Summer Update!

With Covid-19 still a big concern everywhere, this summer has been a little bit different than in the past.  We've spent a lot of solo-family time together (if that makes sense?!) and a lot of time outside.  Our isolation, however, hasn't stopped us from making some big decisions...we have a quite a few updates to share!

But first, some cuuuuuuute pictures of our fun in the sun.  

{Mimi + the fam}

I think Mimi has been enjoying our time outdoors the most!  She loves hanging out with us, just within sight and just out of reach.  We've been pleasantly surprised by how gentle and patient she is with Auggie, even when he pushes her.  They have a special kind of bond, and somehow he gets a pass.

{Auggie goes to the polls!}

{evenings with Dad}

The one positive thing about Covid-19 is that Don has worked less hours on a daily basis than he did before.  We've had more evenings with him than I can remember in a long time!  We've taken advantage with family walks, outdoor reading sessions, truck games, and take-out dinners.

{day-to-day happenings}

{4th of July}

{that sandal tan tho...}

{Don's ankle surgery}

One of our updates is that Don had surgery on his ankle last month.  It wasn't a traumatic injury or anything, more circumstantial.  Basically, he had a piece of bone that was growing in the wrong place for a long time.  It was beginning to affect his workouts because it was hitting tendons and causing some pain.  Because it would only get worse with time, Don decided it would be best to get the piece of bone taken out sooner rather than later.  The surgeon said it was a minor surgery...no no no.  I've had a minor surgery, and this was not that.  

He was in a cast with crutches for three weeks, completely non-weight bearing.  Somehow neither of us realized that he wouldn't be able to drive?  Surprise!  That meant that Auggie and I had to drive him to and from work during those three weeks (Also, this.  Don is a surgery trooper.  He went to work three days after surgery, even doing procedures while on his knee rover!)  It quickly became one of Auggie's favorite things, and we all looked forward to "drop-offs" and "pick-ups" with Dad everyday.  Thankfully, after the first three weeks he got a walking boot.  He's still in healing mode right now, but his ankle is finally starting to feel better.     

{eeeeewwwww}

{knee rovering at pick-ups}

{baby #2!}

This is probably our biggest news, apart from the other little thing that we're moving again.  But that's another post for another day because I'm pregnant!!  We were a little worried that it might take a while because it took almost two years to get pregnant with Auggie.  But not so.  I got those two positive tests after only two months.  Right now I'm 19 weeks, and my due date is January 7th.  I'll also be writing another post about my pregnancy, because this little nugget has been rough.  It has been very different than Auggie, so we're both excited and curious to find out if *maybe* it's a girl next week!  Stay tuned.

{our favorite auggie things}

Our sweet little Auggie is growing up so fast.  Over the past couple of months, we have been very surprised at how much (and how quickly!) he is learning.  It feels like his growth is exponential, and he copies everything we do.  Not to mention...the kid's got jokes, and we don't ever want to forget how smart and hilarious he is!

For starters, can we talk about all of his adorable word mispronunciations when he first started talking?!  He's already pronouncing things correctly these days, and I'm a little bit sad that he's not a brand new babbler anymore.

Word pronunciations:

please = peeez!

trash = taas!

truck  = tuck

water = daa-dee

pillow = pee-yo

rocks = yocks

basketball = baa-bo

monsters = mossers

idea = i-dEA i-dEA!
cleanup = pan-aam!
pizza = pi-zzia!
vitamins = viiiiiiiie-mins!
T-rex = teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-yex!

You'll notice some of the words have exclamation points at the end and some don't.  That's because there are certain things that Auggie gets really excited about.  He is one of the most enthusiastic, passionate, full-of-life little guys you'll ever meet!

Take vitamins, for example.  One day we gave him these little gummy vitamins as a treat, not thinking much of it.  It turns out they were like, the best thing that had ever happened to him.  Since then, he's been obsessed with vitamins. 

Now, every time we ask him if he wants vitamins he gets this exaggerated "ooooooooooohhhh!!" surprise face (like it's something new?!), clasps his fists together with white knuckle intensity, and shouts "viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie-mins!!!!" at the top of his lungs as he runs full speed towards the kitchen.  It's the same thing, everyday.  He also thinks that dad is the only one that gives him vitamins, so it's extra exciting when Don gets home from work.  We've since taught him that he only gets two vitamins per day, so to top off this daily episode of cuteness, he insists on declaring the number of vitamins he's allowed, "Only two! One and two viiiiie-mins!".

The best thing about his love for vitamins is how often he uses them as a topic in casual conversation.  If someone asks him what he did that day or what he wants to talk about....his response is always the same.  Vitamins.   If there is a lull in the conversation, he'll just turn to us and say "vitamins", as if it were the obvious go-to conversation starter.  His sweet, matter-of-fact facial expression is so confident that #vitamins will solve all the problems!  I think he truly believes that everyone loves vitamins as much as he does.  

Here are some of our other favorite Auggie-isms:

{Farmer Dan}

We can thank the back of the Kix box for this one, and it's too long of a story to tell.  Just know that if at any moment you ask Auggie what Farmer Dan says, his response is a very enthusiastic, "HullooooooooooooooduuurrHullloooodoidurHiiiiiyyoooooooooooodurrrr!!!!".  Translation...."well, hello there!".  I laugh just thinking about it.  For some reason, we think it is so so funny.

{Trash Truck/Recycle}

We started taking Auggie outside to watch the trash truck each week.  He learned very quickly that the trash truck comes on Friday, and if you ask him, he'll tell you!  He loves watching the trash truck and recycle so much that now he reminds us that it's coming.  Just last week I woke up to hear Auggie shouting from his crib in desperation, "trash truck! trash truck!  Friiiiiiiiday!".  I ran into his room all flustered, only to see that he was right!  Sure enough, the trash truck had come early that day, and it was on its way down our street that very moment.  He probably woke up to the familiar beeping sound and put it all together in his little head. 

{Seeks}

Auggie loves a good game of "seeks".  His favorite time to play is right before he's supposed to take a nap or go to bed.  He'll run in between his room and our room, waiting for us to come find him.  He especially loves playing with Don and always asks him to go hide.  He understands the concept of the game completely, which I just find incredible.

{Sneakies}

For whatever reason, Auggie thinks everything right now is "sneakies".  I'm sure at one point something scared him, and I probably told him it was being sneaky.  Well, it stuck with him.  If Don goes to the bathroom and the sound of the toilet flushing surprises him.  Dad...sneakies!!!  If Mimi walks by him unexpectedly.  Mimi...sneakies!!!  If he finds a toy monster underneath the table.  Mosser...sneakies!!!  It is really cute.  Who knew the unexpected could be so exciting?

{Memory}

Auggie has an incredible memory.  If you tell him something once, he remembers it.  At 21 months, he knows most of his letters and some of his numbers up to ten.  He loves when we read to him and has learned a lot from his books.  If you ask him, he can name several artists, including Dalí, Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh, and Chagall.  If you ask him who paints the water lilies, he says, "Monet", and he knows that Degas paints the ballerinas.  He can also tell you that when the apple falls from the tree, it bonks Newton on the head, and he most recently learned that Handel's Messiah sounds like Hallelujah.  When we first introduced the concept of rules, he thought about it for a couple of minutes, and then simply confirmed, "Rules....need em'".  

There is never a dull moment with Auggie and his enthusiasm for life is contagious!  He is full of surprises, always keeps us laughing, and always smiles extra big for the camera.  All the while, he reminds himself of his no-no's when he thinks we're not watching, and does his own voluntary cleanups just because.  We love him to the moon and back and couldn't have asked for a sweeter, more perfect kiddo.