Road Tripin'

What an adventure we just returned from! Tiff and I decided since we both had the summer off we would pack up the kids, sans husbands, and road trip to Michigan to visit our extended family. Surprisingly the kids handled the 10+ hour car trip very well and we arrived safely and in one piece to our destination outside of Detroit. We spent 3 days hanging out and letting the kids play with each other, which they did beatifully. We will miss all the playmates now that we are home. We also ventured to a spray park, a dairy farm (yummy ice cream) and attended Hannah's 2nd birthday party complete with pinata, pool, hot tub and marshmallow roasting by the fire pit. It was wonderful to see our family once again and we look forward to the next time that we can meet up.

Baby bumps

It somehow seems weird to take photos of just me and my belly bump so I asked Cole to join in and he happily obliged! I love this pic and will cherish it forever :) It's amazing to imagine that in 82 days our next little man will arrive. Cole has taken to my pregnancy better than I expected. I can't help but get a giggle out of his reaction to my ever increasing belly and inquiring how the baby is going to get out. He knows a doctor will do it (well actually a midwife but close enough) and that the baby will be messy when it arrives. He also thinks we should name the baby Clifford or Dumbo or something along those lines! The one thing that he has had difficulty with is my inability to hold him. He is a very loving little boy and likes to be held or carried places....both being difficult with a basketball attached to my front!

Just Beachy

We've had a busy end of June and early July, with Mommy and Daddy leaving Cole with Grandma and Pap while they attended Hollie and Sean's wedding in Dallas and then immediately after a trip to Virginia Beach to visit Scott and Allison for the Fourth of July. In his usual fashion, Cole took it all in stride and did amazingly well without us. I am also extremely happy and proud to announce that Cole is potty trained! We're working on the night time stuff right now but in most cases he wakes up dry. I just can't express how proud I am of him and how well he has done...now to get rid of the treats!

Happy Father's Day '09

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Every Father's Day we take a silly "impression" photo of our daddy. This year Cole actually wanted to wear Daddy's shoes and tie...but his expression wasn't nearly as cute as when i had to force him to do it. Happy Father's Day to all the "daddies" in our lives. To celebrate, we took our Daddy to see UP as our first family movie in the theater.

Mommy's too fat

....just thought I'd write a quickie for a "coleism" that I just loved! Today I was explaining to Cole that when the weather gets hot that we need to hurry and get him in his seat so that Mommy can get up to the front to put on the A/C as fast as possible (he is sooooo slow at not only getting in his seat but he doesn't help AT ALL with the straps or buckling). Sometimes, mostly when its raining, I will hop up to the front without getting out of the car (a real bonus to being a "small" person) but today Cole pointed out to me that, "Mommy is too fat to go to the front that way", as he pointed to the space between the front seats. Thanks pal for pointing that out...thanks!

Boot Camp

...potty training boot camp to be more specific. Yesterday Cole and I began what I hope to be the beginning of the end...of diapers! We had a couple of errands to run in the morning so the start of boot camp was to begin post naptime. One of our stops was Target to choose a prize for the end of the week, if and only if it proves to be a successful week. We also bought a book about going to the potty, some new improved treats (jelly beans weren't enticing enough anymore)and lastly, a potty timer. Who knew there was such a thing (there really isn't but Cole believed me). A good ole kitchen timer to count down the minutes when we HAD to try to go potty again. Our 1/2 day start was a good one with no accidents up to bedtime. Today is a different story. I am truly understanding that if there is no timer he will just pee (or worse) on himself. I know that its nonsense to think that we will get through the training exercise accident free but I know now why I've put this off for so long...it is no fun. Cole is already anti-timer, hiding it at every chance he gets, and he sat beside the potty today and did #2...BESIDE it! Why couldn't he have just moved over 12 inches and pulled down his pants? Shortly after that I decided to let him tell me when he had to go....accident again. Ugh!

Brothers

Our biggest news of the Spring didn't even make it to the blog yet! As most of you already know, Cole is going to be a big brother in October. Our family is anxiously (but patiently) awaiting the arrival of Baby Boy #2. Although slightly bummed that a little girl didn't complete our family this time around, I am thrilled that Cole will have a brother to play with, pick on, or otherwise torture for the rest of his life. But really....I know what the bond of sisters feels like and I can only imagine that brothers are no different and for that I am so thankful.

Birthday Boy

It's so hard to believe that 3 years ago today Cole came into our lives. Now that his big day is here, there will be one last celebration of the Big 3 with pizza and cake at Nanny's tonight but the real festivities were over the weekend with a pinata, cake, and unending presents with our family and friends. Leading up to his birthday, Cole would always say, "Mommy, this is going to be the best birthday ever". I just hope it was...for this year.

Say What?

Easter Egg Excitement

Cole couldn't wait for the official Easter Egg Hunt at Nanny's on Easter Day. We've been practicing for weeks now but the "real" day was finally here and Cole was prepared with basket in hand. The first excitement of the day was an Easter basket full of bouncing balls, marbles and oh yea, candy! The Easter Egg hunt began after our midday meal and the kids couldn't wait to hunt the over 200+ eggs that Maw-Maw filled and hid for them. What a great grandma!

My gifted child

On the way to Nanny's house we pass a major construction site, where Cole is always interested to see what the workers are up to. If they aren't on the job he wants to know why and if they are, he wants to know what they are doing. On this particular day, there were several men on the job site and most were gathered around the footings of what appears to be an upcoming sound wall. As usual Cole wanted to know what they were doing so I put it simply, "they are building a wall". He replied, "For Humpty Dumpty?" and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. I later shared this story with Cole's Aunty Tiffy and she said that his connection was very good and was a actually a sign of giftedness. I'm not sure where he's getting that from since I am more than positive that there is at least one (or more likely several) improper uses of English in this post as well as a non-existent word or two!

Growing Hearts

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and while that may be true, I have lately found that the more time I spend with our little man, the bigger my heart grows for him. I am so happy at the little person that he is turned into (not that there aren't bad days!) Here is a pic of our cutie at the St. Patty's Day festivities in Old Town. His favorite part of the parade were the dancing ladies :) (not those kind but the Irish dancing kind!)

Oh Man

Cole has really enjoyed playing trains recently. He loves, most of all, the battery operated Thomas and James engines that he received for Christmas. He loves to load them up and make them really work for their loads...today there was a little accident as he was helping one of them up the incline and he pushed a little too hard. "Oh man," he said. It's one of his favorite phrases right now so I was happy to capture it :)

Hockey Time

Cole, Craig, Scott, Allison and I all went to Cole's first hockey game on Sunday. We had lots of fun while Scott and Allison stayed for the weekend and we finally had a place for visitors to sleep...in Cole's big boy bed. Sadly for most of our crew, the Pens lost, but I was happy that the Caps won!

Happy Times....Sad Times

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Cole and I have been making the best of my layoff by scheduling lots of playdates and other activities at home. Play-doh and painting are our favorite pastimes. Beautiful weather has set in the last few days so we've headed outside to enjoy the 60 degree days. On the other end of the spectrum, we were very sad to say our goodbyes to our beloved family dog, Toni, last Friday night. Toni lived a long and happy life and I've loved her like no other dog. While it was a difficult decision for my dad to make, I am sure sure that Toni is in heaven with Nancy and they're having a grand ole' time.

A New Day

Cole, Craig and I made it down to Market Square today to view the swearing in of our 44th President. This is the first Presidential Inauguration that Cole will see in his lifetime. I love the way he says our now President's name...in his cute toddler way and almost as if he enjoys saying it. As I put him down to bed last night, I explained that tomorrow was a special day that we would have a new president. He looked up at me and questioned "Bawwack Obama?". Good boy was all I could say.

Disney Days

Merry Christmas

A very abnormal Christmas this year...in Florida. We enjoyed a balmy, 80 degree Christmas Eve on Fort Myers Beach. Cole enjoyed playing in the sand and playing with his "friends" Kristen and Brittany. We loved staying with Grandad at his house and having dinner with the entire family each night. Cole also got to pick oranges off of Grandad's tree...they were delicious. Next stop...Disney!

The happiest place on Earth

I can only imagine what Cole might have been thinking as we entered the most magical place on earth. I myself was brimming with excitement at the sounds, sights and smells of Disney. Although timid at first, Cole warmed up to the rides and characters and began each morning with a groggy voice requesting to go see Micky Mouse.

The days of Christmas

Cole's favorite day of Christmas is the Fifth Day. That's because that is when Daddy's bursts into our nightly storytime routine to announce that Cole's true love gave to him...."FIIIIIVVVVEEE GOOOOOLLLDDEENNN RINNNNNNNGGGGS"! Cole bursts out laughing EVERYTIME to this sillyness and Daddy has to stay close so that he can throw the door open at every verse of the song. I'm wondering if we are going to have to read that book every night from now until the big day...cause Mommy's singin voice isn't so good.