16 months going on 16 years!!

How grown up is he????

Our Little Bear is growing up so fast we can hardly keep up. Everyday he is doing more big boy things and saying (or trying to say) more words. He says "Yes" really well, but only shakes his head for "no." Pretty good I guess since most kids learn "no" far sooner! His other favorite word right now is "Owwwwww." It is so stinkin' cute and that is probably why he loves the word so much...because he knows Mama Bear thinks he's adorable when he says it. He'll intentionally hurt himself (or me) just so that he can say, "Owwwwwww." Then, tonight he was playing with his Precious Moments doll that says the nighttime prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep..." and at the end he said, "Ah-men." Now, as any mother of a one-and-something year old I realized that the word he said sounded very appropriate for the moment. However, I knew that often he will say something that sounds like the right word but when I try to get him to say it again he cannot. Well, this time I said, "Did you say "Amen"? Can you say "Amen"? And what did he say???? "Ah-men." Of course I had him say it a few more times just to make sure and had Daddy Bear listen so that I had a witness and sure enough, "Ah-men."

Our little angel...

He has also learned a few new animal sounds and other words (mostly sound effects), and has recently learned to say "shhhhh." (He actually blows on his finger more than making the "sh" sound, but he definitely knows what he's doing).

We helped Grandma Bear out with a big garage sale last weekend. After about 20 years of life-changing, soul-winning youth ministry she is looking at a career change. Because of this, Grandma Bear decided that she had a lot of things that she would no longer be using. One example: the amazing wig below. So before it was sold, Little Bear decided to ham it up!

Little Bear is still crazy about his pal, Shaddie Bear, and is more comfortable than ever getting into his dog crate with him, despite my valiant efforts to keep him out of there. He also LOVES his dog bed and was caught relaxing on the hair-covered pillow with the remote and bottle of baby shampoo just yesterday morning. I couldn't help but crack up at the sight! It does look might relaxing, doesn't it?

I look at him sometimes in awe at what we've been through with him and at what a miracle he really is! (All children are, really. Right?) Just to see him grow from a helpless little creature out of the womb and after surgery to this usually independent, sometimes helpful, most often joyful, occasionally cranky, always fun-loving and knowledge-seeking, adorable little boy! Praise God that we were chosen as parents for Little Bear Braun! What a precious job!!!!