{3}

Simple as that...

my little man is THREE today!

Just typing those words makes me want to burst into tears.

He really gets the whole "birthday" thing this year.

So we've been celebrating for the past few days, and talking about his cake and his party.

Tonight, after his bath, we snapped a few monkey shots.
The last time we did it, he was two...and now, he's three!

Happy Birthday, my dear sweet boy!

I can't even believe that three years ago at this time (writing this at 2am), I was trying to sleep in a hospital bed, anticipating your arrival the next day. The day that I would become a mom, and fall so deeply in love with you. A love that I never even imagined could exist. That day was amazing, but every day since then has only gotten better. You are such a sweet and mellow (most of the time) little man. I love being able to stay home with you every day. I hope you have a very special third birthday! I love you so very much, Mommy

And as a reward for sitting still during my "monkey shots"...

I let you JUMP on my bed!

Like I said...We've been celebrating for a few days.

On Sunday, we took Barrett to Wichita for a "special day."

We all had our first experience at Build-A-Bear!

It was fun, and Barrett picked out an adorable puppy!

 {filling up his puppy}

{warming up his puppy's heart}

{putting the heart in his puppy}

{yep, he LOVES him}

{bath time}


After the puppy's bath, we looked at the clothes.
Barrett like the basketball uniform, mostly because it came with a ball, and a skateboarding shirt.
We might have persuaded him to get a little Nebraska shirt instead :)

 We rode the rocket ship at the mall, and then headed to Red Robin for lunch!

I think this (Red Robin, not the rocket ship) was a first for Barrett too!

After Red Robin, we did a little bit of shopping for his birthday party supplies,  then headed to Target so he could pick out a toy. He'd been telling us he wanted a dinosaur ALL day, but once we got to the toy isle, he found plenty of other things he'd rather have. Justin and I were very entertained by the cute Dinosaur Train interactive dinos, but Barrett insisted he didn't want a dinosaur anymore, and that he wanted a Buzz Lightyear toy.  Eesh! (I hope he still likes the dino party I have planned for this weekend)

So, we loaded up with the new (LOUD) Buzz toy, and headed home.
Stopping for ice cream at DQ on the way. One of Barrett's favorite things! He's definitely our child!!

Once the ice cream was gone, this was the scene in the back seat!

I think he enjoyed his special day!

24 Months

Happy 2nd Birthday, Little Bear!!

You are TWO! I'm a little sad that I can no longer say my son is 20 months or 23 months.
No need to say 24 months or 26 months...it will just be two. My son is two.

So, here they are...your last monthly monkey shots.

* You wake up somewhere between 7:30-8:30 each morning

* You'll call out "Mama, Mommy, Mom....Maaaaaama" when you're ready for me to come get you. Daddy thinks that's hilarious!

* Your favorite things for breakfast these days are: oatmeal (peach or strawberry) or apple cinnamon pop tarts with cinnamon-sugar on top

* Our mornings are filled with many activities throughout the week:
Monday-this is our day at home, playing with blocks or playdough
Tuesday-PAFT playgroup
Wednesday-Storytime at the library
Thursday-PAFT playgroup
Friday-Toddler Art and Indoor play at the gym

I decided not to enroll you in the KDI program at our church this semester. You had just sort-of adjusted to me leaving you last semester, and then all of the teachers you were used to (college students) weren't able to come back. I just decided to wait until the Fall, and hopefull you'll enjoy it more. We have plenty to do together for now.

*We eat lunch together every day. Most days Daddy is able to come home for lunch, and that always make you happy. This week we went to visit Gigi for lunch at her school. You had fun playing in her classroom

*After lunch it's nap time! You are still a great napper, and for the last several weeks you have been asking me to go night-night! We sit on the couch together and watch a cartoon. After a few minutes, you will usually look up at me and say "night-night, Mama." I love it! You typically sleep from 1-4. Sometimes a little longer, sometimes no quite that long. Your nap time is my work time, so I hope you'll continue to be a great napper for a long time.

*When you get up from your nap, you're always ready for a snack! We play together until Daddy gets home. I'm looking forward to Spring, so we can get outside in the afternoon and go for walks.

*The evenings with Daddy are filled with games, dinner and lots of laughter. Tonight we all sat on the floor together and played ball. You were making Daddy wear your baseball helmet, and roll a mini basketball to you. You would kick it right back. You are going to be a great little soccer player, just like your cousins!

*You love bath time again (there were a few weeks awhile back that you were not a fan). The only part you don't have down is to look up when we wash the shampoo out of your hair. I hardly pour any water on your head, and you cover your eyes and say "owww, owww."

*Bedtime is still a breeze with you. We put on jammies and cuddle on the couch with Daddy until you're ready for bed. Usually around 7:30 or 8, we give night-night kisses and go in to brush your teeth. You like to sit up on the bathroom counter to brush your teeth. I have to let you do it all by yourself for a few minutes. Then I usually take over, and we count to ten while Mommy brushes them for you. After the teeth, you stand up on your little green stool and wash your hands.

Mommy lays you in your bed, and covers you up with your biggie {the name you gave your green and brown minky blanket about a month or two ago}. I read you one book...and then you hold up one finger and say "one more book." So of course I read you one more book. Then I get you a fresh cup of ice water. You have to have the ice in there!

Our days are not too exciting, but that's just the way I like it! You say lots of funny things, and you do lots of funny things.

*I can't even begin to list your new words this month...you pretty much know what everything is, and are using two and three word sentences. *You love to count things. You'll line up your blocks in a row on the floor and count them. Sometimes you'll start with one-two-three, but usually it's six-seven-eight-nine. *You're getting better with your colors, but the one you usually always get right is green or "geen" as you say it. *You recognize the letter {B} anywhere. *You scribble on paper and say "name" like you've just signed your name. You also like to scribble on paper like you're drawing a woof-woof. *You love to dance while playing your new guitar, but you don't like for Mommy to dance! *Your favorite song to sing is "happy birthday" *Next week you go to the doctor for your two year check up and immunizations. We'll find out how much you've grown!

Happy Birthday, Little Bear!! You are the {JOY} of my days! I love you with all my heart!!

Cut the cake & lets eat some more

It makes me think of the good old days
Happy birthday to you
You sure grew out of your baby ways
Happy birthday to you

Second birthday, we wish you many more
Health and wealth and friends by the score
Cut the cake and lets eat some more
Happy birthday to you

I sure am a sucker for getting John McCutcheon songs stuck in my head, huh?!? I think my friend Megan might be responsible for this one...we both enjoy singing this song! And it's just what I sang to Barrett on the morning he turned TWO! We ate birthday pancakes together (seems like just yesterday we were eating {1} pancakes), I sang to him, and he told me "no, Mama." I was excited to make my shaped pancakes this time. I bought a little plastic squeeze bottle at Garden Ridge when were in Tulsa for the girls weekend. I think it was Megan's sister, Erin, that told me this bottle was her secret to easy shapes and letters. It worked great. I'm really looking forward to making my Valentines hearts now! They'll be so much easier and I can make lots of fun colors!

After birthday pancakes, we headed to Megan's for birthday muffins with Norah Kate, Audra and Lydia. Yes, you can have two breakfasts on your birthday! It was so sweet of them to have us over to celebrate Barrett's special day! The muffins were delicious, and Norah Kate's playroom was the perfect spot for the kids to sit together and eat.

After muffins, the kids played. Barrett always loves to play Brent's piano. The singing birthday mouse was also a big hit!

When we got back home that morning, Barrett had a special delivery...birthday balloons and a teddy bear from his Uncle Todd. He felt bad he couldn't make it to the party on Saturday, because he had to work. Barrett has had a ball with those balloons ever since!

These pictures below are actually from Sunday night (the day before his birthday). We knew there would be a lot going on Monday, so we let him open our gifts early. The barn has already gotten a lot of use. He loves to dump out the sack of animals he got from his friend Kennedy and fill the barn with them. The giant coloring book was also a hit. He likes to lay down on the floor, on his belly to color...and he always wants me to lay right beside him.

Barrett was born at 3:25pm on January 18, 2008...so he was sleeping soundly when I paused to remember that day, and the event that changed my life forever.

Monday afternoon, when Barrett got up from his nap, we picked up Mimi and the girls to go play at the park. The weather was beautiful that day!! It felt like Spring, and everyone was out enjoying the weather! Barrett had fun climbing around on the playground, and going down the slides with Kylie and Emily.

Monday evening we met Gigi, Papa, Mimi, Grandma, Kylie and Emily at Gambino's for pizza. Anytime we ask Barrett what he wants for dinner, his answer is always "pizza." We had a room upstairs all to ourselves, and got to visit and eat. Barrett was being a little stink-pot that evening...I think he was still out of it from all the activities from the past few days. As much as he loves pizza, he didn't eat too much of it. BUT he was ready for the cake!
*oops: with all the rush to get the pizza ordered, pick up the cake, and get Barrett around...I forgot my camera! My sister-in-law forgot hers too! Darn!

It was a fabulous day with friends and family! Thank you to everyone that made Barrett's birthday special!

Me & Monkey: Another Year

Tomorrow...
January 18, 2010.
I will take Barrett's last monthly picture with Monkey.

It's hard to believe that will be the 24th time we do that.

He has changed so much since we took the very first one...two years ago.

Barrett & Monkey::One Month::February 18, 2008

23 months

HAPPY 23 MONTHS, LITTLE BEAR!!!!

It's true...you celebrated your 23-month milestone on December 18th.
Only one more month, and our baby boy will be TWO!

FLASHBACK: here you are a year ago at 11 months!

Hold on....let me get a tissue!!!
No really, I'm serious! Where does the time go?!?!

I'm pretty sure I said this last month too, but it really seems like your vocabulary has grown by a thousand words in the past few weeks! It is just amazing to me, when I hear you say a word, and I had no idea you even knew it! I just assume that you should only be saying words that I've taught you. It's crazy to me to hear you say something you've just heard and remembered. The toddler mind is amazing! I can't even try to list the new words you've been saying. You have finally started saying "Ga-ma and Gam-pa" (Grandma & Grandpa) though, and they are thrilled. You've been saying everyone's names for many months, but theirs were just a bit harder to figure out.

Daddy and I are having so much fun watching you experience all the Christmas traditions this year. Last year you were only 11 months, and you didn't really get it all. This year you are enjoying the Christmas lights, the presents, "no-men" (snowmen), and helping Mommy with the Advent Calendar.

Every morning after I get you out of your crib and we come out to the family room, you look at the Christmas tree and say "oh no, Mama." If the lights are turned on, you think something's wrong. So we have to turn them on right away, and leave them on all day. We're both going to miss the beautiful tree after Christmas is over.

You've also developed quite the love (border-line obsession) for a certain Christmas movie...The Polar Express! I DVR'd it one day, thinking you might like to watch a little of it. I had no idea how much you would love it, all because of the choo-choo! You dropped Elmo like a hot potato, and he was quickly replaced with "choo-choo, Mama." We used to cuddle on the couch for a few minutes before your afternoon nap and watch a little Elmo. Now, you demand that we watch "choo-choo" instead.

You favorite question to be asked these days:
"What do you want Ho-Ho to bring you for Christmas, Barrett"?
Your QUICK response: "BIKE"

It's the cutest thing! I sure hope Ho-Ho is working on that bike! I don't want my baby boy to be disappointed on Christmas morning :)

* I love the excitement on your face when you hear a "choo-choo"
* I love the way you try so hard to put on your own socks, shoes, jacket and hat when it's time to go bye-bye
* I love the concentration on your face when you're coloring
* I love that you like to work with paper, zip dry and markers...just like Mommy does
* I love the way you run to the back door when Daddy gets home from work at night. You usually hug his leg and say "hi Dada"
* I love to listen to you count "three, four, five, eight, nine, ten"
* I love that your vocabulary has grown leaps & bounds in the last month
* I love to hear you say "choc milk, mama"

Daddy and I LOVE you very much, Little Bear!
We can't wait for your 2nd Christmas, and to get to celebrate with all our family and friends!

*Mommy just realized last night, that your 2nd birthday is less than a month away...
I'm off to make your invites and get to planning!!

22 months

Nope, I didn't forget about taking your monthly monkey pictures! We took them on the 18th, just before bed time. You'd had your bath, you were in your jammies, and we were drinking milk and reading stories...then we called Kylie to wish her a Happy 11th Birthday, and she was really wanting to come see her Mr. B! Even though we had the toys picked up, the family room lights out, and we were snuggling on the couch reading, we invited them over to see YOU! I told Kylie it was only because it was her birthday! Mimi, Kylie and Emily all came over to love on you!! You drug ALL the toys back out, you wrestled with the girls, and you laughed and laughed. They were here about 30 minutes, and were worried they'd gotten you all riled up and disrupted your bedtime. But after they left, we read one more story, and you went right to bed. You're so easy!

What a great way to celebrate 22 months!

On another note....
I FINISHED my {2008 Blog Book} tonight! 24 hours before the special ended!
Ahh...it feels so great!

(some screen shots of my book preview)

I ordered the 8x10 hardcover book, with the ImageWrap. My book was around 220 pages, and I told Justin that the 2009 book will probably be MUCH bigger. Yikes! I can't wait to get my book in the mail. It's supposed to ship on or before December 3rd. Happy Birthday to ME!!

21 months

On October 18th, he was 21 months...

that's 1.75 years!

Oh my gracious, my baby boy is getting closer to TWO!

*Yes, he's wearing Christmas jammies! I bought them at a consignment sale in August thinking they'd fit in December. Decided to start using them now, because they will be SHORTS come December :) Right now, they're just capris! HA!

Some of your new words:
apple, football, tower, school, cup, block, down, bop (sucker)

You love... playing with cars on the back driveway, talking on the phone with Kylie and Emmy, watching football with Daddy, going to visit Gigi & Papa and Gma & Gpa, carrying around the pictures you make at school, throwing balls/playing catch, eating pizza, taking baths, sitting in Mommy's closet trying on all of her shoes, watching Elmo, coloring with crayons, asking for a cookie-cracker when you get up from your nap, and giving kisses

Happy 21 months, Little Bear!

Mommy & Daddy love you VERY, VERY much...
and so do many, many other people! You are so lucky!