Oh, yea, I have a blog

I shouldn't be aloud to have a blog anymore. Summer sun seems to have zapped my brain and my desire to keep our loving family updated on Clark Happenings. In all fairness, I haven't opened the computer to Google, Pinterest, Craigslist or download pictures in a long time....well, since July. We have been outside and playing hard every day. Nap time seems to be shrinking in size and after dinner is cleaned up and The Beast is in bed I usually pass out around 9. So, again, here is 2+ months of catching up....

We have spent endless hours at the various parks this summer. Clark's favorite is the splash park down the road from us. It has sprinkler pads, flowers that shoot water, a creek area and a playground for when you're more in the mood to stay dry.

I think I have this exact same picture of myself at 2 on a horse that could be this one's grandfather.

Clark has discovered the deliciousness of the Ruby Red Grapefruit. He requests them cut up and super juicy. I have to say I am very pleased with his eating habits lately. The kids demands red cabbage, kale and pomegranates on a regular basis. Don't get me wrong, he'd still sell his mother on the black market for a single chocolate chip.

We took him to his first baseball game, which happened to be the Indianapolis Indians LAST baseball game of the season. Those darn games are always played during his nap time/bedtime. We decided to go the stadium at 5pm, eat dinner and run around before the game so we could feel like we stayed longer than 45 minutes. He thought he was hot stuff staying up so late.

 

He was dancing around, spinning in circles and talking it up to everyone that walked by. We knew it was time to call it quits when he said "I need to take my shirt off." Ladies and gentlemen, that is the number one sign--in any situation--that you should call it a night. When we were driving home he asked "Where'd the sun go?" and it occurred to me that he has never been out after dark.

 

 



And now for the biggest news of the Summer.

We have a 100% potty trained kid. This child has been a dream for us as parents--everything from breastfeeding, to sleep to learning as been easy-- I take absolutely no credit whatsoever for him being potty trained. One day he asked to drive a dump truck and I said that if he was potty trained he could. Few days later he says "yeaaa, I'm just going to wear undies like Daddy." So we put him in undies. That was it. I take him to the potty once an hour, he gets a piece of chocolate and everyone is happy. He's had minimal accidents, usually they are my fault for not taking him fast enough or giving him too much juice.  The hardest part about the whole process was finding him a big truck he could drive because he was potty trained!!!!

Like I said before, naptimes are getting shorter....Back to being a mom....
Colie

Cheeseburger in Paradise

So I know fourth of July was a long time ago, but hey, I am still catching up here. Here is a quick recap of our 4th of July festivities.

Short, sweet and to the point...I made this. I was decently proud of myself, then I almost died of a sugar coma after eating a piece.

 

Matt almost died climbing into a dilapidated house.

There was a four way cartwheel

And we actually got a family picture...One with everyone's eyes open. That's very rare!

 

Have a happy week,
Colie

Well Hello! That is if anyone is even out there anymore--Jill Towner? Moores? Shilpa?

Before you give me a hard time about not updating since April 1st, its not because I didn't want to--Our computer imploded beyond repair shortly after my last post. However, I have no excuse for taking 3 and a half months to buy a new computer. I kind of forgot we needed a new one until my camera memory filled up and I had no place to download pictures.

The most important thing that has happened since the last update was Clark's 2nd Birthday. The only logical theme for his party was TOOLS, since the kid is one wrench away from being the newest member of Living Life After an Addiction to Tools. Each food item was carefully labeled with its tool/construction/yard doppelganger.

 

 The cupcakes were Top Soil, Bread was known as Sheet Rock, sandwich meat was Filler, potato salad was Cement Mix...Well, you get the idea.

 

 

The cousins were present and the blue eyes were in abundance.

In case you missed it, Clark's shirt says BINFORD TOOLS. That gem was courtesy of his betrothed, Leena. For those of you who lived under a rock during the 90's and weren't in love with Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Binford Tools is from Home Improvement.

His newest prized possession is his tricycle.

 

 The day of Clark's actual birthday I let him pick everything we were going to do that day. This was more of a gift to me I think, it brought me so much happiness to see him get so excited and to see what things actually bring him the most joy.

He chose Kix sans milk and bowl for breakfast and paired it with a hot bowl of chocolate oatmeal.

 

Up next was to give the dogs a bath. Ok, kid, its your day.

We got dressed and when I asked him what was next on his list he said "See horses!"

Next was "Eat Donut!"

Then he wanted to go to garage sales. Thankfully I was able to find a few on a Thursday, he didn't find anything he wanted, but had fun rummaging through people's things.

Up next was "hammiches with the lions" so we stopped to pick up Matt along with some Jimmy Johns and headed to the zoo.

Too much fun was accomplished by 12:30 so Clark declared "nap"

After his nap he wanted to "milk a cow". We headed over to Trader's Point Creamery for the 4pm cow milking session. They scared the bajesus out of him....Side Note: Recently an Orange cow has made an appearance at home. He lives in the foyer/on the steps and we constantly have to go check to make sure the cow isn't there or calm a worried Clark because he has seen the cow. We have attempted to banish the orange cow and have carried him outside only to be informed that it was a WHITE COW that we saved him from and the ORANGE COW remains.

Final activity on Clark's Birthday Bucket List was "ice cream for dinner"

 

 

 

June 6th was truly one of my favorite days. He picked such fun activities for us to do together, I am so grateful that I am able to experience life through his eyes. He is the coolest person I have ever known.

 

 

Promise to keep you updated on a regular basis again,

 

Colie

Hello Family and Friends-


We hope that you had a Happy Easter and were able to celebrate with family. This year was extra special for us as a family. Clark understood decorating eggs, he understood that the Bunny left him a basket and he was 100% perfectly well behaved in church. Like he was hanging on every word.

Friday night we decorated eggs. I was prepared for a mess. I underestimate this child. If you give him a task with specific instructions (Put 1 egg in a color cup. Be very careful. Then don't touch) the kid obeys to perfection.

Run Away Egg

But when you leave him to his own devices this is what you're left with--

He is washing bananas.

The Easter Bunny jam packed his basket with a pillow pet, a hamburger bank, cookies, chalk and garden tools.

Watching him find his basket was very entertaining. He did a quick scan, zeroed in and made a mad dash.

In unEaster related news- Matt and I have been trying to make small changes around the house in effort to cope with cabin fever. Our latest project was a tiny change in the kitchen that made a huge impact. It was one of those things that slap you in the face and say "why the heck didn't we do this sooner?!"

Before:

 After:

I just laughed to myself when I realized that the before and afters look the same. I told you it was a small change. In case you're missing it: we added knobs and pulls. In real life it is a big big difference, I swear.

We have had some crazy weather this month. In the span on a week Clark learned how to play catch in 50 degrees and build a snow man in 20 degrees.

A few days later...

This next picture is just cute

We are so eager for the weather to behave so we can get out of the house and move.

Hope you're all doing well,
Colie

Hello

Perhaps its the weather that's getting me down, but I have been kinda bummed out lately. Every day seems to flow into the next and without sunshine, fresh air and going places life around here is getting pretty stagnant. I am running out of indoor activities and Clark is noticing. We both have cabin fever pretty bad, only the ways we express it are completely different. I rearrange furniture and paint things, Clark yells obscenities all day. He has taken to pushing the dogs around and yelling "GO".

I did get creative and make him a baby hammock under the table. That was a big hit all day. I made him a banana milkshake and we pretended to be in the Bahamas. When he saw the hammock he said "Oh, wow, thanks Colie!" For some reason he has taken a real liking to calling me by my name. Matt is still Daddy, of course.

I have also resorted to bringing in his outdoor play slide, which he calls his WEEEEEE (because that is the sound he makes when he slides down, of course). For some reason he thinks that in order to play on the side he must wear shoes. Safety first is his motto.

We made popcorn for the first time. He liked that. I tired to explain to him that its more fun to eat popcorn when you watch a movie, but he still refuses to watch TV. It could be because of the intense frustration he feels when the scenes change. He yells "WHERE'D THEY GOOOOO!!!!!"  To avoid meltdowns we just don't watch anything. Even commercials confuse him. Which means that I have to step up my ABCs and 123s because Big Bird wont be teaching them.

He does understand cleaning, the kid is a pro. You're welcome future wife of Clark, no training required. The dogs, however, do not understand what a clean floor is and like to paw print it up immediately after we have scrubbed it.

Don't deny it Krum, I know it was you

We made the most delicious muffins over the weekend.

There was hardly any sugar--other than natural sugar from the fruit-- and they tasted wonderful. The blueberries were of course the star of the show, but freshly squeezed oranges and orange zest proved to be exceptional backup singers.

In case you were wondering what was going on slightly to the left in this photo--here it is.

I only got one chance to take a picture of the perfect muffin.

Clark's vocabulary has picked up again and he is putting together small sentences nicely. He says thank you to everything and always offers bites of his food without being prompted. I got him dressed the other day and he said "Thanks shirt, Mommy". Which I know means Thanks for getting me dressed and picking out this shirt, you're awesome and I love you. He is also getting into helping me cook. He pushes a chair up to the counter and likes to pour and mix. He actually does a really good job and can keep focused for up to 40 minutes. That is eternity in toddler. His favorite songs are Maclemore Thrift Shop and PSY Gangnam Style. He is obsessed with fixing things and all things tool related.

Have a good week,
Colie