Our Beautiful Three: Macario is 23 Months Old

Dear Son,

You are 23 months old today. It certainly does not feel like it has been 23 months since I first held you in my arms, but the calendar says it has. What’s more incredible is that soon I will be holding both you and your brother and I cannot wait! I think you’re going to be a great big brother.

We talk so much about your brother now that you will mention him on your own as well. The other day you picked up a sticker and said, “Here, mama. It’s brothers.” I spelled it correctly for reading purposes but actually you currently pronounce brother as “brubber”

This month you’ve been much more talkative and inquisitive. Every morning when you wake up you come out rubbing your eyes and reach for me to hold you. As soon as I have you in my arms you start asking, “Where’s daddy? Where’s Bella? Where’s Framma (grandma)?” You continue on down the list of people of know asking where everyone is. Sometimes you ask more than once so this can go on for quite a while!

Reaching for morning hugs!

Bed Head!

The amped up communication skills are extra fun because it means I get to have telephone conversations with you now. I’ve called to check on you at both grandma’s houses and when they put you on the phone I hear “HI, mama!” and then a very excited description of what you’re doing. The last time I talked to you on the phone you told me about dirt, and bugs, and airplanes and playing ball with Bella. I was in tears because I missed you so much and felt I was missing a lot by being away from you, but I’m so glad that I can communicate with you now so that if ever you miss me when I’m at work you can call and talk to me.

I can imagine that happening a lot especially considering how affectionate you are. I bet it will translate to mid-day calls from you just to say a quick, “Hi, mom. I love you.”

Lately you have started asking for hugs by saying “hold you.” It’s as if you’re saying “I want to hold you.” When you say it to me I’ll ask “Do you want to hold me?” and you’ll answer “Hold me.” This is another super cute thing and I always get a chuckle out of it.

Last month I was boasting about how I was the go-to person when anyone was trying to decipher what you were saying and that is almost not necessary anymore. In most cases you speak very clearly. You even cleared up some subtleties in your pronunciation of words like adding the “t” sound in “auntie.” Last month, you were still saying “Annie” but now you say “Auntie.”

You currently have a favorite bedtime story. It’s called “Night Night, Baby.” I was sort of confused the first time you asked for the book by name. I refer to the act of going to bed as going “night, night” so when we get ready for bed I will ask, “are you ready for night, night, baby?” That first time you asked for the book you kept saying “nigh, nigh, baby” and I kept answering “yes, it’s time for night, night” until you got so frustrated you pointed to the rocking chair and said “Book!” I then realized you were asking me to read the book “Night Night, Baby” and I was thoroughly impressed.

I know I’m proud of you and all you do mostly because I’m your mom, but that’s what moms do. It’s so gratifying when Daddy and I can see the product of our efforts coming out in you through your development and behaviors.

You always want to hold your book after I read it too!
I've never been able to get you to form an attachment to any stuffed animals, but this works!

That being said, I’m proud to also say you can identify colors by matching/sorting them with ease. As well, you can identify by them by stating their name and point to corresponding colors when we call out different names. You can also identify shapes.

A funny game you play is scaring people. You will pretend to be a lion or dinosaur or bear or anything that growls. It’s so fun. You make a snarly face and in a roaring voice will say “DINE-SORE” (dinosaur) or “RION!” (lion) or “BERRRR!” (bear). We really get a kick out of it. You will also just yell and pretend you’re a monster in which case you’ll shout “MON-SER!”

Another funny game is “Ready, Set, Go!” Your voice is so cute when you say it because you are so enthusiastic. You will say it as you prepare to go down a slide, while racing on bikes with whichever adult you’ve suckered in (ha ha) when throwing a ball, etc. Everyone loves to play with you and there’s no question why!

I continue to claim this to be my favorite age. You’re still very much my baby and yet becoming such a smart and active little boy. It’s been so fun to experience your personality and receive your affection. Especially when you say to me or daddy, “I wub oo!” (I love you).

A low point this month was when you had a diaper rash. You got off almost scott free the first year and in the second year you’ve been so much more susceptible to them. This was the worst diaper rash ever! It was so bad you spiked a fever of 104 and the skin was very raw. I did everything I knew to do and finally called the advice nurse who gave me further care instructions. I was told not to use diaper wipes. The ones we have always used are unscented and formulated for sensitive skin, but she said that even the chemicals in those would irritate the skin further at that stage. So of course I felt bad, but thankfully we’ve picked up cloth diapering more heavily now and so I had cloth wipes on hand which is what she suggested I use. I had to spray you with water, and then pat dry with a wash cloth. Also, I was told to apply an antifungal ointment to the rash and top that with regular diaper rash cream. I did everything as instructed even going as far as hosing you off in the shower after each poopy diaper so I would not have to wipe at all and the rash was better within a few days of doing so.

I was so relieved when the rash calmed because it was hurting you so badly that you would shake from pain at every diaper change. It was miserable to watch and I cannot imagine how miserable it was to feel it.

You also had your first big boy knee scrape this month. I talked about it in my latest weekend recap, but when you saw the blood (which you never had seen before) you cried, "Mama, it has tolor!"

We are currently planning a small birthday party for you at a local kiddy amusement park. Ever since Daddy took you there for the first time you have loved going. You even recognize when you are going there by the surroundings of the neighborhood. The first time I joined you guys you burst into hysterical laughter and excited squeals as you realized we were going to the park. I think you’ll love the special activities they offer for birthday parties!

Last year I took you to take your first birthday pictures at a studio and they did a great job, but I really felt like it would be awesome if I could save that money and do the shoot myself. That is what we did this last weekend and I have to say I’m so proud of how they turned out. It’s hard to get a bad picure of you because you’re so cute, but it’s also hard to get a professional looking picture either because you’re so active!

Here is the best of what I got and I have to say I’m very proud!