My son... the engineer!!!

I love getting to watch James discover the world and see his mind spinning when he is introduced to new things. I love that when we go somewhere new, he will stay close to me and just watch what is going on and take it all in. A few months ago we went on the carousel at the mall with G-ma-ma and James watched the gears go up and down, up and down as we went around and around. You could just see his mind thinking, how is this working? Then at gymnastics (both last week and this week), he took a little break from jumping on the trampoline to go over to the edge and he was looking at the springs. I actually had to run over so he didn't get his little fingers pinched! Again, you could see his little mind thinking, how is this working? He did the same thing with the motor-powered Thomas the Tank Engine car today. I just love getting to watch him discover his world and learn about everything going on around him!!!!

James must have just gone through a HUGE growth spurt last week. He was sleeping like crazy... at one point I was wandering around the house looking for something to do because he had been napping for so long! Well, this week when I measured him he had grown almost an inch and a half in length since about a month ago!!!! (We get the official measurement at his one year check up tomorrow! Send good thoughts his way because he gets more shots too. :-( )

He also understands SOOO much more! The other day we were reading an animal book and every time I did the elephant sound he put his hand up too (I do that with the elephant sound). Now, whenever he sees an elephant (or rhino because they kind of look alike) he puts his hand up. I guess you would say that his hand up is his sign for elephant! It's so cute! I also learned in the past few days that James can point to his belly, head, eyes, nose, and mouth when asked!!! He isn't 100% accurate but he is relatively accurate. He even pointed to my nose when I asked him to today!!!! I am also learning that often times James protests things (diaper changes, getting in the car, etc.) because he doesn't know what we are doing. I find that if I tell him where we are going and how long we will be in the car or if I ask him to get in the seat himself, that he is much more willing to get in the car seat. I tried the same theory for diaper changes today... I told him that I needed to change his diaper and asked him to lie still for me and that I would go as fast as I could... well, lo and behold, he laid right there and let me change his diaper every time today!!! (Usually it is quite a wrestling match and I have to chase him around the room to get a diaper changed!) Let's just hope that it works again tomorrow! I am such a proud mommy!!!

James has a new favorite book!!!! He has a small board book with baby's first words. The book lives in the car because it makes car trips much easier. I love looking back in the mirror to see James studying the book like he is studying for the LSAT! He is so intent and focused on each picture that it amazes me! Taking the book out of his hands when we get out of the car is quite a different story... it makes for an unhappy camper!!! He also loves a large board book (almost as big as he is) full of animals and will carry it across the house to ask me to read it to him. Two days ago, as I sat down to read it to him, I asked if he wanted to sit on my lap or on the floor and he crawled up onto my lap. My heart melted!!!! Then, yesterday, he handed me the book and sat down on the floor ready to be read to! So cute!!!!

Today, our friends, Lynette and Allison, came to visit us for a few hours. It was so much fun to catch up with Lynette and watch Allison and James play together. I think it was the first time that they interacted and played together which really made it obvious how much they are growing up. Having Allison here reminded me of James 10 weeks ago... it is amazing how much James has grown and learned in the past 10 weeks. I can't wait to see them continue to grow, learn, and play together in the coming years!!!!

So, basically, we are just having a WONDERFUL time!!!!!!! Love to all!!!