Miles turns 15 months!!

 

15 month stats:

Weight: 25.26 pounds.

Height: 31.5 inches.

Eating:  ALL the food - and lots of whole milk!

Clothes: 18 months fits best!

Diaper: Size 4

Shoe Size: No idea

Miles Samson:

I'm so sorry this is late AND that I skipped your 14 month post - in the times of pandemic, things are strange - though not for you, sweet boy. I think you're thriving in this time - you're loving the unlimited family time, the outside time, the cousins / aunts / uncles. You're doing so well and you've grown leaps and bounds in the past 2 months. 

You are now a walking / running / jumping / climbing / talking / singing / dancing sweet little thing and I can't get enough of it. You tell us exactly what you want and you've discovered the world of YELLING - you like signing while saying "all done " and "more" but mostly, you now just point with the cutest little finger and what you want to do next. 

You love to play and you're really great at independent play. You also love climbing on your brother and sister, climbing into the laps of all your cousins, hugging Uncle Matt, Facetiming anyone, playing with your cups, playing on the slide, reading ALLLLL the books - you just started coloring. Every single day, you learn something new and your little brain is sucking up allll the information.

You like TV - your favorite shows are Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Cocomelon, Little Einsteins & Jack Big Music Show. You love music and your favorite song is still Baby Shark. 

You are teething on/off but still have the same 6 teeth - I'm hoping a new one pops through soon! You go to sleep between 6:30 - 7:00 PM everynight. You were waking up between 4:00 - 5:00 AM but we're starting to push that back to 5:00 - 6:00 AM. Sometimes you'll wake up in the middle of the night but it's random. You nap twice a day - once in the morning from 9:00 - 11:00 AM and once in the afternoon between 1:00 - 3:00 PM. We usually have to wake you from the naps. I know you'll start taking one nap a day soon so I'm still enjoying the two naps a day.

You love food - all food - any food. You're willing to try anything so I keep introducing new foods in the hope it'll stick. Your favorites are BANANA (you say Nana all day, everyday), pasta / sauce, eggs, bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter, fruit loops, pancakes. You still get 4 bottles a day of whole milk - I know I need to transition to sippy cups but there's something so sweet about you taking a bottle. 

Grandma stayed with us for 3 weeks to help watch you and it was so great - I think the two of you bonded so much. We were missing your awesome nanny, Miss Kristen - but now she's back and it's great!! 

You are totally obsessed with Mom-Mom, the dogs (LIVERPOOL & LONDON), the cats (RIGBY), my wallet (emptying it everywhere), taking walks outside in your shoes, bananas, baby shark, bathes - your list of loves is evergrowing. 

We love you so much - you are the missing piece to our family puzzle. This pandemic has changed the world - it all feels so weird and scary and strange - but you are an ever constant happiness and for that, I'm thankful.

LOVE YOU M.

Mama

Layla turns 9!!!

Weight: 63 pounds.

Height: 55 (maybe?) inches 

Eating: You are a creature of habit. 

Clothes: 10

Shoe Size: 3 

HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY!!!!!

I'm so sorry I'm nearly a month late in writing this for you - between a pandemic, working from home, and assorted other madness - it's tricky sitting down at a computer to write to you. BUT...here I am :) 

If there was ever a year of transition, I think this was it. You went from being a big sister to Benny... to becoming a true second Mama to Miles. Your heart is SO pure, SO kind, SO FULL OF LOVE. You cry when you're happy / sad/ scared. You're sensitive and emotional and wonderful - a true angel on Earth. 

While we've watched you truly transition into a pre-teen kid, I'm SO happy I still see you as the child you are. You love to play with your toys (LOL dolls, Barbies, Calico dolls). You love to do art (and make slime). You love to play games (Ticket to Ride, Uno, Shopkins Go Shopping). You are a big girl with a kid heart and it makes me happy. 

You just wrapped up your 3rd grade year and it was NOT EASY...we finished the second half of the year totally at home due to the Pandemic. You totally adapted with ease - you did your homeschooling everyday without complaint. You read constantly. You missed your friends fiercely. You miss recess / aftercare / normal life. It breaks my heart that we are living in this very strange time. We have been home for nearly 4 months. You and your brothers have barely left the house. We spend a lot of time outside and we are SO lucky to have you as the optimistic outlook - always willing to see the positive side.

Here is a list of 9 things going on with you today....

1. I can't believe how beautiful you are. You are so tall and so lovely. LONG light hair, big blue eyes, fair skin getting more sunkissed everyday. Your face is sprinkled with freckles. Your teeny body is the best at giving hugs!

2. 3rd grade was a wonderful, learning year. Your teacher, Ms. Townsend, was so sweet and lovely. She took on the pandemic / homeschooling in stride and made you feel okay with all the changes. You had wonderful friends and really loved to read - any graphic novel you can get your hands on.

3. The food struggle...any everlasting tricky part. You eat the same few meals everyday and while we keep trying to get you to try new foods but it's a struggle. Your favorite foods - bacon, pork roll, chicken nuggets, french fries, nutella, strawberries, apples, grapes. 

4. Your favorite things include: movies (Mama Mia), TV (lately, Nailed It, Simpsons, Liv & Maddie, Fuller House), singing, reading, shopping at Justice, begging for another puppy, playing with Miles, playing with Benny, being around your BFF Avery, playing with ALL of your cousins (you really adore Marley, Sam & Remi). We love Broadway and we are missing all the shows so much. Can't wait to go back to NYC!! You LOVE to dance. You LOVE to put make-up on. You LOVE to lay on the sofa curled up under a blanket snuggled to me watching a movie. You LOVE your nightly sleepovers with Benny and refuse to sleep alone. 


5. You are THE BEST HELPER. Seriously. I don't know if there are many kids that will drop whatever they are doing to help with Miles, grab a diaper, grab wipes, get him a snack. Your patient and sweet and easygoing. 

6. We had a great birthday party despite it being SO different then we had planned. You were meant to have a party at a Rock Wall Climbing place but it was cancelled due to the Pandemic. Instead, we had a swim party at the house with family and your besties (Averi, Izzy & Emmy) - it was so much fun. We had a big birthday sign on the front lawn, balloons galore, beach themed decorations, Kona Ice Truck, a pinata and a Simpsons cake. TOO MUCH FUN!!

7. It is so sad that camp was cancelled because you were so excited. We are trying to make the best of summer without camp but it's tricky. During the pandemic, you took singing lessons with Alexa (my distant cousin) and LOVED it! You also virtually participated in a play (Charlotte's Web) and it was great!

8. You LOVE the pets - we miss Shluffy (our dear cat that died) - but we added sweet Liverpool to the mix!! Between Rigby, Livie & London - our house is full of fur and love. You're always asking for ANOTHER puppy which will never happen. Or maybe it will. WHO KNOWS ;)

9. You are my best little friend. We are the only girls in our family and it's our job to teach these stinky boys how to act. I love you beyond words and I'm so lucky to call you mine.  

Some questions I asked you...so many of the answers were the same from last year! I love that.

Favorite Food: Nutella with whipped cream or vanilla cake with cheesecake filling from Costco
Favorite Color: Teal or Sea Green
Favorite Movie: Mama Mia 2
Favorite TV Show: Bob's Burgers
Favorite Song: Waving Through a Window - Dear Evan Hansen
Favorite Actor: Dove Cameron 
Favorite School Subject: Art
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Favorite Vacation: Grandma's House or Disney World
Best Friend: Avery, Juliet, Paige, Izzy & Piper
When you grow up, you want to be: Singer / Songwriter 
Favorite Thing About Yourself: "I'm caring"
Favorite Thing About your Body: "My hair"
Favorite Toy: Barbie Skate Park
Favorite Book: Boy Crazy Stacey from Babysitter's Club Series
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Holiday: Hanukkah 

***A few pictures***