Clear the roads!

Brock showing off his new driving skills.  Apparently off-road driving is in his future.

Christmas, again?

It's strange to think that this will be Brock's 2nd Christmas.  Brock had a nasty cold that moved into his lungs and landed us in the ER a couple of days after Christmas so even though we all felt fine and enjoyed the holiday, I'm pretty sure Brock was not.  Thankfully, he appears to be much healthier this year and since he is older, more aware of what the holidays actually are.  This picture was taken last year in front of grandma and grandpa's tree.  Poor guy was so congested.

About two weeks ago, we rushed over to the Stanford Shopping Center to pay a visit to Santa Claus.  Preparing for this event, we showed Brock the picture he took last year and really hyped up this Santa dude.  It worked!  Brock loved seeing Santa.  The kids before and after him were crying hysterically while our little man waved and smiled at Santa.  Atta Boy!  Brock and Santa are now besties.

To continue keeping the spirit of Christmas in our home, we brought home a Brock friendly tree perched high on a table out of reach from curious little hands.  After he went to sleep, we decorated the tree and house with lights and decorations. In the morning, we caught Brock's first view of the tree on video. He was very excited to see the tree but once he realized he was on camera, he became more interested in seeing himself on camera.  Such a ham...

As the holidays near, we look forward to seeing family and feeling blessed to have such a wonderful life.

Hawaii

Aloha!
Last week our family went to Kauai for a glorious week of sunshine, relaxation and reconnecting.    This was the first extended vacation we have taken with Brock and I'll tell ya, this kid was born to travel.  We were all impressed with his ability to adapt so quickly to the time change.  He was great.  And, he had a wonderful time bonding with Grandma, Grandpa, Great Aunt Janet, and Great Uncle Don. 

Kristy, also known as Auntie Aloha, was able to take a few days off work to spend time with us and show us some of her favorite sites on the island.  I've always loved visiting Kristy and seeing the Hawaiian islands through her eyes.  Her zest for life and true appreciate of her surroundings is infectious.  Having my family in Kauai with Kristy was truly special. Everyone had a great time getting to know each other.  Mahalo Kristy, my amazing friend, for making our week in Kauai memorable. 

18 Months old?!?

How did that happen?  18 months old. What's next?  College. 

Brock is madly in love with anything with wheels.  Trash trucks, fire engines, trains, cars, tractors. Mad love.  I hate to admit this but our kid can unlock my iphone, find youtube and select a video of garbage trucks.  We don't even let him watch TV or videos unless it's a special occasion (out to dinner and keeping him preoccupied) but he's somehow figured it out.  Tech whiz kid?  Guess we'll see.

Brock is very vocal and can communicate pretty well.  He is learning Portuguese in addition to English so often times he is actually saying something to us that we don't understand.  Then Cris, our fantastic Nanny, will translate. 


Reading books, dancing, playing, running, giving "high 5's", "fist pumps", and being a chatterbox are what's hot at 18 months in Brock's world.  This kiddo is an absolute blast to be around.

17 months

During a routine visit to Whole Foods, a random stranger approached me and asked about Brock and complimented how well he was behaving (this happens a lot).  After a few minutes of  Brock talk, he proceeded to tell me that this stage he is in is the best.  I would agree. One of the key developments during this stage is claiming independence.  We hear a lot of "no" and a lot of demands.  One demand that I actually love is a part of our morning ritual.  Brock and I go to the kitchen so he can have "apples" (apples range from dried fruit to fresh fruits to yogurt) and read books on the kitchen floor.  He will pat the kitchen floor next to  him and say, "mamma, sit".  You don't have to ask me twice!  I now keep a stack of books in the kitchen!  :-)

In case you didn't already know, we are utterly enamored by our little guy. 

Happy go lucky

Brock is the happiest little fellow.  Even during a mini tantrum, he will start to smile or giggle, then remember he's trying to assert his independence and return to his tantrum.  Needless to say, we can still find ways to distract him or coax him out of his fits.  At least for now, it's working.  Some of you might be reading this and chuckling to yourself because you too remember being in this stage where you think your child's temper tantrums are so adorable.  Hey, we're living moment-to-moment in this crazy life we created.  And lovin' every minute of it!

When Brock was a baby our friends gave him the coolest pair of shoes.  They aren't meant to be worn and frankly look like something a clown might adorn, but they are educational and pique his curiosity.  For whatever reason, he LOVES these shoes.  He'll drag them around the house, bring them to the car and lately, ask to wear them.  He cries when they come off and he will rapidly find me and say, "on" while sitting down next to be holding his shoes.  (Scroll down to my last posting to see what I mean)

Brock is also a curious dude.  He is incredibly observant.  We definitely have to watch ourselves.  When he finds something really interesting, he will literally tune out the world and just focus.  Whether it be toys to stack or learning how to sweep, he is intrigued.

It's hard to imagine this energetic ball of wonder ever slowing down since one of his favorite words (and actions, for that matter) is, "go".  But, when he does finally crash out for the night, he is simply angelic; even in his odd sleep positions. 

16 months old

Can you believe the Brockstar is already 16 months old?  It's just amazing to watch him grow and develop into this little person he's becoming.  Brian and I have become those people. You know, the ones that only talk about their kid.  Well, we have reason to be those people.  Our kid is fantastic and he is doing a lot of things worth sharing!

So, what has Brock been up to these days?  Here's a few highlights:

• Brock is talking and talking and talking.  We're not sure what he is saying most of the time but a lot of jabber goes on at Casa McCormick.
• Trash trucks, trains and fire engines are a BIG DEAL.   
• Elmo.  Elmo, or as Brock would say, MoMo is pretty awesome in his world.
• Reading, playing with cars and trucks, and pushing furniture around are favorite pastimes.
• Running!  Yes, running.  This kid can move.

There are definitely more milestone moments to share but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.