18 months old

Dear Banks,

Last week you turned 18 months old! 1 1/2 years. We're on our way to 2 now! Where does the time go? You are into everything now! E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. But you are also getting so affectionate.

You are finally at a stage where I think I can say you have "friends." You talk about them, and not much calms you faster than asking you if you want to go see Parker" (Parkah!). But you know and recognize lots of other friends now too, and you love them too! Kennedy (Kendey), Whit, Grace (Gace), Tucker (Tuckah), Avery (Avry), Hayley and Marley (your school BFF's). It makes me happy that talking about any of your friends makes you grin from ear to ear!

You are getting better about saying your prayers. You fold your hands and mutter mutter mutter, then 'AMEN!'

You want to help your daddy work in the garage. You constantly hand him the tools that he does NOT need. Then your daddy finds the tools that he DOES need are strewn about the drive way.



You also talk about your extended family and you like to point them out in pictures. Grandma (Nammaw!), Pappy (Patty!), Ya Ya (YA YA!), Pa Pa (PA PA!), Nana (Nanna!) and all of your many aunts and uncles!

Your toy of the month is TOOT TOOT!! Also known as Thomas the Train. We watch the videos, read the books, and play with our train set. You're also a pretty big fan of George (Curious George).

You talk all day long. Sure wish I understood everything you were saying.




You are a sponge. We now have to watch everything we say! On vacation last week, you looked at me and said 'Shut Up!' Your papa had said it earlier in the day (in teasing of course!) and you repeated it later! Big grin when you said it, too. You were so proud!

You love a see-saw. 'Tee-saw! Tee-saw!'

You say things from your gut. When you quack like a duck, it comes from very deep within.




You are moving up to a big kid class at school next week... Toddler I! I can't tell you how sad I am to leave your Infant teachers. They really loved you, and you REALLY loved them! But you will love your new teacher too, and it's time for a bigger room with bigger toys!

You love to swim, run and play outside in general. You love boats, dogs, balls, hats and water.




Apparently, you have huge feet. While I've been stuffing your foot in a size 4 shoe, you really needed a 5.5 shoe! Good thing I had you measured last week! Your toes were probably about to fall off!

You have named yourself "Banksy." We didn't start that, baby.... You did. You started pointing in the mirror and saying Banksy!

You LOVE your Ma Ma! And your Ma Ma LOVES that! If Ma Ma is around - you want no one else. That's ok though. :)




You have shaggy blond hair that is getting REALLY blonde from the sun. I can't bear the thought of cutting out those curls again.

Your mommy and daddy love you from the bottom of our heart.

Kisses and hugs sweet baby,
Ma Ma and Da Da

Matter of Perspective

So today, I was sitting around bummed thinking that today was just NOT my day. By 10 AM, I had already gotten the call that Banks was being sent home from school again for biting. He's teething again, so not only was he biting his friends but he was biting himself. His mouth hurts - it wasn't malicious. But home he had to go. Then after a very busy day, my car battery died just 15 minutes before Banks's swimming lessons started. So, today was not my day, right?

Then, as I was flying to swimming lessons because we were running late, I had a realization. Today WAS my day!

When Banks's teacher called to tell me about the biting, I just so happened to be on the phone with Kristin discussing her grad school application. She immediately asked, "Do you need a babysitter?" Wow, God put her in just the right spot at the right time! So off we went to Kristin's for the day! And Banks had an awesome time, by the way! Then, I had a busy afternoon. I picked Banks up at 5:30, but it was 6:00 before I had him in his bathing suit and the car seat loaded back in my car. If I left right then, I would just make it to swim lessons on time. That's when I tried to crank the car, and realized I had a dead battery.

So I was mad. How frustrating. But then, I pulled the jumper cables out of my car and as I stared at the inside of my front hood wondering where the heck the battery was anyways, Billy just happened to drive by and stopped to jump me off. Again, God put someone in the right spot at the right time! Wow. And we were only 5 minutes late to swimming lessons.

When I realized this, I stopped speeding and just enjoyed the rest of my ride realizing that God had been in control all along.

Today WAS my day.

Charleston Sprint Triathlon

We had a wonderful night in Charleston last night with Krista, Jim, Haylee and Bill! And a WONDERFUL race this morning! I couldn't have been more proud of all of the boys (Jim, Bill, Jonathan, AND BANKS!!!!). The big guys raced like champs, and Banks behaved like a champ! It was really a huge adrenaline rush even for us girls watching. It's just so exciting watching the man you love more than anything in life compete in a race he's been preparing for during the past several months. And I felt SO PROUD to see him be successful!

Banks waved his sign and said "YAAAAY DA!" It was so sweet. Jonathan even heard him yelling during his transition when he was dropping off his bike!

#340! That's my man! The swim was really long. I would've been proud if he had only swam, but then he got out and biked and ran! How about that hat? Super hot. You know it.

Bill and Jonathan getting on the bikes! They were neck and neck at this point, but Bill's bike is super fast and he began to get a lead a little after this.


Chillin' and waiting for Da da to come around again. Did I mention he was SO good during the race?
Woo hoo!!! GO JONATHAN GO!

OK, Bill SMOKED it through the finish line! I mean - running like a sprinter through the end! He blew through it! Please note that neither of his feet are touching the ground at this point.

Also, it's important to note that even though the clock says 1:45 - that is not Bill's time. You have to subtract 23 minutes because Bill and Jonathan's heat started 23 minutes after the timer started.
I would also like to add that Jonathan also smoked it through the finish line! He turned up the heat, and took off! Go baby! I'm so proud of you!

Hooray! He finished! He doesn't even look winded, does he? I do love this man!

Hooray! Jonathan with his 2 biggest fans!

Splash!

A few weeks ago the church rented out Splash for the night, and so we took Banks on his first water park experience! They have this wonderful splash pad for toddlers and Banks was in awe! I couldn't get him to look at the camera because he was mesmerized by the fountains of water! You can see he is totally in the water zone... he doesn't even know we are still around!

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4th of July

Back to the lake we went for the 4th of July... we almost didn't go, but I'm really glad we did because this was an incredibly peaceful holiday weekend! No fuss over big meals. No big plans. Just the water, the wind, a good book, peaceful boat rides, and a few well timed naps (for me and Banks...). The humidity was way down, so it didn't even seem all that hot. Sometimes you just need time to do not much of anything!

Jonathan decided he would try to slalom this weekend! Greg convinced him to ski last weekend, so now he had the bug! He wanted to try and get up on one ski... and he did the first try! What an athlete! He got right up, and skied for a looooong time before he finally signaled for us to take him back to the house.

Banks apparently decided that it's time for glasses.

Four generations.

Yay! This was Banks's second try on the tube, and he didn't cry! Nope. No tears. Instead, he fell asleep. Swear! He fell asleep in Jonathan's arms on the tube! This picture was right before he started to nod. Poor baby. He had a big weekend!

Lake weekend!

Ok ok ... I've been slack. Two weeks and nothing to say! Last week was a tough one, but I've been rejuvenated by the holiday weekend and I have lots of pictures to post!

Two weekends ago we had a fabulously fun and relaxing lake weekend with the Olliffs! Well - relaxing as it could be with 3 kiddos, but I'll say relaxing nonetheless because kiddos do sleep and we had time to hang out!

Kennedy makes me laugh, and she makes me realize what I'm in store for by next summer. When she wanted to go on a boat ride, she would ask if we could "make the boat move". Ha! Compare that to Banks right now.... he just pulls on our hand and whines when he wants to go for a ride. Boy, all that language can't come fast enough! He's trying though, bless him, and by the holiday weekend he was finally saying "boat." When Greg and Jonathan skied, she said they were "chasing" us. So funny!

They had fun together, sweet kids. Many thanks to the Olliffs for joining us! We had a great time!

No way we could get all 3 kids to look at the camera. Or even 1 kid.

Boy don't we have our hands full on the boat! At least the babies were soooo good!