Friday, February 18, 2011

Out Back




This video sums up what we hear daily, several thousand times a day, depending upon your sugar intake (of course). You are ALWAYS wanting to 'gooo get you!!!'...  But it has to be said a certain way. It has to start with a cheeky whisper.. 'ya know what I'm gonna do in just a minute...?'.. then you SCREAM 'I'm gonna go GET YOOOU!'...  After hearing this in our sleep practically, we mix things up sometimes by saying the first part ('ya know what I'm gonna do in just a minute?') - and then we'll say 'go do laundry'.. 'go take the trash out'.. or something else equally as mundane. You get a huge kick out of that. And it buys us some lazy time where we don't have to chase you all over the house. ;)




And this one was taken the same afternoon..  it's just you being silly. And counting rocks. You know, someday, probably a LOT sooner than I realize, your requested form of entertainment will go far beyond being outside and counting rocks. We have never been big TV-watchers, and it's something I am proud of as a parent - the fact that you don't know all the normal toddler tv-shows that most kids do. Because I am my own worst critic, there's not a TON I can confidently say I am proud of, but this is something I feel I dun' good on! Sure, you have a few favorite tv characters, but we've always simply left the TV off. It has required muuuuch more patience and focus on our behalf, keeping you entertained otherwise - but I am so thankful that you would rather count inanimate objects outside or read through endless (endless!) books, or paint or color, than sing the latest mind-numbingly annoying TV theme-song. Now, having said that, it's highly likely that your little sister will teach you many many annoying tv theme-songs!!!!! Life as we know it will be adjusted accordingly. ;)
Lately, just to see how you'd like it, I put on a show called Diego. Knowing that most kids your age like the show, I thought you'd love it...  but given the fact that this Diego character does not speak - he SCREAMS and yells - you were sort of taken aback. The show likes to get the kids/audience to interact, asking them questions, and waiting for responses with their big blinking cartoon eyes. And you, you just blink right back at them, probably wondering why the hell they are screaming at you. You do interact with the shows you do watch, Curious George, Word World, SuperWhy, and some others.. but I don't blame you for hating a show that yells at you. 
I don't know how I got on the topic of TV...   but there you go.



This video needs no real description. Just a crazy kid in a tunnel!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

The Little Gym

 

The top video is of you going around the parachute. It's so funny to watch (for me) because when we first started these classes - 2 yrs ago - you were TERRIFIED of the parachute. You had such anxiety about it. It could have been the over-stimulation factor of it, the size of it, or who knows what... all of the above probably, considering there is almost always at least one screamer for this part of class. But the last year or so, you've LOVED it. And you participate and listen to the teacher SO so beautifully. I am just so proud!

The last video is of you receiving your 'medal of honor' - on the last day of class. We picked the wrong end of the semi-circle to sit at, and you were the last of about 12 kids, but you were patient as always, waiting your turn.

Snow Days

 

 

Christmas 2010 - Better Late Than Never

Yes yes, I know, this is WAY overdue. But I am just grateful that I am documenting it while it's still winter. It seems like it was just yesterday, anyway....
Aunty Kelly came home for Christmas, which is always a treat! Especially for certain toddlers who know they can get months worth of energy out all in a few days with her! Endless games of chase and hide-and-seek are the best ways to make some holiday memories.













On Christmas Eve night, we let you open one gift. It was a big Play-Doh set! I have to say, this item was strategically picked, given the fact that I knew that if you opened it ON Christmas Day (amidst the gift-opening chaos w/everyone else) that you would want to immediately play with it, and rightfully so, but Play-Doh is quite the cumbersome toy to play with/clean-up..  sooo... yeah. I picked a night where we could devote some immediate playtime to it! You really loved it. :)















Then came Christmas morning! Santa came and he was definitely sure you were a VERY good boy this year!













I don't have any photos of you stumbling out to the living room - I do have a video though.....  You were a little confused. Last year, you were very confused.. sort of in a state of awe, surrounded by all these new toys, not really knowing what to do or why they were all there. This year, you knew exactly WHY, but you were still in a state of awe I think. You kept asking 'are all these for me??!'...  YES CHILD! You were definitely latched on to your new train-set the first minute you laid eyes on it. All other gifts were pretty unremarkable by comparison.


















Well, except your trash-truck (which, if we were picky, we'd call a Recycling Truck, because that's what it is.. but whatever!)..  you loved that. You unwrapped the box, and were so excited to get 'A TWASH TWUCK!'













You really loved your guitar, too. This was really the only toy you asked for (aside from your non-toy request of lollipops - daily, all day, all month long).. so Santa made sure one was available for you just days prior to Christmas!














And yes, Santa made sure to have a good selection of lollipops for your stocking!













Santa even brought ME things in my stocking! A few gift cards.. some antibacterial-gel (Santa knows me well).. a toothbrush holder I wanted...some chocolates.. and a few other things!

























Santa got me my yearly planner, and a book I'd wanted to read, too. :)  And this year, since you'll have a baby sister soon, Santa even got me the cutest little newborn booties. Santa did well.



















Let's not forget Daddy though! Santa brought him a book he'd wanted to read... and a few comics! Santa appreciates adults who are kids at heart. :)













After breakfast and getting dressed, we headed over to Grandpa's house for more Christmas-fun. Here all us ladies (plus you!) are squeezed in on the couch, a very rare photo where all of us are looking in the camera! Aunty Kelly had the coolest Christmas Snoopy shirt - which you liked, as you really enjoyed the Snoopy movies this Christmas.


















We indulged your request to hide under the gifts... because really, how often can one even do this? The big black & white box that is over you is actually a gender-gift. We had Kelly open it in front of everyone, and it contained a 'Little Sister' onesie - as a way to tell everyone we were having a girl..  got that on vid, too, it's a good one!


















You then started the races off with opening gifts.. you're holding a prayer-bear from Mamaw. It says a little prayer when you press the button.. It starts off cutely with 'Now I lay me down to sleep..' but the last line it says it absolutely incomprehensible. We've listened to it 3 dozen times, and still, no clue whatsoever. I think this just adds to it's novelty.













A bath-tub boat. You love bath toys!













Some cars, that I think you have only since played with once. But you really seemed to like upon opening! I guess it's because they are small - and everyone knows bigger = better, in terms of cars.













And here is a very thoughtful gift from Kelly and Roger - a big brother tee!!! You loved it. :) And it will get lots of wear. VERY cute,













Amongst fellow gift-openers..  Mamaw has apparently been into.. coloring. So Aunty Kelly decided to be a little cheeky and get her some new coloring books! Mamaw was LITERALLY using the very same half-used coloring books that us girls used as kids, in the 80's! (ever the Recessionista) So, it was time.













And it is no secret that upon purchase of his new Mac laptop, that Daddy has become a bit of an Apple.. FREAK. So, I decided to get him some snazzy Apple-application magnets. For his work.












I received the cutest iPhone holder EVER. And I love it not even based on looks alone! It's so functional! I can now find my dark-colored phone in the deep murky abyss of my purse, and for preschool drop-offs/pick-ups, I no longer have a pocket-bulge. I have a cute holder!








You can see here in the top left corner an easel you also got for Christmas (from Mamaw). It didn't get quite the enthusiastic response she probably hoped for, but I think it's because you had no idea what the heck it gets used for! Now though (almost 2 months past Christmas) I can guarantee her that you VERY much love it and use it several times a day.
You also went around the room, as soon as you were done opening your gifts, to HELP others open theirs. I think you definitely had the concept of gift-opening DOWN this year. Eventually though, I had some new blocks opened up and you were relegated to the window-sill to play. You were happy and others got to open a few of their own gifts!
































Lunch/dinner then got rolling, with all us gals in the kitchen. Kelly & I doing all the cooking, while Mamaw stuck her fingers in things that ought not to be.
It was pretty well past your normal lunch-time, and as most know, it's not wise to mess with a toddler's eating schedule, so to avoid the incessant whining we had Grandpa read you several stories from your new way-awesome Curious George collections book (that we now read oohhhh 59 times a day!).
After a delicious meal, we got you upstairs for a much-needed nap, and then we all just basically laid around. I was beat, and I had about 5 books total I received, so I started in on one of them. It was a relaxing few hours!


























When we got home, we set up your tent/tunnel from Mamaw, and you were one HAPPY CAMPER! You loved the novelty of it - and shockingly, it hasn't really worn off. You now play with tons of toys inside your tent.. and you love to go through the tunnel, or roll things through it. It's also the #1 top choice when it comes to hide-and-seek places.
I do realize this entire post has all been about STUFF. Gifts and presents and goodies. And while it's a huge part of Christmas for a toddler, we did try to talk to you about WHY we have Christmas. We read some cute books about it, and when we asked you what happened on Christmas Day, a long time ago, you would confidently tell us that 'baby Jesus was born!'.. It's a story that we'll elaborate on throughout the years when you're older and can understand a bit more. Though, I think there might have been some confusion... several weeks prior to Christmas, I would ask you who was coming for Christmas, and you would enthusiastically reply 'baby Jesus and Aunty Kelly!!!!'  HA! Let's just say she was flattered to be placed in the same category as the baby Jesus.
Overall, it was a wonderful Christmas. The last Christmas as a little family of three. I hope you can remember some parts of the day, years from now..  but if not, I'll just tell you about how you were the sweetest, most polite little boy we've ever seen. How it was so very amazing to get to experience Christmas through your stunned little eyes!