eric. We knew this would be his prized possession and that it had to come from daddy. I mean, this is the boy who will throw his arms up in the air and yell, "FOOTBALL!!" And sometimes there is actually a game on when he does it! I do love this picture of him first thing in the morning at Grandma and Grandpa P's, Nuk in mouth, surveying the chaos that is about to begin!  

Carousel

Yes, Ian really did have this much fun on his first carousel ride at the Children's Museum!

Santa

This is as close as we got to Santa this year! Ian was all smiles until we got a little too close to the big guy. I thought he would sit on Santa's lap while Audrey was talking his ear off, but, not so much. Oh well! He did help Santa out and give him back his sleigh bells!