Our weekend in review...

Here are some pictures of our weekend...We are getting ready and excited for Christmas!!!!!

 Jim enjoyed a couple bites of pizelles - guess he did get some of my Italian genes!!!

 Jim started to get his bags packed to head up to NY for Christmas!!!!

 Helping daddy outside with the yard work.  (I took this picture from inside - that's why it's a little blurry.)  It's only like 40 outside, and he's still out there having a ball!!!

 Self portrait time.  (Ignore my hair...)

 Jim found one of the Christmas presents I wrapped and started opening it.  He's a little too early though!!!

 Then he decided he wanted to get into his jumperoo - he was having a grand old time!!!

And he was wore his hair (or as he was calling it - his hat).

Baking

Jim helped Nicole & I bake some Christmas cookies on Saturday!!! He was a big helper :)

He woke up Saturday morning with some lovely bed head hair!  It is getting longer!!!

Here he is helping to roll out some dough for our reindeer cookies...

 No Mommy, I didn't try any of Rudolph's red noses!!!

 Helping Nicole smash/roll oreos for our oreo truffle cookies...

 After awhile Jim got tired of being inside, and needed some time outside -

 He was Daddy's big helper!!  Helping him rake up the leaves.

 And here's our final spread of cookies...7 hours, 6 different cookies (gingerbread, chocolate crackle, reindeer cookies, candycane cookies, pizelles, and oreo truffles...mmm!!!  I love the holidays!!!!!!

Our evening in pictures...

First Jim did a little bit of reading.  Note all the pillows stacked up behind him.  

 Then he played with his firetruck...

 Then he was looking through his tunnel that Mark built for him, waiting for his train to come through.  (I love that smile!!!!

 Then he was Mr. Train operator!!!

 Oh no, his train broke - he had to do some fixing!!!

 And the night ended up with some cheese for the camera!!!  I hold up the camera and tell him to say cheese - and this is the face I get!!!

It was a great evening!!!!  (Mark had a dinner he had to go to for work, hence it being an evening of just Jim & I...)

'Tis the Season

This weekend we decorated our house for Christmas!!  It's definitely a fun time of year - especially now that Jim understands a lot more and is into it more.  On Saturday I was going through all my decorations while Jim and Mark were downstairs working on Mark's train table.  I had a huge pile sitting in the family room, and Jim came upstairs and goes - "whoah!  cool!"  He was impressed by everything!

He really didn't want to hang any ornaments on the tree - but when I broke out my box of plastic candy canes, he was all over that!  Here's a picture of him hanging those up!  

I was hoping to put a train under the tree - but the way we have the tree set-up and the size of the track, it didn't work out.  So instead we put it up in his playroom - and he loves that thing!!!

 He was so cute on Sunday checking out all the lights and ornaments on the tree.  It's very hard to get him to sit still in front of the tree while looking at me so I could take a picture - so here's one of him in action!

I also bought him An Elf on the Shelf.  I think he's still a little too young to understand the concept all the way - but every time I ask him where his elf is he gets all excited and points to it, or goes over and looks at it.  Hopefully it'll be a big hit in years to come!!!

Thanksgiving Pictures

I didn't upload any pictures in my last post - so I figured I would do it here.  As you can tell we did have a great time up in NY!!!!  And it's very hard to pick just a couple of pictures to upload!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break!!!!  Mark & I worked a 1/2 day on Wednesday and made our drive up to Mark's parents.  The drive wasn't all that bad at all.  I was prepared for a lot of traffic since they say that it's one of the worst days to travel, but we really didn't hit all that much.

Enjoyed our time up at Mark's parents.  We went over to the Kushner's for Thanksgiving dinner, which was very yummy!!!  Jim enjoyed the applesauce the best, wasn't a big fan of the turkey at all.  I think he took a bite of it and spit it right back out.  Friday we helped them cut down a Christmas tree.  Jim wasn't quite sure what to think of it at first, but than had a great time running around.

We made our way up to Buffalo Friday night after the Syracuse basketball game.  We tried to take Jim to see Santa, but he wanted nothing to do with him.  There were no tears, but as he got closer he kept shaking his head no.  Maybe next year.  Enjoyed each others company on Saturday.  Rob & Dad smoked a brisket for dinner which turned out very yummy!!!

We decided to take Monday off of work, so we got to spend the day Sunday hanging out.  We really didn't do a whole lot.  It was fun watching Jim have a good time with his aunts/uncle/grandparents!  I think he had a lot of fun playing with them as well.

Our drive home Monday wasn't all that bad.  We turned around Jim's carseat, so he got to enjoy a new view!  He did pretty good in the car considering he was stuck in his seat for 8 hours!  It was gorgeous when we got home, so Jim helped Mark with raking the leaves and cleaning up the yard.  He must have enjoyed being able to run around outside after be trapped in the car!

Go Syracuse!!!

These pictures are from when we went up to Syracuse in September...A little behind, but they were too cute not to share.  It's a good thing Jim is happy to be there - because there will be many more trips up there in his future!  Go Syracuse!!!

19 Months...

Just a random list of what Jim is up to at 19 months...

- Still has 12 teeth.  Hasn't had any new ones come in in quite some time.  Am starting to wonder if his eye teeth are going to start coming in soon.

-  As you can tell by the picture above, he absolutely loves being outside!  I think I have said this many times before, but it's wonderful!

-  Another love of his is trucks.  He loves this truck video we found on you tube, and every time he sees us on the computer he asks for trucks...And he loves playing with all the trucks he has!

-  Still is a big fan of reading!  Think his favorite books at the moment are anything that has to do with trucks.  (See, he loves his trucks!!!)

-  Some of his new words as of late - stroller, steam roller, bulldozer, excavator (are you noticing a theme here?!), yellow...just to name a few...

-  He is very good at saying please when he wants something.  (Or if he forgets, we remind him and he says it!)

-  Loves to eat pretty much everything!  And loves drinking his milk!

I know I can go on and on...but we'll leave it at this for now...Looking forward to seeing what the next month brings us!!!!

Marathon Weekend

Last weekend the family came into town to cheer on Ashley & Allison running the Marine Corps Marathon.

They flew in Thursday evening, and got to spend Friday hanging out with Jim. He was a huge fan of the new trucks that he got!!!!

I left work early, and we stopped to get a pumpkin for Jim, and then made our way into D.C. so the girls could pick up their race packets. We grilled turkey burgers for dinner. Our house is great now that we have all the extra room! We had 10 people over and we didn't feel like we were on top of each other.

Saturday was more hanging out...A trip into Old Town to do some shopping at the Gap...We attempted to carve a pumpkin, which Jim didn't want anything to do with so we let him color it instead...Enjoyed some pizza for dinner...And just enjoyed hanging out with one another.

Sunday was the marathon. I dropped the girls off at 6AM, and then we made our way into the city at 9:00 to find a spot to watch them. We saw them at miles 18 & 19, both on the mall, both running together, and then again at mile 26. It was pretty crazy at the finish - but we found them, and made it home around 4:00. Enough time for them to shower, and then head to Southside for dinner. (It seems like we always end up there when they come to visit...)

We are so proud of the two of them for finishing the race!!!! Maybe I can convince them to do another one, and the three of us can run together :)

(It was really cold first thing in the AM, so we had Jim all bundled up...I had to take this picture of him in front to the Washington Monument. (Or the big stick as Ashley would say...))

Happy Halloween!!!

I've been a little slacker in updating this...

For now I'll leave you with a couple pictures of my trick-or-treater last night...

Happy Halloween!!!!!

18 Month Stats

Jim went to the doctor for his 18 month check-up last week - and as usual, another clean bill of health. The poor guy had to get 4 shots though...He got a flu shot, Hepatitis A & B, and the Hib.

His 18 month stats:

- Head - 19" - 64th percentile

- Height - 33" - 71st percentile

- Weight - 26lbs. 14.6 ozs. - 64th percentile

We don't have to go back again for another 6 months - for his 2 year check-up!

And to leave you with a picture from this past weekend. Jim loves watching a truck video I found on you tube. And every time he sees the computer now, he says truck, truck, truck, wanting to watch the video. He's hooked. And he's gotten very good at pulling the computer up on his lap to where he's comfortable!

Baby Brother

Mark, Jim, and myself went for our ultrasound on Monday. (Mark took the day off because daycare was closed for Columbus day, hence the family outing.) And we found out Jim is going to have a baby BROTHER!!!!! We are all very excited about this! (Of course we would have been just as excited if baby #2 was a girl!) But I think it'll be perfect having the two boys growing up so close in age. The baby was measuring right around 19 weeks 3 days - so it's looking like it'll be the beginning of March!

A Year and A Half

I can't believe my baby boy is a year and a half already!!!! He's not really my baby boy anymore. It's amazing how much you've grown, and how you change almost daily. You really are learning more and more!

- You are mastering catching a ball. We tell you to catch, and you put your hands out to catch it!

- You are obsessed with your lawn mower...Actually I think you're loving daddy's lawn mower a little bit more now. You'll stand in the family room and look outside and say lawn mower.

- You love being outside - whether it's mowing the lawn...coloring with chalk...blowing bubbles...going for a walk...or just running around. You tend to throw a little fit when it's time to go inside. But I can't complain about that!

- You are very good with making all your animal sounds. I think my favorites are owl - you say 'owl'...and when you make the noise and motion of a chicken...Whenever you see a lion (like on your pj's, or even on TV) you will roar like one.

- I've started to give you gummy bear vitamins - and you love them. I think you want a whole lot more than the two I give you. You know exactly where I keep them and are always pointing to the cupboard when you are in the kitchen.

- We go to the doctor today for your 18 month check-up, so we should get better stats - but according to the scale at home, which you love standing on, you are 28 pounds.

- You love to color!

- When you are done with dinner, you ask for one of your Elmo napkins, and wipe you face and hands clean.

- Wears a combination of 2T and 3T clothes. PJ's are 3T.

- Wearing size 5 diaper...Size 7 shoes...

- He knows where his baby brother is!! And when I ask him, he will lift up my shirt and give my belly a kiss - too sweet :)

- I can go on and on with all the things you are doing!!! I love you so much!!!!!!

Fall is here!!!

It definitely felt like fall was here this past weekend. Saturday was rainy and cool, but Sunday the sun was out and we were able to enjoy sometime outside! It was nice not getting attacked by mosquitoes. Think the cooler weather scared them off. Here are a couple of pictures of Jim enjoying outside!

He's watching Mark mow the lawn here:

Can you tell someone is very happy to be outside! And see what I mean about it being a little cooler. I think Jim knew it - he didn't try taking his hood off!
And finally doing what he does best - mowing the lawn! He loves it! And he loves seeing Mark's lawn mower. He also likes saying lawn mower!
Monday morning we were in the living room eating breakfast, and he kept pointing to the window saying lawn mower. Guess he did have a lot of fun out there on Sunday and wanted to go back out!

Chicken

I love this video of Jim! I just discovered on Sunday that he knew what a chicken says, and even makes the arm motions to go along with it. We were eating chicken nuggets for lunch, and I go "Jim, eat your chicken" and then next thing you know he's bocking like a chicken and making the motions as well. What a smart little boy!

Anyways, I tried to get it on video - and here it is. Funny story about this, I watched it again, and Jim was watching with me. About 5 seconds before the alarm goes off in the video, Jim puts his hands over his ears (he knows its coming) and then when it gets to that part in the video he starts cracking up.

Here you go: