TJ's Seventeenth Month

TJ is seventeen months old now and is just the sweetest little thing. He loves reading books, playing with balls, being outside, and recently- his mama. He has always been a daddy's boy but lately he has been a little more attached to me. Probably his favorite thing to do is help (throw away trash, feed my mom's dog, flush the toilet, take dirty diapers to the trash can outside, unload/load the dishwasher, pick things up, bring things to you, or anything you ask him to do). He always gets a big smile on his face when he gets to help and gets the praises from it. He also loves to share toys and food with friends (especially when he gets to put the food directly in your mouth). I am loving this age.

My mom came down to visit and to work on crafts. TJ got to play outside while we cut burlap.

Even with my mom's help we couldn't get TJ to look at the camera to snap a decent picture.

TJ was really interested in the Christmas tree balls we were making, he didn't want much to do with the burlap, but he wanted everything to do with the balls. I'm not sure how we are going to manage his ball obsession when it comes time to put up and decorate a Christmas tree.

The ambulance and fire truck have been making frequent trips to our neighborhood to help an elderly neighbor. TJ loves hearing sirens around town, but when they come into our neighborhood he gets especially excited. He stands on his bed and looks out the window until they are gone. While my mom was here she took him out to get an even better view. But standing on the fire truck was a little too close for comfort.

And sitting on the fireman's seat was much, much too close.

We went to a family night at Gainesville Health and Fitness and TJ got to compete in games, like sac racing. Free shirts were given out to the winners, the losers, and the people like me, who just assisted their child in losing.

TJ got his face painted for the first time.

And he got a prize from the Queen and King. He picked the bouncy soccer ball.

We went to Chick-fil-a on one of their little Tuesday family nights and TJ had a blast.

For Halloween TJ dressed up as Batman and Trent dressed up as Robin. Here they are at the church's Halloween activity.

After eating chili we headed out to the parking lot for some trunk-or-treating.

Here they are after the trunk-or-treat. TJ was loving his lollipop.

During Trent's fall break we headed down to Orlando and did a swap-a-roo with TJ at the temple.

We stayed at our favorite hotel- the Rosen Shingle Creek. Priceline pulled through once again. If you are ever looking for a good deal down in Orlando, go to priceline.com, choose 4 star and above, I-drive South area, with a golf course, and name your price as low as you want- we did $49. They have always given us the Rosen Shingle Creek or the Rosen Plaza. Both are nice.

We went to downtown Disney where Trent took TJ on his first train ride.

On our way home from Orlando we went to a pumpkin patch in Ocala.

TJ got to pet horses,

Run through a corn maze,

Go on a hayride,

Play in a bathtub full of corn,

Feed donkeys,

Pick out a pumpkin,

Try to pick up every pumpkin in the patch,

And spend time with Dad.

When we got home TJ helped me carve our pumpkin. We did the batman symbol, of course.

On Halloween night we all got dressed up again and went trick-or-treating with the Sirmans family. I was a pregnant version of Catwoman.

TJ had so much fun running door to door with Julian.

Here is TJ with Julian, the horse.

And here we are after trick-or-treating. I wish we would have taken a big group shot with Kim and Stace.

TJ is getting so tall- he can reach things off the kitchen counter now- including this burnt cupcake I made for a girls night. I couldn't figure out why he was crying, except that maybe it didn't taste good?

I am so over this pregnancy, and ready to be done being pregnant. We all know that. But I would give being 6 months pregnant forever if I could keep TJ the exact same way that he is now! Have I mentioned I am loving this age?