Hickle Family Happenings

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

2012-02-16T09:36:00.001-05:00

Yep, he's in a cardboard box. He often climbs in and begs, "Mommy, shut me up!" And believe me, there are days when I think, "If ONLY I could shut you up, just for a few minutes!" But really, Wyatt the Talker comes up with some pretty adorable statements, as evidenced by the following:

"Mommy, why does Colby poop in his diaper? Why doesn't he poop in the toilet? Is he afraid he'll fall in the toilet? What would we do if he fell in?"
"Mommy, how did God put my ears on my head?"
"I feel better today. I'm all swelled up!"
After Colby's sneezing fit: "Mommy, Colby's bless you-ing all over the couch!"
"I would like to have bunk beds." When asked if he'd take the top bunk or the bottom, he replied, "I'll sleep on the bottom and Colby will sleep on the bottom with me."

And not to leave little Colby out, he's had a few gems of his own:

The grocery store we shop at has an older man who gathers the carts in the parking lot and empties the trash cans. He seems like a loner, but his most distinguishing feature is his long white beard. The last couple of times we've seen him, Colby has shouted, "Ho ho ho!" Yes, Colby believes that in the off-season, Santa is employed at Meijer as a cart collector. Thankfully, the man seems somewhat amused by it!
At the library today, we were waiting for the elevator, and he kept saying, "Alligator! Alligator!" Come to think of it, elevator and alligator do indeed sound similar!

What will these kids come up with next?

Wordless Wednesday: Valentine's Day Edition

2012-02-15T16:22:00.000-05:00

At Play

2012-02-13T14:58:00.000-05:00

Sensory Bin Filled with Beans

Retro Rocket (Remember this?)

ipad (a rare moment of sharing)

Jr. Janitor Supplies

The Winter That Never Was

2012-02-10T15:47:00.001-05:00

Strange things have been happening around these parts. It's February 10th, and we're having our third (if that) snowfall of the winter. Usually by now, we've had at least twelve inches of total snowfall and the schools are scrambling to figure out how to make up extra calamity days. Not so for 2012. Not only has the snow been virtually non-existent, but we've been having temperatures in the fifties for several days in a row. NOT that we're complaining, mind you! The boys have been making the most of our freakish weather...

Poor Wyatt. This is about the most fun he's had with a sled all winter long!

This stick is Colby's favorite outdoor toy. He carries it around saying, "Pash!" (Splash!). He is in total heaven if someone will take him down to the creek and let him actually splash the water with it. And, yes, he is wearing winter boots in this photo. We have to get our money's worth out of them!

Mommy swears the sunshine makes those blue eyes even bluer.

The goofballs. Notice how Hunter is standing nicely at the fence and Mollie is spastically trying to jump over the top. Total reflection of their personalities.

Okay, this photo says it all. Just look at the joy on that child's face. If Colby's idea of heaven is splashing a stick in the creek, Wyatt's idea of heaven is pulling our old trash cans around the driveway. He asks to go outside every day to do this. Some days he even parks them all around the pine tree in the front yard. Yeah, the neighbors LOVE that.

We've tried to make the most of Mother Nature's unexpected gift this winter, and we hope that come spring we're not paying for it. Helloooo, snow-covered Easter egg hunts!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Michael!

2012-02-03T14:44:00.000-05:00

We miss you, love you, and hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Brad!

2012-01-30T14:46:00.000-05:00

We love you and hope you have a great birthday!

Wordless Wednesday: Crazy Dog Edition

2012-01-18T15:04:00.001-05:00

This Guy

2012-01-16T15:13:00.002-05:00

This guy woke up last Friday and announced that he was ready for breakfast. When Mommy asked him what he wanted, he said, "Waffles with syrup...and ham and cheese...on a muffin." So Mommy prepared this man-sized breakfast and he ate most of it! He must be growing...

And those dinosaur jammies he's wearing? He claims that the dinosaur on the shirt "pretects" his belly button during the night. Good thing! We wouldn't want anything to happen to that little navel!

Life sure has some new changes in store for Mr. Wyatt. Tomorrow he will go to his first dental appointment. He has expressed some apprehension, but Mommy and Daddy are busy trying to talk it up. We're also talking up preschool! Last Thursday we toured one local preschool, and we're going to an open house at another this coming Saturday. Wyatt seems excited at the prospect of going to preschool, although he kept Mommy's hand in a death grip during the entire tour last week.

UPDATE: Wyatt did a marvelous job at the dentist. He has twenty perfect teeth and has been doing a great job of brushing them (with a little help from Mommy and Daddy, of course). When asked after his appointment what kind of reward he would like Mommy to give him, he chose to forego a new toy, book, or snack. This guy had only one reward in mind: "I want to go to Menards and pull the trash cans around." So off to the Menards trash can aisle we went!

Half Past One

2012-01-12T15:20:00.000-05:00

Little Mr. Colby, you are now closer to age two than age one. Nineteen months already! It seems like only yesterday that you were a dark-haired little snuggly baby watching his big brother with bright eyes. Well, your hair is a little lighter now, and your eyes are a little brighter, but there's no more watching. There is only doing. As in, doing whatever you set your mind to, little guy.

One of your favorite things to do is play daredevil: jumping off of furniture, riding rocking lions and bouncy horsies, running, running, and running some more. You can't decide if you prefer sliding down the steps at breakneck speed on your stomach or your bum. In fact, you usually start on your stomach and switch to your bum halfway down the stairs. And if anyone tries to hold onto you or offer you a hand, it is met with a curt little "No!" in reply.

Speaking of "No!", it's one of countless words you have mastered, and it's definitely one of your favorites. Perhaps your favorite of all is "Wyatt!" You love to talk about animals, particularly giraffes and zebras and elephants and cows. You usually cannot resist the urge to utter the sound the animal makes after saying its name. It's a little like living in a zoo!

These days, your favorite things include books (Goodnight, Gorilla and The Day the Babies Crawled Away); balls (you call them all footballs); apple juice ("whole lot!"); Percy the choo-choo train; playing outside, especially splashing in the creek; and Daddy. Oh, do you love your Daddy! When he was off work for Christmas break, you did not want to leave his side for a second (see photo below). He is your favorite person to spend time with, and Mommy thinks it's because your personalities are so similar. You're both good-natured with a little bit of mischievous thrown in.

We're enjoying each moment watching you learn and show off, Mr. Colby. We love listening to your little voice and watching you gallop. We love your strong appetite, but not your penchant for dumping food on the floor. Please outgrow that soon, okay? Most of all, we love your sweet, cuddly, rough-and-tumble personality, and we're so glad to have you in our family!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T15:31:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T16:13:00.000-05:00

To all of our friends and family out there, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

We've been busy here wrapping and baking. We even made a toddler-friendly gingerbread house!

As you can tell from the Wordless Wednesday post below, we had a successful visit to Santa--no tears! Wyatt is holding his wish list, which he later put in Santa's mailbox. It consisted of:

a rolly mop
a rolly trash can
a rolly dust pan
a bookshelf to keep my rakes on

Notice anything missing from that list? Well, yes, trash cans are missing, but you might also notice that there are no TOYS on that list. In fact, when asked if he wanted any toys, he said no. Should make for a very interesting Christmas day! Mommy--er, Santa--has an ace up his sleeve, though. Behold...

Yes, that is a rolly mop, cleaning, dust pan, cart. Mommy lovingly refers to it as the Jr. Janitor kit. We hope he likes it! He'd better like it, because Mommy and Nana stood in line for two hours at Toys R Us on Black Friday, and that was the last one the store had!

And just in case Colby tries to steal the broom (God forbid!) we got him a smaller scale cleaning kit with a broom in it. (A funny side note: The box says, "Just like Mom's!" Ha ha. Daddy got a BIG kick out of that!)

We're so excited to share Christmas with our boys and our families, and we're so thankful for all the blessings we've been given! We hope your Christmas is filled with family and fun!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T16:22:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-05T15:19:00.000-05:00

This weekend we decided to deck the halls. Daddy brought in all the boxes from the garage and the boys "organized" all the ornaments...

Only two glass bulbs were busted in the process. Thankfully no one was injured, and we proceeded to place our heirloom ornaments on the tree.

Wyatt was a real pro; he didn't need any help at all this year!

He soon grew bored with the decorating, though, and decided to play with the bins instead. Three is such an interesting age. One minute he's begging us to play with him, and the next minute he wants to do his own thing. And if there's something we want him to do, well, good luck with that.

Little Colby enjoyed carrying ornaments over to the tree, but the putting-them-on-the-tree business wasn't his thing. He did hang his big letter "C" for us, though.

After we finished, we stood back and soaked in the beauty of our family Christmas tree. So luminous! So bedazzling!

And then we put a big ugly gate around it and called it done.

The dogs were thoroughly impressed. Can't you tell?

Later, after the boys went to bed, Mommy wrapped a mountain of gifts and placed them under the tree. Guess what happened the next morning? Yep, poor little Wyatt came downstairs and thought all those presents were for him, and he was determined to open them then and there. Mommy was finally able to talk him into waiting until Christmas to open the gifts, but now he asks every few hours when Christmas is going to be. So cute!

We have one more little tree to show off. This is the tree in our playroom.

The boys decorated it all by themselves with a little help from Mommy. It even has little Lego ornaments.

It sure is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

My Dumpster is Full

2011-11-30T15:02:00.000-05:00

This morning, Wyatt decided to turn the Lego table into a dumpster. He spent a good twenty minutes filling it with empty boxes, and when he was finished, he came to find Mommy and exclaimed, "My dumpster is full!" Yes, indeed!

It's moments like these that make Mommy melt and cringe all at the same time. The cringing comes from an inherent desire to see things neat and organized in pretty baskets or stacks (not that our house is like that, but it's something Mommy desires). But where Mommy sees a mess of misplaced boxes, her little boy sees a dumpster full of trash that makes him happy from head to toe. And that makes Mommy melt.

On a side note, look at what the puppies did while Mommy vacuumed the floor this morning...

...and this is what Colby did...

Once the magazine basket was empty, he climbed inside and stood in it with a huge smile on his face. Another cringe/melt moment!

And Wyatt was in the playroom working on this masterpiece...

So who wants to get Mommy a maid for Christmas? Please, pretty please!?

Wordless Wednesday: Turkey Day Edition

2011-11-30T14:44:00.000-05:00

Hunter & Mollie

2011-11-23T14:54:00.001-05:00

Call us crazy. Really--go ahead and call us crazy. Since there wasn't enough chaos raising two little boys, we decided to add not one, but TWO puppies to the mix. Everyone, please meet Hunter and Mollie, our foster puppies.

They were born in Kentucky in July and we met them through a rescue organization called HART. We attended one of their meet-and-greets with the intention of possibly adopting Hunter, but then we saw them together. There was no way we could separate them.

Because we're not entirely sure that we can handle two dogs with our two boys, we decided to foster with the intention of adopting.

They are sweet and rambunctious. And hilarious.

The rescue group said they're a pointer mix, but we're pretty sure they're blue tick hounds. Just look at those ears and hound dog eyes.

It's been a little more stressful having these two in the house, but they're so funny and cute that we don't get caught up too much in the extra responsibility. And Wyatt just loves them to bits. Colby isn't sold on them just yet, but he's warming up. Looks like these hound dogs will be sticking around for awhile!

These Days

2011-11-10T15:39:00.000-05:00

These days, it seems like time drags on, yet flies by at the same time. Both the boys are growing and developing by leaps and bounds, so we thought it would be a good idea to document some of their current interests and skills.

Wyatt is happiest when he is outdoors. In the photo above, he's holding a lizard that he found in the yard. He loves to look at squirmy bugs and he has few qualms about touching them or picking them up. His favorite thing to do outside is drag the trash cans around the driveway, organizing them, reorganizing them, filling them up and putting the lids on and off.

True to his age, he is highly inquisitive. Nearly every statement is a question, usually a question that starts with the word why. He also likes to ask how things get to be the way they are. If he sees a rusty car, he asks why it is rusty and hears the response, "Because it's old." The next question is always, "How did it get old?" He has also asked Mommy a couple of times, "How did I get out of your belly?" Oh goodness. That's a talk for another day!

Wyatt is becoming more independent every day. He wants to do things by himself, like clearing off his plate after dinner. He doesn't ever want to ride in shopping carts or strollers anymore. He even has an imaginary job, as Mommy learned in the following conversation...

Wyatt: I have to go to work tonight.
Mommy: Yeah? Where do you work?
Wyatt: Home Depot.
Mommy: What department do you work in?
Wyatt: The trash can department.
Mommy: What do you do there?
Wyatt: I take care of the trash, and I organize the trash cans. I pretect them. (His word for protect is pretect.)

We have yet to see a paycheck, but we're happy that he seems to have a healthy work ethic!

Wyatt is also still interested in books, although he wants to "read" them by himself instead of having them read to him. He can read some pages from memory, but he mostly likes to just talk about what is happening in the pictures. Recently, Mommy shared with Wyatt her love of Clifford the Big Red Dog...

Mommy: Wyatt, would you like to read this big boy book?
Wyatt: What is it?
Mommy: It's Clifford the Big Red Dog. This was Mommy's book when she was little like you!
Wyatt: It must be really OLD!

Ouch! Yep, Wyatt is also brutally honest at this age. He says what he is thinking, and he tells us exactly what he wants. Usually he wants a whole lot of juice or a whole sandwich, not a cut one. And if he doesn't get exactly what he wants, there is sometimes a lot of whining or even a tantrum. Mostly, though, Wyatt is a great kid to be around. He's funny and smart (a lot like Daddy), as well as helpful and affectionate. We love the little boy he's becoming!

Mr. Colby Blue Eyes has been quite busy himself these days. Mostly, his efforts are devoted to jumping, running and playing trucks and balls. He can't see a ball without yelling, "Bawllll!" Equally exciting are balloons, elephants, lions, cows, horses, dogs, cats, ducks and fish. As you can probably tell, Colby is a big fan of animals. For several months now, he has loved looking at his animal picture books, and whenever he sees a picture of an animal while we're out and about, he eagerly exclaims the animal's name.

Another of Colby's passions is wearing shoes. He will wear anyone's shoes. If they're lying around the house, he'll grab one and put it on. And if he can't get it on, he'll bring it to Mommy and demand, "Shoe on!" While he's not particular about whose shoes he is wearing, he is particular about only wearing one at a time. Stop by at any given time of day and you'll likely find Colby squatting in the playroom reading an animal book with a random snow boot on his left foot. That's Colby.

Thanks to Halloween, Colby has also taken a liking to candy. His favorite seems to be M&M's and Reese cups. We let him have one piece if he eats most of his dinner. The minute he sees us walking toward his pumpkin, he starts shrieking, "Can-ny! Can-ny!" Sometimes he'll be playing and look up and see the pumpkin sitting on the cabinet and start yelling, "Can-ny!" Of course, he doesn't like being told to wait until after dinner, bu thankfully his tantrums only last for sixty seconds or so. Then he seems to forget what he was mad about and decides to go and play.

Colby does seem to have daredevil streak in him. He will jump off of almost anything. This morning he started jumping off the couch. This afternoon he was pondering jumping off of a kitchen chair until Mommy ruined his fun. He jumps off the two steps in our living room, and we're convinced that given the opportunity, he would attempt to jump his way down the entire staircase. True to his daredevil ways, Colby also enjoys climbing. He likes climbing onto the couch and the tables in the playroom, as well as Mommy and Daddy's bed. This boy is a monkey.

As for their relationship, Wyatt and Colby get along pretty well. Neither of them is at an age where he likes to play much with other children, so they don't often play with each other (unless Mommy or Daddy is involved). They do like to wrestle from time to time, although it usually gets broken up when Colby starts screaming because Wyatt's arm is around his neck. Colby seems to be at the "I can dish it out, but I can't take it" stage. And boy does he like to dish it out. He will shove, squeeze, lean on and otherwise irritate Wyatt at least three or four times a day. And Mommy and Daddy have to stifle their urge to laugh because it's so funny to see this itty bitty person behaving that way. We don't let him see our amusement, though, and we always correct him.

There is truly never a dull moment around here these days. As challenging as it can be parenting two little guys, we wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T15:14:00.000-04:00

Our little garbage man did such a fabulous job trick-or-treating this year. He though of his own costume (of course!), and he was a true original. There were lots of zombies and superheroes out there, but Wyatt was the one and only little garbage man.

Our little lion was also a trooper. We walked a long way, and he hung in there the whole time. Yes, we carried him at times, but he was usually begging to be put down so he could walk. Isn't he adorable?

We were joined by cousin Ava, who had an original costume of her own--she was a sack of taters! Everyone thought she was too cute! Wyatt must have thought so, too, because he held her hand as we headed home.

We had a great time trick-or-treating with the little ones, and a big thanks goes out to Papaw for helping out with the little ones and Nana and Auntie Kim for handing out candy back at home. Hope everyone else had a Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Time

2011-10-25T14:32:00.000-04:00

The most abundant crop from our garden this year was pumpkins, and boy did we get a lot! Most were orange, but we also had some white and greenish colored ones, too. The boys loved carrying them around and Colby exclaimed, "Punkin!" every time he saw one. We decided to let the boys have fun with their pumpkins, so one cold day we threw on some old t-shirts and did pumpkin painting...

Wyatt spent a very long time on this masterpiece. He usually spends around eight minutes on any given paint project, but he sat for at least fifteen minutes blending colors and swirling them on his pumpkin.

Our other pumpkin porject was the classic jack-o-lantern carving session...

Colby thought the stem was fun to hold. This was about the extent of his help with the pumpkin carving. He spent the rest of the time hopping on the mini-trampoline. Maybe next year he'll get into it more.

Wyatt was very interested in the pumpkin carving. While in past years he has been a bit squeamish about the pumpkin's slimy innards, this year he didn't seem to care. He reached right in and pulled out several hands full of seeds and stringy stuff. He also "decorated" the backside of the pumpkin with a magic marker. When he was done, Daddy finished the business of emptying the gourd...

Our little garbage man was on hand with a bag, of course. Once it was full, we dumped it in our new compost bin. Hopefully, next year it will help us grow more pumpkins!

And our final product is one spooky pumpkin, as requested by Wyatt. We put him on our patio table on the deck so we could see him aglow after dark.

We had a great time with our pumpkin crop this year, and we look forward to more fun next fall!

Fire Station Fun

2011-10-14T14:42:00.002-04:00

We recently joined some MOMS Club friends on a tour of a local fire station. It was really neat to go "behind the scenes" and see where the firefighters eat, sleep and work. (And despite the expression on Wyatt's face in the photo above, he really did enjoy the tour.)

Of all things, Colby loved playing with this springy hose that was attached to one of the trucks. Wyatt was fascinated with a trash can filled with kitty litter that the firefighters use to absorb oil and gas. Sadly, Mommy didn't get a photo of it, but if you really need to see a photo of Wyatt with a trash can, just scroll down; there are plenty in other posts!

The firefighters were so nice and even allowed the kids to sit in the driver's seat of one of the trucks. It was really high, though, and the boys wouldn't get up there without Mommy.

We had a great tour, but in Mommy's opinion, the firefighters saved the best for last. This particular station was granted possession of a rare piece of history...a piece of steel from the World Trade Center:

It was a humbling sight. To stare at this piece of rusted steel and think of where it once was, what it--and all those innocent people--went through, was a powerful moment. We were all reminded of how lucky we are to have another day with our children and our friends. Someday, Mommy wants to take the boys back to the fire station and show them that piece of steel again. It will be an amazing lesson for them.

Thank you to the Fairfield Township Fire Department for all you do and for a great day!

First Haircut

2011-10-13T09:24:00.002-04:00

After months of being complimented on how cute our little "girl" is, Mommy and Daddy decided it was finally time to get Colby's hair cut. It was a hard decision--those curls!--and Mommy hemmed and hawed for a good three or four weeks before finally caving in. (Perhaps it was the thirty-ninth time she had to clean applesauce out of his flowing locks that made the decision for her.)

We headed out to our favorite kiddie hair salon, Cookie Cutters, and immediately ordered up an Elmo DVD and the barber chair that looked like a sports car. Mr. Colby was distracted by the DVD for about thirty seconds, and then we got this...

Not happy! He sort of decided that he hates wearing smocks, especially smocks with pink unicorns on them. Thankfully, there weren't any other kiddies getting haircuts at that time, so a second stylist was able to come over and distract Colby with bubbles. And the end result looked something like this...

Isn't he handsome? He still has some curl to his hair, but there's definitely no more mistaking him for a girl!

Although, he might be mistaken for a certain big brother that he now resembles more closely...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T15:21:00.000-04:00

Three

2011-10-02T14:20:00.003-04:00

Wyatt, today is your THIRD birthday! We're so excited to celebrate this special day with you, and of course, Mommy and Daddy can't help but reminisce about the last year. You've grown so much! Here are some of the amazing things you can do:

go potty in the toilet all by yourself
play on all the equipment at the park
ride a tricycle
use complete sentences (often using six words or more)
read a few of your books from memory
open the fridge and get things out of it
complete jigsaw puzzles with large pieces
pretend play, including "kitty" and "restaurant window"
feed yourself

And the list could go on and on. Of course, you have some habits now that we hope don't stick around too long, but most of them are developmental in nature. You want things to stay whole. "Don't cut my sandwich!" is just one example. You also get mad when something you're eating, like a cookie, breaks apart. You plead with us to put it back together, but there are some things even Mommy and Daddy can't fix. You also like to do things by yourself; you want to open doors, put on your clothes, clear your plate after dinner, wash and dry your hands, hold your milk/juice box, etc.

You're getting to be a better big brother every day. If Colby falls down, you often go up to him and say, "Are you okay?" In the car, you share your snack with him without complaint. And the cutest thing is this: before Colby goes to take his nap or goes night-night, you insist on giving him a hug and kiss. While we know Colby gets on your nerves sometimes, and you often don't like to share toys with him, at the end of the day you love him without a doubt.

Some of your favorite things right now are trash cans (of course!), your mink mink (security blanket), yogurt, bread, apple juice, snack time, art (painting), pushing carts or any wheeled object, being outside, donuts on Sunday morning, Caillou, playing on the iPad, computers, comfy pants, mopping and sweeping the floor, and bugs.

We sure do love watching your personality grow and develop, Mr. Wyatt. You are very curious, often asking question after question about a subject. You are sweet, especially when you cuddle with Mommy in the morning. You are bright, recognizing letters, words and emblems everywhere we go.

If someone had asked us three years ago what kind of son we would want, even our most amazing description could not top you. We love you so much, and we're so thankful that we have you in our lives. Happy Birthday, sweet boy!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Danny!

2011-09-28T12:38:00.005-04:00

Today is Grandpa Danny's birthday! We love you and hope you have a fabulous day!

Big Day for a Little Garbage Man

2011-09-26T20:47:00.000-04:00

Oh, what a feeling! Wyatt and Daddy recently took a tour of the Rumpke landfill, and it was quite a fun time! The sight of all those trash trucks got our little garbage man jumping for joy!

After admiring Rumpke trucks from afar for so long, Wyatt finally got to get up close and personal with one. Here he is holding onto the grab bar--don't worry, the ride wasn't in motion!

The real highlight, though, came when he got to sit in the cab of the truck. He looks ready for a route of his own!

There were a few local celebrities at the landfill that day, including Binny and Binita, the walking, talking recycling bins!

Wyatt was way more interested in the heavy machinery, and he even got to sit in the cab of a ginormous scoopy, shovely, tractor-type thing. (Don't be jealous of Mommy's highly technical vocabulary!)

See!? We said it was ginormous, didn't we?

Of course, there were plenty of opportunities for dragging big Rumpke toters around, and Wyatt took every chance he got!

This is his "Dad, I'm THIS close to throwing a tantrum if you take one more picture" pose.

After a ride on a school bus, Daddy and Wyatt found themselves high atop Mount Rumpke. Here's our little guy sitting on top of the (garbage) world. Ah, someday, Little Man, all this could be yours!

And the highlight of Daddy's day? Getting to watch stuff being blown up! Okay, well, the real highlight for Daddy was seeing Wyatt's excitement, but watching stuff being blown up came in a close second. ;)

Happy Birthday, Ava!

2011-09-25T04:04:00.000-04:00

Today is Ava Marie's second birthday! We're so excited to attend her Dora Fiesta this afternoon, and we want to wish her the happiest birthday ever. We love you, Ava!

Happy Birthday, Papaw!

2011-09-23T15:50:00.000-04:00

Today is Papaw's birthday. We love you very much and hope you've had a wonderful day!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T15:07:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Labor Day Weekend Edition

2011-09-14T22:40:00.000-04:00

One and a Quarter

2011-09-09T16:06:00.000-04:00

Mr. Colby recently hit the one-and-a-quarter mark, and he's a totally different little person than that wittle bitty baby that turned one just three months ago. Here's what our big toddler is up to these days...

He's talking up a storm! His words include: mama, daddy, fishy, moo, neigh, dog-dog, kitty, ball, cup, hat, poop, no, no, no, no and no, banana, truck, choo choo, shoe, etc. Of course, some of those words are morphed because his little tongue and lips are only capable of so much fanciness, but we understand him, and that means he's making meaning with language, people!

He's mimicking his brother every chance he gets, and his brother is not so sure how to feel about that. Case in point: Wyatt recently began a pretend play wherein he is a kitten who sleeps in a cardboard box (thanks, Caillou, for that storyline). Well, Colby also wants to be a kitty who sleeps in the same cardboard box, so he curls up in it and pretends to go "nigh-nigh". It is beyond adorable. Not to Wyatt, though. Picture him yanking the cardboard box out from underneath his brother much as a bad magician would unsuccessfully yank a tablecloth out from beneath a dish-laden tabletop. It's not pretty.

He's developing his own likes and dislikes, especially at the dinner table. This child does not like mashed potatoes. MASHED POTATOES, people! Who doesn't like mashed potatoes!? He does love bananas and bread items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He also likes to feed himself. It is an all-out mess every time, and Mommy often finds herself wiping applesauce out of Colby's hair, his ears, his waistband, and his toes. And somehow he always manages to hide half his meal underneath his legs, which is always a joy to discover after removing him from the booster seat.
He wants to go, go, go! If you see this boy coming, move out of the way! He will mow you down. Or he'll bump into your legs, trip over your feet and bonk his head after landing on the floor.
He just gets cuter by the minute. Mommy never tires of hearing those fat little feet stomping down the hallway. And when he reaches up to get a book and then backs his little caboose into your lap so you can read to him? Oh, it will melt even the iciest heart! And don't get us started on the curls and the blue eyes. Adorable.

Every day presents new challenges and new tears to wipe, but there's also a lot of joy and excitement. One and a quarter is a fun age, and we're eager to see what new things Colby does tomorrow!

-------------------------

And this guy? In less than one month, he will turn THREE YEARS OLD! The days are long but the years are short. Indeed.

You can check out the birthday book Mommy made for him by clicking here.

Myrtle Beach Memories: Brookgreen Gardens

2011-09-06T21:55:00.000-04:00

We don't really need to say much about this amazing place. Just look at the pictures. And the next time you venture to South Carolina, try to work a day at Brookgreen Gardens into your schedule. You'll be glad you did.

Myrtle Beach Memories: Places and Faces

2011-08-30T20:49:00.000-04:00

Of course, the beach and the pool were the two very best places we visited during our time in NMB. We couldn't spend much time there at night with the kiddies, though, so we ventured out and explored some other fun locales, including Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach (the southernmost MB, that is!). This year, we were struck by the sight of a gorgeous ferris wheel all lit up! While we didn't get to ride it this year, it's definitely on our list for a future trip.

We also dropped in on the most famous gift shop in all the world--The Gay Dolphin. Yes, we realize that's a strange name for a gift shop, but it's an incredible multi-level gathering of every silly novelty you could ever imagine emblazoned with the words "Myrtle Beach". It's a must-see.

While the ladies and Uncle Brad shopped, Daddy and Wyatt visited the boardwalk. They enjoyed walking out on the pier, and they even saw a pirate!

Mommy topped that, though, as you can see above. She witnessed the King performing live!

We had a great time exploring the locale during our trip, but the best memories we created were thanks to the people we traveled with...

Auntie Kim was our Beach Bunny. Wyatt had fun collecting ocean water with her to use in building one of our ill-fated sand castles. He also loved to run up to her in the condo just to say hi. And, of course, Colby loved looking at Auntie Kim's purse, which features pictures of her dog-dogs.

Papaw was all about the kids. In fact, he hasn't been on a real vacation in about thirteen years, and the only way we could get him to go on this one was with the promise of more quality time with his three babies. He loved taking Colby for walks and runs on the beach, and he loved holding Wyatt and Ava when they needed someone to entertain or soothe them.

Kaitlyn and Uncle Brad were so excited to be taking little Ava on her first vacation. It was great to see the three of them together on the beach, gathering shells and basking in the unbelievable cuteness that was Ava in a bathing suit! And just look at the photo above to see where Ava got all that cuteness from!

And speaking of the little lady, she had us so smitten with her pet names for everyone. Kim was "Kimmie". Wyatt has always been "Wy-aaaaatt". And Colby went from "Kuh-bee" to "Kuh-bee Buddy". She even named our couch "Kimmie's Couch". While she wasn't a fan of the big ocean, she loved the little pools of water left after the tide went out. We called it the kiddie pool, and Ava and her cousins had a great time wading and playing in it.

While everyone had a great time, we think Nana probably had the best time of all. She got to enjoy a whole week of her three favorite things: family, the beach, and time off work. While Nana is a little shy about going into the ocean, she was willing to make an exception for Wyatt. (He offered to let her wear his lifejacket, but she declined. Just kidding!) It seemed that every time we saw her over the course of the week, Nana had a grandkid in her arms, and we're pretty sure she wouldn't have had it any other way!

We had an amazing time making memories with some of our favorite people while in Myrtle Beach!

Next up in our MB Memories Posts: Brookgreen Gardens

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T07:28:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday, Auntie Laura!

2011-08-21T12:30:00.000-04:00

This photo is an oldie but goodie. Look at little baby Wyatt's chubby self! And look at that big smile. He sure has always loved his Auntie Laura. We all love you, Laura, and we wish you a birthday filled with happiness!

Myrtle Beach Memories

2011-08-19T14:53:00.000-04:00

Last week we Hickles and Hensleys plus one Fultz and one Wilkinson went on a grand vacation to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was Colby and Ava's first vacation ever, and it was the first time that we've all taken an extended family vacation. We did lots of fun things during our time by the ocean...

Colby played in the sand. He loved this giant shovel, and he especially loved filling it with sand and dumping it on his head. Thankfully, he usually had his hat on, so he wasn't totally covered in sand.

Wyatt liked the sand, but he LOVED the ocean. He and Daddy spent lots of time wading out into the surf and jumping the waves. We were so proud of him, especially considering the fact that the last time he saw the ocean, he didn't want anything to do with it!

While at the beach, we also made an attempt to build a sandcastle. It's a lot harder than it looks!

After spending time at the beach each day, we usually headed up to the pool, where Wyatt showed off even more of his fish-like attributes...

He jumped into the pool over and over again. It seemed like he really did grow a set of gills from being exposed to all that water!

We had a great time playing in the sand and water, but that's not all we did on our big vacation! Tune in next time to read about more of our adventures!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T15:03:00.000-04:00

A Few Happenings

2011-07-29T14:59:00.000-04:00

A certain little boy (who still insists that he's a tiny baby) is now wearing big boy underwear. He has only had a couple of accidents in the past few weeks, and it seems that the potty is no big deal for him. We are very, very proud of him!

Another little guy has been bitten by the reading bug. For a long time, Mommy worried that Colby would never sit still long enough to finish a story, but that all changed the day he discovered our animal picture books. He loves to grab one, turn around and "back up" into someone's lap for a reading session. We're very proud of our little bookworm!

We've been stuck inside a lot lately due to extremely high temps, but we're making do. Zhu zhu pet races are a big hit around here. Both boys love watching these little hamster critters zoom around and make squeaky sounds.

And a random tidbit: look at our truck shelf pictured above. Do you think any other little boy has not one, not two, but SIX garbage trucks in his truck collection? And in case you were wondering, Legos make excellent pieces of "garbage" when you're playing landfill!

Male Bonding

2011-07-25T15:02:00.000-04:00

Daddy and Wyatt have discovered a mutual love for the ipad. They could sit for hours--well, okay, several minutes--drawing with a doodling app.

Wyatt loves the feature that makes sound effects every time he touches the screen. It seems that this little guy might have inherited his father's affinity for all things computer related!

Summertime

2011-07-18T15:20:00.000-04:00

Summertime is...

Cold drinks

Ice cream

More ice cream

Brothers being silly

Sweaty hairstyles

And, most of all, FUN!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T15:54:00.000-04:00

All photos taken by Ash Marie Photography, Lebanon, Ohio.

Thirteen Months

2011-07-05T22:18:00.000-04:00

Mr. Colby, a month has already gone by since you turned one. We were so wrapped up with celebrating your big day and getting new floors and planting a garden and enjoying the start of summer that we didn't quite get around to writing your Twelve Month monthday post.

So what are you up to these days? A better question would be what aren't you up to? You love to be on the go! One of Mommy's favorite sounds is the pitter patter of those little feet on the new floors. We definitely know when you're coming and going!

And when you finally do slow down, you can usually be found examining a toy or preparing to pounce on your big brother. Yes, you seem to have taken on the role of aggressor! Thankfully, Wyatt seems to like "wrestling" with you. And Mommy and Daddy have to admit that it is hilarious to see the little brother trying to hold down his big brother!

One thing you've recently taken interest in is coloring with crayons. You must have learned this through observing Wyatt. One day, you just wandered over to the table, grabbed a crayon, and started to make a coloring motion. Mommy stuck a piece of paper in front of you, and you began creating your first masterpiece. It was so exciting to see you doing something new for the first time! Of course, you inevitably decided to eat the crayon, but we'll work on that!

Mr. Colby, we sure are having fun with you these days! Your personality is unfolding, and we love seeing you learn new things and interact with your brother. Mommy loves seeing you cuddle with Daddy (who seems to be your favorite person these days)! We can't wait to see what the next few months bring, and as always, we love you more than words can express!

All photos in this post were taken by Ash Marie Photography, Lebanon, Ohio.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T10:02:00.000-04:00

Colby's Big Day

2011-06-12T16:26:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time celebrating little Colby's first birthday! We found out that he LOVES cake!

He also loves to get messy with cake, but on your birthday that's totally allowed, right?

He was excited to open gifts, too!

Of course, Big Brother helped wrangle all the wrapping paper with his trash can.

And in case you're wondering why he's half naked, he took off his shirt to eat lunch and somehow it was never put back on. It was a cute birthday shirt, though, don't you think?

We had lots of loved ones join us for the big day, and we're so thankful for them!

It was a wonderful experience; how could it not be with this little cutie being the center of it all?

We're looking foward to many more big days with you, little guy!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T14:59:00.002-04:00

One

2011-06-06T15:00:00.002-04:00

One year ago today...

we welcomed a sweet baby boy with bright eyes and dark hair...

who became an active little guy...

who is fascinated with his big brother...

who loves to play ball...

who melts our heart with his baby blues, his curls, and his exclamations of "Hi!" every time he sees someone he loves.

Happy First Birthday, little Colby! We love you so much and are looking forward to seeing what great things you do in your second year!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Danielle!

2011-06-06T14:35:00.000-04:00

We love you very much and hope you had a wonderful birthday!

A Few Happenings

2011-06-03T23:52:00.000-04:00

Our home is in shambles. We have a mixture of filthy carpet, plywood subfloors, four layers of vinyl and other craziness beneath our feet. It will all be worth it come Tuesday, though, when we're blissfully walking on our new wood-wannabe laminate floor. It's been FIVE years of waiting and planning for this, people! Five years of icky carpet, two dogs, and two boys. Tuesday cannot get here soon enough.
Mommy just finished her second ever tile project. She put a border around the pellet-stove surround, and it looks surprisingly decent. It'll give the new floors a nice straight edge to butt up against.
Daddy has been working like a dog lately! Last week he spent three days in Canada for work, followed by a missed connecting flight (not his fault), and a night spent in a less-than-savory Detroit motel. This week, he has ripped up flooring, mixed grout by hand, tilled the garden, and pulled Daddy-duty while Mommy attended the MOMS Club banquet. And in typical Daddy fashion, he hasn't complained a bit.
Wyatt has decided that his new favorite defiant behavior is spitting. He does it in the car, at the dinner table, and whenever he's feeling mad or ornery. Mercifully, he does not yet comprehend that what he's actually doing is blowing raspberries, not really spitting per se. And we're not planning to clarify that for him any time soon.
Baby Colby has just two more days until he's one whole year old! Time passes so much faster with the second child. And his new favorite behavior is exclaiming, "Hi!" to everyone he sees. Adorable does not even begin to describe it.

We're looking forward to a productive weekend and hope to have lots of pictures to share soon!

What a Difference One Year Makes

2011-05-31T14:32:00.000-04:00

May 27, 2010

May 29, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T21:12:00.001-04:00

Oh, the Vocabulary

2011-05-24T22:07:00.000-04:00

Mr. Wyatt's verbal repertoire seems to be expanding at breakneck speed. Here are a couple of recent gems...

While driving home from Meijer, Wyatt declared that he didn't want to go home. Mommy explained that we had to get home and put the groceries away. With great seriousness, Wyatt replied, "Otherwise, they could go bad!" What kind of two-year-old says the word otherwise?

Warning: The next gem involves some potty talk!

Before naptime yesterday, Wyatt said that he needed to poop, so he headed to his favorite place to do the deed: standing behind the curtain in Colby's room. (He likes to look out the window into the backyard.) After some time, he emerged from behind the curtain to declare, "The poop is hibernating!" Sure enough, his diaper was empty.

Who knows what this kid will say next?

Butterfly Show

2011-05-19T14:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we joined some other MOMS Club members at the Krohn Conservatory's Butterfly Exhibit. The butterflies were surprisingly friendly, landing on little foam flowers that we held...

...and landing on our backpack strap...

...and even landing on Wyatt's sweater!

Little Colby was in full-on pointing/babbling mode.

He was just as excited by the flowers as he was by the butterflies. "Jib jib! Dee dee!" (Translation: "What a lovely orchid. I especially like the stem's graceful lines.")

We had a really nice day, and the Conservatory is definitely on our list of places to visit again!

Eleven Months

2011-05-16T15:17:00.001-04:00

Mr. Colby, how is it possible that you keep getting cuter every day? Those blue eyes just seem to get bigger and bluer. That smile gets sweeter. And that crazy hair just gets curlier...

The past month has seemed like a quick one. You're eating more table foods, and you insist upon sitting in your booster seat instead of the freestanding high chair. You love puffs, yogurt, fruit, and wheat teething biscuits. Another favorite "snack" is chewing on the sole of a shoe. This one grosses Mommy out and she hopes you grow out of it soon!

You seriously dislike diaper and clothing changes, and you give us quite the struggle every time you're placed on the changing table. Nothing distracts you, although you try to reach for the aspirator (aka snot sucker). Again, this grosses Mommy out and she hopes you outgrow this habit soon!

You're turning into quite the little talker, Mr. Colby. Most of what you say is babble, but you do know uh-oh, daddy, mama, doggy and occasionally, hi and night-night. Of course, every statement is accompanied by that little index finger pointing to whatever has caught your attention. It is so cute!

Of all the great things you're doing these days, perhaps the most exciting is WALKING! You've graduated from a few steps at a time to full-on strolls down the hall, across the room, and anywhere else you'd like to venture. It's amazing how steady you are on your feet! And you don't want to stop at just walking; you also want to crawl up every step you see. Thankfully, you're starting to understand that to go back down the steps, you need to roll onto your belly and go feet-first.

Happy Monthday, Little One! Your next milestone will be your first BIRTHDAY and we are so excited! We love you!

(And your big brother loves you in his own special way. :))

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2011-05-11T15:42:00.000-04:00

Today is Daddy's birthday. We don't tell him enough how much we love him, how he is the bestest daddy and hubby anyone could ask for, or how incredibly smart, funny and generous he is. Thank you, Daddy, for being all that and more. We love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

Exciting News

2011-05-05T10:58:00.002-04:00

(Well, okay, it might only be exciting if you're a former English teacher.)

Wyatt is now using adverbs!

Examples:

Hopefully it stops raining tomorrow! (which actually sounds like "hope-fuh-yee it top wainin' tuh-mah-yo")

Maybe the wind blew it over. (referring to a trash can, of course)

Mommy and Daddy especially love to hear him use hopefully. It is simply adorable.

When you're a parent, life really does revolve around the little things, literally and figuratively.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T14:25:00.001-04:00

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

2011-04-28T14:58:00.002-04:00

Last week we had a great time watching the Reds defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks at Great American Ballpark.

Doesn't Wyatt look thrilled to be there? And look at Colby watching him. Mommy swears Colby is taking mental notes on what to do at age 2.5. Lord help us!

Thankfully, riding the escalator with Nana and Papaw cheered him up. (Until he got to the top and screamed because he didn't get to "jump off" the escalator.)

But it was nothing that a few peanuts couldn't fix! Yes, he liked sucking on the shell. He did eventually ask for the shell to be broken so that he could eat the nuts inside.

And Colby? Well, he was busy calling out pitches to the Reds' Mike Leake. He didn't care that Mr. Leake was arrested for shoplifting just days earlier. Colby was totally focused. Look at that game face!

We had a great time at the game, and we're so glad that Nana and Papaw got to go with us!

Easter Goodness

2011-04-26T14:49:00.001-04:00

We had so much fun this year! Our Easter celebrations began with an egg-dying adventure at Nana's house. Wyatt and Ava placed--er, well, tossed--the eggs in the dye and watched the magic happen. Let's just say that the eggs that survived looked lovely! (And we all learned that the word "gently" holds no meaning in the toddler world.)

On Saturday we headed off to a local Easter egg hunt. It was probably the soggiest egg hunt ever held, but at least Wyatt looked cute in his raincoat! And he was a real pro this year when it came to collecting the eggs! Last year he couldn't even hold his own basket, and every time he found an egg, it took him an eternity to actually place it in his basket. This year he just took off; no need for Daddy's help! And look what he found...

Colby found something, too...

We sat him down in the grass next to an egg and he carefully picked it up. (He doesn't like the way grass feels on his hands.) Of course it then went straight into his mouth!

Easter morning, the boys awoke to find bunny tracks going down the hall. Wyatt ran so fast to follow them that Mommy couldn't snap a picture of him!

And when he got to the playroom, he discovered that the bunny left him a new wheelbarrow! He has been pushing this thing around the house for the past three days. We can't wait for the weather to clear up so he can take it outside and haul some dirt around in it.

Mr. Colby was excited to find that the bunny left him a giant ball! He loves to crawl around, pushing a ball in front of him, so this is going to give him hours of fun.

After breakfast, we headed to Nana and Papaw's house, where we discovered that the bunny had left more goodies for the boys!

It was lots of fun seeing Nana and Papaw and Cousin Ava. The kids played with their new toys (and rolling backpacks!) and then headed outside to drive the Power Wheels Jeep around the yard. Sadly, Mommy's camera battery died, so there are no pictures. It was amusing though, to see Wyatt driving while Ava sat in the passenger seat, clinging to the sidebar for dear life!

Aw, don't they look like perfect little angels sitting in the swing so nicely?

After an afternoon nap, we headed to Mamaw Mary and Grandpa Danny's house for dinner and more Easter goodness.

Wyatt got to do an Easter egg hunt in the living room. He found lots of eggs and was pleasantly surprised to find money inside some of the eggs! He's a little Brian indeed!

The Easter bunny left the boys some more treats at Mamaw's house, including some Sesame Street books with stickers! They also got Easter goodies all the way from Chicago from Auntie Laura! (The singing Tigger card is quite popular, by the way, Auntie Laura!)

Also quite popular is Pumpkin, Mamaw and Grandpa's cat. He laid on the floor for awhile and let Wyatt rub his belly. Colby was content to point at Pumpkin and giggle.

What a wonderful Easter we had, especially now that there are TWO boys to celebrate with! We hope you enjoyed a lot of Easter goodness as well!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-19T15:58:00.001-04:00

Today at the Park

2011-04-18T14:18:00.002-04:00

Wyatt did the rock wall, slide, and bouncy toys all by himself.
Colby rode in the Baby Bjorn the whole time without complaint.
Mommy overheard some grannies talking about how they can only stand to watch their grandchildren once a week and then need a break. Lightweights!
We made 5,649 trips to the garbage can to throw away errant pieces of mulch.
Wyatt petted a cute little doggie named Logan.
Colby enjoyed riding in Mommy's lap on the swing while Wyatt pushed.
The sun shone the entire time!
Mommy had to stop Wyatt from stealing another little boy's Subway lunch. (He probably just wanted to throw it away!)
Neither boy would keep a hat on his precious, fair-skinned head.
We promised ourselves that we'd come back to visit many, many, many more times!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T14:41:00.002-04:00

Ten Months

2011-04-11T14:57:00.001-04:00

Little Mr. Colby has finally reached the double digits monthday mark! He celebrated by chasing his brother, tackling his brother and trying to drink all of his brother's apple juice. Boy, are we in for some raucous family get-togethers in the years to come! Wyatt took it all in stride, though. He actually likes being chased and tackled by Colby...now...while Colby is weighing in under 20 pounds. Once Little Bro is weighing roughly the same as Big Bro, Wyatt's attitude might change!

In the past month, Colby has really started to change from being a baby to being a little boy. He eats finger foods with little hesitation. He rides in a big Britax carseat. He nearly runs down the hallway behind his walking toy. He pulls to standing and then attempts to take independent steps. He has been successful a couple of times, and thankfully, both Mommy and Daddy got to see some of those first steps. We wouldn't say he's full-on walking yet, but it's likely to be just a few short weeks until you see a video on this blog showing little Colby storming across the room!

As mentioned in a previous post, Colby now has SIX teeth! His uppers are coming through slowly, but they're there. Mommy will miss seeing a gummy baby smile, but he's going to be even more handsome than ever once he has a big boy smile. And speaking of handsome, just look at the curls that he gets behind his ears.

We've discussed cutting his hair, but Mommy wants to wait until he's officially one year old. Hmm...wonder if those curls will multiply between now and then? If so, we might have to wait until TWO years old for that first haircut!

As for his personality, Mr. Colby is as sweet as ever. He likes to smile, explore, babble, play, and cuddle. Mommy can put Colby on the floor and he will crawl around the kitchen/dining area, down the hallway and back and up the steps to our entryway. Along the way, he'll stop and explore the various items he encounters, anything from a toy to a shoe to a crumb of food. (And with a toddler in the house, there are lots of crumbs to be found.) Life is never boring for a mobile baby--or the mother of a mobile baby!

Little Colby, we have gotten to the stage when we can barely remember our family without you. You bring so much joy to our lives! We can't wait to watch you grow and develop over the next month. We love our little Colby more than words can say!

Happy Birthday, Mamaw!

2011-04-08T09:59:00.004-04:00

We hope you have a wonderful day, and we love you very much!

Half Past Two

2011-04-04T15:37:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe, but our little baby Wyatt (as he likes to refer to himself) is now closer to three years old than he is to two. Wasn't it just yesterday that we were watching first steps and cherishing first words? We must admit, these days it seems like we spend more time yelling, "Be gentle with your brother!" and "Don't put that into your mouth!" than we ever imagined we would. We get stuck in the mire of endless negotiations: "If you'll take a nap, we promise we'll go to the park afterward!" We tire of answering the same question over and over again. (These days that question rotates between "Where's _________?" and "What's __________'s name?") Oh, life with a toddler!

But along with all those tough things come a whole slew of pretty amazing things. We get to marvel at all his little quirks, from trash-can lovin' to mixing up I, you, me, we and any other pronoun you throw at him. We get to listen to his little voice reciting the parts of his bedtime story that he has committed to memory. And when the moon is on the rise, we all go up to exercise.

We get to see little glimpses of the older brother he'll become when he picks up Colby's binky and gives it to him without us asking. We also see his love of being outside, feeding the fish in our pond or digging in the driveway dirt pile. We see his reaction whenever one of his grandparents is around--the purest joy you could imagine.

Little man, sometimes Mommy holds your hand and marvels at how it can seem so big and so little all at once. She wonders how the days can pass so quickly and so slowly at the same time. And she thinks how blessed--incredibly blessed--she is to have spent the last two and a half years with you.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much, Wyatt!

How Many?!

2011-04-01T14:24:00.001-04:00

Mommy always thought babies got their teeth one or two at a time. That's how Wyatt did it, so that must be how all babies do it, right? Well, Colby is bound and determined to prove that he is not like all babies; he is going to do things on his own terms. Crawling and pulling up at six months, pushing a walking toy at eight months, and now, sprouting FOUR new teeth at nine months. You can see two of them in the photo above. The other two are to the right of those (your right, not his right). He has literally tripled his tooth count in the past three weeks.

And to celebrate his new pearly whites, what did he eat today? A stolen piece of Wyatt's grilled cheese, of course! And he LOVED it!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T14:38:00.001-04:00

An Evening Stroll

2011-03-28T14:54:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen a cooler couple of guys? We had a fairly warm evening one day last week, so we suited up and headed out for a walk.

Gotta wear the shades! We were facing directly into the sun for the first half of our stroll, so sunglasses were a must. Surprisingly, Colby kept his glasses and hat on for the whole ride.

Mommy just loves Wyatt's red sunglasses. They take her back to the eighties--the days when she was small enough to ride in a stroller. And the camo pants and socks totally complete the ensemble. (Never mind that the camo's don't match!)

Hopefully, the weather warms up in the coming days so we can enjoy many more evening strolls!

Happy Birthday, Nana!

2011-03-26T14:20:00.001-04:00

Have a wonderful birthday, Nana! We love you very much!

Five on Friday

2011-03-18T21:10:00.003-04:00

Five things worth mentioning on this last official Friday of winter:

1. Wyatt and Colby paid their first visit to Chuck E. Cheese on Wednesday morning. Wyatt loved the ride pictured below, which was basically a flight simulation ride for little kiddies. When asked what he liked best about Chuck E. Cheese, though, his reply was, "Pizza."

2. Seems crazy hair runs in the family. Here's Colby's hair after Mommy got him out of his carseat carrier the other day. Looks like he'll be needing a trip to Cookie Cutter's soon!

3. We're planning a garden for this spring. Yesterday Wyatt helped Mommy start some seeds for broccoli, peppers, sunflowers and Shasta daisies. We're growing them inside in a mini-greenhouse until it's time to transplant them outdoors.

4. Our kitchen and pantry have been totally reorganized. Food is in the pantry. Cooking implements are in the kitchen. All is right with the world.

5. Colby recently started clapping his hands. He mostly does it when he's in his high chair, and it's adorable! It even inspires Mr. Wyatt (aka Mr. Nowaylibraryladyiwon'tclapmyhandsforanything) to clap his hands. Mommy loves to receive a round of applause at lunch and dinner (even though she probably can't claim responsibility for cooking anything!).

Have a wonderful weekend!

Bed Head and Handy Manny

2011-03-11T15:00:00.001-05:00

This is what our big boy's hair looked like this morning. How does he get it like this? Does he sleep with a hat on? Does he stand on his head for extended periods during the night? Did his hairs all get together and have a cowlick competition? We'll never know.

What we do know, however, is that it's time for a trip to Cookie Cutters. Race car barber chairs and Elmo videos, here we come!

Oh, and this morning was extra special because there was a twash can on Handy Manny. We had to rewind that scene and watch it about five bajillion times.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Nine Months

2011-03-10T15:11:00.001-05:00

Happy Ninth Monthday, Mr. Colby! You sure are a busy little guy these days. In fact, Mommy is amazed that you sat still long enough for your nine month photo. (Thanks for that, by the way!) Some of the things you're up to include...

...eating finger foods! Well, okay, "eating" may not be completely accurate. You really like rolling them around in your hands...

...and getting them stuck all over your face. It's very entertaining to watch! When you do get a piece of food in your mouth, you take your time with it, and you often make that sour face that Daddy is famous for. You seem to be liking solids, though, and your favorites are fruit with Cheerios dust and Banana puffs.

Another one of your favorites these days is hanging out in the laundry room. You love to be right in the middle of the action as Mommy loads and unloads the washer and dryer. It must be your way of helping, right? Once the wash gets going, you really enjoy watching it move around in the machine. It's like magic!

You're getting so big now, Mr. Colby. It seems as if you could catch up with Brother any day now. You can take your time, though. We want to savor your final three months of babyness. We love you so much, Mr. Colby!

Wyatt's Wisdom

2011-02-22T14:57:00.001-05:00

Mr. Wyatt decided to have a picnic lunch the other day. Unfortunately, it was about forty degrees and raining outside, so he had to settle for a blanket on the living room floor. It was good enough for him, though! Oh, and do you see that open brochure on his left? That's a vacuum cleaner sales brochure from Lowe's. The obsession is still healthy and thriving.

While life with a two-year-old can be challenging at times, it can also be very amusing. Just looking at the world through his point of view reminds us that the obvious is not always so obvious. Here are some of the funny things that Wyatt has said recently:

As we were waiting in line at the Kroger U-Scan, Wyatt said, "That the pizza man!" Mommy looked over to notice that the man in the next line was wearing a Domino's Pizza jacket. Just as Mommy was thinking what a bright boy Wyatt was, he blurted out, "He don't belong at Kroger!" Thankfully, the man didn't hear him, but if you think about it, Wyatt's statement makes sense. The pizza man belongs at the pizza place, not the grocery store.

On a recent warm, sunny day, Wyatt declared, "It hot out today!" Mommy confirmed his statement, leading Wyatt to add, "Time for Nana to get out her pool!" Never mind that it's February in Ohio; you get in the pool on warm, sunny days, and that's what kind of day we were having.

As the rain poured down during Wyatt's picnic, Mommy asked him, "Where does rain come from, Wyatt?" He thought for a long time and then exclaimed, "From the ceiling!" And what is the sky, but the ceiling outside?

And the Hits Just Keep on Comin'

2011-02-21T14:13:00.001-05:00

Last Night's Bedtime Routine for Colby:

Remove slobber-laden clothing
Hold baby still while he squirms and tries to roll off of changing table
Try to stay calm as baby screams during nose-sucking
Put pajamas on screaming-and-squirming baby
Sit down in glider and attempt to feed baby a bottle, which he refuses
Switch baby over to the other arm and try not to squeal with glee when he finally takes bottle
Stop feeding baby to go check the humidifier, which is making some odd sort of gurgling noise
Put baby on floor and turn on lights
Unplug humidifier and run into the bathroom to place it into the sink, leaking water the whole way
Use a large bath towel to sop up the water that poured out of the back and bottom of humidifier onto the dresser
Yell for husband to help; curse when he doesn't hear you
Pick baby back up
Return to glider only to discover that baby now refuses to take bottle
Grab a burp cloth to sop up the phlegm vomited up by the baby, who is now crying again
Pace back and forth eleventy billion times praying to god that he'll go to sleep
Again try to supress squeals of glee when he finally does go into his crib (presumably) asleep
Go downstairs to unload the dryer
Use another large bath towel to sop up the liquid laundry detergent that spilled down the front of the dryer during the washer's spin cycle
Drop everything and run upstairs to get the baby, who is now crying once more
Wash, rinse, repeat

And, yes, Mommy would LOVE some cheese with that whine. Oh, wait, never mind. Cheese is strictly limited on Mommy and Daddy's new diet. And so is wine, for that matter. Cheers!

This Week

2011-02-18T14:13:00.001-05:00

Some happenings from the past week...

Mommy and Daddy embarked on a mission to lose weight. It's salad and chicken for lunch every day and no sweets or fatty treats (except a couple of pieces of Valentine's candy each day). Daddy was told by a coworker yesterday that he looks like he has lost weight. Mommy was told by her pants yesterday that she's still a long way from shedding the muffin top.
Wyatt had a nasty cold. He has coughed and sneezed on every surface in this house. Twice. Anyone want to come over for a Clorox Wipe Party? Seriously, he took it pretty well and is now thankfully on the mend.
After battling a fever last night, Colby was diagnosed with an ear infection today. The poor little guy tugged on his left ear so much that it bled this morning. Looks like it's amoxicillin and infant Tylenol for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Mommy has adopted a new motto: "Oh, well. I'll sleep when I'm dead."

On a lighter note, here are some pictures from the past few days:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Wordless Wednesday: Video Edition

2011-02-16T16:03:00.002-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T10:05:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-09T14:52:00.001-05:00

Eight Months

2011-02-08T22:56:00.002-05:00

Someone around here recently turned eight months old. Not sure who it is? Well, he has chubby cheekers and piercing blue eyes, and he virtually refuses to sit still for a photo.

If you guessed Colby, you're right!

Yep, our little man is on the move. In addition to crawling and pulling up on things, he now goes up stairs and does some cruising while holding onto the couch. Yes, he keeps Mommy and Daddy on their toes, frequently chasing him down the hall and holding out that ever-present "spotter hand" in case he should come tumbling down. (Which he does nearly a dozen times a day.)

There are moments when Little Colby is still, though. Lately he has been pulling up to stand and then letting go. He can stand unsupported for about 4-8 seconds. Another still moment usually occurs when Colby is finished eating. He clamps his mouth shut and those big blue eyes say it all: I'm not going to eat another drink/bite, and you can't make me no matter how hard you try! Oh yes, did we mention he knows what he wants (or doesn't want)?

Speaking of eating, the Colbster is up to two puree meals per day. His favorites are fruit and orange vegetables. Mommy tries to convince him to eat green ones, too, but he ignores her warning that he may eventually come to resemble an Oompa Loompa from too much orange food consumption. Yep, he knows what he wants.

Healthwise, Colby seems to be growing well. Oddly enough, his hair is growing quickly and Mommy thinks he'll need a trim before he turns one. Colby also has two sharp little teeth, and we're confident that he's working on adding a couple more as of this writing. Yep, fun times.

We were able to get one good monthday picture for eight months:

Yes, that's a toy spatula in his mouth. If you find that odd, you must have never lived with an eight-month-old.

Keep growing, Mr. Colby! We love you and all your funny little antics so much!

First Friends

2011-02-07T21:37:00.001-05:00

photo courtesy of Tracey Shadle

Have you ever seen a cuter group of kids? These are our Friday playgroup friends, all SEVEN (!) of them. One year ago this time, there were only four little ones. My, how things have changed! Pictured in the back, left to right, are: Carter, Rachel, Wyatt, and Avery. Picture in front are Dawson, Colby and Hannah.We sure do enjoy seeing these guys and their mommies, Tracey and Michelle, every week!

Just Another Manic Monday

2011-01-31T14:27:00.001-05:00

Mommy woke up this morning and squinted at the clock: 9 a.m. Woohoo! Colby let me sleep in a little this morning. (After already being up at 4:30 and 6:30, that is.) No noise except the hum of two baby monitors. And what did Mommy do with this unexpected gift of time? Put in a load of dishes? Nope. Get up and shower in peace? Nope. Eat a leisurely breakfast? Nah. Mommy did what any self-respecting parent of two little ones would do--she clamped her eyes shut again and went back to sleep!

Until about fifteen minutes later when Colby started wimpering. Oh well, we've got music class in an hour anyway, Mommy thought. An HOUR!? Uh oh... You see, getting everyone dressed, fed and out the door in ninety minutes to two hours is the norm around here. But one hour? Oy. Mommy was determined not to miss music class, though, so she rushed upstairs and got everyone up and looking decent. After feeding Colby a little milk, she got Wyatt a cereal bar and a Clif bar for herself and they were out the door.

Phew. That wasn't too bad! We might just make it on time. Mommy turned up the stereo and enjoyed the sunny morning drive. About halfway there, a glance at the dashboard clock wiped away every ounce of smug confidence that Mommy was savoring; it said 9:10. Not 10:10. NINE ten. Yes, Mommy had dragged her babies and herself out the door in a flurry of hurriedness one whole hour earlier than they needed to leave. Ah, you've just gotta love it when life smacks you in the face like that. Oh well, at least it wasn't one hour too late!

Birthday Boys

2011-01-30T11:08:00.001-05:00

Uncle Brad and Grandpa Carl are January Birthday Boys! We love you both and wish you another year of fun, family and great memories!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-26T14:51:00.001-05:00

Future Plans

2011-01-24T21:57:00.002-05:00

Every parent has a dream of what their children's future will look like. We picture them becoming doctors or lawyers or cure-for-cancer-finders. We want them to have more than we have now, to have a life that is bright and shiny and admirable. Well, that's what we want, but it seems that is not what our little Wyatt wants. Our smart, articulate, amazing little boy has declared that he aspires to become none other than a...sanitary engineer...so to speak.

Mommy: You look so nice today, bud!
Wyatt: Look like a gawbage man! (Said with a huge smile.)

Daddy: You're so smart!
Wyatt: Gonna be a gawbage man when Wyatt gwows up! (Said with much pride.)

Oh me oh my. So it looks like he's not going to have a luxurious corner office or wear three-piece suits every day. But you know what? As long as Wyatt is the BEST gawbage man, Mommy and Daddy will be happy. Hey, it's an honest living!

Seven Months

2011-01-19T15:38:00.002-05:00

Mr. Colby is now a whopping seven months old! What can our little guy do now that he’s in the second half of his first year? The better question is, what can’t he do?
Colby is a crawling expert. He goes wherever he wants, and he goes quickly! If Mommy or Daddy turn their back for a second, he is halfway down the hallway. It’s really funny to watch him go, too, because he lifts his hands way up in the air and flops them down like a little bear cub.
When he does decide to take a break from crawling, Mr. Colby likes to sit up totally unassisted. Sometimes he even sits on his knees, which makes him look way older than he actually is!

Another skill he is working on is talking. Colby’s most frequent word is “Mom-mom.” He also can say “Da-Da” and we’re working on “Bub-ba” (which is easier to say than “brother”).
As if all those milestones weren’t enough, little Colby has also sprouted not one, but TWO teeth! They’re both on the bottom, but don’t ask to see them. He will squirm, fuss and clamp his mouth shut before he’ll show off his new pearly whites! He does like to use them for another new skill that he’s taken on…

EATING! Colby loves to eat purees. His favorite is apples, but he also enjoys carrots and sweet potatoes. Bananas are also popular with him. It’s a messy undertaking, but he really enjoys mealtimes. Mommy pulls his high chair up next to Wyatt’s chair and they have lunch together. Wyatt even tries some of Colby’s food from time to time. He doesn’t usually like it, but he tries it!
As for playtime, Mr. Colby enjoys holding a ball in his hand and chasing it or tapping it against the floor. Or putting it in his mouth, which he does with anything he can get his hands on. He likes to pull up to stand and lean over the toy basket, where he digs through the treasures inside. The best treasures are, of course, his big brother’s toys.
Life for Colby these days is busy, fast, curious and fun. Mommy, Daddy and Wyatt are so glad that they get to be a part of that life, and we love our Colby very, very much!

Babies Do the Darnedest Things

2011-01-13T15:06:00.003-05:00

Little Colby can't really say the darnedest things--yet--but he sure can do the darnedest things. Today Mommy put him down for his nap thinking all was well. Eyes closed? Check. Lying motionless? Check. Binky in? Check.

Two minutes later, what does Mommy hear over the monitor? Shrieking! No, not frantic shrieking, more like "Hey, it sounds really cool when I do this!" shrieking. So, not wanting the Shrieker to wake up his older brother, Mommy sprinted upstairs.

Upon opening the door, Mommy found Colby standing in his crib grinning and the binky lying on the floor, halfway between the crib and the door. So, Mommy did the naptime routine all over again. Once more, little Colby seemed ready to nap. Eyes closed? Check. Lying motionless? Check. Binky in? Check.

Once downstairs, Mommy was treated to two minutes of peace and quiet when all of a sudden, SHRIEKING! Up the stairs again, only to find the binky once more lying on the floor halfway between the crib and the door and the baby standing in the crib grinning ear to ear. Argh.

After repeating the naptime routine for the third time, the little shrieking possum finally caught on that it was naptime (also known as Mommy's-Moment-of-Sanity-in-a-Crazy-Filled-Day). Let's hope tomorrow's naptime goes a little more smoothly!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T22:06:00.002-05:00

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

2011-01-10T21:59:00.003-05:00

Mommy cleaned out her closet and dresser this weekend, and somehow a hole-y sock was discarded in the bedroom wastebasket. After stepping out of the shower this morning, Mommy was greeted by Wyatt, storming into the bathroom, hole-y sock in hand:
“Socks don’t live in the trash can, Mommy!”
(Only it actually sounded more like “Socks don’t yive in the twash can, Mommy!”)
Mommy, utterly unaware that socks lived anywhere and mortified by the thought that anything might be living in the trash can, promptly took the sock back and put it in her hamper to be washed.
And Wyatt nodded his head as if to say, “Let that be a lesson to you, Lady!”

2010 Year in Review

2010-12-30T23:07:00.001-05:00

It’s hard to believe that another year has passed and it’s time to take a trip down memory lane! What a great year it was, though, and we’re thankful to have so many wonderful moments to look back on.

In January we took a cruise to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico. It was a heavenly, tropical escape from the blah-ness that is Ohio in winter. It was also special because it was our last hurrah as a family of three.

In February we got our first glimpse at Baby Hickle, Version 2.0. At the time, we decided not to find out the baby’s sex, but we were plenty excited to learn that he or she was looking healthy.

In March we enjoyed the little things, like a sunny day when we could play ball outside…

…and the big things, like finding out that we were having another baby BOY!

In April we celebrated Wyatt’s second Easter. He enjoyed hunting for Easter eggs at the local Methodist church.

In May we took our first trip to the Cincinnati Zoo. Despite the balmy temperature and endless uphill walking, we had a good time showing all the animals to Wyatt.

And just a couple weeks later, the month of June was defined by the birth of sweet Colby Wayne. He arrived at 9:59 a.m. on June 6th, weighing 8 lb., 2 oz. and measuring 20.5 in. in length. We marveled at his dark hair and bright eyes. He was and still is a little bundle of joy.

July was filled with family moments, mostly watching our boys get to know each other. Wyatt liked holding his brother for a few minutes at a time, and then he was off to take care of the important business that toddlers do.

August was a hot one! We were stuck inside most days, but we had fun getting used to a new normal. One of our favorite things to do was make muffins!

In September Daddy took Wyatt for swim lessons at the YMCA. They had a lot of fun in the water, and it was good for Wyatt to get some one-on-one time with Daddy.

This was a busy month for Mr. Colby, as he began to come out of his newborn haze. He played with toys and made big smiles. We knew he was going to have a sweet personality, but seeing him grin made him infinitely sweeter.

In October our little Wyatt turned two years old. We celebrated with a Sesame Street party, and we thanked our lucky stars for the privilege of watching this funny, bright little guy grow up.

We also celebrated Halloween! Colby was the cutest lil’ pumpkin ever, and he enjoyed riding in the stroller while his big brother the pirate trick-or-treated.

In November we were shocked to see our five-month-old raising up on all fours. He just seemed so tiny to be on the path to crawling already!

December brought our best Christmas yet. Our joy was doubled because we had two sweet little guys to celebrate with. Wyatt really seemed to understand the concepts of presents and Santa Claus this year. Colby really seemed to understand the concept of having more fun with his brother’s presents than his own. :)

It’s impossible to look at these pictures and not feel excited to see what the next year brings. We hope our boys grow closer and stronger, and we hope to make many more sweet memories together. Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday, Kaitlyn!

2010-12-30T22:11:00.001-05:00

Today is Kaitlyn’s birthday, and we want to wish her a wonderful day!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-22T14:18:00.001-05:00

Who’s the Big Boy Now?

2010-12-17T16:16:00.001-05:00

Lately Wyatt has been insisting to Mommy that he is little, or as he says it, “Yit-tuhl.” Mommy asks if he is a little boy or a little baby. “Yit-tuhl bay-bee, Mommy!” is his quick reply. Apparently, Colby has been eavesdropping on these conversations, because today he went from this…

to this…

Guess Mr. Colby has decided that he is Mommy’s big boy now. Aw, slow down there, Colby. There’s room for two yit-tuhl babies in Mommy’s world. And you and Big Brother will always be yit-tuhl bay-bees in Mommy’s heart.

Snow Day

2010-12-16T15:46:00.001-05:00

We awoke this morning to a fabulous snowfall! Our yard was covered in a blanket of white, as was the road. Little Wyatt was worried that the gawbage man might not come, leaving all those poor gawbage cans sitting by the side of the road with no one to empty them. Never one to let us down, the gawbage man showed up at long last, and Wyatt was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

We watched Nellie go out and frolic in the snow, and we watched Tony the neighbor give his driveway two passes with the snow thrower (pity he didn’t come do ours, too!). After a while, Mommy could tell that Wyatt wanted to get his hands on some of that snow, so she had to get creative. Enter the storage bin of snow!

We spread out a waterproof barrier (vinyl Thanksgiving tablecloth) and brought in an array of digging apparatuses (apparati?), and Mr. Wyatt was suddenly at play in an indoor winter wonderland.

He filled up his dump truck.

He scooped snow in cups.

He gave Colby some snow.

And some more snow.

Colby wasn’t too happy about that.

We built two mini snow people.

It was a lot of fun bringing the outdoors in, especially with a nice cozy roaring fire to keep our noses and toeses warm.

We’re definitely looking forward to a few more snow days as winter wears on!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-08T14:01:00.001-05:00

Six Months

2010-12-06T15:05:00.000-05:00

Or shall we say HALF YEAR!? Little Colby Wayne seems to be growing up way faster than his big brother did. Where did the last six months go? Mercy!

What is the little guy up to these days? Well, right now he has a cold and is getting over his first (and hopefully last) ear infection. His voice is scratchy and his nose is congested, poor thing. He’s taking it all in stride, though, and seems just as interested and curious as always.

One of Colby’s favorite things to do is hang out on the floor with all his toys. He likes to shake toys that have bells inside them. Sometimes he’ll prop himself up on one hand and shake the toy with his other hand. Now that’s coordination!

Recently, Colby started playing ball. He’ll grip the ball, push it away and army crawl toward it. He sure can cover lots of ground with his little army crawl. In the playroom, he likes to stalk Wyatt’s toys, especially Brushy the vac. Colby will scoot all the way across the room to touch that toy. Uh oh, maybe that vac obsession is genetic!

We’re working on learning our first word and sitting up. We’re also planning to give him solid foods next weekend after he finishes up his antibiotics. Mommy is debating whether to give him avocado or sweet potatoes. Don’t worry—we’ll post lots of pictures for your amusement!

Happy Monthday, little Colby! Mommy, Daddy and Brudder love you so much, and we can’t wait to see what the next month brings!

Your Three Words

2010-12-03T14:18:00.001-05:00

Today we’re linking up with the Your Three Words party at Jenni From the Blog. Our three words for this week, or maybe month, are:

THANK YOU, GRANDPARENTS!

Our rental house became vacant on Nov. 2, and since then we’ve been busting our behinds trying to make repairs on it, including new carpet, new paint, new toilet, new vanity, new pipe for the kitchen sink, new vinyl flooring in the bath, etc. It has been a lot of work, and Brian has shouldered the brunt of it, but on several occasions we could not have gotten work done if not for the assistance of the grandparents. They babysat our rugrats for us, keeping them entertained with coloring and shopping, eating and playing. It made our work so much easier knowing that the boys were being cared for, and we are so thankful to Nana, Papaw and Mamaw!

And the best news of the day? We’ve found new renters! Woohoo!

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

2010-12-01T22:48:00.002-05:00

While hanging out in the playroom yesterday evening, Wyatt exclaimed, "No twash in Wyatt's twash can!"

Mommy reminded him that he and Daddy had taken the trash out the previous day. "Where's the trash now, Wyatt?"

"It in the big people twash can!"

"Then where will it go?"

"Gawbage man will get it!" This was said with an air of seriousness, as if he were discussing the destiny of the world, not just his trash.

"Where will it go then?"

"To the laundryfield!"

Mommy tried not to bust out laughing. "Oh, to the landfill. That's right. You are a trash expert!"

"Yeah."

Kids really do say the darnedest things.

'Tis the Season

2010-11-29T14:41:00.002-05:00

...for outtakes from our Christmas card photo session!

Here's Little Colby singing his version of Joy to the World. "Ga ga ga ga ga ga-ga-ga-gaaaah!"

And obviously Colby has learned the lesson that brothers should share with one another. Not so sure that Wyatt has learned it!

What child is this!? Mommy nearly wet her pants she laughed so hard at this picture. It is priceless! (And yes, he brushed his teeth afterward!)

"No, Colby, you eat it like this! Let me help you there..." And then Mommy put the camera down so she could explain to Wyatt why he didn't need both the sucker and the candy cane.

Keep a close eye on your mailbox; the final product will be appearing there soon!

Five Months

2010-11-11T14:27:00.004-05:00

Mr. Colby is now five months old, and what a handsome little guy he is! Look at those big baby blues! A lot of exciting developments are occurring in Colby's life these days. He was introduced to Sophie Le Giraffe...

She is his favorite toy to slobber on, so much so that when you squeeze her, she no longer squeaks. She just makes this water-logged squirt sound. Lovely image, right?

Colby has also been introduced to the exersaucer...

He just loves examining the different toys and being able to see everything from an upright point of view. He's still a little short for the exersaucer, so we put a pillow under his feet, which you can sort of see at the bottom right.

The most important development for Colby thus far has been raising up on all fours...

He looks like he's just going to take off any second, doesn't he? He can't officially crawl yet; he just sort of scoots both legs bunny-hop style.

It has been an exciting month, Sweet Boy! Mommy and Daddy are eager to see what the next month brings. We love you a bushel and a peck!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T15:25:00.003-04:00

A Fascination Explained

2010-11-01T14:41:00.003-04:00

Today during lunch, Mommy decided to investigate young Wyatt's fascination with garbage cans. She came across this very informative article. Apparently, it is COMPLETELY NORMAL for toddlers to become fixated on garbage-related items. According the the author, "Your little guy...is trying to figure out what is permanent and what disappears." Often, after Wyatt throws something away in one of his beloved trash cans, he says, "Garbage man come and take it away." He's fascinated with the concept of putting an item in a receptacle and then knowing that it goes away somewhere, never to return. There must be something magical about that receptacle. Well, at least in his busy little brain, there is!

Mommy thinks this explains the vacuum obsession, too. The dirt, dust, dog hair and food particles are on the floor, and then they are magically sucked up into the vac, never to be seen again. They disappear. Quite fascinating, indeed!

::And now Mommy breathes a sigh of relief::

Edited to add: Mommy also feels better about the vac obsession now. On a recent trip to the Target vac aisle, we observed another little boy eagerly ogling and identifying the various sweepers. Clearly, Wyatt isn't the only person who appreciates a good-looking Dyson.