Good Friday

 Matt had Good Friday off from work, so we enjoyed a morning at the park as a family! Belton had a blast!

 Daddy taught him all about dandelions.

 We heard a woman crash her car into this street light. Then, Belton got to watch a fire truck and police car come and hang out for a while.

 When the firetruck left, Belton waved bye to it.

 We also got to watch several airplanes fly overhead...

 ...and Belton practiced flying like an airplane!

 Then he asked for "more" firetrucks and airplanes!

 We had a fun morning at the park!

Easter Playgroup

 Last week, we had some friends over for an Easter Playgroup!

 We had snacks, played inside and colored Easter pictures.

Finally we went outside and had an Easter Egg Hunt! This was Belton's first chance to really find eggs and put them in his basket.

 He had lots of fun! He especially loved throwing the "balls" (aka Easter Eggs) and cracking them open.

 I'm glad so many friends came and played! We had 13 kids over that day. So fun!

 Once Belton figured out there was candy inside, he was all about that!!

Irving Marathon- 5K

 On April 5, I ran a 5K!

These sweet girls encouraged me to do it. I'm so grateful for them! And they're all amazing because they ran a half!

 Alissa and Sara right before the half started.

 Me with my first finishers medal. I love it! And I love my sweet husband for supporting me and taking care of Belton so that I could train and race!

Belton: Eighteen Months

Belton is our sweet, sweet little boy! We just love him so much! Almost every day, Matt and I just talk about how sweet he is and how much we love him. He's a crazy baby sometimes and sometimes he just acts like a big, sweet boy.

 The counter has become one of Belton's favorite places to hang out. When I'm cooking, sweeping, washing the dishes, getting him milk, anything in the kitchen, he's generally up there! It's nice because he's not underfoot and I can let him get a little bit involved in the cooking process! Here, I'm about to start making chocolate chip cookies. He saw the chocolate chips and wanted some- so he's chowing down in these pictures!

Belton LOVES balls! Grandmom bought him this soccer ball and he carries it around our apartment and throws it all the time! He loves taking it outside and throwing it so that he can run after it, too!

He holds his hands behind his back all. the. time. It is the sweetest thing. I'm so glad I caught some pictures of it!

 Belton did a great job at the doctor this time! He didn't cry and scream when Dr. Hayes examined him. He was still nervous and stiffened up when she touched him to hear his breathing, etc. But, he did so much better. He even said "doctor" to her!

   Eighteen Month Stats

Weight: 25 pounds, 6 ounces, 65th percentile

Length: 32.5 inches, 51th percentile

Head: 19 inches, 75th percentile

  16 teeth!!

 He is mildly allergic to peanuts, so I've become THAT Mom. 

The one that makes a stink about there being peanut butter filled pretzels in the nursery at church. And the one who asks you "does it have peanuts in it?" before you can give my kid something to eat. We got 2 EpiPens last week- and I REALLY don't want to have to use one!!

 This little guy LOVES being outside! He's started saying "awwwah" for outside and pointing to the door. Poor kid. We take him when we can, which is pretty frequently in this weather. But we need a backyard!!

He loves toys and anything that keeps his little hands and big brain busy for a while is a winner. I loved that this restaurant had these toys you could take with you to your table. Brilliant.

Our sweet guy still loves to read! The book-reading portion of putting him down for the night has become about 20 minutes long. This book about temples is one of his favorites! I love it when he plops down in the middle of the living room and looks through some books!

Belton LOVES holding two people's hands when we walk anywhere. I am cherishing these sweet days. I know that he'll soon be pulling that little hand away from mine. It's the sweetest thing right now.

When Belton is trying to do something and needs help, I always ask him to say "help please, Mama." He is learning and now says, "help maaaaaaa" anytime he needs help-from anyone! It's so much nicer to hear than whining. And I just love hearing his sweet voice more and more!

He frequently walks around our apartment saying, "Mama, Dada, Mama, Dada" over and over again. He'll point to us. It's like he realizes that we are his special people and he's happiest when we're both home with him!

Bath time with BUBBLES has become one of Belton's favorite parts of the day!

Belton has started taking just one nap a day. But- it's frequently three hours long! When that happens, I'm thrilled! When it's shorter- I miss the days of two naps!

We are so blessed by and so thankful for our sweet, sweet little boy!!!