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!