Crazy hair day

Harrison's daycare is celebrating Iowa's Homecoming week with fun days...pajama day, silly sock day and





CRAZY HAIR DAY!

Buddy Boy

Harrison, Harrison, Harrison Lee

Our boy doesn't want to be called "baby" anymore and tells us to call him "boy" or "buddy boy." Harrison started a new daycare a few weeks ago and switched from a very small in home (all older and younger girls) to a daycare center, which we call his "school". He's been counting to 10 and trying to sing the alphabet. He's also working on playing nice. Just yesterday, I noticed a little girl poking him and I know this would have irritated him. He did get irritated but he told her no and didn't use his hands or shout. Yay!! I was very proud of him! Harrison loves, loves, loves to watch movies, including his favorites Toy Story and Thomas and the Jet Engine. He loves to help me with baking and cleaning. He is starting to wipe away my kisses but mostly cuz he knows this will get a reaction out of me which leads to more and more kisses. He is still in his crib (knock on wood) and follows his same bed time routine nightly (loves to brush his teeth). He loves to hear stories about anything...I'll talk to him about our trip to San Diego, his new daycare, being a ring bearer, etc. Our daily story telling has replaced singing songs before bed. Now he'll snuggle with me in the dark and listen to my story.

Ted and Kristi

Our good friends, Ted and Kristi, got married this past weekend. Randy met Ted when he was in graduate school at University of Colorado. He's a crazy, goofy, good guy and a few years ago he met a great girl. Ted and Kristi moved to Iowa at the same time as we did a year ago and Randy and Ted continue to work together. Not living around family brings you closer to your friends. We love them and were very happy to be a part of their wedding and wedding weekend.

Boys have peanuts

Every once in a while Harrison will show interest in sitting on the potty chair. The other day I undressed him and let him try it out. It becomes a fun time, sitting for 0.5 seconds, hopping up, looking into the potty and then running around naked, sitting for 0.5 seconds, hopping up, looking into the potty...(you get the idea).

Randy and I will use the appropriate body part names in an effort to teach the kids what they should call their private parts (not inserting those body part names here to keep the crazies from finding this blog because of those non said body parts).

As Harrison was attempting to sit on the potty Lily started to speak about the differences of boys and girls. She said "Girls have (insert correct body part) and boys have peanuts."

Design dazzle!!

It's a good thing I just came upon this design blog today, otherwise I would of had a hard time creating a playroom using my ideas. Once I see another person's cool design I have a hard time thinking of anything else! Often I search for design ideas for the kid's rooms and have a hard time finding a great website but now I've found one and want to pass it on...

http://designdazzle.blogspot.com/

New Playroom!

It took a year but the kids' playroom is now finished!

Old playroom...pretty basic...nothing to exciting...too many toys.















Fun, new playroom! Complete with reading corner, painted chalkboard and dress up area.

We Love Family

We love our visitors...













We give good hugs to our visitors...













We lounge around and relax with our visitors...













We put together princess puzzles with our visitors...












We love our visitors so much we don't want them to go without us...


















Even the Iowa City ducks love our visitors...(sign, what sign?)












We get to show off our Friday folder to grandma and cousin Connor...












We get to spend time with our cutie patootie Cami...

















And we get to veg out while watching Toy Story (Jay included)...

The kids

Just in case you're wondering (i.e. my husband) why I take SO many pictures it's because of this...
















To get 2 kids to look, let alone smile, for the camera is a painstaking task. But in all those silly, staring off into space, eyes closed (on purpose-Lily), grumpy faces I find a needle in the haystack. Granted these are ones of each kid separately but I'm contemplating learning how to photo shop 2 smiling kids into one picture.

Happy 2nd Birthday Buddy

Harrison is officially able to throw a tantrum and Randy and I can blame the terrible twos. No big deal, it won't last forever. At least the screaming, whining uncontrollably...oh wait...the teen age years will definitely include some screaming and whining uncontrollably. Oh the joys!

I took the day off work to spend with my little buddy. We opted to don hats for our trip to the Children's Museum (just spent the day before with Lily for our special time together before she started school, glad to have the annual pass!). Harrison and I returned home to find my mom and Gram waiting in our driveway. They surprised not only Harrison but me too! Randy was in on it but he's the best secret keeper ever (except when it comes to my b-day and Christmas presents, he can't wait for me to open them). Harrison helped me pick out the decorations which were Mickey Mouse and Lightening McQueen (why choose just one theme?) and Lily had helped me pick out a train for his cake. We almost forgot to get a cake picture which is why the end is already gone. :) After his nap we started the birthday celebration since Randy and Lily were already home too. It really fell into place...afternoon snack of sugar loaded cake and frosting didn't affect bed time at all. Harrison didn't mind Lily opening almost all of his presents and was really excited to see his big present, a train table.