Happy Hour!

April 28, 2oo8

What's happening? Spring?! Sunshine?!
FINALLY!!
Hayden and I enjoyed "cocktails"
and a snack on the deck this afternoon
and it was awesome!

Hayden is loving his new picnic table
from Grandma & Grandpa!

This is Hayden's new expression
for "cold....."
I'm so grateful he was able to refer to
his juice and NOT the weather!

We spent the day in shorts, t-shirts and
"cool flip-flops."

We played in the dirt and enjoyed the sun.
We had lawn-mower races.
This is my life with an active little boy.
I love it.

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY HAYDEN!!

April 20, 2008

Hayden ran around all morning talking
about his "1-2-3-4 balloons" and
his "birthday cake!"

I can't believe my little boy is TWO!!

I love that Hayden stopped to enjoy
his new book in the middle of his
gift opening frenzy!

How many men does it take
to assemble a
Kawasaki Ninja toddler bike??

So far, so good....it's staying
in one piece!!

Look at the concentration!

Mommy's attempt at a tractor cake......
a side note: red icing and black icing are NOT FUN
to make from scratch.
In future, I will totally be buying the tubes
of pre-made/mixed icing!

Yummy!!

It must have tasted pretty good,
'cause I got a little
kiss from my birthday boy.

Red icing always looks a wee bit carnivorous,
don't you think?!

Who needs a fork?
Just shovel it in with your hands!!

Mommy & Daddy got Hayden his first
Radio-Flyer tricycle!

Vvrrooooommmm!!

Whew!

April 8, 2008

Brody joined in our play-date today,
so we had lots of fun.....
but Mommy was VERY busy!
It's fun making sure that none of the 3
are getting into trouble at any given time!!

The Cheerio Trio!

How could these sweet faces
possibly get into trouble?!

Brody (Uncle Scott & Auntie Tessa too!)
stayed for dinner so that
the boys could play a while longer.

"Goggle Boy" and "Bucket Head" were
having such fun being silly.

What "super hero" wants to stop to have a bath??
Nuh-uh. Not me.
I don't think Batman ever
had to bath, did he?

Yip-pee!

Tonight was night number four.

Hayden has gone pee on the potty,
each of the last four nights,
right before his bath!!
We celebrate like crazy together in the bathroom.
"Yay Hayden! What a big boy!!"

He claps for himself, and then gets in the tub
like it's really not that big of a deal.
It TOTALLY is!!
This is progress.
And the best part is, we just asked him
if he wanted to go.
What a concept.
I can only HOPE the rest of potty training
goes this smoothly?!

Cross your fingers.....

Cup o' Joe

Doesn't every urban toddler start their
day with a cup of coffee??

.....don't worry, it's just

hot chocolate!
(In mommy's childhood Humpty Dumpty mug!)

Just another morning

Mommy made pancakes for breakfast today.
They had chocolate chips in them.
They were a BIG hit!

How can you help but smile when you
have been pumped full of
chocolate chips and syrup
first thing in the morning?!

To be a kid again....

March 24, 2008

Hayden and I had the GREATEST day today!
We had no where to be so we had
a fabulous play day that
was totally "melt down" free!

It made me think that we should be a bit

more like kids some days.
Go with the flow.
Take things as they come.
Stay in our PJ's all day.
Giggle.
Laugh.
Snuggle.

Our first order of business was to
"grow" the capsule animals
that the Easter Bunny brought Hayden.

The anticipation was almost
too much....

He gave each little animal a
hug and a kiss as they
were born.

What is this one?!

Our next order of business was to
sort the laundry.
So much for a day void of ALL chores!
Folding laundry (boo!) turned
into Mommy building a cool fort (yay!)

A hilarious game of peek-a-boo
was next on the list.
We both laughed 'til our sides were sore.

Next, another snuggle.

Happy Easter!

March 21, 2008
Happy Easter!
Oma and Opa spent the day
at our house and we had lots of fun!

"Okay little bunny, this is only
going to hurt for a moment......
I'll start with your ears!"

This is the result of our son diving
into his candy, not realizing
that chocolatey treats are often disguised
in pretty, but yucky, foil!

Mmmmmm....chocolate!

Now, because Mommy posted this
"bass-ackwards,"
here is the footage of the big hunt!



Mommy had to hide the Easter basket so that
she can control the daily sugar rush!
But when that sweet little face asks me for
a daily treat from his basket,
my response is always the same;
"okay, just one, as long as you share
with Mommy!"

I'm 23 months old!!

March 20, 2008

What a little man Mr. Hayden is turning out to be.
(Please excuse the bed-head.)
We have our challenges some days,
but most days are pretty amazing
with this little guy.

I'm amazed that I can now have a
conversation with my son.
I can ask him a question and he'll either
respond with "sounds good" or "no."

He listens.....sometimes.
We say one book or one Dora episode,
and he always negotiates for two.

He likes to "pick."
Juice or milk, Goldfish or raisins,
brown shoes or black.....
....doesn't much matter as long as he
calls the shots.
At least he says "peas" and "sank-you!"

He can tell us what he wants....sometimes.
With all of the words he is learning,
sometimes we just don't know
what he is asking for!

He is going to be tri-lingual.
He was counting in Spanish the other day.
Uno, dos, quatro, cinco, ses....ocho, nueve....
No big deal.
Just counting my cheerios.
And the Dutch words keep coming too.
It's crazy!!

He is stubborn as an ox....ALL THE TIME!
His way, or no way.
I hope it won't always be as hard
to get him to do what we want or need him to.

Who am I kidding?
What about when he's a teenager?
Good grief.
Thank goodness he's small
for a few more years!

Hayden recycles!

To the naked eye, this may look like some
kind of abstract art.
Not quite.

After finishing his "zinzins" (raisins,)

Hayden walked over and placed the empty
box on the kitchen stool.
I just watched in amazement.
This is where Mommy and Daddy put
all of the recyclables that
are on their way to the garage bins.

This is a true testament to the fact that
kids watch everything we do.
I guess it's a good thing he caught us
doing something good!

It's a good thing he's NOT following in my footsteps!

He passed!!

We had our last swimming class today,
and I am SO happy to report
that Hayden is quite
the little splasher!

Hayden was the class clown.
He would sing the silly songs on command,
splash around like a wild man,
and "1-2-3 jump" from the side of the pool
like nobody's business.
We do have a few things we need to work on
before graduating to "Bubbler" status;

1. In one class, he refused to don the life jacket
and float on his own.
2. He would rather drink the pool
water and announce how "yummy" it is
instead of blowing bubbles
like he is supposed to!!
3. He doesn't love to put his face in the water
(he gets that from me) but he
is happy to be dunked?!

They really supported
his enthusiasm
and his new love for the swimming pool,
and Mommy is VERY proud!!

the Match game

March 16, 2008

Today we had a lazy day at Oma and Opa's house....
....I ate my weight in candy and cookies.

In the afternoon, Brody stopped by to play.
To our surprise, we were wearing
our matching sweaters.
(I swear, we didn't call each other this morning!)
We do look pretty cute.

We shared cheerios, and juice for a snack.
Oma and Opa bought us these new chairs.
They match too!

We ate one healthy thing today.
We shared a banana.

*~*Sigh*~*

My little boy is growing up so fast.

We were playing at the park this morning,
and he was running around
like he loves to do.
Up the stairs and down the slide,
all by himself.
Through the tunnel
with a big goofy grin,
all by himself.

I just sat on the swing and watched
him in action.
He didn't need my help.
Cool. Sad? Yay!

After about 20 minutes,
I suggested that we go back to the house
soon for some hot chocolate.
He looked at me with his rosy cheeks
and runny nose and said,
"sounds good!"

Who are you, and what did you do with my baby?@#!

So, we started off for home.
He insisted (of course he did....do you know my son?)
that he walk beside Zeus and hold the leash.
I discreetly held the leash too,
but Hayden was very proud to be doing
such a big boy job all on his own.

What a character.
This is just one more reason why I am so VERY grateful
to be a stay-at-home mommy
for my little man.

My morning routine

March 11, 2008


Good Morning Smiley!

Hayden and I were going about our morning
as we always do.
Cookie and milk, a little Dora,
and Mommy was making coffee in the kitchen.
Hayden was getting extra comfy....

......in Bella's new cat bed!
He looks as if he thinks it was
made just for him!

Nothing like a little 'down-ward dog'
to start the day!
Or maybe he was imitating Bella's cat stretch?!

What a great place to have some Cheerios and milk!

I was overdue to have my ears lowered!

I forgot to post pictures of
Hayden's latest haircut.
Number 10 or 12 maybe??

Whenever Grandpa Jeff goes for a haircut
he announces that he is having
his "ears lowered......"
Hayden was in desperate need!

Pre hair cut.....looking a wee bit shaggy!!

After a session with his stylist,
Hayden is coiffed
and handsome as ever
(and much happier!)

It's so cute that he is "blessed"
with cowlicks, just
like his mommy and daddy.