we help daddy...

Did you ever read the Little Golden Book, We Help Daddy, when you were a kid? I still remember it. A little boy and girl help their daddy do all kinds of things around the house one Saturday. I don't think they print it anymore because I if I remember correctly, the mommy was inside cooking and cleaning, the daddy smoked a pipe while he washed the dog, and the little boy and girl definitely did traditionally gender specific tasks. None-the-less, I still love the book. The other night CJ and I had a "we help daddy" night.

Shhh! Don't tell CJ, but his granddad got him a big boy bed for Christmas! We found a great bunk bed at an all wood furniture store. It is perfect for two boys because it can be a bunk or two twins. And it is perfect for a military family because it is all wood. We learned that anything else will be destroyed in 1-2 PCS moves. The only drawback...work for daddy. He already has it primed and has one good day of work left to finish painting it. We helped daddy one night while he was working on it...

And all was going well until CJ needed to dip his brush into the paint can just like daddy...

He didn't like that it made a mess...

All was well though. Mommy saved the day with some wet wipes and we were quickly back to "helping" daddy with his painting project.

CJ is a really great little guy, so sometimes we forget how truly awesome he is. Life is just more fun around him. The other morning I had one of those, "I should treasure this" moment because he is just so awesome.

First, we were playing in the living room. CJ ran into the kitchen and I heard him open a drawer, so I came into the kitchen to see what he was into. He had rummaged and found a nook. What's funny about this is that he hasn't slept with one at night for weeks, and he only gets it at nap time if he wakes up mid-nap and needs something to help settle himself down.

I knew he didn't "need" it, so I asked if he could put it back. He immediately popped it out and...

there you go. He even closed the drawer after putting it back. I think he just wanted to see what I would say when he did it. But he was proud of himself when I told him thank you for being a good listener and obeying.

Then I asked him if he could put the bucket on his head. (It's his Halloween bucket that he still enjoys putting stuff into and dumping it back out.)

Then he had an idea. Mommy needed to wear the bucket on her head. I love how funny he thought it was...

But the fun quickly wore off, and he wanted it back. :)

But not to wear, but to chew on. He's cutting both his top canines right now, so I can't really blame him.

Then all the bags and the bucket needed to be put into one bag. He did it all by himself...

After all that hard work, he wanted some milk. We have been working on him telling us what he wants and not just fussing or groaning and pointing. At first he just went to the fridge and did the "groan and point."

I asked him to please use his words, and I got a great, "MILK"

"PLEASE" If you sign with your kids, you can see that he still does the sign when he says please. I think it's adorable!

The milk was then added to the stash in the bag, and we headed back into the living room for more fun.

I know it's silly, but the moments I treasure the most are the everyday things. While the "big" things like seeing Santa are fun, I think the little moments are the best.

we'll call it a success...

So this isn't the best Santa picture ever taken, but it's not bad considering where we were a week ago...

And of course, as soon as the picture was taken, CJ warmed up to Santa even more. He even gave him a high-5. Stinker!

things I don't handle well...

If we talk often, I probably told you my two irrational fears of what could have happened while Scott was deployed that I didn't know how I would cope with. (1) CJ picks up a bug, squishes it, and brings it to me. (2) CJ poops in the tub... definitely a two person job. I now have a third one to add to the list. (3) Connor eats a bird.

Yesterday afternoon, I put her in the yard while I put CJ down for a nap. When I went to let her back in, she was standing at our french doors looking in proudly with a bird in her mouth! It took everything within me not to scream, but since there was a sleeping baby in the house, I maintained my composure (somewhat). But my eyes must have almost popped out of my head from the sheer pressure of holding it in. I ran and found Scott, and thankfully my manly husband took care of it.

Turns out, we are pretty sure she didn't just pick up a dead bird. Based on the pile of feathers and lack of rigor mortis as it dangled limply from her mouth, we are pretty sure it was innocently foraging for food with its friends.

Here's the crime scene...

And I know you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but come on... she's got a feather still hanging from her mouth!

Not cool, not cool at all!

santa update...

Although we didn't get a picture today, we did make progress! Scott needed to get work done today, but CJ and I still went to the Exchange for some Santa-therapy. When CJ first saw him, he didn't cry, but he did hold on tight to my finger and walk as far away from Santa as my arm would stretch. After we shopped, we stood close to Santa, and CJ actually took a candy cane from him. Then after a little more shopping, Santa was rewarded for his hard work trying to get CJ to like him with a big smile and a wave bye bye. Makes a mama hopeful for a good picture later in the week when Scott can go with us!

santa...

Scott had Friday off work, so we thought taking CJ to see Santa would be a great idea. The Exchange on post has a GREAT Santa, and we thought avoiding the weekend lines was great planning. Unfortunately, we didn't take into account the unexplainable fears of an 18 month old.

We talked all morning about going to see Santa, and even though I knew CJ had no idea what I was talking about, I hoped it would help ease any fears he might have. Honestly, I expected him to march up to Santa, sit on his lap, wave hi at him, smile for a picture, and then wave bye bye at Santa as he happily walked away with his candy cane. He is such an easy going guy... he loves people and usually isn't scared in new situations. Santa threw him for a loop though.

CJ walked into the Exchange with no problem, but as soon as he saw Santa, his bottom lip started to stick out and quiver. We tried waving to Santa from a distance... nope. We tried walking closer to Santa... nope. The nice ladies tried to coax him closer with toys... nope. All we got was this...

Notice the white knuckles...

Monday we are going to try a family shot with Santa. I'll let you know how it goes...

they'll promote anyone...

While the promotion from 2LT to 1 LT is really just a time in grade thing, CJ and I were still really proud to see Scott promoted earlier this week. It was fun too that Scott's good friend Andy was promoted at the same time.

Here is the Squadron Commander (SCO) saying nice things about both of the guys.

Then the SCO changed Andy's rank...

But my favorite part of the ceremony was when CJ changed Scott's rank. He did a perfect job of taking off his old rank and putting on his new one. It was precious.

bananas and bed head...

CJ has a new favorite food...bananas. He liked them when he was a baby, but I couldn't get him to eat them when I cut them up once he started eating "read food." Turns out, he just didn't like how mushy they were on his fingers. If you give him an entire banana, usually he'll eat the entire thing. The other morning he was just so cute eating with his bed head at breakfast...

thanksgiving...

Scott and I have been talking a lot lately about how blessed we feel. We have friends and family who are going through MAJOR stuff, so this Thanksgiving, when Scott has a steady job, we have an amazing, healthy little boy, we have one more little one on the way who I know will also blow us away, we are madly in love, and we have a beautiful home with plenty of food in it, we can't help but step back and be thankful. Even in the hard times, God is good, but it is nice to have a moment to breathe, look around, and only be thankful.

In the days before Thanksgiving, I tried to do a few activities with CJ. I was originally going to use these handprints of CJ's to make the feathers on a pine cone turkey, but he wanted to play with them, and the math teacher in me saw a great sorting activity. I think three colors were overwhelming. Next time, when I actually do a sorting activity with him, I will also have colored paper to put the same colored object on. But for an impromptu activity after a messy breakfast (thus why the shirt covered with oatmeal has already been taken off!), it wasn't bad.

We started off ok...

but he really wanted them to all be in ONE pile, not three.

Then we made place cards for Thanksgiving lunch. He loves stamping his hand. He knows just what to do now, and it is so nice not to have to fight his little fingers apart!

We also painted pine cones we collected from our yard. Like I said earlier, my original intent was to make turkeys, but we nixed that, and just had fun with some paint...

And after the fun of the pine cone wore off, we just painted. CJ is doing so much better at getting the paint on the paper as opposed to all over himself and in his mouth. He's such a quick learner.

I totally regret I didn't get ONE picture of actual Thanksgiving day! I can't believe it. We had a great time. Three of our friends Scott works with who didn't have family in town came over as well as Granddad and Grandpa Dick. CJ went to sleep with just me and Scott in the house, and woke up to a full house. He was a little overwhelmed at first, but quickly warmed up to all the guys. We had a yummy dinner. Scott hates turkey, so I made sausage stuffing and covered it with bacon, and he at least ate a little. :) We had way too much food, and to stay off a food coma after lunch, Grandpa Dick took CJ for a stroller ride, Granddad helped me clean up the kitchen, and Scott, Ryan, Jason and Lawrence put up Christmas lights. It was a nice day, and we were glad to have family and friends with us.

The next day, CJ wanted to take Granddad and Grandpa Dick to his favorite park. Oh what fun we had!!!

First Grandpa Dick got dragged around the jungle gym by his finger...

Then Daddy convinced CJ to slide. Last time we went to the park he really wanted to slide, but for some reason he was scared before he did it. This time it only took one slide before he realized it was GREAT fun...

And then he was ready to do it all by himself!

He even got brave enough to do the big twisty slide. The one he started out on was not sufficient after one trip down the super cool and fun twisty slide. He would come down laughing and smiling and sign and say "mo, mo, mo" as he ran back to the stairs for more sliding.

We also had a breakthrough. CJ actually enjoyed swinging. From birth he would last less than three seconds in anything that swings. I think he sat in his infant swing for a total of 2 minutes, and every time we go to the park we try swinging and tears and screaming for mommy quickly follow. But check out this happy little swinging guy...

Then we got to pet a dog and make a new friend...

who thankfully took a picture of all five (six if you count baby) of us.

We had a great long weekend!