I can't believe my little guy is 2 years old already! We had a really nice birthday celebration with both sets of Grandparents. Jared definitely enjoyed having all of that attention! They gave Jared a tricycle and a wagon, which he really liked, but it was just work for the adults pushing him around in either one. Grammy made Jared a birthday cake that looked like a dump truck, which was really neat. Jared also loved playing with all of the helium balloons around the house. Steve put Jared into our backyard swing against his protests (he might even have been crying), but as soon as he was in it, he loved it again. I'm not sure why Jared was scared/unhappy with the swing, but I'm glad that's over!
Then we had a fun playdate at our house with some of Jared's friends. We normally just see these 3 girls (and one little brother) at the playground, so it was fun to have them over to our house. After playing inside and outside, and eating lunch, we ate the second dump truck birthday cake that Grammy made!
Jared likes going "fast." :) He is also likes jumping. At his party, Jared was so excited that his friends were here, that I think he jumped up and down for two solid minutes!
Jared has been really enjoying his baby doll. When we first got it for him, he carried it around and slept with it, but now Baby has come alive. :) Jared wants Baby to hold the books when they read, Baby participates in the Pat the Bunny book, and sometimes even dances around and gives high 5's to people! I'm not really sure where this is coming from, but I find it promising for the new sibling. I think Jared will be frustrated in the beginning when the new baby brother or sister isn't able to play with him.
We went over to a friend's pool the other day, and Jared actually got in and enjoyed himself! They had a blow up little boat that Jared floated around in, and a waterfall in the pool that he liked to stick his hands into. He seems to be coming around to enjoy these summer activities.
Jared has been doing well sleeping overnight in his big bed, but sometimes he gets a little too rambunctious to nap in his bed. I put him back in his crib a couple of days, just for napping, but that seemed to confuse him where he was supposed to sleep. We did catch him getting up and running around his room while he was supposed to be napping, but he was usually very sneaky, and climbed back into bed when he heard us coming up the stairs to check on him.
Steve has been busy this weekend. He installed and plumbed a utility sink in the basement for me. I think this will be really helpful to have, especially for soaking dirty kids clothes. He did a great job, although I felt really bad when he was outside cutting pipe (and later grilling our dinner) when it was 105 degrees outside!
I have been feeling fairly good lately. We try to take Jared outside very early in the day to burn off some energy so he can nap, then hide inside the rest of the day when it gets really hot. I've been having an ongoing hip/tailbone problem, but I got a massage the other day, which really seemed to improve things.
Enjoy all of the pictures! These will be the last pics under the 21-24 month link.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Big Boy Bed!
Jared has been changing so much in such a short amount of time!
-He is now obsessed with tunnels. This started when we were driving through a tunnel on I-95. But his favorite tunnel usually involves Steve's legs hanging over the edge of the couch. He sees tunnels everywhere: overpasses that we're driving under, trees overhanging the road, roofs at gas stations, etc.
-Jared now understands the word fast. He will run around the house saying "fast, fast."
-Jared ate fish for the first time the other day, and seemed to have no ill effects. It will be nice to get that back into our diet. Jared loves chicken, and it seems like that's all we eat lately.
-Jared finally figured out that it's fun to play in the river. He likes to run in and splash around! :)
-Jared is really cute when he says helicopter and cock-a-doodle-doo!
-Jared also really likes saying things are heavy as he is carrying them. Sometimes, they really are heavy, but mostly it's just a big bulky item.
We had a great 4th of July weekend up in Central PA. We visited my parents and "Uncle Jim" at our cabin. Jared loved the fresh blueberries and raspberries that Grammy picked for him. I really enjoyed roasting marshmallows over a campfire every night.
We went into State College to visit with friends and walk around campus. Jared was somewhat intimidated, but liked the "big lion" at Penn State. We got ice cream from the creamery, and bought some new t-shirts, since ours are at least 10 years old now! It seemed weird walking around campus with a two year old - it made me feel old, and gave me a quick realization that those college days are long gone. Although, Jared enjoyed the tunnels through the dorms in West Halls. :)
Jared's big news is that he is now sleeping in his big boy bed. He started asking to sleep with a pillow and blanket in the crib, so we thought it might be time to try for the big bed. He was so excited when we assembled it, that he wanted to go to sleep at 4:30 pm! Steve says that he has never seen him so excited before. He went right to sleep the first night with no problems. He didn't get out of bed, and he didn't roll out of bed. He was so excited when he woke up the next morning that he couldn't get back to sleep, which unfortunately, was just before 5 am. :P He's been doing well since then too. I'm under no illusions that we won't encounter any problems with sleeping in the big bed, but the initial transition went so smoothly, that Steve and I are shocked.
Since the big bed went so well, I decided to push my luck, and get Jared a training potty. We haven't tried it yet, but he has been a lot better lately about telling us when he's pooped. Unfortunately, we have to explain to him that he needs to tell us before the event occurs. We're not pushing him into potty training, but I think it's a good idea to introduce him to the concept, and we'll see how it goes.
I started pre-natal yoga. I love being back at yoga, and the community with the other pregnant ladies. All of the stretching feels good on my achy body, but I have to try to take it easy. I'm extra flexible now, and I think I am stretching out my hip too much, since it usually hurts the next day. Other than that, I am really appreciating the central A/C in the house!
Steve spent most of a day putting up a swing for Jared in the backyard. I got the swing at a yard sale, but we have no good branches from our trees to hang it from. Steve lashed a board between two trees, and hung the swing from the board. Jared loved it the first day, liked it the second day, but now won't go in the swing. Of course, he loves the swings at the playground. Hopefully, he'll start liking it again soon.
Our friend Jim is a big plant guy, and told us that our super-weed outside our house is indeed a super weed. It's not a Lamb's Ear, but the biennial plant Common Mullein. It looks like a Lamb's Ear the first year, with broad soft leaves. Then it goes crazy and does this the second year. It's currently measuring in at 9 feet tall! Then it dies, and Jim says that the top works well as a torch. I thought it would be cool to light the plant up for Halloween this fall, but it's probably too close to the house. :(
Welcome Baby Lana to the Thomas Family! You are blessed to have such a wonderful family, and I can't wait to meet you!
Enjoy the new pictures posted of our adventures! :)
-He is now obsessed with tunnels. This started when we were driving through a tunnel on I-95. But his favorite tunnel usually involves Steve's legs hanging over the edge of the couch. He sees tunnels everywhere: overpasses that we're driving under, trees overhanging the road, roofs at gas stations, etc.
-Jared now understands the word fast. He will run around the house saying "fast, fast."
-Jared ate fish for the first time the other day, and seemed to have no ill effects. It will be nice to get that back into our diet. Jared loves chicken, and it seems like that's all we eat lately.
-Jared finally figured out that it's fun to play in the river. He likes to run in and splash around! :)
-Jared is really cute when he says helicopter and cock-a-doodle-doo!
-Jared also really likes saying things are heavy as he is carrying them. Sometimes, they really are heavy, but mostly it's just a big bulky item.
We had a great 4th of July weekend up in Central PA. We visited my parents and "Uncle Jim" at our cabin. Jared loved the fresh blueberries and raspberries that Grammy picked for him. I really enjoyed roasting marshmallows over a campfire every night.
We went into State College to visit with friends and walk around campus. Jared was somewhat intimidated, but liked the "big lion" at Penn State. We got ice cream from the creamery, and bought some new t-shirts, since ours are at least 10 years old now! It seemed weird walking around campus with a two year old - it made me feel old, and gave me a quick realization that those college days are long gone. Although, Jared enjoyed the tunnels through the dorms in West Halls. :)
Jared's big news is that he is now sleeping in his big boy bed. He started asking to sleep with a pillow and blanket in the crib, so we thought it might be time to try for the big bed. He was so excited when we assembled it, that he wanted to go to sleep at 4:30 pm! Steve says that he has never seen him so excited before. He went right to sleep the first night with no problems. He didn't get out of bed, and he didn't roll out of bed. He was so excited when he woke up the next morning that he couldn't get back to sleep, which unfortunately, was just before 5 am. :P He's been doing well since then too. I'm under no illusions that we won't encounter any problems with sleeping in the big bed, but the initial transition went so smoothly, that Steve and I are shocked.
Since the big bed went so well, I decided to push my luck, and get Jared a training potty. We haven't tried it yet, but he has been a lot better lately about telling us when he's pooped. Unfortunately, we have to explain to him that he needs to tell us before the event occurs. We're not pushing him into potty training, but I think it's a good idea to introduce him to the concept, and we'll see how it goes.
I started pre-natal yoga. I love being back at yoga, and the community with the other pregnant ladies. All of the stretching feels good on my achy body, but I have to try to take it easy. I'm extra flexible now, and I think I am stretching out my hip too much, since it usually hurts the next day. Other than that, I am really appreciating the central A/C in the house!
Steve spent most of a day putting up a swing for Jared in the backyard. I got the swing at a yard sale, but we have no good branches from our trees to hang it from. Steve lashed a board between two trees, and hung the swing from the board. Jared loved it the first day, liked it the second day, but now won't go in the swing. Of course, he loves the swings at the playground. Hopefully, he'll start liking it again soon.
Our friend Jim is a big plant guy, and told us that our super-weed outside our house is indeed a super weed. It's not a Lamb's Ear, but the biennial plant Common Mullein. It looks like a Lamb's Ear the first year, with broad soft leaves. Then it goes crazy and does this the second year. It's currently measuring in at 9 feet tall! Then it dies, and Jim says that the top works well as a torch. I thought it would be cool to light the plant up for Halloween this fall, but it's probably too close to the house. :(
Welcome Baby Lana to the Thomas Family! You are blessed to have such a wonderful family, and I can't wait to meet you!
Enjoy the new pictures posted of our adventures! :)
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