Home Videos

Recently I was smacked in the face with the reality that my son is growing up so, so, so fast.  And while I am savoring every moment that I can, I realize that I am still missing something a lot while I am at work.  Then I can across some videos that I took of him last year at this time and I cried.  I cried at the loss of my baby, I cried at how proud of my little boy I am, I cried at the dreams I have for his future, and I cried because I am so glad he is mine.  Sentimental tears....happy tears.....sad tears.....all of the above.  The purpose of this post was not to depress the hell out of you, but to cheer you up with these adorable videos (which I also realize I should be taking daily.....)

Boo At The Zoo

Last weekend Grammy and GrandPop came for a visit and we decided to visit the zoo for "Boo At The Zoo."  It was a zoo filled trick-or-treat extravaganza complete with costumes, candy and grilled cheese flavored cheese curls (which, while the thought absolutely grossed me out, actually ended up being pretty tasty) and a lots a ton of people.  I decided that we should work our way through the zoo backwards to try to beat the crowds and.....it totally worked.  Plus....hooray for us.....all of the animals were out and about, not just laying with their backs to us (how we typically experience the zoo). 

Scary lookin' bear up close and personal

Super Serious Superman

 

 Grilled cheese curl face

Grandparents=Love

Happy Fall

Happy Fall!

MELMO!

My kid, the Sesame Street obsessed.  He absolutely loved our visit to Sesame Place, especially getting to see all of the characters live and in person (or in monster). Mommy loved that we got in for *FREE*!  The weather was cool and perfect and we had a spectacular time (even with no nap)!

 Enamored by Elmo

MELMO! 

As we waited in line, Jack was so excited to see Elmo and as it was our turn he decided to get shy.....but then he was mad when we left and cried....

 Big Bird's nest was his favorite!

 No, no, I don't ride the kiddie rides by myself....my little tyke was leaning forward to drive the

Elmo fish!

 Sesame Street obsessed!

Traditions

Remember when you were little and you would hear the whir of the electric hand mixer and the excitement would set in?  MOMMY'S BAKING SOMETHING!  Even more exciting.....I GET TO LICK A BEATER!  We were lucky in my house....it was just my brother and I and there were TWO BEATERS!   HOORAY!  My mom was never the crazy kind of mom who worried if the raw eggs would kill us, and thus it became a tradition in my house.....when we heard those beaters we knew we were in for a treat!

Well now, it is another little kid's turn to experience the joy of this tradition......

The "Fake" Farm

I love it when the weather turns cooler and we are able to enjoy all things "Fall".  Leaves turning many varieties of colors, pumpkins and mums, ghosts and goblins, gradually graduating to turkeys and cranberries.....it is certainly one of my favorite times of the year.   So, keeping with our family tradition of pumpkin picking, we decided to enjoy the beautiful 65 degree weather on Sunday and headed to Johnson's Farm (the epitome of farm commercialization and a gold mine) where we could enjoy a pumpkin picking hayride, a huge barn yard petting zoo, discovery barnyard playground, and of course the wonderful and delicious fall produce that the farm boasts.  Yes sirree, that was our plan.  So into the car we got with Babci and Dziadzi and headed to the farm.  As we approached, we saw a long line of cars at a soccer tournament at a nearby school, or so we thought.  As we got closer to the farm, we realized that all of the cars were actually not for the tournament but, yes you guessed it, for the farm.  I guess everyone had the same idea that we did.  Parking looked to be insane, with a full lot and two additional fields filled with cars.  So......we kept right on driving.  Right on over to Springdale farms (the farm I jokingly referred to as the "Fake" farm).  Springdale farm, is a much smaller farm, boasting a chicken coupe, rabbit cage, halloween cut outs and a farm market.  I was thrilled to learn that Springdale farm also had a hayride for pumpkin picking.  It ended up being perfect, not croweded, lots of hay in the wagon, a shorter hayride for our little hay thrower, and a big tractor that Jackson was even allowed to sit on.  We ended up having a blast (even though daddy was tired of mommy taking pictures and refused to smile...at first.....)

Hooray for cuties who pose with pumpkins!

A Is For Awesome Autumn Days

Ah, the awesome autumn day, you know the kind, where summer lingers but Fall is definitely in the air?  Those are my favorite. 

 Oh yeah, and this kid is pretty awesome too!

 And Dziadzis

 and Babcis 

make it even better!

 Will he ever learn?

 Apparently not.

 

Awesome Day!

Sick Days

Sick, sick, sick.  That is what we have been around here lately.  Back and forth this dreadful cold has been passed for the last couple of weeks.  Jackson to Mommy - right back at ya buddy - then on to Daddy and now back to Mommy.    A few days off for Mommy (to take care of the boys...not herself...) and then for Daddy too.  Now that the rain seems to be passing I know that this sickness will too.......Healthy vibes, healthy vibes. 

Aside from a fever, a gasping nasty cough, runny/snotty nose and an ear infection, Jackson generally seems to be his normal happy self.

 Whoops, I mean

There.  That's more like it.

Chatter Box

Jackson has been adding to his vocabulary slowly now for quite sometime. But, somehow, over the last two weeks or so he has just seemed to "take off". He now will repeat anything everything you say (yes, we have even heard....the occasional "shit"....whoops...blush). Some of it is still slightly garbled, but becoming more and more clear by the day (just in case you were wondering the "shit" was crystal clear...of course). He has many conversations with us that are still to us undecipherable, but we know without a shadow of a doubt that he is talking business.

Last night, as Jackson was sitting in his high chair eating his delish spinich and cheese omlette, he wanted more juice. This is how our conversation played out.

Jackson: "Uhhhhhh", while shoving the juice cup in my direction
Me: "What would you like?"
Jackson: "UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Me: "Tell Mommy what you want"
Jackson: "UHHHHHHHHH, JOOOOOOOS"
Me: "Tell me in words buddy"
Jackson: "Jooooos.......Plees......Mommy"

My Heart Melts.....

Some of Jackson's favorite words (and mine to listen to) include elpant (elephant), pane (plane), bimp (blimp - yes one floated past our house a couple of weeks ago and there were many tears when it disappeared from view) b'nana (banana), abbl (apple) lion (lion) and so, so many more that my over tired brain can not think of.

I love my little chatter box.