Cole: 2.5 years

Dear my sweet Cole,

On Friday, January 21, 2011, you turned two and a half years old. You have changed so much in the last six months that I felt you needed a half year birthday post.

You are growing so fast. You are getting taller every day. Your hair is growing longer every day. Six months ago you hardly had any at all and now it seems to not stop growing and it's curly! You are wearing 2T clothes and some 3T t-shirts. You love shoes. Mine. Daddy's. Yours. Even your sister's shoes.

You are still in pull-ups while you sleep. You take 1 nap a day from around 1-3pm. You go to bed at 8pm and are typically up about 8am. A solid 12 hours of sleep. You wake up so happy 90% of the time. Ready to go. Talking away. There is definitely a difference in your mood when we have to wake you versus you waking up naturally.

You have such a sweet, gentle spirit. You love your little sister. You want to know where she is, what is she doing, and love to talk to her. You still love the outdoors. You love all sports. You love playing with your friends and cousins.

Your like a little man. Yes, you have your two year old moments. But you keep up so well, adjust quickly to change and instruction. You seem to understand consequences for your actions most of the time. Your speech is beyond incredible, understandable by many, not just us, and always commented on by others. People are usually shocked to find out your real age when asked in public.

You are a joy. You have a sweet smile and a contagious laugh. You are a blessing to our family. You are loved.

We love you Cole! You are precious to us. We love that you are growing up beautifully, but slow down a little. :)

Love,
Mommy

Some of Your Favorites...

Favorite Books:
One Fish Two Fish = "Cat and Hat...the new one"
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
Giraffe and a Half
Mr. Bird from Big Blue Book of Stories by Dr. Seuss
This Curious George book with 8 stories included:

Favorites include: Curious George and the Pancakes, which led to making pancakes 3 times in one week with chocolate chips, of course. And Curious George and the Animals.

Favorite Shows and Movies:
Super Why
Word Word
**Both of these shows have really helped you learn and recognize your letters.**
Mickey Mouse Club House
Go Diego Go
Dora the Explorer
Toy Story 3 = "Stoy Torie"

Social Interaction:
You love to go "talk to neighbors."
You can almost say anything. Repeat everything.
Uses "May I..." sentences.
Not at all shy.
Easy going.
Learning to pray. Current prayer: "Dear God, thank you for food. Amen." Now, to teach you to thank our Lord for all the other ways He blesses us.
Starting to memorize Scripture. Current and first verse we are learning is Genesis 1:1.
Makes family connections (names all members of family-ours, friends, extended family, even pets).
Learning your full name. "Cole Al-N Pear-Mo"

Favorite Quotes:
"I show you something."
"I need (fill in blank) to feel me better."
"My names Mater, like TaMater, without the "Ta."" -You quote that with the movie Cars.

Favorite Songs:
Old MacDonald
Jingle Bells
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Favorite Activities:
Pretend play: cooking with food, dress up
Building with Legos and block train
Reading tons of books

Christmas: the Jersey

Back during football season, we found an Aggie jersey for Cole at one of the tent sales. He loved it and would wear it every day if we would let him. And he does not want a shirt underneath it. One day, he was in Brent's closet and saw Brent's "blue jersey" and declared, "I want a blue jersey!" So for Christmas, Cole's Bebe and Papaw gave him a "blue jersey."

We did not have the video camera rolling during the opening process, but boy do we wish we would have. His reaction was priceless and classic and could not be reenacted, even though we tried. He was jumping and spinning, and dancing all around. He couldn't believe it. He kept screaming, "a jersey, a jersey!" Precious. Here are a couple pictures that show his enthusiasm. And yes, he put it on immediately.

"a JERSEY!!!"

Turning a Door into a Bed

A couple years ago (almost), I went to antique fair with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. We have gone several times but on this trip, I found an old door. I have seen people turn old doors into headboards online and in magazines, etc. and since my guest bed currently did not have a headboard, I thought this would be a fun project. And the door was only $20!

Well, originally, the door was for a queen sized bed, but it ended up sitting in my garage for over 1 year! It actually worked out perfectly and I am so glad I never got around to that project, because in July 2010, we transitioned Cole to a "big boy" room and this door made a perfect headboard for him. I love how it turned out and it was inexpensive and unique!

Cost:
Door $20
Fence Posts from Lowes (2) $8 each

videos

I just heard that my videos weren't working due to being marked private on You Tube. I changed the settings now, so try them again if they weren't working for you too. Let me know if they still do not work. I want to fix it because we have a ton more videos to come! :)

Christmas: Lights!

One of my favorite things to do, during Christmas time, in Tulsa, is go see the lights at Rhema Bible college, right down the road from my parent's house. Two years ago, we drove through to show Brent, but Cole was so little and it was super cold that we decided not to walk around. Let me tell you, it was cold this time too, but so worth the walk around! Cole was very in to lights this year, so we knew this would be a big hit.

Yes, that's Claire under there in the baby carrier. I think she was by far the warmest out of everyone.

(forgot my cute gloves at home, so borrowing some ski ones of mom's...don't they look huge next to Claire...)

Brent and Cole in the "tunnel of lights!"


I am not sure when they begin setting up for this, but it must be early, maybe the summer. There are so many light and they are set to music. Check it out...

Christmas: a RAT!!!

Thursday, December 30th, we woke up to a beautiful, cold, Tulsa morning. Cole and Papaw were playing and exploring the garage and house. Mom was making breakfast. And the rest of us were there somewhere getting ready for the day.

At breakfast, all Cole is talking about is this rat and how it was in Papaw's shoe but no longer there and how he was going to play golf with it. It's make believe, right?? Surely. Like I said in another post, Cole loves to talk and there is usually some truth in his stories and of course some make believe. He's two. So he goes on and on, 30 minutes or more. The entire time we are eating. Finally, it is so funny and we realize, why aren't we recording this?? So Brent gets the camera. And this is how the story goes (with a little coaching, since he had already told the entire story off the record)...



Watch the end of the first video very closely...my dad is about to come around the corner. We turned the camera off just 5 seconds too early. We started recording again, because this was just too good...




Papaw's Reenactment: The Full Story


The moral of the story is if your two year says he saw a rat, then you should probably look around a little and not just think it is just a story. He wouldn't let it go and still is talking about it. It may have not been an actual rat, but definitely in that family group and is something I know my mom does not want in her house!

"i LIKE trains!!!!!"

Disclaimer **This post has been waiting since July 27, 2010 to be posted. This is not a new event that took place, but finally posting it.**

On Cole's second birthday weekend, we decided it was time to give Cole a twin bed and move the crib into Claire's room. We wanted to do this in plenty of time before her arrival so that he didn't feel "kicked out" of his bed and could get used to the idea of it being his sister's new bed. The first night we decided we would have both beds set up in his room and let him choose which bed he wanted to sleep in just in case the BIG bed was intimidating to him. Was it? Not at all! He climbed right up on it and love it! And we moved the crib out the next day and never looked back.

The theme of his room is trains. I just picked it. It wasn't something he was necessarily into at the time or anything like that. I just personally liked it and thought it was something that he could use for several years. Brent asked why I picked it, etc. I just really liked it. I guess I never thought to get Cole's opinion at that age. So, as Brent and I are setting up the bed, and unwrapping the bedding, we hear this loud exclamation, "I LIKE TRAINS!!!!!!" He was jumping and dancing all around that we wish we had the camera on at that moment. It was priceless. So we decided we picked well. :)

We moved the dresser, which was mine as a baby, in the closet and the big rocking chair to Clair's room to maximize the his play space. The small kid's table was bought at an antique fair and painted red, the headboard was homemade out of an old door purchased at that same fair, and the reading chair came from Land of Nod. A new lamp shade on the same touch lamp and we are done, expect for the walls. If you have never seen the touch lamps, then you should check them out! They are fantastic for kids, so that they are able to turn their lamps on all by themselves!

So in two years, his room went from this...

The Nursery:






The Toddler Bed:


to this...Big Boy Room:


The Sheets


First Night in Big Boy Bed


Reading Nook


Craft/Game Corner


Wall Decor coming soon...couldn't wait any longer to post this...it has been almost 6 months.

but I miss her

Cole loves to talk. His stories crack us up because they usually contain a few true events with a lot of make believe or he will bring up things that happen so long ago that we wonder how did he remember that. And sometimes they are just sweet like this one...

Last night on our way to home group (our weekly small group):

Cole: Mommy, Miss Tonnie (or Miss Connie, the preschool worker at church) took Claire away.
Me: What Cole? Oh, Miss Connie...
Cole: Yea, Miss Connie. She took her away today...at church.
Me: Oh, she didn't take her away really. That is Claire's new class like how you go to class and play with your friends. She gave her back.
Cole: But I miss her when she goes away.
Me: I miss her too, sweet boy.

Claire: Two Months

Last Tuesday (4th), Claire turned 2 months old. I can't believe how the time is flying by. She is absolutely precious and growing way too fast! She is loved very much by so many but let me tell you, she has her little brother wrapped around her finger. It is way too cute watching him with her. He truly loves and cares for her. I am excited to watch their relationship bloom as they get older.




(Both photos taken at 2 months and 1 day old)

Two Month Milestones:
-Holds head up fairly steady. Strong neck.

-Wearing size 1 diapers, but I think once we have used all that we have, that we will move up to Size 1-2.

-Wearing 0-3 month clothes still in most brands. Needs to move up to size 3 in Carter's though. That is a NB size in one of the pictures. It is a little snug. haha.

-Always moving, kicking legs, etc. Very active.

-Blue eyes are still there!

-Started cooing and smiling at 7-8 weeks or so.

-Only have tried formula 4-5 times. She is not a fan and throws up volumes afterwards. Talking
to the doctor about other options tomorrow.

-Semi-pacifier user. You have to kinda force it on her and hold it until she takes it, but then she loves it. Just can't make up her mind about that one.

-Cole's nicknames for her right now are "Clair bear" and "Miss Claire."

-Took for out of state trip to Oklahoma for Christmas with Bebe and Papaw.

-Eyes follows lights and sound.

-While in OK, we made our first ER/hospital trip. More on that in another post.

-Baby acne cleared up around 8.5 weeks.

Sleep/Routine:
-Still working on a routine. I need structure and like flexibility. So I am working on having both. I think I have decided to do what I did with Cole and start her day at 7. It seemed to
work well for me with errands and dinner for Cole. Figuring out how to work two schedules is tough but we are getting there.

-Still waking about once a night. The time varies a little based on her last feeding, so I am going to try and be more consistent with that since I know my plan for her start time now. Last night she ate at 10:30pm and slept until 6:15am or so. Super! She is getting there.

-Needs to be swaddled for sleep to help calm those active legs.

-I need to work on letting her cry a bit more. She is so loud I am terrified of her waking her brother, who is sleeping great. What to do...

-Still sleeping in a pack n play in our room. Napping for the most part in her crib.

-The bouncy seat is a life saver for her sleeping with congestion.

Two Month Check-up:
Height: 23.75 inches = 92%
Weight: 12lbs 4oz = 83%
Head: 15.25 inches = 49%