The Montoya Family: April 2011

-He's talking WAY more than ever before. Full sentences and everything. A LOT of the time, I am the only one to understands him... and usually has to translate to others :) It's funny, because he was talking here and there, trying to put things together... and then just a few days ago, it was like it suddenly clicked, and he just hasn't stopped talking!

-He's VERY independent. "It's my turn!" or "Conny's turn!" is often what comes out of his mouth. When going to the bathroom, he has to open the door, turn on the light, lift up the toilet seat (go to the bathroom), and then flush, put down the seat, turn off the light and shut the door ALL on his own. If you do ANY of those things, he has a meltdown :(

-He LOVES sugar. I do my best to limit it, but if he had his way, he'd eat cookies, candy and cake all the time! He constantly asks for chocolate or cake or cookies for breakfast! Around dinner time today, he said "I'm hungry!" so I started to dish up his plate and he said "NO! I hungry for cake!"

-He's been throwing MAJOR temper tantrums lately. I think it's that he hasn't figured out exactly how to express when he's upset, so he just melts down. He LOVES building blocks, and if a single one falls, he throws himself onto the floor kicking and crying, as if his world is falling apart!

-He's very good about playing toys by himself... but he much prefers it if I sit by him while he plays. He doesn't want me to play with him... just sit by him. In fact, he just came in my bedroom, turned out my light and said "mommy... come sit on the chair (meaning the living room chair)" because he's out in the living room playing trains :)

-He is obsessed with trains. Still loves all transportation... but trains are his favorite! He just was given a train table with some trains from a friend from church and that is ALL he wants to do.

-Whenever he wants you to hold something for him (if he needs to do something, or has too much to hold) he hands it to you and said "hold me dis"... I don't know why, but I think it's so cute! :)

-He used to get VERY upset and would start crying if I was hurt of upset. But now when I hurt myself he says "mommy... what happened? Mommy... you ok?" and will come and give me a hug or kiss.

-Drives me bananas in the sleep department. He needs a nap... but if he takes a full nap... he won't go to bed at night til 10-11pm. But if he doesn't take a nap, he gets miserably fussy and usually falls asleep during dinner or VERY early... and then wakes up at 4:30-5am. So we're now trying to make sure he gets to sleep (his nap) by 1:30pm and then only letting him sleep an hour (he usually sleeps 2-3), and then trying to get him in bed by 8:30pm. We're only on day 1 of trying this.... so hopefully it'll will work :) ***update... it's 8:50pm and he's still not asleep and crying from his room... maybe it won't work :(

-One of his favorite phrases is "LET GO!"... usually when I pick him up or hold his hand or move him when he doesn't want to be touched. And it's oh so wonderful having him scream "LET GO!" while grocery shopping, while trying to wiggle out of my arms. Makes me look like a kidnapper!

-He loves calling all our family on the phone. He will call everyone (usually grandma, grandpa, Auntie Ya-Ya and Auntie Kate) and have a full conversation with all of them. Then he decides he's done, says bye, and hangs up on his own! He asks to call everyone about 2-3 times a day (I usually let him call once a day though).

-He's still afraid of nursery, even though I am one of the nursery leaders and am in there with him! When we pull into the parking lot of the church, he starts to cry and says no!! It's only been a few weeks I've been in there with him, so hopefully he'll catch on that I DON'T leave him anymore!

-He's very smart, and thinks he knows how to get what he wants. We were playing in the backyard, and then he wanted to go over the fence (into a grassy area we sometimes have gone in to take pictures). I told him no, and he kept saying "play in the grass." Then finally he said "I say cheese?!" Little stinker won't EVER say cheese while taking pictures (he runs from me and says no!), but he thought it might get him what he wanted this time!

-He's obsessed with milk. He asks for milk literally 20+ times per day. The moment he wakes up... when he gets tired... if he's bored... when he goes to sleep... when he's hungry... ALL the time! Of course I limit him, but he's now refusing to drink anything else :(

-His favorite foods are fruit (any kind) and cheese and yogurt. I try so hard to get him meat and veggies... but he's getting stubborn. So now I'm trying to get creative with dinners... the other day we had spaghetti with zucchini and carrots (shredded up) and he ate a whole bowl not even realizing what he was eating :)

-When I ask him to pick up his mess, usually he says no. But as soon as he wants to do something else I tell him he has to pick up his mess first and he says "ok... cweam up... cweam up.... cweam up..." (clean up) over and over until the whole mess is picked up :)

-He sat through his VERY first movie in the theaters recently. We saw Tangled and he LOVED it. We've tried a few movies in the past and he usually only makes it about 15-20 minutes before he's done!

*I guess that's about all I can think of now. I just have to write them down here or else I know in a few months I will totally have forgotten everything!!*