17 Months - Oh shit Logan, oh shit.

You'll have to pardon your mother's language Logan bear, but this is one of the top words your dad and I hear all day. From you. This last month your language skills have exploded, just like some book I read said it would (around month 18 they said, HA! You're ahead of the game once again). You repeat just about everything we say or you hear from anywhere. I have to admit that you may have learned this word from me (and the toy that is supposed to say "Ship"). When I found out you were going to be a big brother back in October you got to be the lucky witness to the great event. I took three tests that all came up negative before I finally took the last one I had left. I was 100% sure it would be negative too, or else I would have waited for your dad to be home (I have a habit of taking pregnancy tests when he isn't home). When the second line showed up I looked at you and kid, you'll have to forgive me (and never tell your younger sibling), I said "Oh shit Logan, oh shit." Yeah, you might have learned it from me, but the good thing is, now that you repeat everything I say I will hopefully break my swearing habit before you are old enough to know they are bad words. Oh, and another good thing, you aren't going to be an only child.

One of the days your Grandma Hillier was here watching you she taught you (among other things), how to say heavy. We had a pumpkin on our front step and when I got home she told you to show me how to pick it up. You obeyed (you never obey me that fast) and put your hands under the pumpkin and strained so hard to pick it up while you said "EAVY!". Your voice was so filled with the effort of trying to lift that pumpkin that we both laughed so hard. Now everything is EAVY and seriously kid, just like everything else you say it is the cutest thing. I discovered yesterday that soup is my favorite word for you to say. I was making us lunch and you kept saying Soup. Soup. Soup. You were a little grumpy and had just woken up so your voice was so soft and the way you said it made me fall in love with the word soup. Speaking of love, your dad has succeeded in teaching you to say love you. It sounds more like "ove-oo" but whatever, we know what you mean.

Uncle Boo and Aunt Bre got in on the action last night when they came over for dinner. You were showing off your talents and physique by trying to climb up the kitchen chairs with no shirt on. You pulled yourself halfway up before your belly got stuck on the chair. We laughed at this for a minute before you let us know how serious the situation was by yelling "STUCK!" This made us laugh harder until finally someone had the goodwill to free you from your discomfort. It really has made life easier the more you talk and I look forward to hearing all the new words you have learned every day. You are well above 50 words by now I'm sure and well, your dad and I think you are a genius with every single one you add to the list.

You are also making the transition into nursery at church. Your dad and I have both recently gotten callings to teach primary/scouts. My class is NUTS. In fact, I told them yesterday that I didn't bring you into class that day because they were teaching you to be crazy. So dad took you to nursery. I wish I could see you in there. I wish I could be the one to take you in there and see how you react, maybe one of the weeks I don't teach I will, but until then I hang on the details your dad gives me. He told me how he took you in there yesterday and you did great. As soon as they brought out the toys you were set and he left. He even told me how when he checked on you through the window he almost got a tear in his eye - and that picture brings a tear to mine too. You did good until you pooped (why do you poop when we are in church?). The nursery leader told you that you stunk and she'd have to find your dad. Uh-oh. Apparently when she said the word dad it reminded you that you do indeed like your dad and oh, by the way, where did he go? When you couldn't find him you cried. I think that made your dad's day, even if he did end up changing a poopy diaper. I think we've even got you out of the habit of sticking your tongue out during the prayer and you actually fold your arms and sometimes I swear you bow your head. Yeah, your dad taught you to stick your tongue out at him during the prayer, he's just like that sometimes. The two of you are pretty cute.

So Logan you are 17 months old. I am going to hang on to 17 months like I did 11 months. 18 months is a big step in my mind. And by the time you have a new brother/sister you are going to be 2. And that's when people stop counting in months. They figure your parents have done well enough now that we don't need to be rewarded by counting every month we've kept you alive. You won't be 24 months, you'll be 2 and I know how fast that time will fly. So until that happens I'm going to hang on 17 months with all I've got. Keep learning, keep growing, but stay 17 months for a while please, because your momma still needs to feel like she's accomplished something by keeping you alive for 17 months.

Ove-oo,
Momma