almost 2

Our buddy will be two in three months.  He's so funny, clever, strong-willed, wiggly, whiny, and wild.

He likes:
sports
snacks
FaceTime
trucks
destruction
dogs
monkey show

He does not like:

waiting

being alone

green food

sharing

babysitters

an empty stomach

the nurse at the pediatrician's office

He is, at times, ornery.
He knows when Matt and I are making work calls.  He abandons his happy play time at the sound of our voices answering a phone call and comes running into the office to squeal and confirm our home the most unprofessional place of all time.  We've tested this theory recently with fake phone calls and he comes running . . .  and yelling . . . which leads to a 'teachable moment.'
Bo is learning about time out.  And the consequences of coming out of time out.
It can get pretty hairy during errands or 'car rides', which is our 'fun' term for driving around looking at houses and neighborhoods.  For some reason this almost always ends in tears and a headache.  For both of us.  We've had plenty of public meltdowns and old ladies clucking tongues or telling him to 'stop it.'  Oh my, nothing makes me more furious than someone pointing out that we are obviously in the thick of toddlerhood.

He's a little sponge at this age.  Suddenly he could identify all the letters on a Happy Birthday sign.  It may have been an isolated incident, or it could be that the one million readings of ABC books have lead to learning.  He loves to yell out the letters in his own name if he sees it written on his cup or lunch box . . . B-O!  Unfortunate letters to be yelling out but very special to him.  Yesterday he pointed out 'piano' while a piano was indeed playing on our cd.  He knows a few colors - very strong on blue and yellow and we're working on the others.  Every day we hear new words and see more funny faces. 

He's learning the names of family members and will ask about them.  He loves to carry around pictures of grandparents and aunts and uncles and name them.  At the mere mention of 'cousins' he goes bondoogles.

Bo really does like sports!  He can name football, basketball, or soccer on TV and loves kicking his ball (and making a GOAL) or tirelessly shooting again and again at the basketball hoop.  As you can see, he has pretty good follow though . . .

I love when he starts to dance and wants us all to join in.  I love his joy over reading a favorite book or a starting a show.  I'm not proud of his absolute focus and love for television shows but I do like the couch cuddles that come with it.  This age is not without its challenges but it is sweet sweet sweet.  

Bo's Big Day

We had a pretty exciting day last week.  Bo went to Mother's Day Out for the first time!

It was a really great experience for all of us!  We have always called the church nursery 'class' and have a little routine that we do in the morning before church (or my Tuesday Bible study, where he goes to the nursery).
Me: Bo, do you want to go to your class today?
Bo: yessssss
Me: Are you going to have fun?
Bo: yessss!
Me: Are you going to see some friends?
Bo: yessss!
He went from 'yeah' to 'yes' in the past month and it's very cute and very 'ssss'y.

So we prepped him by talking about class during the days leading up to Wednesday.  In fact, the day before, he woke up in the morning and said, "I want class!"  But they day of, he woke up and said, "I want pizza!"  Seriously.

We geared him up with his backpack and lunch box . . .

And when we got to his classroom, he took one look at all the kids having fun inside and walked right in.  He didn't cry or whine or even wave goodbye, just went straight to the trucks!  

And Matt and I went straight to breakfast.  It was a great morning.  At noon when we picked him up, he had a good report of playing well, eating all his lunch (no surprise there), and . . . his first craft.   Which you can see he is VERY proud and fond of. 

Those pictures are so funny to me.  

That same day we stopped in at the dentist's office, who happens to be Matt's brother.  Uncle JE set Bo up with his first exam and Daddy gave him a cleaning.

Despite the smile in this picture, he didn't love being held down but all's well that ends well and his teeth are clean.  I also got my teeth cleaned by Matt, on the pediatric chairs while Scooby Doo played above me . . . and I am thankful for some quality dental care.  :)  

cheery + chilly christmas

This year we celebrated on Christmas Day in Oklahoma.  Since we live in Tennessee now, we are closer to OK but really not what I would call 'close.'  We're only 2 states away, but states in the midwest are long and wide, not like the east coast where we blew through 4 states in 4 hours.  But still, we decided to drive the 12 hours to my parents' for Christmas.  

And it wasn't that bad . . . because Coco and Poppy flew Bo down with them from Cincinnati after the funeral.  That was the BEST decision of all time.  Our time in Ohio was a little rough for Bo - a combination of a long drive, many unfamiliar people, being separated from Mommy and Daddy, and teething/not feeling well left him a cranky mess and me apologizing for him everywhere we went.  I didn't feel good about driving back to Nashville without him but of course right after we left he took a super long nap and it was reported that he was a sweetie pie ever since.  

This picture from my mom made it pretty clear he was getting along ok without us: 

I used our one day at home between trips to unpack/repack, clean up a bit, and take down the Christmas tree.  It's amazing what I accomplished without my little shadow!  It was a good break for Matt and me to be alone for a bit.  

And the next day, Matt, Moose and I drove from Nashville to OKC.  

Moose is a wonderful traveler and Matt is a wonderful driver so it was a smooooth trip!  Our one worry was that Moose and Tucker, my parents' dog, would not get along - but after 5 minutes they were old pals.  

 

And Bo was in heaven with two dogs to love on maul and squeeze. 

It's a good thing Matt and I only got Bo couple things because he cashed in with the relatives over Christmas!   

My parents outfitted Bo with a cowboy hat and hobby horse, and then rootin' tootin' pointed-toe cowboy boots with a slight heel that Bo loved but walks a little bow-legged in, as you can see in the video below.  Maybe they'll slow him down a bit for me.

 

 

Christmas was cozy and comfortable with snow falling outside and pajamas on almost all day.  My mom's Christmas dinner was delicious, as always!  That fancy salad you spy featured fried goat cheese and pomegranate seeds.  

Other features of our visit included fun play time with my brother's old train set, special date time with Bo and Coco and Poppy at a play place, family movie night at Les Mis - and I will affirm with everyone else that it is excellent, sibling lunch at a restaurant that features grilled cheese . . . umm, yes, delicious, night drives to view some very excellent Christmas lights, and time with my brother's 'special friend' Molly.

We gave Molly a real classy welcome to Oklahoma - 

 

And rounded out the holiday season with some outdoor ice skating, which to me is the classic Christmas activity.  

family christmas

We are in Oklahoma this year for Christmas so the 3 of us humans + one doggie celebrated our family's Christmas morning in Franklin before we left.  Our big surprise for Bo was a tent!  I got that thing in Chicago in October and carried it on the plane - the things we do for our kids.   It was a hit with Bo AND Moose loves it too! They take turns hanging out in there.  It folds down flat so when it loses its appeal, we can put it away for awhile. 

 

 Bo was getting over a stomach virus and was a little sleepy/overwhelmed.  

 The soccer ball and goal were a big hit, too.  

Finger Puppets.

getting ready for christmas

Ho Ho Ho

Our first Tennessee Christmas has been sweet.  

We've been making memories and sharing the time as a family.  Bo understands so much this year and is so much fun to share Christmas with.  He knows Santa says Ho Ho Ho! and loves his job of turning on and off the Christmas tree lights by stomping the floor switch.  He has a collection of Christmas stickers and believes that stickers belong on the face, and none of us have corrected him:

We've enjoyed making new traditions here in our new home.  It has been so warm thus far, which I think is pretty nice.  I can enjoy Christmas lights in 60 degree weather.  In fact, we might just get out of the car and leisurely wander around in the comfort of our t-shirts.  

Left: our back porch and Bo in short-sleeves.  Right: a house in Nashville decked in lights. 

 

Everyone around here said we had to go to Opryland Hotel to see the lights.  We finally made it out this week.  It was really crazy.  I don't really know how to explain it to my yankee friends - a giant hotel with an arboretum/greenhouse growing in the middle of it?  They really do Christmas well there.  There were lights everywhere, hanging from the lofted ceiling, engulfing the indoor Christmas tree, and stretching to every branch of the trees at the entrance of the hotel.  

Their children's section was sweet and fairly empty so we decided to see Santa without a line, even though Bo was not wearing his Santa shirt.  He wasn't a huge fan of the jolly old elf.

But he WAS a huge fan of the train exhibit.  He busted up laughing at the trolley that shuttled back and forth above the town.

A highlight was the Behold the Lamb concert at the Ryman - my first time at the Ryman but my 2nd time to see the concert.  It's been several years since and I was so excited to share the experience with Matt and our friends from community group. It is an awesome show and I highly recommend this fresh and Biblical perspective of Christmas. We will be making this a family tradition!

Currently Matt and I are on the road to OKC. Arkansas has been a long and boring state with an hour long stop on the highway. BUT... Bo flew from Cinci to OK with my parents and we are ever so glad he is enjoying a day with a train table at Coco and Boppy's instead of being stuck in here with us. Moose is a much more compliant traveler. :)