Octopus Painting Project

After bowling, we needed an afternoon project to make waiting for Daddy to get home go a little faster.  James has been asking me if he could paint for about a week now -- I've been avoiding it at all cost because of time to set up, risk of paint everywhere and clean up time, but I finally caved today (not before getting him to go potty on the toilet, wash his hands and help clean up his playroom first)

 Found a use for old paper towel and toilet paper rolls :: paint and then cut slits into the bottoms to make them into an "octopus"

Logan got in on the art project action too -- I had James pick out 3 colors and put blobs of them at the bottom of an empty animal cracker container -- insert toilet paper roll and let Lowgs go crazy shaking/rolling it around

Our paint wasn't yet dry at picture time, but this may be as close to a "finished product" picture as I get :-)

1st Bowling Trip

Today Jamie and I embarked on a little adventure with the boys -- their first bowling trip!!! AMF Bowling lanes offer 2 free games/day in the summer (awesome), you just have to rent shoes -- score! James did great following rules and only almost double-bounced the ball off his toe when trying to put it away (we didn't even ask him to clean up). He started with trying to push the ball down the alley himself but then gladly took the ramp when the pro brought it over for him to use. Logan even got a couple of turns in (which were his brother's idea)! James got a 67 for his first game -- pretty awesome -- and decided it was time to go home for lunch after the 7th frame in game 2. Such a great way to beat the 103 degree heat today!

Look What I Can Do at 10 Months Old

Lowgi Bear :: such a cutie pie, now with 3 teeth (two bottom, one top)

He may not have crawling down just yet but he can still get into everything

 He can hold the sippy up and drink himself (when he's not being lazy)

 And he can even push from laying down to sitting up all by himself

Finally, a Hair Cut

The Fro :: Before (his hair gets crazy)

 During (can you hear the whining?)

 After (sooo much better for summer)

If You Give A Moose A Muffin...

...he'll want some jam to go with it.  We utilized one of the mornings when both boys were home from school to make some delicious muffins.  SO SIMPLE!!!  1 package of cake mix (we used Spice) and 1 jar of pumpkin...mix together, pour into muffin holders, bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  James ate 5 for breakfast (I filled them on the small side) and Logan even got to enjoy (but he's an eating machine, it's James who is the uber-picky one).  All-in-all a fun, easy, not-too-messy, nicely timed (we read the book while the muffins were baking) morning project.

Santa 2011

The holidays just aren't complete without a visit to Santa! Thank you Cabela's for no line and our FREE picture with camo Santa and the roaming deer :-) James wasn't too thrilled with sitting on Santa's lap but the lady asked him to take Santa a card and managed to snap a picture quickly. Logan, on the other hand, could have cared less other then he was due for a bottle :-)

A Year in Review :: 2011

Life with a 2.5 year old and 3 month old has proven itself to be quite entertaining, especially as James has picked up more language. We hope this note finds you and your family doing well. Included are some of our favorite conversations from the past year to give you an idea of what happens in our lives.

With Danielle being a PE teacher and a huge sports fan, there’s often a game on the TV. The football commentary between games was on and the large former football players were talking
James (just shy of 2 yrs) :: “Elmo! TV!” (he’s obsessed with Elmo, so we just figured he wanted to watch Elmo)
Jim :: “No, that’s Warren Sapp….he’s pretty much just like Elmo though”
***not a minute later, without warning, who appears on screen but Elmo, singing Happy Birthday to Mr. Sapp -- James was ecstatic, Jim was shocked

After he tripped on the sidewalk, scraped up his knees and elbows, James flipped over on his back with his hands and feet up in the air like a turtle stuck on his back and said “I safe!” Maybe a baseball future???
Dani :: “James, what’s your favorite sport?”
James :: “Hockey!” (at this point, he’s hasn't seen hockey often)
Dani :: “I didn’t even know you knew hockey…are you sure it isn’t football?”
James :: “Footbum!”

You know you’ll always get an honest opinion from a child
James :: “Mommy done” as Danielle sang in the car

With a 2.5 year old and a 3 month old, many of our conversations revolve around feedings, (lack of) sleep and other bodily functions…also, James is quite observant of the world around him and closely imitates his teachers.
James (while pulling the back of my pants) :: “Mommy, no poops!”
...whew, good thing he checked (and hoping that is something we can say to him soon with potty training just starting…he was dry the other morning when he woke up!)

James is quite good with finding trouble and a has a pretty good sense of humor, I’m going to be keeping a close eye on him as he gets older, that’s for sure!
James :: “Mommy! Keys! I drive!”
Dani :: “Not until you’re 16, Bug”
James :: “Fourteen” (with a big smile on his face) -- I'm going to be prepared when he's 14 for the car to come through the family room wall

“Mommy, take picture!” as he poses with his shirt stuck on his head or a bucket on or while holding Logan (because he knows it’s cute)

After climbing out of his crib for the first time, I hear the door to our bedroom open and hear James exclaim :: “I got out! James did it!” He was so proud of himself, it was hard to be upset – but that was a looooong week of transitioning to a big boy bed and a new room (especially being 7 months pregnant and trying to lay down on a futon on the ground)

As he’s undoing the cord on the vacuum cord for the millionth time that day
Dani :: “What are you doing!?!”
James :: “I doing yak-uum and drive Mommy crazy.”
At least he’s aware of his actions and how they make people feel

You’ve gotta have goals in life…
Dani :: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
James :: “A man.”
Dani :: “OK. What kind of man?”
James :: “Um….a big one!”

James is very much in love with his baby brother…he will often blow past us just to say “Hello to my Logi Bear” (as he is about 2 inches from Logan’s face, tickling his cheeks; usually when Logan has just fallen asleep). He is very protective too, telling one of his friends at school who was admiring his brother, “No, that MY Logan!”

Logan seems to be a pretty go-with-the-flow kind of guy (which he has to be with crazy busy James running around)...as long as he's not hungry or in a dirty diaper, I can usually get him to smile his big big smile (takes up his whole face), talk to me (lots of "ah goo" and "ga" are involved) and even have started to get some brief giggles of excitement. He loves to chew on his fingers, is starting to help hold his bottle up and is just taking in the world around him. He isn't a huge fan of tummy time as he just rolls out of it, but is starting to head butt us a lot less when we're holding him (although I still have a deep bone bruise on my cheek I'm sure). From his back, he can get up onto his side when he wants. He has a huge appetite (quite the opposite of his big brother) and has some of the cutest rolls on his arms and thighs -- so lovable and hugable!!!

If you’re ever in need of a non-quiet house, ours is always full of action, so feel free to join us for a non-stop version of “Bah Bah Black Sheep” that mashes up with “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Down by the Station” and a few “ah goos” from Logan thrown in when he actually gets a chance to make some noise.

Sung last weekend while in the bathroom ::
I love you in the fan
I love you in the fan
High-ho the dairy-o
I love you in the fan

Animals are a big hit for 2 year olds – James has found it daring to try and ride Easton like a horsie (if Easton stands up, James goes tumbling over) – I’m sure Easton would prefer James stick to jumping off the couch on to the yoga mats.

Every night, James has to have his lion, his bunny, his monkey pillow and his Elmo blanket plus whatever books we read to him – I don’t know how it’s comfortable, but he manages to hold on to them all.
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Top Two Quotes of the Year 2011
“Look! There’s Santa….and his goats!!!”

And my favorite :: If one of us is holding Logan, James will crawl up into our lap and cuddle in and say “two boys.” That’s right, James E, we have two wonderful boys that make every day brighter!

Wishing you and yours a Happy, Healthy 2012
Jim, Danielle, James, Logan and Easton