18 Months

Today PJ is exactly 18 months.  2 years ago I was in New Zealand jumpseating with Air New Zealand,just barely into my second trimester of pregnancy.  How times have changed.  Today I rushed home from hosting Air New Zealand in the engineering cab.  Funniest part for me was that it was the same pilot today as I had met two years ago.  Still super supportive of being a family person and a career woman.  I am so grateful to be working in my position where I can do both.  In the past 18 months I have learned a lot about being a working momma, and some days are definitely easier than other days, but could not be happier.  At the end of a long day I get to go to daycare and pick up my son who 9 times out of 10 is thrilled to see me. PJ lights up and comes running towards me with so much enthusiasm I have teared up a time or two.  The 1 time out of 10 that I do not get my little boy running toward sme is when he is into snacktime or playtime outside on the slide.  At first I was offended and definitely embarassed as PJ screamed the whole way to the car, "NOOOOOOOOOOO".  But I truly am happy to know he has interests already; food and playtime that he finds enjoyable to him. 
As I reflect on the last 18 months, the main emotions I feel are joy, excitement, and a little fear.  Joy that we have made it this far, and we are still smiling; ready to welcome a second baby to our family.  Excitement for what is to come, since its been so much fun and challenging so far.  A little fear that I am not enjoying enough of the now. 
So to enjoy the now let me tell you what has been happening with PJ this month...
My all time favorite new happening is that PJ is sharing his kisses beyond Cheyenne.  Thats right Momma and Daddy get kisses too! PJ kisses on our request and most recently on his own he offers them up.  He even gets frusturated with you and denies them, which I actually love just as much.  He is finding his voice.  Some days his voice hurts my feelings, since hearing "No. No. No." and "Mine. Mine. Mine" over and over again for long bouts of time is trying, but thats part of being a mom, right? 
Speaking of finding his voice, PJ is saying a lot more words, some we know and some we can't yet identify. Lucky for us PJ repeats enough times that we will get the unidentifiable words eventually.  As for the words we do recognize, the favorite for Ry is Dada.  yep he is finally calling Ry, Dada.  G-ma and Poppy also have names, no longer do they have to share Momma.  PJ calles G-Ma, Eeeeee and Poppy, Bubba.  I am not sure where Bubba came from since PJ determined Bubba while we were in Seattle and not with Poppy.  Poppy does call him Bubba a lot, but do you think he actually remembers that?  Either way its pretty cute whenever he is frusturated with me because he doesn't understand or when we are in the car, he calls to be over and over again.  "Eeeeeeeeee, Gruck (Truck), and Bubba, Gractor."  To which I respond, "yep G-ma loves you and drives a tractor, Poppy loves you and drives a tractor." Then we talk about all his family that loves him, Satanley, Aunt Sammi, Uncle Troy, Ome, Granpa Dave, etc. 
This month PJ loves his animal sounds.  He also loves pointing to things in books and around him and identifying them with his word.  He likes to tell me everything is hot, even when its not hot, but may at one time have been hot or he thinks could be hot.  Until recently this was adorable, its starting to take a little more patience from me.  Not only is he telling me things are hot even when they are not, he is starting to test them. Which is good that he is starting to hear me say nope, the door is not hot.  But he is also starting to test me when I say something is actually hot.  The meaning of the word has been lost a bit.
Funny boy.  I love having a toddler.  Next week we are going to Hawaii on our first family vacation.  I can't wait for him to swim and play in the sand.  There will be lots of good stories to share!