August 6, 2014

Dear Tanner,

If you read Dominic's blog entry for this date you'll see that we had a combined birthday party for you about a month ago. You won't be two until the 22nd but since your birthday's are so close together we decided to combine them. I was surprised that you wore your eye patch for most of the pirate themed party. Too cute! You FINALLY got your own pair of cowboy boots, like Dominic has. Grandpa Terry got them for you and let me tell you...you wear them almost EVERY day. Did I mention that it's the middle of summer?


There you are in all your glory! When you went to school the following Monday you held your foot in the air and said "boots!!!". Too stinking CUTE!!!

Your other new favorite thing is saying "Thank You". Whenever anyone does anything for you at all you have to say it. I get you dressed and you say "Thank you Mommy, thank you!". Daddy makes dinner "Thank you Daddy, thank you!". Dominic let's you play with a toy "Thank you brother, thank you!". I absolutely love it! Both you and Dominic have such great manners and I am so proud.

Another new favorite is Zebra Stripe gum. It used to be mine as a little kid so I had to grab it when I saw it at the store a few weeks ago. Although I put it high in the cupboard, you climbed up and got it. When I approached you, your mouth full of gum, I asked if you got it all by yourself. Of course you smiled, gum and all, and nodded your head. I put the rest of the package on top of the refrigerator. The next thing you know you had pushed your stool over to the fridge, climbed up and claimed your treasure. What a little stinker you are! Needless to say...the entire package is gone and I will not be buying more for quite some time, if I do I'll hide it in a better spot.

You will turn two in a few short weeks and I am not sure where the time has gone. You will always be my baby but you are beginning to look like a big boy.

Love you to pieces,

Mommy

May 28, 2014

                                                             

Dear Tanner,

You are such a cutie! Just ask Dominic he says it to you all the time. "Hey cutie!" he says. You are becoming so independent. You want to do everything yourself. You get silverware yourself, snacks yourself and the other day you even got the gallon milk jug out of the fridge out of the fridge without asking for anything. In fact I'm pretty sure you probably would have poured it yourself if I didn't catch you.

When you do need help you ask in your adorable little voice "Milk pease?". You and Dominic both have great manners. Your "Tank you" could melt any heart. You say it without reminders and I eat it up. I'm so glad that you've learned to use them so quickly! Don't lose that. You get much more respect from people when you use them.

You are also an outdoors guy who loves getting dirty! Monday was Memorial Day and we got ice cream on the way home from the park. We walked and you and Dominic rode in the wagon. You had ice cream all over you by the time we got home. No worries though! We just hosed you off in the driveway. By the way..you LOVE sweets. You ate that ice cream cone in 10 minutes. It took Dominic 30. Later that day we got the water table out and you and Dominic played for a bit. When you were finished I took the plug out and the water drained beneath. You knelt right down to check it out. Then, with water flowing everywhere, you laid down on your belly right underneath the table to get a closer look at what was going on. You got up and were soaked, muddy and had a HUGE smile on your face! The look of "Yeah Mom, I figured it out" never gets old.

Keep growing buddy. I'll do my best to capture the moments.

Love you!!!
Mommy

March 21, 2014

Dear Tanner,

It's finally spring...according to the calendar. It's still cold in NY though and we are supposed to get more snow next week! I can't wait to play outside in the warm weather with you and Dominic...if we ever get it.

It's been a while since I've written and you've gotten so big! We went to the doctor's this week to make sure the coloboma in your eye isn't affecting anything else. The doctor didn't seem concerned about it so that was good news. You were also so patient! We were in the same room for two hours and you entertained yourself. I even took an adorable picture of you sitting in the doctor's chair while we waited. So cute!

You are still obsessed with cooking. When we are home you spend the majority of your time in the kitchen. I'm wondering if it will just be a hobby for you or if you'll make a career out of it. Whatever you end up doing I hope you have a passion for it.

You've grasped the "Hide and Go Seek" concept thanks to Dominic. We play it several times a week. Between Dominic yelling "I'm right here...under the table" and you giggling it doesn't take long for us to find you...but we of course pretend it does. The two of you run and laugh once found. It is so cute! I'm glad you enjoy playing together and I couldn't be more happy to spend time together having fun as a family.

Love you to pieces little man!
Mommy

January 7, 2014

Dear Tanner,

Today you fell probably five times and bumped your head, hand, elbow...the list goes on. Only one resulted in a bump! You are always on the move with the energy of ten kids. Lately, at night right before bed I carry you up to your room and rock you in the glider in the corner of your room. For those ten or 15 minutes you lay your head on my shoulder and are still. No falling, no bumps to be had...for that moment in time we are both perfectly at peace. This is my time to let all of the worries of life, as you'll come to find out are always there no matter where you are at in your life, melt away. During this brief period of time every day you let me hold you close and while I rock you I feel your little heart beating and your breath upon my neck. Sometimes I think about what you will be when you grow up, other times I think about places I want to take you and occasionally I think about absolutely nothing at all. But no matter what I'm thinking about or not thinking about...I always soak up every second of this time. Thank you for giving me this one on one time with you...I will always cherish it whether you are 16 months old, 16 years old or 60 years old (yeah I'm thinking I'll live that long...after all modern medicine is only getting better). I hope you enjoy this time as much as I do and continue to...even when you are 16.


Love you forever,

Mommy

December 29, 2013

Dear Tanner,

We celebrated your second Christmas a few days ago. You enjoyed standing on top of your biggest present, still nicely wrapped, saying "Ta da!". You got lots of cooking toys since that's what you love to do. Grandma Brenda even got you some real cooking utensils that you loved playing with all day and continue to play with.

Have I mentioned what a dare devil you are?! You climb, balance and jump off of nearly everything! Your new trick is climbing on top of the corner table and jumping onto the couch. Or when you are at Papa and Grandma LaMagna's you climb on top of their ottoman and jump onto the couch or into any bystander's arms whether they are looking or not. You've caused many of us to hold our breath! You've got no fear kiddo.

You got your tongue clipped last week because you were tongue tied. They put you to sleep to do it but you did so well before and after! Like nothing happened at all. You are such a brave tough little guy!

We will be celebrating 2014 in just a few short days! Can't believe how quickly this year went. You will be moving up to the toddler room before we know it at school. You are already practicing sleeping on a cot. You are getting to be such a big boy!!!!

Love you little dare devil,

Mommy

November 7, 2013

Dear Tanner,

What a big guy you are getting to be!!! Your vocabulary now consists of Dog, Mama, Dada, Papa, that? and ball. I might be forgetting a few but those are your favorites. You are learning more and more each day. You still have that uncontrollable laughter and contagious smile too. You loved to be chased and you love it even more when Dominic does it!

For Halloween you were a cute little green dinosaur. You didn't quite get the concept of trick or treating until the very end. At first you tried crawling in everyone's house while Dominic chose his candy...if they had a dog you tried to pet it. At the very last house though the old man held the bowl out for you and you grabbed several hand fulls of candy and put it in your bucket. He said you could take all you wanted to. When we got back to Grandpa Terry's you spent more time taking the candy out of your bucket and putting it back in than eating it. You did however have a few smarties which you enjoyed.

You are doing awesome in school. I think you and Dwayne are finally friends. He used to push you around but you hold your own and he caught on. Now when you arrive he runs up to you and you laugh! What a change.

Grandpa Terry and Patti took you to get your first hair cut last weekend. You were 14 months old and way over due! You cried a little but for the most part you were fine. The good news is now you can see again!!


I love you little boy,

Mommy

September 16, 2013

Dear Tanner,

Tonight you ran around, played with Dominic, took a bath and stretched out your vocal cords. When all of that was said and done you climbed up on the kid's rocking chair we have, stood up...as you sometimes do, and rocked it back and forth while standing on it and holding onto the back. I'm pretty sure you are going to be some kind of dare devil. After doing that a few times you curled up in it and rested your head on the arm of it. I thought for sure you were going to fall asleep right there. You closed your eyes a few times. But...no. You got up and enjoyed a few more minutes of freedom before bed.

On Friday we have your eye specialist appointment. We have to go get your pupil checked again. I'm hoping it's quick for your sake. I'll let you know how it goes. Of course if I forget to post on it...which is likely...ask me about it :). I'll let you know.

Love you baby boy,

Mommy