Summer days, drifting away...

I "think" our sleep problems have passed us once again... He's been going down great since we started our new bedtime routine. Bear has become very special to him. I went in to check on him one night this weekend and this is what I found. SO sweet!












He's completely off his bottle now! And this picture shows how he feels about his sippy! He loves it! We left the bottle behind all in one day about a week ago, maybe. He'd been going to town on his sippy for about 3 days and we decided to try going without the bottle...we haven't looked back. He did great.



Bedtime is so sweet right now...we take his cup in his room and he sips, cuddles, sips, cuddles for a few minutes. After a few minutes of cuddling we take him to his bed and show him Pablo, lovey (we rub his face with lovey and he always smiles), blanket and bear and then lay him down. We push bear's hand and make him sing to Walker as we leave the room. He normally goes right to sleep. If he does cry out it's just a second or two and then he's out! I have decided that his bedtime issues were directly related to his separation anxiety because he's kicked that up about 100 notches. I was called out of Sunday School on Sunday because Walker would not stop screaming and throwing fits. This is new because he's always loved the nursery and loved playing with his little girl friends in there. Nothing would calm him down except Mommy. I took him to our class and he was quite the ham. Grinning, laughing and making a scene. I eventually had to take him out of there too because everyone was watching Walker and not listening to Cliff teach! He's also doing this in other places, even familiar places with familar faces. He clings to mommy and Daddy...mostly Mommy...saves Daddy for the fun at home and won't let go. If he has to let go, you better believe it's accompanied with lots of noise letting everyone around know how he feels about it...and I do mean everyone.

This picture illustrates a lesson we've learned in our house recently...as long as there are things that move and can be pushed, Walker can and WILL get to what he wants. His mission here was mommy's keys and sunglasses...and yes, he was successful.













Rough play has become a consistent part of our day. We do this for quite a while every afternoon. From the time we get home until Walker's bathtime we spend most of our time on the floor. All three of us. :) And boy is it fun!


Judy started on Monday as Walker's new sitter. We are blessed that she was willing to come to our house and take care of him everyday. He had a very hard time on Monday morning. I had a meeting at another school and didn't have to leave as early so she was feeding him breakfast when I did leave. He didn't realize I left but once he got down from his highchair, she said he began to look for me. She said he started crying when he couldn't find me and went to our bedroom door and camped out there...beating on the door and crying, screaming, beating, crying, screaming...you get the point. She said NOTHING would calm him down but that he was different than he had been at church Sunday. Sunday he seemed scared and like his feelings were hurt. She said yesterday he just seemed MAD. He did this until his first nap...so about an hour or so after I left...but then woke up happy and had a great afternoon. Another odd thing is what happened when Lynn and Brinley came to play. Walker LOVES Brinley and always has. When they came in, he started to whimper and "ran" towards Judy to pick him up. She said that lasted only a second or two and then he played hard with Brinley for the rest of the afternoon. Judy couldn't believe how he showed out for Brinley. She said he pulled out all the charms...that's our little flirt. Doesn't surprise me one bit. Plus, what little boy WOULDN'T have a crush on Brinley??? What he's going through at the extreme right now has really put lots of things into place for me that have happened here and there that I felt like were so not my child...he was just in the beginning stages I guess.

Today went much better. Judy took him for a walk as Cliff and I were leaving. She said he whined a tad but not much at all and not loud like before. He had a great day. She said he spent the entire day laughing, climbing, walking and throwing things. I hope she's ready...

I am enjoying my new job so far. There are lots of changes to adjust too, mostly good ones though and I think I'm going to like it. Starting over is NOT easy and I will readily admit that I hate change...and I hate not being in control of my circumstances. But, with time I know I will adjust and become just another important member of the Heard Mixon family!

Cliff's enjoying his job this year so far too. He has so much more ambition than I do when it comes to our career. He's just so motivated to do more, help more, be more, etc...
I am proud of him. He inspires me! He just found out today that he will be sharing his room with a Sped teacher friend of his. When space is needed, Sped teachers are the first to go. He's done co-teaching with Bonnie before though and they work well together, so I know it will be a good experience for him. I just hope she can stand his MESS!

Walker continues to amaze me. I just think my kid is so smart! Daily he is picking up the meaning of more and more things. For some reason it's just so hard for me to imagine that he can really understand what we are talking about...that his little mind can actually comprehend it. I don't know that I'll ever stop being amazed at his development! Just some random things that aren't necessarily "new" but that he did today so they are fresh on my mind...

Mommy: Give mommy a kiss.
Walker: (responds by leaning forward, opening his mouth and placing it on mommy...OR...making a kissy noise from where he's at)

Mommy: Bye bye water
Walker: (responds by trying to unplug the bathtub drain...though he hasn't quite accomplished it yet...)

Mommy: Where are the birds?
Walker: (responds by crawling to his bedroom window and looking out at the birdfeeder)

Mommy: It's bathtime, Walker! (mommy opens the door)
Walker: (responds by crawling in the bathroom, opening the cabinet and pulling out one of his wash cloths...then crawling to the tub with it in his hand.)

See, genius!