17 Months

We are incredibly blessed with such an amazing little guy who is such a joy in our lives. Miles turned 17 months old today! I can't believe how quick time is passing. I know everyone always says, "It seems like yesterday when he was born." But this statement is very true. I try and cherish each and every moment I get with this vivacious dude. I thank God every day for giving me such an awesome child who is perfect in our eyes.

We actually weighed and measured Miles this time. He weighs 28lbs. I think he's lost weight because he is such a busy body. He stands at 33.5 inches tall. We think he is going through a growth spurt right now. He eats nonstop!

Here are some of this month's MILEStones:

• I am busy and into anything and everything.
• I am quick.
• I can run.
• I love to dance.
• I know where my nose, hands and toes are (thanks to Mommie Cica!)
• I can point out several things in books, including the moon, cats, dogs, zebras, chairs, and toothbrushes.
• Every night while Mommy/Daddy prepares my bath, I go to the drawer for my toothbrush and toothpaste.
• I like to snuggle with my talking Scout dog while I doze off to sleep.
• I can say these things: moon ("moo"), tree ("tee"), I want that ("wah dat"), cat ("tat"), and more ("mo").
• I throw temper tantrums when I don't get my way by screaming and kicking my legs.
• I have been to time out a few times.
• I still love Yo Gabba Gabba.
• I can recognize people I know in pictures.
• I can climb on and off chairs and couches.
• I imitate things I see and hear.
• My favorite food is still macaroni and cheese.
• I love ice cream and yogurt.
• I can follow simple directions like going to get a toy or diaper.
• I am better at walking up and down steps.
• I can give kisses.
• I love dogs and cats.
• I am getting pretty good at cause and effect.
• I can throw a ball. 
• I am beginning to appreciate plates instead of throwing them off the table.
• I put my hands over my ears whenever I hear something loud or unpleasant.
• I still love outside and wish I could be out there all day.
• I love to play hide and seek with Mommy and Daddy.
• I have 16 teeth.
• I still drink warm milk in the morning before breakfast.
• I don't care for vegetables, but I am beginning to explore more types of fruit.
• I like to be told "no" so I can immediately go back to doing whatever I was doing again.
• I crave attention.
• I am wearing 24 months, 2T and some 3T clothes.
• I am still in size 5 diapers.
• I know not to do things, but I wait until Mommy and Daddy aren't watching so I can do it anyway.
• I like to carry things like shirts, stuffed animals, and small toys around the house.
• If I dump or take something out of a container I usually pick it up without pitching a fit.
• I try to climb up people when I want them to pick me up.
• I still cuddle when I'm tired.
• My favorite snacks are goldfish, teddy grahams, and grapes.

Miles getting his 3rd haircut at Little Rascals.

Miles picking wildflowers.

Miles throwing a tantrum because we couldn't get his juice from the waitress at Cracker Barrel quick enough.

Miles can brush his teeth, but only after Mommy or Daddy brush them first.

I caught Miles kind of picking up one day...

This is how he does before he takes a nap. He likes to chill and talk to himself.

Miles' First Time on the Lake

Friday night as I was winding down from our beach vacation, I got a phone call from a teacher friend of mine. She invited us to go out on Pickwick with them this past Saturday. I told her I'd let her know. Well, despite my exhaustion, Matt and I jumped at the chance to have a day of fun on the water with Miles and some great friends.


Carol Ann, her husband Brian, and their daughter Logan took us on a Saturday extravaganza...featuring tube riding...

...yes Miles rode in a tube (very slowly)...

...pontoon driving with Carol Ann...

...pontoon napping... (I think he took the best nap of his life!)

...and a little lake swimming with Logan. 

He is wearing a life jacket called a puddle jumper. They are the BEST!! I advise moms of swimmers out there to definitely invest in one of these. They don't ride up on their little chins and are U.S. Coast Guard approved.

Miles liked the lake better than the ocean because it was a lot calmer. He would cry every time we made him get out of the water.

He enjoyed riding on a boat for the first time, too.

Pickwick is a pretty lake. I had never been before until Saturday so Miles and I both had some firsts that day. A HUGE thank you to the Williams family for asking us to go "laking" with them. We had a great time.

Coming Home

The way home from vacations are always depressing, and this one was, too. Miles even could sense that our awesome vacay was over. I didn't ride with him because I drove NeNe's car most of the way home. Honey says that Miles was very fussy. We didn't stop as much, and this is probably why Miles was unhappy.

In fact, he went a straight 4 hours in the car without stopping as we traveled from around Spartanburg, S.C. to almost Crossville, TN. We made a stop at a rest area near Crossville.

Miles and Joe Pa enjoyed stretching their legs a little bit.

Despite his fussing, we made it home in pretty good time. Miles was pumped to see his Daddy and puppies.
We are so grateful for the special family time we got to have on this trip. We made so many wonderful memories that we can talk about for years to come.

Even More from Myrtle

Our last day on the beach was by far the best! We woke up really early and stayed out all day long.

The water was the best on this day.

So...much so, that Miles got in and played and rode some waves. But there was a little bit of a scare on this day. We had to get out of the water for about an hour because someone got bit by a little shark.

Oh...and Joe Pa got Cica and I some new sunglasses.

And Miles made some friends.

That night we cleaned, packed, and grilled steaks. Then, we decided to head down to the beach for one last walk and for Miles to play at the playground.

During the beach trip, Honey taught Miles about the moon and even how to say moon.

My little sweetheart! I love him so very much!

And...then there's my sister, my best friend, and my partner in crime, Cica! We are crazy, but we have a lot of fun in the process.

I just adore the landscape at Myrtle Beach. The beaches are lined with dunes filled with this grass. It is just beautiful!

I thought the beach was gorgeous, but Miles was more interested in the cool playground in the sand.

And the swings...

...and the slide.

More from Myrtle

The next day in Myrtle Beach was spent doing much of the same thing....We sunned and hung out under our tent (they allow these on the beach, but are about to outlaw them because they are dangerous when storms come...more on storms and tents a little later).

And Miles took naps on a quilt under the tent as well as played in an inflatable pool we brought with us. NOTE TO MOMS: Take a quilt and inflatable pool with you to the beach. The quilt is so convenient for naps while the pool keeps them busy and happy. 

We also went to eat at a local place called the Inlet Crab House. They have really fresh seafood.

The next day....well, you know the drill....

Miles snoozed and we sunned...but this day was cut short because a brutal thunderstorm blew up on us. This is the storm I mentioned earlier. Well, we actually beat the storm back to the house. However, when Cica and I had almost gotten ready, Joe Pa called and asked about the tent. (He had been fishing.) I told him we left it on the beach because it is hard to take down. He said it has to be gone because the winds were very strong. Honey asked Cica and I to go and check on the tent. It was still lightning out and raining! We were scared to death. Once we got to our spot on the beach, the tent was still there, unlike countless other tents and umbrellas that were floating in the ocean. But, sadly, the tent was broken. Cica and I were having a tough time figuring out what to do and then Joe Pa came to the rescue. Needless to say, we ended up throwing the tent away and got our friends a new one.

That night, after the stormy tent adventure fiasco, we went out to the Marsh Walk, where we ate at Creek Ratz and walked around on the boardwalk.

You can't really see them...but the marshy island in the picture has goats on them. They stay on that island to eat the grass. And in the background of the picture are huge multi million dollar homes.

Honey and Miles admiring the goats...or as one lady called them, "baby cows."

Creek Ratz

Our little "Creek Rat"

He has been fascinated lately with lifting his shirt up and showing his belly button.