Nathan

I realize I haven't written yet about the newest member of our family...Nathan! My little gift from God. I actually think that all of my children are gifts from God but that is actually what Nathan means...that's why we named him that! So, here he is....constantly smiling since he could smile...easy to please...happy go lucky. Of course he does have those one-year-old negative behaviors. When he doesn't get his way, he opens his eyes and his mouth really wide, locks his arms...outstretched, hands open...and screams at the top of his lungs. It's hard not to laugh! If you get close enough you might get whacked across the face. These behaviors are easily dealt with by giving him a one minute time out...he now knows what time out is and I can just warn him. In fact, when I ask him if he needs a time out, he stops what he is doing and sits down on the floor...he's a very smart kid.

Nathan is an excellent dancer. This is something I wish I could get a picture of but since I don't have one right now you will have to just picture it. He clasps his hands together and lifts his elbows out to the side. As he stomps his one foot, his shoulders move back and forth and he moves his elbow up and down. It is soooooo adorable!

He is not saying much right now but is able to communicate what he wants in short syllables. Da is down or dog...dada is daddy...mama could be me, milk or grandma or just about anything else he wants.

The most exciting thing for him is his...well, you know. He found "it" and whenever it is bath time and sometimes during a diaper change he reaches down, touches himself and giggles. Do boys ever change??? Once they find it, they never let it go!

I know this is probably boring for all of you but moms love to brag about their children. Another thing I love is when Nathan blows and catches kisses. When I ask him to blow me a kiss, he puts his hand against his mouth, blows and slobbers into his hand and throws one to me. I then pretend to catch it in the air and place in on my cheek. Then, when I blow a kiss back to him, he slaps himself on the back of his head and smiles.

There are so many other cute things he does...like carries Grace's lunch box around the house waving and saying "ba" to everyone, or how he loves to play with baseball hats and tries to put them on his head, or how he pretends not to hear me when I tell him to stop doing/touching something...he moves his eyes to look my way, gets a mischievous grin on his face but will not turn his head (and will not stop what he is doing). Of course if I come near, he has to run in the opposite direction, laugh and throw whatever is in his hands. He thinks it hilarious.

Life was good before Nathan came into our lives but it is so much better now. I cannot imagine life without him.