20 Months

A couple of weeks ago, Owen turned 20 months.  I'm really trying to enjoy him at this age, because our children really do grow up so incredibly quickly!

This age can be so fun, but also incredibly trying on my patience.  It seems to be the beginning of tantrums!  He is constructing simple sentences, "Let me out; set me down; I love you," and is completely into attempting to copy everything we say.  But I know many of his tantrums are still out of frustration - being unable to verbalize what exactly it is that he needs or wants at any given moment.   At times, he is so frustrated, that he'll resort to biting, rather than throwing a tantrum.  I'm not sure which is worse at this point....the crying on the floor, or Isaac crying because, "OWEN IS TRYING TO BITE ME!" 

It always amazes me to see how much he copies his big brother.  When Isaac was this age, it was rare that we would find him playing by himself.  Owen, on the other hand, will sit and play with his tractors "in the field" (read: carpet), he'll push a truck around, and he'll patiently hook up the trains from their Thomas the Tank Engine sets.  He's incredibly into books now, and adores his stuffed animals.  The stuffed animals are something Isaac was never really into, but Owen loves them.  Especially his cat and his pig!  We actually thought briefly about adding a cat to the family because Owen loves them soooo much.  He is from the Chinese Zodiac year of the Tiger, so maybe he feels like they are kindred spirits to him. ;)

He's growing up so fast, and many times, I find myself wishing that I could just push "pause" on my life, and his.  His chubby cheeks, his "chub chub" when he gets out of the tub, his laugh, his smile, his "mommy,.....ye-ove you,"  his requests for a kiss and a laugh, watching him laugh at the silliness of his brother, his big hugs (he'll run up and say, "HUG"), or his manners, "sank you."  Oh, and most recently, I discovered that he knows The Lord's Prayer.  He'll fill in the blanks when we stop.  I'm  amazed at how quickly the littlest among us grow and learn.  He brings so much joy and love to our household, we're so happy he's ours.  Love you O's!