September ...

Even though we decided to wait until next year to start Harmon in kindergarten, September was a emotional and stressful month for us. Kevin and I had a hell of a time at work - way too many events and projects due. Harmon, despite staying at Annie's, had to adjust to a bunch of new friends at school, not to mention being the oldest kid in class for the first time. Simon dropped the binky but added the potty - he's changing so much every second of every day. Despite the stress of the month, it flew by ... like they all do. On to October ...

Simon @ 22 months

Simon had a big month filled with many milestones. A lot more talking and a lot of filling in the blanks when we're reading. He says "please" and "thank you" and "no thanks" - such a polite young man. He loves "mar-mallows" and "roni and cheese!" He will tell Harmon "no bite," "no hit," "no fight" and all kinds of other things as he's learning to defend himself against his big brother. While he stopped using his binky during the day back in the summer, he finally gave it up all together around Labor Day.

On Sept. 4, while at my parents' house, he climbed out of his pack and play and, just a little over a week later (Sept. 13), he climbed out of his crib. He woke up early and I gave him some books to read while Kevin and I got ready for work. While Kevin was in the bathroom shaving, Simon came rambling down the hallway. Kevin thought I let him out but I didn't. I was back in my bathroom doing my hair while he scaled his crib. He's not done it a lot since then but we are in discussion about when to move him to his toddler bed.

He's been getting much better at the potty too, going at least once a day and sometimes more. One sad development, though, is that he no longer likes to be rocked to sleep everynight. Most of the time, the minute you sit down with him, he says "crib, crib" and wants to hop right in, curl up and go to sleep. Once in a while, though, he'll fall asleep on you and leave a huge drool spot and it makes you feel like he's a baby again.

Bye Bye, Binky!

Since he was just a few days old, Simon has always had a close relationship with his binky (his pacifier). He seemed to like it so much more than Harmon did and it never failed to soothe him. Lately, though, he's become less dependant on it - using it only at nap time and bed time - which has made us start thinking about when it should go away forever.

Harmon gave his up relatively easy at 18 months but I anticipated more of a battle with Simon. Not only because of him but also because of me. He's my baby and every last big step like this for him is the last big step like this for us.

So, on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, as I got ready to rock him to sleep, Kevin asked him for his binky as he covered us up in the rocking chair. Simon willingly gave it to him, as he always does, so I decided to just see what happened from there. Side note: Kevin did sneak it back to me before he left the room. As Simon's eyes got heavy, he looked up at me a few times and and said "Binky? It's coming?" I said, "No, honey, it's all gone" and he would repeat this as he put his little head back down. After a few minutes, he was snoring ... and I was crying!

Now, he may very well need again but, on this night, for the first time in 20 months, he fell asleep without it.

Since that night, Simon has done a great job without his binky, only needing it a couple of times. And, as of Labor Day, Kevin and I are finally calling the binky dead. Sure, he doesn't sleep as late in the morning (at least so far) and he might wake up during the night every now and then but it's nice to know he no longer needs it. He's getting to be a big boy now.