No one enjoys asking how old your child is and hearing you say, "26 months!" At least, I don't... I'm all for hearing, "Oh, he's two." So I've decided now that Zaney-Baby is two years old, I'll still do monthly pictures, but they will instead be "September 2017" pictures rather than a specific "age" month. I mean, can I really keep track once he is like 93 months if I can't even keep 26 months straight???

Zane is loving life and a really excellent big brother. He gets to do all of his favorite things, now with a side kick! He likes to put toys in Troy's hands, as if he is playing along. He also likes giving Troy kisses and sharing his blanket with him. 

Zane is seriously talking like full on paragraphs. It is incredible to hear how his little mind works. His imagination is also incredible and it is so interesting to hear his perspective on things. Zane can count to 5 (sometimes), knows his colors, animal sounds, and we are working on shapes and the alphabet. He is still taller than tall, skinny and trim, and wearing big boy panties almost all day now (except for when we go to the store or somewhere we know he will forget to go to the bathroom if he is overwhelmed). He has some accidents, but they are far and few between. 

Zane loves superheroes lately and his special favorites are Spiderman and Captain America. I don't care for Captain America though, so his love will be short-lived. The funny thing is Zane has never seen a superhero movie or show. He is simply basing his love off of toys we find at the D.I. or toys we have been given. I'm pretty sure he stole that Spiderman toy he has from his uncle, Henry, but who knows at this point. 

Zane does not like his clothes being dirty and has learned how to take them off even if there is a small drop of water on them. He also does not like "boogies" so he will pick his nose and wipe the boogies off on your hand if he can reach it. He's a real charmer. 

Zane loves to be a rascal and every day he asks to go to the park. He would live there if he could. I think the biggest accomplishment Zane has made recently is how articulate he is. He easily expresses himself and is constantly talking. The other day I winked at him and he said, "Mama, don't wink at me. I don't like your face when you wink. It looks mean." So, I've got that going for me.

Enjoy these pictures of Zane, who happened to spill some milk on himself at breakfast and now refuses to wear clothes. We choose our battles, and seeing his little buns in undies is not one of them. 

To see Zane's pictures from last month, head on over here!

Troy is one month old already and my little mama heart can't take it! He is the sweetest baby, and I feel so blessed to have him in our family. Troy has been the sweetness we've been missing and we didn't even know it until he was here!

Troy is a mama's boy (about flippin' time I got one of those!) and he loves being snuggled and held. We will see if he is still a mama's boy when he gets a little more responsive. It will only be a shot at my self-confidence, but I guess I can handle having both of my boys love their daddy irrevocably.

Troyster has put on the weight. My little one month old is already in three month clothing. Mitch is listening to The Fellowship of the Ring and there is a character who owns a horse named "Fattylumpkin" so Mitch has started lovingly referring to Troy as "Fattylumpkin" because he is just so darn round and chunky and lovable. A side note, Fattylumpkin in the book is a very intelligent horse, so we aren't 100% terrible people.

This month, Troy has mastered eating (obviously, given his new nickname), has already started sleeping several hours a night before waking up to do his favorite activity (eating), and is starting to mimic facial expressions regularly. He looks for us when we speak, he engages eye contact with us when we are close, and he has started to grab onto everything that he can. He likes his pacifier okay, but what he really prefers is to just be held. He doesn't care for our Mama Roo swing because of his main (and possibly only) love language, physical touch. That boy wants to be snuggled 24/7!

Much to Mitch's dismay, Troy loves to co-sleep. He starts off in his bassinet but try as I might, this workin' mama needs every second of snuggles I can get, so he usually ends up snuggling with me for the rest of the night after his first feeding. With Zane, I waited until Mitch left for work to sneak him into bed and co-sleep. Troy is just much more demanding. He prefers sleeping on his side or stomach as well, so I feel a little safer knowing he is right next to me than in his bassinet. 

My sweet Baby Troy is so loved by everyone in our family, especially Zane. He is always quick to get Troy a pacifier or a blanket, and I can tell already Troy is going to dote on his older brother. Also, what they say about you losing some of your fears and precautions with the second child is partially true: now my only fear is that Zane is going to smother Troy while giving him a classic "Zane-neck-choking-full-bodied-hug". Super sweet when he gives these to adults. Terrifying when he tries to give them to Troy. 

Troy has the most beautiful lips, the longest, meatiest fingers, and his toes could play Mozart on the piano. His eyes are deep blue right now, and his hair is thicker than it seems - he is just too blonde to tell in pictures. He is absolute sweetness through and through.