February

February was a little less crazy than January in a few ways. We didn't get sick, the weather warmed up a bit, and I had a little less on my plate. My goal this year is to simplify. I've tried to let some things go, and not be so much of a perfectionist. I'm a very task-oriented person, and I often get so caught up in completing my to-do list that I forget to stop and enjoy my day or take a break. I felt like I was a lot better at achieving my goal this month, but I also didn't have a lot of extra things going on, which helped. I was able to live more in the moment, and really enjoy Connor each day, instead of constantly focusing on my mental to-do list.

Brian on the other hand was very busy with work. Since he's working for a company based in NYC again, he seems to be back to a NYC workload. There have been a lot of late nights for him, and combined with his calling as ward executive secretary that keeps him occupied most of the day on Sunday, Connor and I didn't get to see him much. He's also writing a book, a project that we're all excited for, but that takes up his evenings after dinner. If he's not at working, writing, or serving in his calling, then he's thinking about one or more of them. It's been exhausting for him, but he just keeps plugging along. All important stuff, but we wish we got to spend more time with him. I do my best to support him and take care of things at home so when he does have some time off we can spend it doing something fun together.

Connor and I have had a lot of fun together this month. He continues to be curious, playful, affectionate, and stays busy getting into everything. We have started going on morning walks together each day. We both love our walks, Connor especially. He loves being outside and having the freedom to run around. I let him walk on his own, because it tires him out so he goes right down for his nap after lunch. He's so funny when we are walking together. As soon as I put him on the ground, he just starts walking and doesn't stop. He'll occasionally fall down, but get right back up and continue onward. I try to point out leaves, sticks, trees, rocks as we walk along, but he isn't deterred by anything. He just marches on like a man on a mission. It's hilarious.

    

    

His newest obsession is climbing on the chairs so that he can then climb on the kitchen table. We have to keep the chairs pushed in at the table so he can't climb on them and up on the table. Even then he'll crawl under the table and climb up on the seat of a chair, effectively pinning himself between the seat and the table top. He then cries, and whines until I come pull the chair out and release him from his predicament.

We're not always perfect at keeping the chairs pushed in, so occasionally I'll hear him let out a triumphant laugh as he stands proudly, grinning on top of the table. I have a little shelf hung on the wall next to the table. He likes to look at the pictures there and point out Brian (da da!). One day he knocked off the decorate plate I set there and of course it broke. I was so sad. I managed to collect all the pieces and super glue them back together. It's not a perfect repair, but at least I don't have to throw away the plate. I've got it safely tucked away in storage now.

Connor likes to run into one of the bedrooms or bathrooms and shut the door. He doesn't shut it all the way, so he can still open in by himself. He then repeats his insistent little "ah ah ah" until one or both of us come to find him. He then opens the door and we act all surprised. He laughs in delight and then closes the door again. This goes on until we pull him out of the room and shut the door.

He loves to "help" me with whatever I'm doing. If I'm washing windows, dusting, or cleaning our mirrors, he'll grab a paper towel or tissue and wipe the surface with me. He likes to stand on a chair next to the sink and play while I cook dinner. I fill the sink up with water a bit and give him a spoon and a bowl and he has a grand time splashing and playing in the water. This is a great distraction for him while I'm cooking, but then he screams bloody murder when I'm finished and I drain the sink and move him off the chair. He likes to try to sweep the floor as well. The broom handle is way to tall for him and throws him off balance, but that doesn't stop him from trying. One day I was cleaning our bathroom and he got a hold of the broom and was trying his darnedest to help. It was so adorable. The activity ended in tears because he got frustrated with not being able to wield the broom and dustpan very well.

   

    

Connor has decided that he loves to wear shoes. I think this is in part to the fact that we only put shoes on him in preparation for leaving the apartment. He loves going outside, and if shoes mean he gets to leave the apartment, then he's a fan. He has started trying to put our shoe's on when we leave them out. He is so funny. He especially likes to try on Brian's slippers. He usually will just sit on the floor and try to slide his feet in...he doesn't try to walk in them yet. He gets excited when He managed to get his foot in one of our shoes the right way.

Connor boy is a huge fan of books. He is constantly bring Brian or I a book to read to him. More often than not, it is his favorite Winnie the Pooh book (Pooh Gets Stuck) or little critter book (Merry Christmas Mom and Dad; this is is absolute favorite of all). We'll often find him sitting and "reading" the books to himself. He turn the pages and point to the pictures while talking to himself. It's the most adorable thing. He doesn't say any words yet beyond mama and dada, but he gibbers on as if he's reading the story. 

Connor got a package in the mail from Grandma Westover. She sent him some fun Valentine window stickies. He had a blast sticking them to the window...and pulling them off, and sticking them on again. After he ripped a couple of the hearts, I moved everything up and out of his reach so he wouldn't totally destroy the cute decorations. 

Connor got a second package this month, this time from his Grandma Miller. He was quite pleased when I showed him the sucker bouquet that she sent him. He immediately ripped them apart and tried to eat them, so I opened one and gave it to him. When he tastes something he likes, he closes his lips together and says "mmm." After tasting the sucker he pulled it out of his mouth and gave a very excited "mmm." He kept licking his sucker and then saying "mmm" again and again. I'm pretty sure he liked it.

    

Connor and I went to a Valentine's party playdate on Valentine's Day morning. We both had a lot of fun, and met new friends. He loved running around with all the kids there. Connor loves kids, and gets so excited every time he sees a baby or child. He was beyond happy to be surrounded by 15 other children, most of them boys. Plus there were new toys to play with. He had a blast. During the party everyone set out bags or boxes and the kids got to go around putting valentines in each container. I picked out some Dr. Seuss-themed valentines for Connor to give away. We came home with quite the bag full of cards and treats. While Connor was enjoying his sucker, I pulled out his bag of valentines for him to look at.

Once Brian got of work on Valentine's Day, we took Connor and went out to dinner at Red Robin. We had a lot of fun together, and Connor behaved really well during dinner. I just love our little family so much!

I was sorting through Connor's clothes again the other day, rearranging them in his dresser and removing pieces he'd outgrown, and came across these overalls. I got these as a present at my baby shower and totally forgotten all about them. Luckily, Connor fits into them perfectly right now, so they won't go to waste. I love putting Connor in overalls. He's just too cute.

    

We have quite a few pairs of sunglasses that I keep in a basket near our door. Connor is always getting into them and trying them on. He is so cute when he wears sunglasses that I can't help but laugh. He likes to try one pair on after another, and then cycle through them again and again. He smiles so big each time he gets a pair to sit right on his nose.

Brian and I love the Olympics, so we watched them as much as we could while they were on t.v. this month. We had a lot of fun watching the different events. Connor picked up a few things from watching them as well. After a few nights of watching the ice skating competitions, Connor started spinning around. He would twirl around a few times while holding his arms out straight on either side. When he stopped he'd giggle. He's also started to dance more. His dancing consists of running/marching in place...basically pumping his little legs up and down as fast as he can. It's hilarious. Whenever he hears music that he loves or that is fast paced and has a good beat he'll just start dancing. It's the best thing ever. Along with spinning and dancing, He also sometimes will play dizzy. He'll walk on his tip-toes or walk backwards on his heels swaying back and forth and walking in circles, acting like he's dizzy. Eventually, he'll fall over and just laugh and laugh. Silly boy.

   

Connor is sleeping better through the night, and better in his crib. I put him in his crib with his favorite blanket and Elmo, and after giving him a kiss leave the room and shut the door. He cries for five maybe ten minutes and then will lay down and snuggle with his blanket and fall asleep. He still takes one nap a day. He loves to snuggle with his stuffed animals, especially Elmo and Grover.

     

Connor is such a friendly little boy. He loves walking around our Sunday School class at church, looking at everyone and playing with the other kids there. Last Sunday, we sat on the back row and he walked down the row and stopped in front of each person. He held his hand out and stood there until the person shook his hand, then he moved on to the next person. It was hilarious. He made it all the way down the row to the classroom's door, then ran out into the hallway. Brian went to get him and brought him back. As soon as he set Connor down, the little guy was off shaking hands again. When I'm out and about with him grocery shopping, he'll greet every person we walk past. He can't say hi yet, but he says "eh eh eh" which sounds enough like hi. He repeats this until we pass the person, or the person stops and responds. Such a social little bug. Once, when I was talking on the phone with my mom, I asked Connor to say "bye, bye" and I swear he did. We are so excited for him to start talking.

He continues to fold his arms, sometimes randomly during the day, and sometimes when we're about to eat. One night, I'd dished Connor up and he had started eating. Brian and I fixed our plates and sat down at the table with him, when he kept folding is arms and making his insistent "I need something" noise. He continued until we followed suit and folded our arms and said a prayer to bless the food. It makes us so happy when he folds his arms. Now when he folds his arms, whether we're at the table or not, he insists that Brian and I both fold our arms before he will unfold his.

A little while ago I downloaded snapchat so I could send little videos and pictures to my siblings. Connor loves the snapchat filters, especially the dog one. Whether I just have my camera open or have snapchat open on my phone, once he notices that he can see himself on the screen, he starts sticking out his tongue, trying to turn into a puppy so that the giant tongue will appear. It's hilarious.

    

Occasionally, another filter will make him laugh. He was quite entertained by this one and I got the perfect snapshot of him. So funny!

Connor's hair is finally starting to get some length to it again, after I cut it in December. One day we were playing and his hair was sticking up all over. We'd gotten back from our walk not to long before, and I'd taken his hat off. It was so funny, I had to take a picture. 

    

Connor will watch what we do once, and then try to copy us, or more accurately, insist that he get to do it too. One afternoon, I was loosening a screw on the back of his toy so that I could replace the batteries. He watched me using the tiny screwdriver so intently for a few seconds. Then he grabbed the screwdriver out of my hand, pulled the toy into his lap and tried to loosen the screw himself. He is so independent, and wants to do things by himself. Of course he didn't actually loosen the screw, but he had a lot fun trying.

    

At the end of the month he turned 15 months old. He is in size 5 diapers, size 12 pants, and size 12-18 month onesies/shirts. He has 12 teeth and is starting to get his canines...at least the two on the bottom. There has been bumps on his gums where his canines will come through for the last few weeks. He drools more than ever these days, has a runny nose (which has been like a faucet these last couple of days), and has been pulling at his ears for weeks. I hate teething, and can't wait for him to be done.

I took him in for his 15 month checkup on Friday. He is doing well. He weights 21 lbs 2 oz (24th percentile), is 31 1/2 inches tall (61st percentile), and has a head circumference of 18.7 inches (47.5 cm; 69th percentile). His growth looks great, and he is meeting all of the milestones. He received three shots this appointment, and wasn't too happy with that. After some tears, he calmed down though, and fell asleep in the car on his way home.

Connor has a ridge running vertically down the center of his forehead. It's not noticeable, but we can feel it. When I first noticed it, it felt like a bump at the top center of his forehead. We've discussed it with our pediatrician during past appointments, and he didn't seem too concerned about it. We've just been keeping an eye on it. I've been noticing that this month it feels bigger, and extends further down the center of his forehead...almost the entire way. I talked to the pediatrician about it during our appointment this last week. He says that it may be metopic craniosynostosis, which is when the front seam in a baby's skull fuses to early, causing a ridge to form and the skull to become abnormally shaped (triangular with a pointed forehead). Connor may also be perfectly normal and just have a natural ridge.  Connor's forehead looks normal as does his head shape, and his head circumference measurements are right on track and do not indicate a problem. Our pediatrician said that he probably is just fine, but is referring us to a craniofacial specialist at Primary Children's Hospital (they just happen to have the closest one to us) to get Connor checked out and make sure that all is well. We're a little worried about him, and the more I think about it the more worried I get. I don't want anything to be wrong with my little boy, and I hate the thought of him having to have surgery or anything like that. I'm trying not to let my fear get out of control though. Especially since everything seems normal. We won't know if there is something to worry about until after our specialist visit. We're praying that all is well.

February has ended with a few worries and upcoming events on our radar, but overall has been a great month.