October 2021

ALEXANDER JAMES COLLINS---- WOW------- 2 years 5 months old tomorrow! It has been 7 weeks since you started at Beth's house. Everyday is a new experience for you and everyday when you come home is a new experience for Mom. The first day of Beths' there were tears and since then you wake up with a smile and say, "Beth's house, Mommy pick me up." It is the greatest feeling in the world that you look forward to going there everyday. You have so many other boys to play with and she loves keeping you outside which is awesome. Riding on toys, playing with sports equipment, even cooking on Wednesdays it has been awesome. When you having "cooking Wednesday," she bought all your own apron and you each have your own ingredient to add in the recipe- so far you have made delicious cookies and cupcakes- and we get to sample all of them, thanks Beth :) There is the cutest girl Keeley and you remind me everyday that keeley went to the dentist. You have the memory of an elephant. It is really unbelievable. A boy of many words has lately come home acting like a baby since being around 21 month old Graham, but that is okay we try to reprogram you each day. When I would pick you up we went from cuddling on the coach to picking up sissies then Aj's crib for a nap. Then it turned to snack and nap...and now it has turned in to AJ screaming in his crib like a teradactyl, yelling Mom, singing, and straddling the crib railing. At first I would go in and try to reprimand you and put you back down in your crib but you laughed each time I did that and continued the behavior so that got frustrating and I just took you out. Then Daddy just let you do all those bad things and eventually you laid down and slept so I am trying. I just don't want you to get hurt. You aren't sad to be in your crib you just know at Beth's Graham is not taking his nap so you are imitating the bad behavior. You like to tell me "AJ bad boy" and say "damn it," so we need to work on that too. Your song choices you sing in your crib are but not limited to: Pour Some Sugar on Me, We Will Rock You, Burning down the house, ABC's and Teapot. Lately it has been a lot of, "So, before you go." Let me mention that all songs are on key. You have an amazing singing voice, I keep thinking you could be the next Frank Sinatra, John Bon jovi, or Justin Bieber, only time will tell... However, you do like to wear a fedora so maybe you know something I don't know about the genre of music you already identify with LOL! From stading in your chair turning the lights on and off, putting you cereal bowl in the sink when you are done drinking from it as it spills all over your clothes, pulling your sister's hair, wanting to do everything yourself...We are officially in the 2's. Restaurants are a hit or miss and trust me, living in a pandemic I want to go to restaurants, but time there with you is a thin line. You really like cook in front of you and sushi places. We give you your own sake cup that you pur water in and drink. You try to order sushi and sake yourself. It is beyond adorable. You say, "thank you buddy" to all the servers. You are a very smart and vocal boy, so when you come home acting like a baby that just screams, that is where the reprogramming comes in. I can't wait until Graham gets his words because I would love to be a fly on the wall for those conversations. You like to pick out your won clothes and are very proud when you look nice. I have evened out your mullet in the back and continue to cut your bangs straight across. We will give you a real hair style soon, just not yet. Mommmy does not want you to grow up although I keep telling you that you are a big boy not baby. On our morning rides to school after dropping off sissies and saying hello to the door attendants at school, we get in the car listen to music, you remind me every time we pass the gas station to get a lotto ticket. Then you remind me, "Mommy pick me up." We walk up to Beth and you have to have your bag and buckled just like your sisters, even for our ten foot walk to and from Beth's house to the car. It really is adorable. You have so much presence in your walk too so it makes it even more a sight to see. Each day I really don't know what AJ I am going to getm but you went from Daddy clingy and now back to Mommy clingy and I am not going to lie I LOVE IT. Having a little one hold your leg or ask for "uppy" melts every parent's heart especially mine. I couldn't ask for more kind kids then I have. You all love each other so very much and that is all we can ask for.