September

It felt like it went from 100 degrees to 70 in a flash! Fall is upon us and I am so happy. This is my favorite season of the year! Frankie has started up again at MUMC once a week and loves going to 'school'. Jay has started up again with kickball but this fall season the team is Bud Light Lime, a new twist with new players. I am going to focus on keeping work at work and keeping a better balance, stress down, etc. I have been working a lot at home and that is not okay with me. One reason to keep the stress down - we are expecting another baby! I am due January 31 and Frankie is going to be a big brother to a little sister! The next few months will be exciting - we may be doing some home improvements before the new little one comes which is always interesting. The fun part of that is thinking of how to decorate - Frankie's room will probably be switched as well so I may have two new themes to think about. We all love his Hungry Caterpillar room but he may be ready for something new.

This weekend Jay's mom, Barbara and Pete came to visit - we all met up with Aunt Tricia & Uncle Dwight on Saturday for the MD football game since they were playing UConn. It was a great visit! Frankie loves his Bebe and Pete. He got a big kick out of her pinching his cheeks and giving big kisses. This visit was particularly nice because we didn't think we would see them so soon since our April trip.

Jay has recently switched positions at work which has been challenging but a good opportunity and experience for him. With both of us stressed out it has been a little bit of a bummer but he is getting the swing of things and feeling more confident by the day. I'm very proud of all of his hard work.

This past week my parents were watching Frankie during the day since daycare was on vacation and he had a ball. He always has a good time with Yia Yia and Poppi! I think he is starting to think he owns the place when he's there.

Summer in full swing!

Every time someone asks me how Frankie is doing I say the same thing: 'Time flies!' I feel like ever since he was about 1 1/2 everything goes faster, the weeks, the weekends, more milestones... and something that has been pushed to the back is posting on this little blog of mine. I will try to be better, for anyone that does read it. I started this blog for a couple reasons, one being to put in writing some of the precious moments that would pass by with Frankie and our young family. I need to remember this! Because now that it's been three months since my last post there are no doubt some that I have already forgotten.

Frankie is our little boy now. A high light of the spring and early summer was Mama buying him some flip flops. And I mean big boy flip flops, no strap in the back! He was SOOO proud of himself. He would go and put his flip flops on (took a couple weeks to show him how to wiggle his toes in) and then bring me and Jay ours so we could all wear them. He has been talking up a storm, we have conversations now. Sometimes it's still a little tricky trying to figure out what he's saying but we're getting there. He also loves to play pretend... the other day at breakfast his toast was in the shape of a semi circle after he had been taking some bites and he told me that it was the moon. Then he changed his mind and said that it was the playground - I believe he was thinking about the see-saw. He's still full of energy, loving to run at full speed. Scraped knees are frequent, especially with the flip flops!

Our trip to San Diego in April was wonderful! Frankie just LOVED the airplane... might have had something to do with the special earphones, movies, and constant snacks and juice. With the exception of tapping his book too hard (crazy lady in front of us had to get it from me) he behaved so well. We were so busy every day, with Bebe and Petey showing us the sights. Frankie had a great time spending time with them and Jay and I even got to have a date night the last night we were there. The weather didn't cooperate all that well, but a week of vacation is still a week of vacation! We were sad to say goodbye but hopefully we'll be back again soon.

We had to say goodbye to the Smith family's first dog a couple weeks ago, Andy. I think my mom said it perfectly that she will think of him as a puppy who loved to run around and around the couch, crazy curls flying. He was such a sweet dog. We all got to say goodbye before he was put down and my dad held him during his last breath - very appropriate, his pack leader.

We signed Frankie up for swimming lessons at the YMCA in Frederick - this is bonding time for Jay and Frankie. Both are loving it! I go along and watch, take pictures, and get Frankie changed afterwards. So it's truly fun time for Daddy. Also on tap for this summer is a week to Kitty Hawk in August. It will be strange not to be in Emerald Isle this summer (my parents sold the house) but we will make the most of the new location I'm sure.

Have a great rest of the summer! I know we will!

Spring is here!

So much for sledding this mild winter! When we got the little snow that we did we made sure to take Frankie out for a sled run in the front yard. He had fun but I wish we could have done it more! With multiple days above 70 degrees already, we are ready for Spring. Just in time, my parents delivered their Christmas present - a shiny new swing set for Frankie, assembled and ready to go in the backyard. Frankie loves it! He loves getting swung really high by Poppy and Daddy. Mom will do if they aren't around, but I don't push as high. :)

Frankie's 2nd birthday was great, he had a Cars theme party along with some Cars themed presents from me and Jay. Cars are still a priority for him right now, he just loves them. Lining them up, having them drive from one side of the couch to the other, saying 'McQueen!'. It's hard to believe another year has gone by. I've meant to post a lot more on here but I guess it's true that when the baby moves faster time goes faster too! Frankie is looking more and more like a little boy and not my baby. He is learning more and more each week and starting to string words together. His old favorite of playing chase around the first floor has evolved to telling Jay, 'Ruunnn Dada!' demanding the game of chase and he'll keep saying it if you're not running fast enough. It's good exercise! :) I don't know how he doesn't get dizzy. He also will tell us what he wants to watch on Nick Jr. before bed - his favorite show right now is Wow Wow Wubbsy (ugh) with Olivia in a close second. He is so cute when the songs are on, wiggling his hiney and moving to the beat.

Bedtime has also evolved - this is Jay's territory. Frankie usually will sit on my lap for a bit while tv is on and he finishes his cup of milk, then I hand him off to Jay to put him down upstairs. For awhile they were playing this game where after Jay finished reading him a book, Frankie would say or yell 'Dada!' while Jay was about to leave the room. Then Jay would respond, 'Frankie!' and they would go back and forth like that for a couple minutes even after Jay left the room and was in the hallway. All of a sudden he has stopped that and now right before Jay leaves the room he'll say, 'Dada,... ' followed by a bunch of stuff that we can't understand. As if he's telling Jay his secrets or thoughts on the day.

Tax season is almost over, thank goodness. It will be nice to have Saturdays all to the family again. Our trip to San Diego is booked for the last week of April. We are looking forward to the trip but not the plane ride! We've been pointing out airplanes to Frankie, in books and in the sky, to start getting him excited.

Christmas at home!!!

Christmas at home this year was great! We hosted our first Christmas Eve with fried fish and all. The Smith clan came and we all had a great time. Frankie wasn't sure what to make of 'Santa' but he sure did like his 'car' on Christmas morning. We had the baby gate up blocking the den and presents so we could have breakfast before wrapping paper covered the floor and all Frankie said over and over as he sat on the stairs looking at his new tricycle was 'car.... car.... car...' - it was super cute. I've discovered that he loves to throw his new kitchen accessories on the ground, whether he is having fun being a boy or trying to show me that he means business during a tantrum. Ahhh the joys of small toys and things covering the floor. The organization bug hit me that day and I am still trying to figure out how to contain all of his favorite things!

Since Christmas Frankie's obsession with cars and trains has continued. He even calls the buttons on my coat cars... I guess because they look like wheels? A favorite activity is running his cars down our legs and arms, and yes even our heads. He is also very quick to tell Daddy 'mine!!' when he tries to play with the cars with him. Very protective and learning to stand up for himself, something he's learning at day care!

Frankie has also decided that going down the stairs backwards isn't fun anymore. He is pretty good at going down forwards if he takes it slow... if he has his hands full, either with cars, his juice or snacks, he has realized it is safer (thank goodness) to sit on his hiney and scoot down that way. I'm sure there is a fall in the works but I guess that is the only way he will learn!

We're looking forward to planning our trip to San Diego to see Jay's mom and stepdad, Bebe and Petey! The trip will be in April and we'll get to celebrate Barbara's birthday there. It will work out perfectly with my work schedule, being after the 15th. Speaking of which, I am not excited about tax season hours starting up but Jay is looking forward to special father-son time at the diner and Little Gym.

Sled is in the shed, snow pants are in the closet and warm mittens are ordered and on their way - now if we could only get some snow! I know Frankie will love to play outside once we do. Until then we will try to keep these reoccurring stomach bugs at bay, boogie wipes handy and cars within reach!

Talking

Frankie is saying so many things lately, I know before I know it he will be saying full sentences that we can actually understand! A few cute things lately... he says 'help please' all of the time if he needs help with something but it actually sounds like, 'heppeee' and if he thinks it's urgent he'll say it over and over really fast. The word 'closed' is still a favorite when he closes doors... still working on open. Just in the last few days he's saying 'stuck' a lot but it sounds like, 'cuh'. Just now he said it while trying to get the exercise ball out of the office - he had to roll it over the elliptical and through the doorway. At bedtime he has started saying 'goodnight' if we prompt him and it's super cute. 'I love you' is cute as well but only when prompted.

Jay has been a little miffed that Frankie still sometimes will look at him and say Mama or Mommy (or 'Ommy') but he has been a lot better and using the appropriate name. Makes Jay very happy. :)

Christmas is right around the corner and Frankie is becoming a little boy. He loves cars and trains. Choosing gifts has been pretty hard when he has so much already. And more than anything it is hard to decide what to 'retire' and switch out. It seems that as soon as I choose something to put away he starts to play with it again. The house is only so big though! Sure enough he is taking over.

We are having our first Christmas at our own home this year, which will be the norm going forward. We are really excited to open presents with our son in our own home on Christmas morning. We only wish that we were closer to Jay's family so we could see them around Christmas - at least we got to see some of the Terrells at Thanksgiving (trip to GA was great!) and have a trip tentatively planned for San Diego to see Bebe and Pete in February. The Smith family will be coming over for Christmas Eve to live on the Pinto tradition and hopefully that will become an annual occurrence as well. Enjoying the Christmas spirit and chill in the air until then!

Fall

Things got so busy during the summer and this fall that I forgot to post! Frankie is more like a little boy now, it's so crazy! He is saying all sorts of words and it's really picked up in the past weeks. I said to him the other day after he looked at me and said a full sentence that I couldn't understand, "Frankie, I don't understand anything you just said. But keep talking to me honey, I'll understand you eventually!" What a sweetie.

The summer weddings turned out great, vacation to EI was awesome as usual. Frankie enjoyed the beach so much this year, no fear - good and bad. :) We set up a baby pool up near our chairs and the umbrella to try to keep him in the vicinity - my fear was that he would take off running down the beach, but that didn't happen thank goodness.

Lately Frankie is loving reading books more and more, he is getting close to walking down the steps facing front whether I like it or not... he has a great appetite and is getting good at using his spoon and fork. He will give kisses and hugs which I love. We signed him up for Little Gym after he enjoyed the summer session and even though he misses some Saturday morning classes once in awhile due to our MD football games, it's well worth it to see him have so much fun in there.

I can't believe tomorrow is Halloween and Thanksgiving is around the corner! We will be making the trip down to GA for Thanksgiving which will be a lot of fun - ONCE we get there lol.

Big Boy!

Schedules and routines change all the time, but we've got a pretty good one down recently. When I get Frankie up in the morning and start to change him often is arching and trying to twist around to see if Daddy is there, sometimes saying his name. :) For what seemed like a couple of months he was only saying Daddy - now it seems like the tides have turned and with the exception of that morning call to Daddy and maybe a couple in the evening, Mama is the word! He even calls Jay Mama sometimes. What a sweetheart. (The only thing I don't like is that he also calls Christy, our day-care provider, Mama sometimes as well - she corrects him though!) Frankie loves his milk, has mastered the sippy cup, and we did a water boot-camp for a few days, only giving him water instead of the watered-down juice we were giving him. He used to make a face but now he drinks it up fine if he's thirsty. Even though watered-down juice was fine, I wanted to make sure he wouldn't refuse water and it's healthier! He has been on a vegetable strike for quite awhile but I have recently been able to get him to eat chunks of sweet potato - I was so happy! Give him peas, he'll squash each one individually with his index finger. Give him anything else, he'll totally ignore it or push it aside!
Frankie has, count 'em, 13 teeth now! His top molars and top canines have popped through and are still coming in but he has gotten his appetite back and I am getting glimpses into the future. Amazing that a 15 month old boy can eat 4 chicken nuggets when a few months ago I would make 2 and he would usually only eat 1!
After dinner relaxing before bed is my favorite time with Frankie, for the obvious reason that we get to hang out. He loves his rocking cow and if he's feeling feisty will take every toy from the shelves and throw it on the floor. He loves when Jay lets him up on the couch to jump. He's getting so tall, grew 2 inches in 3 months, and is close to being able to get onto the couch himself. Scary! We are finally trying to teach him to go down the stairs backwards which will come in handy for the couch as well.
Jay and I were so relieved that he enjoys the pool again this summer. He also is loving the kickball games, even when I hold him back from running on the field. Frankie throws little tantrums now but a little redirection usually works. He will sit in the dirt or gravel, pick it up, run his hands and arms through it, try to eat the rocks - such a boy. He definitely keeps me busy when we're out! But it's worth it because he has a great time.
The family is traveling to Connecticut in a few weeks for Cousin Sarah's wedding which we are very excited about! Frankie is in the wedding and hopefully won't throw a tantrum in the Church! Mama would like to witness the entire ceremony! Keep your fingers crossed! As always, we feel very blessed.