The most important milestone

I need to write down some "by the book" milestones that Tucker has met over the last couple of months but the most important milestone in my opinion is one that I have never read about in a book...responding to a "give mamma a kiss" request.

Tucker loves his reflection in the mirror. He has for a long time. He smiles and reaches out to touch his face in the mirror. One day I said- can you kiss the baby? And he opened his mouth and gave the mirror baby a huge wet kiss. There's a slobber kiss on the mirror in the kids' bathroom that needs to be cleaned off right now...I keep meaning to do that...anyway-

So, once I knew he understood "kiss" I started asking him to kiss me all the time. He kisses me by leaning his head over to me and letting me kiss him. BUT, last night, after hours of neglect (I had been cooking and doing some baby shower projects with a friend) Tyler handed Tucker over to me and he lunged for my face with his mouth open wide and just slobbed my face up! It was wonderful. I could feel his excitement to get into my arms. He did it again and I couldn't quit laughing. It was the sweetest thing.

Other less important milestones-
He is walking behind a walker. He loves it. Eventually his little legs get tired but he doesn't want to stop so he will keep trying to get up and go again and then fall out in the floor frustrated with his little body's limitations.

He is throwing fits. When Madeline takes her princesses away from him he either flails his hands wildly hitting his lap or falls out in the floor on his belly kicking and whining. It's hilarious.

He plays patty cake. He's really good at the clapping part, the "roll it" part, and the "pat it" part. Tyler says the way I demonstrate the "throw in the oven for the baby and me" part is way too flamboyant and is trying to teach him a more masculine hand gesture. Whatever. Tucker is going to have crazy baby jazz hands if I have any say in it.

He's been pulling up for a while now and "cruising" down the couch. Yesterday I asked him "where's the baby" on his yo baby yogurt cup and he touched the baby. I also asked him to give mommy a bite of his lunch and he handed me a cracker bite after much goading.

He's just the best. Still not much of a day time sleeper but it is getting better. Most days he'll take one hour and a half nap. I'll take it.

My Madeline is doing so good. She is so funny. Every day she'll come up with a new phrase or story that cracks us up. The other day she said, "I hate to tell you this but..." More and more I find myself mustering up the strength to remain calm during her fits. I don't take them so personally now. I just breathe and try to go to a happy place and just love her. We are still using a star chart and a "family movie night" each week as her reward for good behavior. We love family movie night. We all pile in the bed and watch a good movie and then pass out. Madeline is a sidewinder. I have to remove her head or feet from my back at least three times throughout the night.

She is becoming more of a nurturing big sister lately. She has gotten wise to Tucker and loves to run through the house trying to out run his crawling to shut her door when he is headed for her toys. She has allowed him to play with her tag teddy several times- this is a teddy bear that goes everywhere with Madeline and the one thing that Tucker has always wanted to get a hold of. She will give him some less significant character in her princess collection to pacify him so that we can continue our pretending. She is developing empathy- the single most important trait I want to instill in my children. Last night she took a book away from her friend and I asked her if Mary Claire looked happy or sad. She said that Mary Claire looked sad and gave her back the book. I was SO proud.

Tucker is holding his own with Madeline and giving her a dose of her own medicine. He pesters her and just laughs and laughs. Every morning after I have fed him we sit on the couch for a few minutes before play and every morning he goes after her blankie. Every morning he just grins and giggles while trying to snatch it and every morning she freaks out and screams "NO TUCKER!" It's great.

They love entertaining each other in the back seat. Madeline spits sometimes. I don't know why or how it started but Tucker thinks it is great and just dies laughing every time. I don't encourage the behavior but I do quietly crack up in the front seat. Madeline loves to make him laugh. He also loves it when she kicks his car seat. She's not being mean she just knows it will make him laugh. Silly kids. I hope they keep making each other laugh.

That's all for now. My mucinex woke me up at 3:30 but now it is 5:30 and I think I might be able to sleep for a bit. I should seize the opportunity and exercise but I'm not going to. Tyler and I get to go to a fancy Christmas party tonight and the dress is already bought and fits perfect. I'd hate to lose any weight between now and 6 p.m. and have an ill fitting dress.