An open letter to my blog...

Hello there...

It's been a while. I know, I know.

Grab a cup of coffeee, pull up a seat. Let me catch you up.

We've done some trick or treating...

Taken a hay ride...

Hung out a bit..
Played with rainbows...

Discovered the joys of trains...

And done a bit of performing...

There's so much more to catch up on on. The Booger's grown by leaps and bounds, we've got a big project going on, the holidays are coming up....I'll be back. Don't worry. Too much.

Baby Picture Sunday

Playing together is just like holding hands, right?

A question...

The Booger much more cheerfully than me, wonders....

Where did the summer go?

Emotions

I recently (sort-of, like recently as in sometime in the past 3 months...) read an article in a parent magazine (might have been Parent or Parenting - also recently realized they are actually two different magazines. oops.)

Anywhooooo. I was reading an article, don't recall about exactly what, cause I'm just not that terrific. But the gist was that toddlers are full of emotions. How they really feel their feelings, with their whole entire being. Despite what we think, they are not being drama queens (and kings) for our benefit to twist our pinky fingers into giving them what they want. At least not completely.... That they really, truly, with all their little 20 something pound body and soul feel what they are feeling.

Come to think of it, it was probably an article with tips on preserving your sanity while your toddler yo-yos from happy as a lark to writhing on the floor at your feet biting your ankles in anger.

But ever since I read that article, it comes to mind whenever my incredibly emotional son is um displaying his feelings. That boy really gets it. He puts his everything into what he's doing and feeling.

He laughs from his belly,

He says 'woah' and 'wow' all the time, because there is just sooo much that amazes him.

He needs to know about every moving vehicle and stationary object we pass in the car, and everywhere else for that matter.

He is so friendly that he says 'hi', waves, and blows kisses to most of the objects we pass in the car and the people we see.

He smiles with his whole face

He trusts me so much that even when I am operating the loud, scary, noisemaker (the vacuum, the hairdryer...), he still runs to me and wants to be held.

He puts his whole self into showing how unhappy he is when he has to come inside.

When he wants something, he will do absolutely anything he can to get it- he nods his head, asks 'yeah?, yeah?', signs 'more' and 'please' over and over, takes your hand (and you) to what he wants, and adds a carefully timed whine or cry for good measure.

He is so proud of himself when he does something new, he loves to hear "Yay!" and claps for himself whenever he accomplishes anything.

He celebrates with other people -at restaurants, on TV, around the neighborhood- if he hears cheering, clapping, or music, he is guaranteed to to join in.

He loves me and his daddy so much that he showers us with wet, slobbery kisses and hugs.

I love how remarkable he is and how lucky I am to have him. He makes me stop and enjoy and pay attention to the world around me and manages to make everything more fun and interesting. Thank you bubba, I love you!

Another attack...

...of mommy brain.



Surprise: postponed due to my inability to understand a calendar and use a clock. Ahem. Sorry about that.



However, we have another shocking development.



I've lost my battle to keep my toddler off the couch. He's outsmarted the second step behind our planning ahead when we agonized over what couch to buy.



1) we choose a dark couch to repel stains that were sure to arrive once a baby did and cat hair (ewwww)



2) we bought a sofa sleeper, so it's higher up, and in my brain, naturally defended itself against climbing toddlers. Not too mention it could welcome wonderful family to come help care for said baby once he arrived.



But not mine.



Hopefully he doesn't soon disprove reason #1. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

BTW: He just now crawled across the couch to watch himself on video. And 'dat?' is the cat he saw coming down the stairs. He loves that cat!

Cutie Pie

Over the last few events and gatherings, I've snapped a few sweet photos of my oh-so-sweet boy. And I recently redecorated (sorta) our bathroom (I'll post some before and after's one of these days...) and the walls called for some eye candy. So, I obliged... and then I thought I'd share some delicious baby with you too!

Psst....Stop back tomorrow for an exciting surprise.

A transformation

Before....

After...

Looking like a big kid!

After a week of absolutely wild and crazy hair, I decided the Booger was more than due for a 'big boy' hair cut. So far all that has been cut is along his neck and ears, which led to the predicament of a hairstyle he was sporting up to this week.

The style formerly known as a hot mess....

Look close- the fuzzy spot over on the left? Yep that's his hair. Waaay out there.

Little did I know how grown up he'd look without all those wispy strands. * The nice lady who cut off my boy's locks said it should thicken up and fill in now that *tear* his baby hair is gone.

*Nor did I know he still somehow has the remnants of baby bald spot syndrome. Sorry about that buddy... Promise I won't show these pictures to anyone. You know besides everyone here....

Monkey see, Monkey do

I don't know who started it.....

but this is how I happened upon the Booger and his friend George yesterday at naptime.

Road Trip

Summertime has given us some great opportunities this year- time in South Haven (one of our favorite places in the whole world!), lots of playing outside, time with friends, and time with family. Last weekend we were fortunate enough to reconnect with some long-lost family. As a child, my husband and his brother spent a lot of time with his single mother's parents and siblings. After his grandparents passed away and career and school moved his uncles to the UP and soon after to Texas, everyone went on with day to day business, and as with many families, didn't stay as close.

Over time, Mike has kept in touch with his Uncle Dave a few times, but this past January, as our son turned one, Dave and his family had some hard times. I don't know if the idea of how short life really is struck him, the need for family ties that had drifted and a desire for his son to know the family he loves, the fact that they now live only an hour and a half away, or all of these things combined.

Last weekend, we made the short road trip to Portage, IN. We spent an evening reminiscing with both of his uncles about times with his grandparents and family memories, joking with their four great kids, and then talking long into the night with Dave and his terrific wife of 20 years, Melany. We caught up on the last handful of years, talked a little about church, religion, and hoops (maybe someday I'll get into my thoughts about religion here...) and made plans for the next day and hopes for more get-togethers in the future. His uncle is a pastor at a great little church, that we attended with them on Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon, we joined them at the church's annual hog roast. It was a great, relaxing afternoon with friendly people and family time. The Booger spent his fair share of time eating, blowing bubbles, and running around like a madman. I was a bit too busy chasing him to catch any pictures of the trek all over the park, but the rest of the fun is well documented thanks to Smilebox!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I'm sure you've been anxiously waiting for me to get off my derriere (by the way... very funny if you look that up on Wikipedia) and post some pictures from Chicago.

The Booger is at a great age where everything is amazingly interesting and exciting. He just wanted to be a part of, really right up in everything. I have a handful of pictures of him, face to the glass, trying to step into the tanks, puzzled why he couldn't get in there and touch the super cool swimmy things. He was so puzzled by a searay exhibit - the glass tank continues under your feet, so it seems that you're standing on top of the rays. He tried so hard to get them, even jumped up and down trying to make it in there!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Who needs an abacus?

1....

2...

Have fun counting your Oberon.

Happy Memorial Day!

What...

...could possibly evoke this pitiful, heart-wrenching,


tortured, look on the face of this otherwise adorable, Osh-Kosh B'gosh poster child?


A dog? nope

A stranger? wrong again

A big, friendly, fun looking ball pit?

Yep, that's it.

Looking at this picture- I do see that it slightly resembles sharp, gnashing teeth... hmmm.

Milk

Does a body good


even if it is soy




and empty...

cause it was found sitting on top of the trash can.





I know, kid, I'm surprise your mom would let you play with trash too...

Two for Twosday

Then

April 2008
almost 3 months old

Now

April 2009
almost 15 months old

Swing by Deanna's for a few other less dramatically aged two-somes.

Spring breakin' it!

The Booger and I are so happy to be enjoying my first spring break as a teacher!

I realized this is my first spring break. Ever since I started working, I picked up extra time at work. And once I was college and somehow I had two spring breaks (I worked in a school for several years) and still never seemed to get a break! So this feels all that much more like a reward for working hard to get here. By golly, I EARNED my spring break!

It is all the better because I get extra quality time with my boy.

We visited the Kalamazoo Valley Museum earlier in the week and plan to go see the Easter Bunny today, then some quality family time over the weekend.

The museum was craaaaazzzzy! I'm not a big fan of crowds, so we stuck to the room for little tykes. It was hilarious to see him in action with other kiddos. I realized just how much personality that boy has! He made a few friends quite the girly fan base, I might add, scared a few girls, there was a little girl with beads in her hair and he just couldn't contain himself, and tried to hi-jack toy after toy!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Some new developments

The Booger has been oh so busy lately growing and learning a million and five things and I've been so busy enjoying it that I haven't much kept track of some of these little milestones in my boy's life. Thought I take a quick recap of his latest abilities.

1) No tears at day care in the morning (and this with a recent change in venue!)

2) Walking like a champ- can even stand up without pulling up on something

Up, up

and away!

3) A sudden ability to hold and actually drink out of his sippy cup!

4) An unending curiousity about everything. He asks "a dat?" (translation: what's that?) no less than 1,000,003 times a day. To which we answer every time. Cause that's why we're here.

He's recently begun exclaiming something else too, but I'm not sure quite yet what exactly that something means. He also says "hi", "dada", "mommmmmma", something in the nature of "I want" or "I need", "uh oh oh oh" (often just before he throws his cup or spoon on the floor...), might also say"outside"..? It resembles "what's that" but is a wee bit different... And he might say "I got!" from time to time. Hey, I'm a mom, not a translator...

5) He can climb on his little baby scooter thing a ma jigs...

Practicing inside (with no clothes to trip on...?)

Showing off outside- with clothes on...

But he can't quite ride them...

Sorry bubba- had to share this one...
he's fine if you're concerned

6) He knows animals make noises- and will growl at any animal or picture of an animal he sees. Even ducks.

7) He knows you say 'hi' on the phone- any phone he gets his hands on, he puts it to his ear and says "hi"! He has also been known to use any given object as a phone throughout the day and says "hi" to it too!

8) I think we've achieved a solution to the seemingly endless diaper and laundry issue. My washer thanks the makers of Silk!

9) His paci is officially retired. With no dramatic issues (except for Saturday morning when Momma can catch an extra half hour of zzz's if she gives it to him while they cuddle. Yes, it's worth it.)

10) He throws a terrific toddler tantrum. Need I say more?

Oh, and he's driving. Yes, I know, he's advanced. We're hoping he can reach the pedals by the winter. Then he's getting a cab. Gotta earn his goldfish crackers!