Merry Christms 2010!

The Calm Before The Storm....

Mesa inside - check, Kailer drinking out of his new cup - check, Daddy home from work - check...

Diggin' in his stocking!!

"Hmm," says Mesa, "What's this?"

A toy totally fit for a boy ... and a mom who needs earplugs now! :)

Those elves sure don't make the packaging easy to open.

Mesa supervising, like all good big-sisters do! ;)

All done ... Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow we head to Wyoming ... can't wait!

Visions of Sugarplums Danced in His Head

While watching Kung-Fu Panda with Dan and I, Kailer fell asleep on the couch. I said to Dan, "Babies don't fall asleep watching movies, little boys do!"

Christmas Cookies!

Just a pinch more of flour.

Just going turn on the mixer mom, really....

...okay, so maybe I'm just going to try the dough. I'll lick this beater if you will fill this cup up for me! :)

A Cowboy from Virginia

Kailer received a Christmas ornament from our cousin Barbara Jean who lives in Virginia. She stated that she saw the little cowboy Santa on the horse and it reminded her of her cousin in Montana! He has thoroughly enjoyed playing with the ornament and trying to mimic the "giddy-up, giddy-up" sounds that I was demonstrating for him.

Snowman

Kailer and I attempted to make a snowman in the backyard. The only "real" problem for Kailer was that the snow is so deep that he has a hard time walking in it. It's also very hard and crunchy, which made it hard to actually make the snowman. But me, being the mom that I am, gave it 100% and tried at least. We succeeded, kinda...by the time I got Kailer in place for a picture and the camera out, Kailer had managed to knock of the snowman's eye and buttons!! So here's our eye-less, button-less, Kailer-less snowman. I was also disposing of the coal from our fireplace....
REALLY MOM?!?! ... all that I'm getting for Christmas is coal?!

'O Christmas Tree

We finally got out tree put up and decorated ... and needless to say, with a toddler each day is like decorating it all over again! He takes off an ornament, or two, and I try to figure out where they were prior to little hands getting a hold of them! Apparently Kailer also thought that it was Christmas today, because as I was talking on the phone to Aunt Jamie this morning Kailer was unwrapping presents! It will be interesting to see if we can make it another 5 days without any other presents being opened!! Perched on the Rubbermaid as I get read to string the lights.

"Oop, little knot, here you work on that." (Clark W. Griswald)

Helping to place the ornaments (kind of).

My 'Lil WY Cowboy (At Heart)

He really doesn't have much fear!

Happy .... Birthday!

Helping Dad open his present ... and practicing for Christmas.
"Pop!" Enjoying popping the air cushions.

"Ready .... blow!"

Having fun with the paper...

Oh, so much fun (silly kid!).

Happy Birthday, Dad!!

A Video From Santa

Kailer is gearing up for Christmas and how lucky for him...Santa Claus sent him a special message (See the link below by copying and pasting it into your browser).


http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/LPuSxwlxnJyuv16d_fip9w

Still Loves The Vacuum!

At the beginning he says "vacuum" and at the end "all done."

"I'm just gonna run in...."

It never fails ... Kailer and I are out running errands with Dad during the times when he has to "just run into his office," we end up waiting for him a lot longer than expected. On this particular day, we had originally been getting ready to go out and cut down a Christmas Tree, but time got away from us and it was getting too dark before we'd even gotten the permit purchased.
So as we waited and waited and waited for Dan to come out of his office (we didn't go in because, "he was just going to be a minute!") Kailer started to get antsy in the back, 'stuck' (as he calls it) in his carseat. So I figured, what the heck, I'll unstrap him and let him come up front with me.
WELL...Kailer loves to "drive" and he spent the next 20 minutes pushing, turning, pulling, tapping anything and everything he could get his hands on!! Needless to say when Dan finally came out to the truck Kailer had managed to (probably) drain Dan's windshield wiper fluid, turn on the hazards, switch the truck into 4 wheel-drive, move a side mirror and turn on the lights outside of the truck bed (later, after I had driven the truck home, we noticed the lights....ooops!). So Dad, the next time you're going to "just run in for a minute," you might want to reconsider who you're leaving in the vehicle! :0) Ha, ha.
P.S. I asked Dan what in the world took him so long...and this will NOT surprise most of you .... he ran into a co-worker (whom he hadn't seen in awhile) and they had to exchange deer hunting stories! REALLY?!?!

C'mon Mom!!

Something tells me that sometimes Kailer wishes that I was in a different career! Poor kid, he gets his ears looked at more than most, I'm sure!!

These boots....

were made for walking ...uh...or running!
Kailer got his first pair of snow boots this weekend and we practically had to peel them off him at the end of the night. He loves them!

Bob The Builder

Kailer spent last week listening to power tools rumbling as Dan worked on framing the walls in our basement. So once the dust settled a bit, I took Kailer down for a test run with the tools. I think he was pleased with the progress he made! He might just be the next Bob the Builder of the toddler world!

Yea-op, I'll just help Dad cut this board....

....and take down this wall!!

First Recital

Little bit of Mozart to "warm up."

He's gotten so good that he doesn't even need to look at the keys!

Included in this piece is a little bit of Kailer's version of"ABCs"

The Way To His Heart...

....Is definitely through his tummy! Anyone who knows Kailer, knows that this little guy LOVES to eat. Not kidding. He'll eat a big 'ol healthy meal and I can almost guarantee that in less than an hour he'll be asking to eat again; and this goes on ALL day!! Needless to say, he needs the calories for as much energy as he exerts.

So this morning, while I was working on his pancakes, Kailer was finding was to entertain himself ...which is not easy when you're "so" hungry!! Here he sits with an empty cereal box and the cord to the toaster.
Lovin' his hair...it's gone from sticking out on the sides to sticking up along the crown of his head .... it's actually quite cute and Dan calls it the "Bill Murray look."

AND ... at last here are Kailer's special airplane and truck pancakes, courtesy of G-Ma McGinty.

They were quite interesting to make and I probably went through half a can of Pam to keep them from sticking....but Kailer loved them and that's all that mattered!

What's This Stuff?

Finally we had (what I thought) a descent day to go outside on Monday .... unfortunately once we got out there it was quite a bit colder than I had anticipated. For this momma it was cold enough that we only stayed out for about 30 minutes, but I'm pretty sure Kailer and Mesa would have stayed out a lot longer if I would have let them.

Kailer??

Where's Kailer? Since Kailer was little, we've been playing "Where's Kailer" with him. More recently he's taken to putting the blanket over his head and "looking" for himself. If he would take his blankie out of his mouth in this video, you'd be able to understand him better, but he's saying his name. As I said to Dan the other night, sometimes I wish I could lose myself....and not find me for awhile! :)

As a side note, we went in for Kailer's 18 month appt. today and it's official, my turkey last week weighed more than he does! He weighs 22 lbs. 15 oz (15th percentile) and is 33 1/4" tall (90th percentile). There were absolutely no concerns with with his growth or development.

P - I - E!!

Kailer loves his Pumpkin Pie!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!! We truly hope that everyone had a blessed holiday. We know that we have so very much to be thankful for ... so much that sometimes I forget how fortunate I am.

We actually celebrated our Thanksgiving on Wednesday, since Dan had to work tonight. So today, the "official" day of Thanksgiving was a quiet one for us, as Kailer and I tip-toed around the house so Dan could sleep. Each week when Thursday rolls around, I'm very thankful for our new house and the ability to migrate upstairs, so that while Dan sleeps in the basement, he doesn't hear us.

I miss my family so much everyday, but the presence of a holiday leaves a heavy feeling in my heart when I can't be with them. It always makes me sad, but it's the price we pay and in truth it's a little sacrifice compared to what so many other people in this world go through. So despite our distance this holiday season, I want you all to know (family and friends) how dearly I will miss you, but that you are always in my thoughts. I am so blessed to have such a loving and caring family.

And this little person - well, he is truly what I am most thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day!

First Snow

"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they do when they stick together." Verna M. Kelly

Kailer watching our first "real" snow fall last week. It was fun to see his face as he watched the snowflakes fall in the night sky!

"Or-EE-Ler"

Dan has had the 4-wheeler loaded in the back of his truck for the past month ... and the suspense of seeing it in the truck every time we come and go was driving Kailer crazy. We'd pull into the garage and Kailer would say "Or-EE-Ler, truck!" (indicating that the 4-wheeler was [still] in the truck). Then when we'd be pulling away he'd say, "Bye Bye Or-EE-Ler." So I insisted that when Dan finally unloaded it (a.k.a. the end of hunting season) he had to give Kailer a ride. Well, wouldn't you know it, the day that Dan is unloading it, is the day that it's raining and cold. BUT that didn't stop Kailer from wanting to go .... Away they went. I was in the garage sweeping when they came back and I could hear Kailer making "driving noises" - Dan said he did that the whole time. He certainly loves that Or-EE-Ler and was definitely disappointed when he couldn't ride on it yesterday when Dan was plowing the driveway!!

Melts In (and on) Your Mouth AND In Your Hand!

For approximately the last month, we've gotten a little more serious with Kailer and potty training. We're still a long way away from being out of diapers, but we're also making some serious progress.

To encourage him to 'want' to go in the big boy potty, he gets a Skittle after each time - IF he actually goes. Needless to say, this whole experience has turned into an exercise program for me!! :) We keep his potty upstairs so each time he alerts me that it's time, I snatch him up and sprint up the stairs. Well, the kicker is that he always remembers the "snack" part and sometimes forgets that he actually has to "do" something before I'll give him one; so we have some false alarms.

A big milestone occurred earlier this week though when Dan had him at the bowshop. He actually told his Dad he had to go and went in the full-sized potty!! I was so thrilled to hear this, as it meant to me that he's not just associated "his" potty and "his" treats with having to go.

Anyway .... when he gets a Skittle, instead of just putting it in his mouth and eating it, he holds it in his hand, puts it in his mouth, pulls it back out .... which results in a mess. Especially when they're Blue!