Where has the time gone?

Our little boy is growing up at an accelerated rate, so it seems.

“Mauldin no!” I say… constantly.

Where has the time gone? I feel like someone has taken a remote and pushed fast forward.

“Mauldin, what did we say?” I continue as he stops in his tracks on his way to the dog bed… as soon as I look away he turns his little butt around and heads right back to his previous direction of naughtiness. Our son has a weird fascination with our pets... he loves them. As soon as he heads their way our little Westie, Andy, runs in fear of being pummelled by a 18lb 10 month old!

I feel as if every day he accomplishes something new. Thankfully I have been around to see each one surface. I was there when Mauldin said “Da-da” as his first word, which I might add is one of the only things he says with a repeating vengeance.

“Mauldin,” I repeat and head over to pick him up and replace him away from the dog bowls full of water. “I said no to the dog bowls.” He loves getting into their bowls. I came home today and my wife informed me...

"Go say hello to your son and don't even ask me why he is wet!"

"What?" I retorted.

"I looked away for a second and he was "in" Andy's bowl," Laura explained.

The kid can officially climb the stairs with no assistance, he is cruising like nobody’s business, the child is eating solid foods and feeding himself, holding his bottle on his own and clapping! The boy claps, patty cake is a fun game he likes to play.

Not only is Mauldin about to have a birthday, his first birthday mind you, but we will soon be another plus one to the Skates family unit.
We are now coming up on the 20 week mark for our little girl… Elle will be here before we know it and we are so unprepared. It seems as if with Mauldin we had tons of diapers, wipes, clothes, etc… we have a couple of bags of clothes for our little princess, but her nursery is still a guest room, no bedding has been purchased, what is going on? We are usually so far ahead, we are planners, this is so out of our character, but the urgency just isn’t … I don’t know, around as much as it was the first time. We are so much more laid back with this pregnancy!

I guess the freakout with happen after we come home with our shiny, brand new, bouncing baby girl.

It still hasn’t totally hit me yet. I assume when it does you may find me on the floor.

Happy Groundhog Day, everyone.

"Mauldin what did I say about the dog beds?"

Are you the Gate Keeper?

Or the Key Master?

Okay, I couldn't resist...

It is my own fault, I know this, I provked and actually led to it.
What am I talking about, you ask?

Our son can climb the stairs... I do not just mean he can get his leg up on one step... ut uh... the boy can scale the whole stair case on his own. We, of course, stay behind for support just in case he were to miss a "step," but our little man rocks. If we aren't careful he may be rock climbing soon... or maybe splunking!

I, for about a month, have been practicing with MJ showing and helping him make it up the stairs... who knew he could catch on so quick!?

Walking? Nawh, he hasn't got the grasp on that yet... he tends to stand on his tip-toes. Not sure when this goes out of style for babies, but lets all hope soon.

We have started the more hardcore baby proofing... I mean we first put out all the plug-in covers and the padded gummy covers on the fireplace, we have taken things out of reach, but I have put off putting up the dredded "GATE."

So, this weekend, Sunday to be exact, will be the dredded day where our home becomes more structured and confined...

Don't get me wrong, I know we need a gate, I expected the gate... but I wasn't sure I, uhhmm he was ready for it until we caught him acting like he was from the Jefferson's... "Movin' on up!"

Although, in place of the deluxe apartment is the upstairs landing... which at the moment house a couple of large holiday nutcrackers.

I'll keep ya posted on the installation of said "gates!"