SMILE

I FINALLY GOT A PICTURE OF A SMILE

NOT ONE, BUT TWO

 

Recap

Hello.

I don't know what we have been up to the last 2 weeks that has been so exhausting, but it has required an 8pm bedtime every night. I blame daylight savings. Sorry no posts. So its time for quick run down of the last two weeks....

Matt got clocked in the face by a tiny fist of fury.

 

Clark is getting used to eating off a plate. We are still working on the concept that a plate remains on the table while he eats.

 For some reason using a plate at meals requires the removal of pants (and the addition of dirty socks).

Matt's family came into town for Thanksgiving and we finally got to meet Matt's sister's new boyfriend. They are a great match. We went Duck Pin Bowling with the whole family over the weekend. This place was awesome and I wanted more pictures, but it was entirely too tempting and dangerous for a 1 year old so I was on Potamus Patrol most of the time. The old building had COLIE written all over it, it was like it was made just for me.

We decorated our Christmas Tree. We put it in the basement this year just ward off the million NO, DON'T TOUCH. DANGERs that were going to be inevitably yelled until New Years. Out of sight, out of mind, but a special surprise when we go in the basement.

In my head I pictured a delightful evening filled with carols in the background and a giggly little boy helping decorate the tree.

In reality this is what the evening looked like...

 

Whenever he sees the lights on the tree come on he says "OOOOO, WOW!"

Look closely, you can see his dinner making a cameo on his shirt

That's the extent of our last two weeks.

Time for bed.

Questioning my Parenting Techniques

I have been trying to teach Clark how to play alone, that he doesn't need me to initiate fun and that he has an imagination that needs a workout. This is what happens when Clark initiates fun.

Please notice the shoes, a cookie cooling rack and every book and play kitchen item has made an appearance. There are days I try not to say NO. I opt for the word  "Danger"  if he is playing with something forbidden or doing something that is going to end up with a trip to the ER and a 3-10 being filed. Granted, this is not every day, I don't want a spoiled rotten kid, but I also don't want the word No to be the most frequently used word in our house.

This, however, did get a NO.

Off Brand Butter is not a suitable dinner choice for anyone.

And here is proof to the claim that Clark is faster than a speeding bullet.

Have a good week,
Colie

17 Months

Hi

Clark is growing at light speed. I can't keep up with his energy, his vocabulary, the way he figures the world out or his caloric needs. He moves so fast that I have a hard time keeping up with the camera and just realized that I haven't printed off pictures since FEBRUARY! To think, I used to have so much free time and spent it watching HGTV.

I thought I would take a few photos of what our morning snack time routine looks like.

Step 1- Look excited every time you open the snack container

Step 2- Empty out the contents of snack container and repeatedly ask for "moooore, mooooore" just so you can have more snacks to crush under your feet.

Step 3- Increase the surface area of your crush by using hands, knees and feet.

Step 4- Make snow angles in the dust of pulverized Cheerios.

Final step- Call in the Clean Up Crew.

This weekend we went for a family drive and stopped to take a few pictures a long the way. Things always sound better in my head. I imagined taking some lovely fall photos of Clark playing in leaves with beautiful wooden fences, barns and vast fields rolling in the background. The reality was I couldn't figure out the settings on my camera to allow for good lighting, I couldn't get any face shots of Clark because he moves faster than a speeding bullet and someone always had their eyes closed in the family pictures we tried to take.

Where did Clark's face go? It disappeared into the sunlight.

 Matt and Clark got swallowed up by the shadows.

If only Clark was turned towards me and not trying to fix that rusty nail.

And I have finally fallen into the Williams' curse. I closed my eyes as soon as a photo was taken, it was only a matter of time.

Happy Weekend
Colie

Frosty Day and Some Vacuum Love

Hello

Today was 27 degrees when we woke up at 6:04--Thanks Daylight Savings. The frost was so thick that it looked like snow.

 Let me get this straight, Mother Nature, you give us days upon days of 100+ degrees with no rain in the summer time and then jip us out on a fall season? You just go straight into winter? Someone is getting lazy.

Clark wanted to go outside first thing this morning, like always. I took him out and he said "buuuurrrr" then immediately turned around to go back inside. He was convinced we needed to start a fire to warm up.

Krum was a sunshine lovin' poodle this afternoon. That's when you know it is cold, the dogs don't go outside and they lay in any sliver of sunshine that comes through the window.

Along with kitties, Clark loves the vacuum cleaner. On most days he insists on having it out in plain site so he can touch it, take it apart and hug it. I don't understand it, but I go with it. A lady Matt works with, Nicole, gave Matt a mini vacuum to bring home for Clark. It was love at first sight.

He brings it everywhere--up, down, in, out and even on car rides. That was a fun day!

This is photographic evidence that he smiles! He just never does it for the camera, he goes all Blue Steel on me.  When is isn't hugging the vacuum, he actually uses it for its intended purpose.

Is there anything sweeter than a silhouette of a little boy vacuuming the foyer? Perhaps a boy trying to open the door from the wrong end? Awwwww.

 
Stay warm and remember to hug your vacuum, it works hard
Colie