Gardner Wilson

Update on Gardner's "big boy bed" dramas.... He's doing great! No, really! Yes, naptimes have proved to be more of a challenge, to say the least, but after about 5-6 times going in there, blank-faced, firmly but gently putting him back in bed and reminding him it is naptime, he finally zonks out. Nevermind that it's usually 1:00 by the time he's in there, 3:00 before he's asleep, and 5:00 before he wakes up. I have a whole new kind of freedom in my day. Problem is, though I enjoy it, I miss the little guy. I actually stand outside of his room, ear to door, to wait for those first few sounds of his stirring! Nighttimes are great, too. In bed by 8, up by 9. Today it was 9:40 before he awoke. Again....what did we do to deserve this kid??? I hope this serves as inspiration for his little sister when she reaches this point....as well as every parent who aspires to make this transition in the near future. Again, proof that prayer works.

He did it!!! Last night, Gardner slept in his new room and his "big boy bed" for the very first time. How'd it go? Well, let's just say that within 45 minutes, he only managed to empty out his bottom dresser drawer and play in the closet. By 9pm, he was officially asleep, and he still remains that way (it's 7:44am now....praise God!!). Way to go, GARDNER!! (Mommy and Daddy are more thrilled than you'll ever know!)

Gardner had his first trip to a real barber shop this weekend. Not the powder-puff kiddie place this time around....he got a real haircut along with Daddy. From the look of his expression in this photo, however, you can tell he wasn't exactly thrilled as he looked on in anticipation of the event. Despite a few protesting pleas, he eventually settled down into a very still pose and let the barber go to town. Here, his haircut is nearly complete. He was holding still for the neck trim. From little boy to little man in 10 minutes flat.

Hot Fun in the Summertime Peyton "stopped" the sprinkler for a while, causing Gardner to cautiously ease closer. When the water once again went flying, Gardner did, too! Gardner....what that expression means, I have no idea. Looks like his daddy in this picture. Ken showing Gardner the ropes in his brand new sandbox. This kid loves sand. (Mommy enjoyed digging her feet into the cool sand, too.)

....So now I have a bathroom story. Every mom has them. Most start around this age. Here's mine. We bought Gardner his first potty chair a couple of weeks back. We mainly wanted to get him used to the fact that it's a "piece of furniture" now, to get him used to seeing it. We taught him how to sit on it, clothed. Well, yesterday, while prepping him for a bath, I taught him how to sit on it....unclothed. I told him that "this is where you tee-tee" (that's what we call it 'round here). He giggled, and stood up. I turned my attention back to the bathtub water level, and glanced back just in time to see a stream shooting forth and hitting the potty seat, potty lid, and the shower curtain. He looked incredibly proud of his feat. I really believe he thought he'd just tee-teed in his potty. I laughed till my sides hurt. I figured that wouldn't happen again, at least for a while. I was wrong. I just had the same incident occur minutes ago, wh

Another molar? Perhaps. Gardner's been chewing incessantly on his fingers lately....pushing them far back into his mouth. I wonder if his 2nd molars, supposedly due anywhere from 20 months to 30 months, are coming in on the early side? (He's 20 months today.) He's been mimicking every single word or phrase....wanting to know what every object is that he comes across. We love telling him the new words and listening intently as he tries his hardest to pronounce them. Sometimes they sound exactly perfect....sometimes just a semblance....sometimes all that's correct is the number of syllables. Nevertheless, he's learning, and his vocabulary is expanding by leaps and bounds.