2 years = 24 months

Our little man turned 2!!! Where did another year fly? I realized it flew by when I thought about his photobook. I planned to work on it some each month and suddenly I realized the last time I looked at it was probably in December and that seems like a few weeks ago!

Statistics
At Mateo's check up last week he was 13,840 kg (30 lbs) and 91 cm (35 in) and his head 46,7 cm.

Words
Out (he uses this all the time to mean 'take off,' or 'get out'), Peas (please)-I can't think of any other new words, but he is putting some together now, like 'die ook' (that one also) or kijk, mama! (look, mama!) I thought he was saying 'mine,' but maybe it was just when we got back. Finally he will say what we ask him to try to say. It is the first month where he will say 'please' or 'thank you' when we ask him. 'Sorry' and 'OK' are still hard for his stubborn little soul.

Tricks
Mateo slept his first night in a real bed! I asked him if he wanted to sleep in his cousin's bed and he said yes, so I let him go and he slept perfectly in there until the morning! Shocked us both, because he is normally so wild and climbs all over. We tried it at home with less success, but we were also worried he might climb out the window (yes, I am serious).

We are done with bottles! Go us. One baby item less. He did not like the milk in America, so he did not use a bottle and when we came back, we did not introduce them again.

Mateo is doing great on a 'loopfiets' (this one to be precise). He also has started getting the hang of a 'step' (Scooter).

 

I now let Mateo go up and down the stairs alone. He seems to have it under control.

 

He loves his cars, so I bought him a Little People Parking Garage for his birthday. He has been having loads of fun with it. He also enjoys his Duplos. I was so impressed last week. I looked and he had put the whole train track together ALONE!

Food
Still not back to how he was in May, but doing better.  It really seems that it just depends on the day, mood, environment...

Another photo from Stef @ www.stephaniesteinerphotography.com. She would like to come to Belgium in Sept. Are you interested in having her photograph YOUR family? If so, let me know, I can send details.

Dear Mateo, how has it already been 2 years since you came home with us? They went by so fast! You bring so much joy into our lives! Every day we are laughing at your tricks and expressions. You are quite the character. You are always smiling and if by chance you get angry and throw something to express that anger, you are right back to your happy-go-lucky self with in minutes. You still sleep a lot, which is good for your and mommy's moods. We, as your parents, find you to be quite athletic and musical. You can keep up with kids a few years older on the little bike, trampoline, kicking a ball, playing on the swings, climbing around the playhouse and slide. When you hear music you like to play match-that-tone and hold out the tone longer than the one on the recording. You also can match sounds from lawnmowers, ones that we make, the church bells or the ice cream truck. We love you, Mateo! xoxoxo

Happy 2nd Birthday

Photo Updates

June 1-17 weeks

June 6-18 weeks

June 14-19 weeks

June 21-20 weeks

June 29-21 weeks

July 4-22 weeks

I have indeed 'popped.' As a matter of fact I feel like I exploded. I feel HUGE! Everyone is now commenting how big I am. I am not gonna worry about it, because baby and I are healthy. Hubby was able to feel the baby last week, which was exciting, because I have not felt it very much. It seems less active than Mateo. Possibly I am just remembering the end of my pregnancy? How am I feeling? Pretty good. Tired, sometimes worn out, but I think that is mainly from the traveling and from having another little one RUNNING wildly around. I seem to have some pain that I did not have with the first one, but again it could be from not enough rest. 

23 Months

Taken by the super talented (in more than just photography!) Stehanie from www.stephaniesteinerphotography.com

Mateo turned 23 months on June 23rd, the same day his auntie turned 23 years. Fun, huh? We were driving the last leg of our journey. Portland-Home.

Mateo has had a big month! He has met a few hundred new people. Everyone asks how he did on the journey over. I have to answer that he did amazing. All things considered that is. It was not a 'fun' journey for us, but we survived in fine shape. We left our house at 5:30 am, so 8:30 pm here. 22 hours later we got to my parents' house and during that amount of time, little man slept only like half an hour. After he FINALLY fell asleep and we got him comfortable in front of our feet, the stewardess came and told us to pick 'her' up, because the seatbelt sign was on. Grrrrrr!!!

 Our little guy has picked up more English words this month *Yay* Shoes, "no-no-NO", "More" and "oh, no!".

He has been great. So flexible with the crazy schedule we have had and the multiple locations.

Everyone comments about how big (and tan) Mateo is. I did not ever think he was so big for his age, but he is taller than all the others we have met who are his age. His feet seemed to have grown since we left 5 weeks ago and his hair has lightened with the sun.

Mateo has had the chance to play with some young'ins his age. He and his cousin have a love/hate relationship. They are so excited to see each other, but start screaming at each other within a few minutes. It is funny to see how much Mateo picks up from the older cousins! He and his little girlfriend have gotten along wonderfully. I guess there is no competition?

--------- I am 22 weeks pregnant and LOOK every bit it. I 'popped' around 20 weeks. Feeling good, just tired, but that is probably also from all the visiting and not enough sleeping. Photos to come at some point. We found out that it is supposed to be a girl. VERY excited, however the doctor said it was difficult to see, so to be prepared that things could change by my next appointment. I am hoping the gender doesn't 'change,' but if so, we are also fine with that.

18 weeks

Today marks 18 weeks. no photos because this is my first blog post on my kindle. SORRY for.mistakes. wenare I. America and did not bring.laptops. All.is.well with #2! We saw the doctor before we left last Thursday. I wore a maternity outfit for the first.time yesterday. A post with photos coming up.about the awesome gender reveal cupcakes!

Happy Easter!

So I had plans to take some really cute family pictures, maybe even announcement pictures today (or yesterday). I was finally gonna triple-barrel curl my hair and we were all going to wear springy clothes. Well, it is colder now than at Christmas! I just did not feel like putting all that effort it. Plus, I am babysitting my niece, so we have been a little busy this weekend.

I am writing right now while I am feeling GOOD! Maybe the prenatal vitamin I started yesterday helps?

I am guessing I am around 8 weeks, but should know better in a week or so. This pregnancy is rougher than the first on so far. With Mateo I don't remember feeling nauseated. I have been feeling nauseated since about week 5 (my calculations). Not that I have to throw up (VERY thankful!), but just feeling BLEH. Tummy pain and a gross taste in my mouth. It isn't all day or necessarily mornings. What I am noticing is that it is when I am resting. How annoying is that?  It makes it then very hard to get up. Maybe when I am busy I just don't notice it? Often when I lay in bed at night, I start feeling awful, so I hope to fall asleep ASAP.

My issues with food are familiar, only they seem to be lasting longer than last time. I remember about a week of something similar. First, nothing sounds good, so I don't eat, but then I am STARVING, which makes me feel sick and super grumpy, but then really nothing sounds good, but then suddenly something will and I have to try to have that. Once I get it I feel better, but then right after that thought of that same thing may make me feel gross.

Too much sugar makes me feel nasty, so that is a good thing. I am really going to try not to gain as much as last time, but I know it will be hard. I wish fruits and veggies were appealing, but right now I mainly want those comforting carbs. Toast with peanut butter, crackers, I would LOVE a bagel, pancakes...get the idea? Anything pasta is my idea of a good meal.

I was thrilled when I weighed today. Only 100 grams up from my lowest weight. I felt like I gained 5 lbs already.

Sorry my dear friend, Jessica. I did not exactly lie to you when you asked if I was pregnant. I just told you to answer the other friend 'no.' I thought there was no way I could tell someone besides one of our parents first. These days with all those connections out there, I don't dare trust anyone...

That is all for now...blogger friend here will keep my secret until I am ready to go public. I had better make sure I push save instead of publish!

22 Months

Once again, another month FLEW by! I am going to post this a day early, because tomorrow I work, then the next day/night we have a visitor for Mateo.  Baby Eva. I think of her as his cousin, but technically she is my husband's half cousin, so that makes her Mateo's 2nd half cousin? (that is why her mom thinks they can marry each other).

Last time I we babysat

Our little man makes us laugh all the time! I have said before how he copies everything we say/do, but I could never get him to say sorry. Stubborn guy. He threw his plate on the ground a few days ago, so stuck him in his high chair in the entry way. He scooted his way over and opened the door. He looked so proud that he did it, but he had to go back. I was frustrated and told him, 'You are sitting here until you say, 'Sorry.' I know you can say it!' So I shut the the door again and let him sit there about a minute, opened the door and he yelled, 'Sawwy!' Woah, we were laughing. Now to get him to repeat it at appropriate times.

In case you can't read Dutch on my other blog...#2!

Mateo has added several more words to his vocabulary. Ook (also), Op (all done), Open, Hot, Apple/appel, Baba (bottle), Nigh, nigh (good night/sleep), Hot, pipi, poo poo, Ouwie, Uh, Oh and he continues to say/recognize ff-ff as HOT!

Saturday night, so exhausted from the camp that he fell asleep in our bed and let me take out his pacifier!

I think we have an athlete on our hands. A few weeks ago he went and did a perfect summer sault in front of us. I know neither of us have ever taught him it, so it is something he picked up most likely from his cousins.

He LOVES his balls and plays with them or balloons all day. I think he also saw kids playing basketball on the weekend, because he keeps trying to bounce his ball. Everyone (well, anyone who can actually play soccer) comments at how unbelieveably well he can kick a ball.

My handsome little man taking it all in at the kids' camp. May 19th

Mateo shared some exciting news on Mother's Day.