Month 20

Month 20 brought a WORD EXPLOSION!!! James is now repeating a lot of words we say (and still laughing when they are ones that he doesn't think he can spit out, which cracks me up)...every day it seems I say something and he just busts it out (i.e. I asked him if he was going to walk up the stairs to go to bed...his response :: "walk"...didn't know he knew that word)! He knows a ton of body parts :: head, mouth, teeth, eyeballs, nose, ears, belly button, forearm, foot and toes. He can't really say "I love you" yet, but he definitely has his own sign-version of it -- sticks both hands out at us (video attached below) -- we just can't get enough of it :-) He is enjoying some independent reading time when he's not trying to beat me up (don't know why I'm the lucky one). He attended Lincoln Park Zoo lights for the first time -- he enjoyed the art project with Aunt MJ and Uncle Ed. He can help count -- almost always gets "one, two" and sometimes throws "three" in there and "five" if I say four...I've also heard "A,B,C". He loves to do art projects at school -- but freaks out if any of the glue gets on his hands, so he has to go wash them in between each part (I think it's just to play in the water more, hehe). James got all dressed up (took about 10 minutes) to go play in the snow (about 10 minutes) until he got upset about there being snow on his new boots -- I showed him how to "stomp" it off and he was relieved, but still ready to go back inside (it was also pretty darn chilly). He has added to some moves to his dance repertoire :: a wiggle and his version of the running man :-) If we put on the "Puddle Jumping Elmo" Sesame Street episode, we have to watch the puddle song at least 15 times before we can turn it off without tears! He's a dancing maniac!

The crew at Zoo lights

James was so bundled up that I couldn't get his stroller straps attached at first!















Dani and Jamie














Uncle Ed pretty much stole James for the night, which is cool because they get along so great :-)













Art project with Aunt MJ and Uncle Ed













Laura and James smiling pretty













James was OK w/ the gorillas until one yawned and showed all his big teeth















Pretty Lights












Family photo ops




























Slide show of Month 20





Signing "I love you"

Showing off his new "running man" move and the "spin-bounce" to a song from Glee -- we did "more" of the song for about 10 minutes before bed

Thanksgiving 2010

We did Thanksgiving a week early with Jim's family (didn't have my camera out, so I didn't get any pics, sorry -- they would have been of dogs knocking wine onto Bailey and Jimmy spilling almost a whole gallon of milk on the floor and himself, if that helps picture it). Then we headed down to Indy (eventually, only took 6 hours to get there w/ crazy traffic, NOT a good day for us). We had a lot to celebrate that day -- Thanksgiving, GG's birthday and Jim and my 4th Anniversary! Busy Busy Day! GG and Pops watched James and Ainsley on Friday so we could go on a double date to see the new Harry Potter movie -- first movie we'd been to in well over 2 years! Then on Saturday, Jen, Patrick and Kennedy all came over for a visit before we left to come back home and get some things done around the house! It was great to see them, Kennedy is getting so big and super smart and LOVED having a real-life baby around with our niecers, Ains :-)

Bailey's Birthday

We helped Bailey celebrate her 25th Birthday last weekend :-) James was very entertained by the dinosaur balloon -- we knew where he was at all times :-)

James' 1st Homework assignment. James did most of the coloring except when I wanted to play (I love to color) and he placed the stickers...our turkey at some feed, a tractor w/ a chicken in it and some hay :-)

James reading out loud...everything ends in "Hi Hi Jo Jo"

Welcome, Jaidyn!

Congratulations to John and Lynn on the birth of their first daughter -- Jaidyn Marie joined the world on 11.8.2010 :-)

Month 19

James started his 19th month in Michigan. We went up to Grand Rapids to help celebrate CJ and Jen Starr's wedding. CJ is a very long time friend for me -- since I was 1 year old! It was great to celebrate with the Starr Family!

A. Cass worked hard for that pic! Handsome toddler! Happy Couple! James playing "spoons" as instruments w/ GG

U. Larry &

A. Kiki

A. Cass showing Ainsley how it's done :-)
GG & Pops

Pops and his grandkiddos! Ainsley is a little easier to handle these days :-)

Gross girls with CJ, the groom!

Pops and JamesE

I had to disconnect the phone in our hotel room....so James could play with it in the bathroom (I don't know, but he insisted and it kept him out of trouble)

Other Month 19 happenings (some pics included in slide show below) :: 1st trip to a bookstore; Mommy and Daddy get kisses on the mouth now, with James' mouth (usually) closed; says "home" when we leave school, "geese" when we drive past them; got sick at a store for the 1st time (and Mommy didn't feel too badly she didn't have to clean it up, sorry Hancock Fabrics); visited John & Lynn before their baby is born and saw a bunch of friends; raked up leaves and then jumped in them!!! Imitates Mommy snapping her fingers; makes noises like a fire truck when we pass them on the way home; made trip #2 of the season to the pumpkin farm to get better pics and some more apple cider donuts (yummy); Illinois beat IU for football homecoming (sorry Uncle Brian, but we've got braggin' rights for this year); tooth #12 finally came through -- all the molars are in! got another hair cut (it grows so quickly); were THE CUTEST lion EVER for Halloween (we had to bribe James w/ being able to play outside with "Ab-bee" if he put on the pants and jacket :-) whatever works, right)! James is getting pretty good at talking on the phone, even though most answers are "yeah", "Daddy" and "Hi, Hi, Jo Jo;" also using a lot more sentence-structure in his jibbering; he was soooo excited to go visit the 2's playground and climb around like a monkey like a big kid!

Randoms to help me catch up on blogging

Just being goofy!
First time eating toast -- YEAH TOAST!

Sporting his handknitted hat that one of GGs friends made for him when he was born -- it's pretty awesome and I would love one myself (reversible, too)!

Riding the see-saw on the playground with "Eeeeeevve" -- we sang "Row Row Row Your Boat" about 30 times that afternoon -- Eve knows a lot of the words, I was impressed! Hat + Colts gear = Happy Toddler

The weather was absolutely gorgeous this week (Oct. 7th) so we busted out the water table one last time. James had so much fun (and got soaking wet) while practicing drinking from a cup (we've been working on it in the bathtub w/ his Elmo cup -- that way none of his clothes get wet). He was giggling so much I was able to record it and make it my ring tone :-)

Reading me the pamphlet he insisted on taking from school -- until he realized he was being recorded and then he poses for the picture...what a ham! And that's the end of catching up for Month 18!!! James got teeth 10 and 11 this month...now has 3 out of 4 molars...and had his 2nd ear infection :-( Temper tantrums have become the norm in the evening when we have to come in from playing outside with the neighbors -- think it is a combo of not eating lunch well (so hungry and low blood sugar) and being over-tired since he usually doesn't nap well at school. James has been LOVING music time at school -- the kid definitely has a pretty good sense of rhythm -- his favorite is the drums and swizzle sticks. He also LOVES to laugh -- he can be crying and upset and will go straight into a laugh fest when I tickle him -- he has even started to try and tickle himself and Jim and I :-D

Eddie's Football Game

How cute are these pajamas?!?! I love them on him -- they even have pretend cleats on the footie!
OBSESSED with his belly button lately -- he says "phhssssss" to fill it up

All ready for the Colts game! Thanks, Aunt Kiki and Uncle Larry for the sa-weet outfit!

Everyone was actually up at a decent hour, so we joined Jamie while she watched Eddie play flag football. The weather was actually nice, just a pretty strong breeze on the open field. James had his breakfast "to go" while enjoying the action.

Uncle John and Aunt Bailey walked over with Duncan and Nanuq :: Uncle John was nice enough to take James for a walk too :-) James thought it was hilarious and couldn't stop giggling!

Then he wanted Mommy to pretend to be the dog...that didn't last long.

Eddie's team didn't win, but it was nice to get out of the house and a start on the day.

We'd been talking about s'mores for awhile, so Jim got the fire pit going and some of the neighbors joined us for a mid-day s'mores feast.

Uncle John's new training technique