Tahl's new and improved room...

Tahl will be getting here in just about a month! This weekend Ari and I finished up his room. He is taking over Zev's nursery now that Zev has moved to the big boy room. Last weekend I got out all the baby toys and the floor mat. I started washing and hanging up all his clothes, which I finished this weekend. The most fun part was putting a few new touches on the nursery decor specific for Tahl since he will be in previous "Zev territory".

His name on the wall. I ordered the giant letters online and my amazing cousin Ashlyn painted them for me.

We moved Zev's blanket and put this up over the book shelf. Ari's mother, Karen, stitched this when Tova, Ari's oldest sister, was just a little girl. It was just sitting in a closet at Ari's parents' house, so we are using it now. We love it.

This weekend Tahl also got an AMAZING gift from our very crafty and talented friend Alison. This quilt matches our house perfectly, and it is so cute I would pay quite a bit of money for it. Luckily, we didn't have to.

Alison also made some stuffed blocks to go with the quilt which are precious. As he has done with everything else we get out for the baby, Zev decided to give them a test drive. He thinks they are very soft and good for hugging.

We are getting excited (and nervous). Can't wait for the new little guy to make his debut.

22 months

Yesterday Zev was 22 months! I can't believe he is so close to two! In one more month he will have a little brother. I am sure he knows something is coming because he has been really wanting to not take one step away from me. Other big changes this month:

- running! Zev would like to run everywhere. We don't really think he goes much faster, but he is much cuter to watch.
- talking - Zev says LOTS more words. Not everyone understands them, but that is why we will be starting speech on Monday. Hopefully it will help other people to understand all the great things Zev has up in that head of his.
-pretending - Zev has been cooking in the kitchen for a while, but he also has bird puppets that fly and brushes Grover's teeth, so it is getting even more fun.
- being cute - This hasn't changed much. Zev is silly and fun. His personality is out on display, and 98% of the time we love it. As for the other 2%, that is just what one year olds do...

Hopefully that percentage doesn't grow with age!

Arboretum

Today Zev and I went with my mom and Wanda to the arboretum. We took a few pictures, and Zev is even smiling in a few... He had a lot of fun, but it is hard not to pick up the dirt, etc.

Zev and mom

3 people who need a sun tan!

finally set free!

one of my favorite faces...

Z and Mimi

Here he is making trouble before being forced back into the stroller.

Wanda

Mimi and Zev going in to see one of the castles.

photo opportunity!

Wanda, Zev, and mom in front of the flowers.

lunch!

Snuggling on the bus ride home.

Every time our door bell rings (or even the if the ice machine sounds like a knock), Zev runs for the door screaming "Mimi!" He is upset if it isn't her, so he enjoys his special snuggle time!

Speaking of Mimi, tomorrow is her birthday! Thank you Mimi for everything you do for us. You are amazing! We love you!

Tyler, Day 2

Here are a few pictures of Zev today!

Eating...

Happy face

When my parents were still in Indonesia they bought Zev this outfit. I believe it was meant for a taller, skinnier baby...

The pants were so tight, it was difficult for Z to sit.

We decided to try on this outfit they bought him in China instead.
Zev didn't care much for the hat, and he kept trying to put it on the horse.

The only picture with the hat on.

He liked this outfit, so he decided to get down to the business of playing toys.

Still a little too small for the Buddha belly

sweet face

After this, we put on Zev's real clothes and went out to lunch. Thanks to dad, Stacy, Lisa, and Mike all for hosting us in Tyler. We had lots of fun playing with everyone in town!

Tyler, Day 1

Zev and I went to Tyler this week for part of our spring break. We had a really hard morning on our first day there, but this isn't the forum for that. Here are a few pictures of the fun we did have...

Here is Zev with Uncle Scott. They are good friends...

On Tuesday we went to the zoo. Here is zev before we started around. This is always his blank "picture" face...

He woke up a little once we let him out of the stroller.
He may think he is a monkey.

more wandering...

Looking at animals with his Gram.

Getting zerberts is the best part of the zoo!

We had lots of fun!

A shower for Tahl

Last weekend, a few of my girl friends threw me a shower for baby Tahl. It was really cute and lots of fun. We played games, opened lots of great presents, and ate some yummy food. I forgot to get out the camera until after most of the food was gone, but I did get the cupcakes.

Before the games. I put this one up so you could see the sweet "it's a boy" banner.

Some of the attendees

Opening Presents..

We had a great time celebrating Tahl, and I can't wait for him to get here.
It won't be much longer!

ECI and the BUMP!

This morning Zev was evaluated by ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) for his speech. We actually had a good time. Zev enjoyed playing with the women who came and trying out their toys. They gave him little tests with shapes, and he enjoyed doing what they asked him. We liked hearing his results and learning about more ways to work with him. They said that right now he is exactly at 21 months (on track with his age) for his overall communication and motor skills. This is the first time he wasn't "behind" in motor skills so that was good. He was at 27 months for self help skills and 29 months for cognition. He is on track for communication because he understands so much and that averages with how much he is understood to come out at age. They did say they would qualify him for "a-typical articulation", which I am really excited about. I really was hoping he would qualify because I know he gets frustrated that other people don't understand his words, and I am sure that will get harder. ECI is also a great situation for us since they will come out to our house!

After that big morning, Zev spent the afternoon at the park with a friend from his class and his family. He was having lots of fun until he fell off the playground equipment! I think I need to stand closer to him on our next visit. Poor Zev.

He has a serious bump, and I am sure it is going to make one colorful bruise (with one guilty feeling mom having to stare at it...) He did go on to keep playing and have lots of fun. He seemed perfectly happy tonight, so hopefully the bruise will be our only problem.

Park with Mimi, Papa, and Kade

On Sunday Ari and I stopped by the park where Mimi and Papa were playing with Kade. Zev had fun playing on the slide and kicking a ball with Papa. Here are two pictures of Papa (Jay) carrying Kade and Zev to car after we played. They were having lots of fun.

Crazy day...

This morning Zev was bored waiting in the doctor's office to check on Tahl, so here is what we did. Never a dull moment.

He fell asleep in the car on the way home from the doctor even though it was only 10 AM. I woke him up to go to breakfast with my mom, and he decided he didn't need to take a nap during the regular nap time. When I went in to try to convince him to go back to sleep, this is what I found.

One arm out, toys on the floor, and the cover off the bars on the crib.


He got up and played happily, but around 5:15 we had to get in the car to head to his school for a school wide pizza dinner. This is what I found when I stopped the car.

He woke up for some pizza and a few bites of an ice cream sandwich. Then back home, to hopefully get some much needed sleep. Maybe tomorrow we will get back on schedule.

Busy kid

On Friday, Zev went to the zoo with his mom (me), my friend Katy, and her three kids. Zev loves to play with the big kids, and he even went down the slide with the twins holding on to him a few times. It was pretty cute. He was also making lots of animal noises for me.

After his nap we painted, played, and then we met dad for dinner at our favorite pizza place. Zev has gotten so big, that he would really like it if I didn't cut any bites off of his pizza but let him hold it instead.

Here he is showing his painting off.
(By the way, Alex brand washable paint is NOT actually washable. Zev's tray is still orange and yellow. DO NOT BUY IT.)



This morning while I was off teaching school Zev played with my mom and Wanda. Then he went to visit his Papa and Uncle Scott over at my parent's house. Then he was off to visit my mom's friend before coming back to play more with Uncle Scott. Thanks mom and Wanda for always watching Zev! This afternoon, he is off to a birthday party of his friend's Benjamin and Jennifer. Zev tries to say Benjamin, but it sounds more like this "min-a-min". At least he is attempting bigger words. Maybe tomorrow Zev will have a slow day.

school

Here are a few more pictures posted on to Zev's school's website in the past few weeks.

He seems to be having lots of fun!

a lovely hat

playing with something in the science room

fun with a tube

mixing colors

snack

Zev loves the sandbox

Hopefully being nice on the slide...

more playground fun

He must have been playing with the babies.

coloring

more arts and crafts

Hopefully soon he will start smiling in pictures again. He smiles a lot until you get the camera out, I swear. His teachers say he never cries, and he loves everything. I know he never wants to leave when I get there.