15 months old today!

My little Declan is growing up. He is now 15 months old. I just look at him lately and realize that he is really now a toddler and no longer a baby. I am so excited that he is growing up and learning new things, but it is hard to believe that we have no control in slowing it down. I can now understand how people say that their kids grew up and out of the house so fast, how it seems possible. I've been finding that he has grown out of some cute pants that he was wearing in the spring. It has been too hot for pants and then in the past few days I've wanted to put him in pants. I have about 5 cute pairs of pants that he will no longer wear....so sad. I'll have to go through all of his long sleeve shirts and I know there will be a bundle he won't wear again.

I know I have way too many clothes for him, but then I end up dressing him in my favourites all the time. I seriously probably have 25 pairs of pants for him (some that fit right, and some that are a little too big, and some that he will still need to grow into . . . but I have them in the closet because I don't want to forget about them. Yet....I only really dress him in the same 5 or 6. I guess that is what happens with hand me downs. I should probably go through them and put away the clothes I can't see me wanting him to wear.

I feel that Declan is at this point now where he will pick up a lot of stuff that we teach him. I feel a bit of pressure because I know there are these types of moms who 'teach' their kids so much stuff . . . yet i have some desire to be like that, but I just couldn't really bother. Does this make sense?? What I have been doing is having a nighttime routine that involves 1) reading a story 2) learning / reviewing an animal from a touch and feel flash cards that were a gift to him -- we've done dog -- he says wuf, we've done cow -- he says mmmm we've down horse --- he also says mmm and we've down rabbit (which i've been teaching him to wiggle his little nose). 3) Song time - we sing a song 4) Prayer Time - we do a quick prayer and then right to bed. It sounds like a lot, but each thing is really short and he enjoys it all.....though if he start pushing off me, I just end it quickly with the prayer. I can't believe that he is really starting to enjoy this time. It is becoming my favourite time of the day!

I need to remind myself to spend time through the day with him and playing with him. I am really finding myself distancing myself away from the kids (Declan, and the kids I babysit). I let them all play on their own (which they love to do). . . . while I do anything from tidying, cleaning, making lists - meal planning, party planning, wasting my time on the computer etc. However, I do feel like I want to get on the floor and play with Declan more.

Here are some pictures of my little sweety pie!