November, December, January here we come!

So much has happened since my last post in reagrds to your new adventures. Present time, we are still living through the Covid-19 global pandemic and as I write this I am pretty sure I have Covid....I am waiting for my test results but at this time I have no sense of taste or smell and do not feel well. I have been wearing a mask every time I am around you for the past 4 days, which is less than ideal to say the least. Currently, it is a drury day in January and you are peaceful dreaming in your crib, kind of makes everything else seem so irrelevant knowing how amazing you are. I mean seriously we have been able to have this time with you that I don't think I could have even imagined and we will continue to have this time at least for a few more months. First off, let me just tell you for future reference that this illness is no joke. I am not sure exactly what even hit me. I am not sure where I got it but it is unlike anything I have had before. Slight fever, sore throat, constant head pressure, excesive, sweating, and no taste of smell- it is down right nasty and it has taken on 1,000,000 casualties in less than one year. I think it was almost one year ago today that there was a buzzingin the air about a spreading virus...and here we are one year later- at home withe the virus, with a vaccine circulating and the hopes of life returning to some way we knew before. We learned this holiday season that your life has been anything but "normal." I do know that you are growing so fast and your amazing temperment remains the same; the happiest, sweetest boy around. We celebrated Thanksgiving with a small group of family and sadly our cousin Mark missed seeing you for the Annual Pre-Thanksgiving night party (which I actually held for him) as you had already gone to bed by the time they arrived. Mark suddenly passed a week later...and it is still devastating. I was so excited for him to watch you grow. He resembled your Grandpa in so many ways and he ways truly the closest link we had to the Ilich family. All I know is that he loved you and Kathleen said he felt almost like a Grandpa figure to you, Charli, and Danica...to me that means you will forever have a guardian angel in Mark. rest in peace Dear Cousin I hold a special place in my heart for you always, rest in peace. Looking back in writing this today it is almost crazy how a minute, even a second, can truly last forever and months and years can just fly by. December seems like almost a blur in the beginning because it was. We are so blessed to have the close family and friends we do that we were able to share some safe space and time with and watch the first semester of school come to a close. Then we were able to head out for some sun, music, and relaxtion in our getaway Siesta Key. What a trip. What an experience for you--- to see people. Yes, real people. To feel the sun on your face, to be in the water, and the feel of sand between your toes. You did it all with pure joy and amazement written all over your face and complete happiness. Your "firsts" take on a whole new meaning for all of us as we relive them in your eyes. Unlike your sisters, the "Best Beach in America's" sand did not make you cry. You were uneasy for a moment and then the only time you wanted to cry was when we were taking you out of it. The water and waves of the Gulf, also no sweat for you little one, you would have stood in there all day no matter the temperature. You made every person that passed you smile, and boy do people need a smile these days. Oh and the pool, you loved the pool or "swim swim/backstroke" as I like to refer to it. You are truly a little water bug with your "splash splash" as you call it and make the motion of spalshing that water. I think Daddy played "1,2,3" for at least an hour with you and like clockwork each time he let you jump in you asked for "more." It makes me smile ear to ear thinking of your little language. Especially "Elbow" which is what you call your Elmo woobie, it is what you call every Woobie. Each day is just a blessing from the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, which in Florida happened more in your stroller or our bed and didn't happen at all on the outbound flight but did once you were in your car seat. You like a structured routine and you like your stuff. Your room, you bed, you cup, your "Elbo." You like a routine and we are sticking to it buddy I promise. What else was awesome about the warm weather in Florida was that we were able to go on our walks again and see the trucks. We also go to hear live music, and see people. YOu made a lot of new friends young and old and I am pretty sure you are starting to understand that there are more people out there than just us, and other little boys for that matter. What a crazy thing, right?! your constant amzement and smile assures us we are doing something right. You have a maturity already at 20 months of know about babies and you like to be indepedent. You want to use a fork, you want to color, you want your food in whole condition and not broken in to little peices. And trsut me with those teeth, you are on to something. All of a sudden you went from no teeth to TEETH! Louie Anderson is still in the building! And now that you are starting to let us take pictures of you saying "cheese" has never been so cute EVER! I cut your bangs a little bit the other day but other than that you are growing it out and your party in the back has a slight curl to add to the cuteness. We comb your hair back after your bath and you are a playboy. I mean seriously this strawberry blonde hair and almost green brown blue grey eye color you are too much. You are as stocky as they come and you are all boy. I don't even know what that means but you are a tank. A tank who like to get his dipaer changed, you let us know and oyu will lay down any where to get changed!!! A cleaning machine just like your sisters, give you a wipe and you will clean the whole house. In Florida, I couldn't find a water toy and when I did I realized just how smart you are. C&D made a space for their American girl dolls in the linen closet and you did the same with your toys- I couldn't believe it. You put your woobies, your dogs, and the toy I was looking for. You are such a smart boy with insance head eye coordination. An amazing athetlic ability in jumping and resilency and the best persoanlity. I mean the best, anyone who you catch laughing for the sake of laughing is someone anyone wants to be around. I appreciate your ability at 20 months to just go with the flow, get your diaper changed, take a bath, get your hair combed, put on shoes, sit in your seat, eat anything in front of you, and let us complete a family meal. I mean that is YOU. YOU ARE AWESOME and oyu keep getting more awesome how is this even possible!