The Winter That Never Was

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!

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

Happy Birthday, Uncle Brad!

We love you and hope you have a great birthday!

Wordless Wednesday: Crazy Dog Edition

This Guy

 

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

 

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