Happy 20 Months, Rhys!!

Our big boy is growing up right before our very eyes!!! I want to slow down the process! I want to slow down TIME!!! He is changing SO much, and I can't keep up! Oh, I praise the Lord for this precious boy, for exactly who he is, and what a blessing to get to be part of his life! "Thank You, Lord!!! Thank You!!!"

Rhys' new FAVORITE is TRACTORS!!! We've had construction going on next to our house for about two months. I was thinking it was going to be a miserable process, interrupting afternoon naps and waking us up early in the mornings, but it's actually not affected naps or mornings at all! Instead, we've had the benefit of ENTERTAINMENT as Rhys stands at the windows, watching the tractors for HOURS!!!! :) {Terrible quality picture below, but you should be able to see Rhys, holding his lovie, of course, and probably saying, "Tractor! Tractor! Tractor!" while watching the bulldozer dig up and pour dirt into the dump truck, just outside our window.}

This is what's going on outside... A boy's DREAM!!!!

More about this month of our sweet Rhys' life...

Time with GOOD friends! Doesn't this guy look SO happy!?!?

Well, he is! In the company of sweet Jocelyn, who kissed Rhys the very first time she EVER met him!

And Jude, the over-protective little brother???? :) Jude's a sweetheart, just doesn't want anyone to know it! ;)

And Rhys is now feeding himself {sometimes :)}!!! Here, he's feeding himself chicken, using a fork!!! Yay!!!

Oh, Mr. Independent!!! And Mommy loves this very much, especially with Caleb here, now!!!

Oh, and last, but certainly NOT least!! :) The highly honored lovies! Rhys was given a package of three matching lovies (basically, small blankies with a stuffed animal's head on one corner) at birth. I had NO idea he'd use ALL THREE!! This child SUCKS on the TAGS like a pacifier!!! :) It's really sweet, but it's also GROSS because the lovies smell spoiled at least every other day. I wash them every two or three days {I have to SNEAK them away from him and into the wash! Sometimes I can't even get them into the dryer before he's looking for them! :)}, and I even soaked them in vinegar this week, in hopes of getting rid of that awful, sour smell!

So, now that I've established the importance of these lovies :), I can share that last week, Rhys absolutely would NOT take a bath one afternoon without ALL THREE of those lovies!!! I tried to explain why they did not need to go into the bath tub with him, but then I realized that it's just a phase, and, truthfully, the lovies DID need a bath! :) So, here is our big boy :) with his lovies, I mean "paci's" :), in his bath!

What a WONDERFUL month this has been!!! And, although I haven't shared any pictures of the Rhys and Caleb together {because I just haven't made any, I guess}, Rhys is so sweet to his brother! He points at Caleb's toes, eyes, nose, etc. and names those body parts. He is learning well how to be gentle with little Caleb, and we are thankful for that.

We love you, Rhys!! Happy 20 months and growing!! Love, Mommy & Daddy. XOXOXOXOXOXO............................. :)