Ta-Da!

Once upon a time, we moved from Massachusetts to Missouri, and left our kitchen table behind. That table was one of the only pieces of "new" furniture we ever bought, and even though it was from K-Mart and came in pieces that we put together, it served us well for a few years. But alas, it was a bit small for our growing family, and to be honest, I was plain tired of looking at it!

When we got to Missouri and I started online "window shopping," I found this gorgeous set:

CLICK HERE TO SEE IT

But alas, even on SALE it was nearly $700 and would include shipping. I'm an HGTV fan and was convinced that I could re-create the look in no time for much less money. Well, I was right about the second part at least. As for the time it took - fast forward 4 MONTHS from date of purchase and you get how long it took. There was sanding, chemical stripping, sanding and more sanding, staining, stripping off the stain, staining again, then finally a few coats of polyurethane. There were times when I definitely regretted getting started, but now that it's done, I'm pleased. It's nowhere near perfect, but I like it. The table is a solid OAK piece I snagged off Craigslist, and the chairs are Walmart.com purchases. The total cost for the table, chairs, and refinishing supplies totaled under $300. So all in all, a good deal eh? What do you think?

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

This is just a picture of my kitchen (the table would be behind me while taking this picture). But you see that lovely black stove hood (metal thing above stove that has light and fan, lol)? Well Brad and I just put that in this weekend - also a Craigslist purchase! The existing one was white and didn't match the kitchen... we got this "new" one for $15! Woohoo!

PS - I painted the kitchen too - all by MYSELF! It's called "Paprika" - a nice terracotta color.

Care Package

We got a special package in the mail today from Grandma and Grandpa B. It made our day! Owen got a cute book called Little Blue Truck as well as a little blue semi truck from the movie Cars. Both boys were thrilled to read it IMMEDIATELY, and Owen actually got to play with his truck for five minutes before Eli took it over (that was a LOOOONG five minutes for Eli, lol). We're still working on the whole "this is Owen's toy, don't take it" thing!

Eli got some cute airplane underwear and a tube of M&M's.... I told him "Grandma said you have to wear your underwear and pee in the potty, then you can have the M&M's." Eli said "OK! Pee in my potty" and he went right in and did it! He was proud to show off his new undies, and even more pumped about his candy! Thanks Grandma! We also really appreciated all the pictures of the family... we sure miss everyone!

Owen's Goodies

Airplane Undies

After all the fun - Notice the truck in the napping pile!

October Wraps

I did a lot of baby wrapping in October, and managed to get a few more pictures of it than usual too! I have to say, wraps are MAGICAL. Whenever Owen gets beyond tired or cranky or is sick, I just wrap him up and he settles right down. It is so relaxing to him that he usually falls asleep whether he is in need of a nap or not.

Eli still likes to sling his baby too, and it's so relaxing to him that it puts HIM to sleep too (even in the middle of the kitchen floor)! =)

And sometimes big boys just need a cuddle too!

Like a Dinosaur

The other day I was just about to cook dinner when Eli needed a diaper change. I got him cleaned up, but he did NOT want another diaper OR pants on. I figured bath time was just an hour away, so I let him run around half naked. After a few minutes, he excitedly came to tell me something...

"Mom! I got a tail! I got a tail.... like a dinosaur!"

This was said as he was looking down at his naked self. Pretty imaginative if I do say so myself. Needless to say, I busted up laughing and still get the giggles when I replay it in my mind.

ONE

Dear Owen,

Please stop growing up so fast! Where has this first year gone? The simple fact that we moved from Arizona to Massachusetts while I was pregnant with you, then from Massachusetts to Missouri when you were 7 months old has made time fly, but you are also bound and determined to be older and bigger than you are. I can only imagine the conversations we will have in the coming years with the desire you already exhibit to grow up faster than I want you to. Please, can you stay my little baby just a wee bit longer?

You are now walking like a champ, and have been an official biped since you were ten months old - you completely SKIPPED crawling! Stairs are the enemy to your safety right now, but you don't believe me. I have lost count of how many times you have tumbled down the short 4 step flight between our living room and kitchen, though thankfully I finally got a functional gate for our basement stairs. You have also started climbing the stepstool, and the open dishwasher. Your determination is unflappable. You have had countless bumps and bruises from your adventures, including a bruised EYELID from falling into the babygate I put up for your SAFETY. I am really hoping that your adventurous nature does not land you in the emergency room this next year.

Thankfully, you still love to be wrapped when you are tired, or carried in our Ergo when I'm at the store. You are also still nursing strong, though you are down to 3-4 times a day. Whenever you want to nurse, you fling yourself into my lap, nod your head vigorously, and grunt "uh, uh," or "sss sss" for nurse. You also LOVE food. You will eat ANYTHING, and I've gotten good at the baby heimlich maneuver because of it. You sleep cuddled right up next to me at night, and you are quite the little heater. Even though the weather is turning colder, you can sweat a puddle in the bed in no time! I am pleased that you still enjoy being rocked to sleep with the sound of our ocean waves cd playing, though you won't usually stay asleep for long if you are put to bed alone.

I am also pleasantly surprised at what a Mama's boy you are becoming at this age. You run to me over and over throughout the day to be picked up - usually because you need rescuing from whatever tiff you and big brother have gotten into. I must say, you want to do anything and everything Eli is doing, and he is not always (or even usually) pleased with that. I hope that you two will learn to play more nicely together in the coming year. You are never far from my side though, and will follow me from room to room - if I manage to somehow walk out without your knowledge, immediate screaming and hysterical crying ensues. I somehow manage to get ready every morning with you right under my legs, pulling on my clothes, opening and closing the cabinet into my knees, and rifling through all of my drawers. The other day while I was showering, you proceeded to empty the dirty clothes hamper INTO the shower with me. You also really love toilet paper, the toilet bowl scrubber, and the toilet itself - thankfully you can't open the lid yet, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

You also LOVE books, and have thankfully started to rip them less, and bring them to me to actually READ more. It is ADORABLE when you haul one of our large books that you can barely lift across the room to me, and then proceed to thrust yourself into my lap no matter what I am doing/holding. It melts my heart, and I can never put you off for long.

Owen, I want you to know that you light up our lives! I know I get worn out too easily and get exasperated too often, but I ADORE you and I'm ever so glad that you are with us. It seemed that you just could not wait to join us (last year really was tricky timing to have a baby!), and that has shown through in your personality this past year. But we are even more of a family with you here, and love watching you grow and learn. We can tell that you are intelligent beyond your years, that you are ambitious and determined, physically and socially inclined, and as SWEET as PIE. I love you my little baby, and look forward to another year as your Mom.

Love,
Mommy

Balloons!

Presents!

Cake!

Your Celebration

Your birthday fell on a Sunday this year, so we took you to the park the day before. You ended up falling asleep on the way there, so we let you snooze for an hour while Eli played. When you got out, you certainly enjoyed the slides, the sandbox, and the fallen leaves! That night Eli stayed up til 11pm with me helping to decorate. He was so excited about all of it he kept saying "oh, it's my birthday party!" and had to be reminded that it was for you. He was pretty excited about that too, thankfully.

The next day you awoke to a living room full of green balloons, and were so excited that you were shaking as you squealed and picked them up! After church we had naps, and then our friends the Ellingsons came over. Emily (mommy's friend) shares a birthday with you, so we had a lovely steak and mashed potatoes dinner together, opened presents, and had cake and icecream. Thankfully, Eli was gracious about you receiving presents and not him, though he was pretty quick to help you open the gifts when you fell behind. You received crayons and a BIG roll of newsprint for coloring from the Ellingsons, a shopping cart and Curious George movie from Grandma and Grandpa K., Dino Pets book and some toy Dinosaurs from Mom and Dad, and bean bags that Mom and Eli made for you. You love pushing that cart around and filling it with things! I made your cake - a green Dinosaur! You loved grabbing fistfulls of it and throwing it onto the floor! When you finally got a taste, there was no stopping you! The chocolate also gave you a second wind, and you ran around the house full of energy until 10pm!

Your Favorites at One

Toys: Matchbox cars, Anything in drawers and cabinets, books, balls, anything Eli is playing with, my cell phone!, baby dolls

Food: So far, you like most things! Oatmeal, bananas, carrots, turkey, mashed potatoes, fish crackers, stirfry (WITH soysauce please), pizza, eggs, salmon, pesto and pasta, chili, etc. I really haven't noticed anything you don't like yet.

TV: I don't let you watch TV yet - other than Oprah with me in the afternoons =).

Books: Barnyard Boogie (a puppet book about the farm - you try to copy the animal sounds in it), The Little Engine that Could, Ten Little Ladybugs, The Icky Sticky Frog (you copy the slurping sound from this book)

Play: Going in and out of the Pirate Ship Playhouse we have - over and over again! Bringing things to me and saying "hee go, kaykoo" (here you go, thank you), running around the living room and screaming with Eli, exploring our playroom, doing "vroom vroom" with cars, climbing stairs, dancing to music

Places: Library, My Bathroom, Kitchen =)

Friends: So far we are the center of your world! You really like to follow and copy Eli, but you love to be near Mommy, and you BEAM when Daddy walks in and screech "Daddy!" - screaming in indignation if he does not immediately pick you up!

Words: Ree - Read
Whee!
bebo - bubbles (in the tub)
bah buh (bath)
hee go, kaykoo (here you go, thank you)
Yi Yi - Eli
Hi!
Uh Oh!
Boo!
Hewo (says this pressing the cell phone to the back of his head)
vroom!
Bay Bee (baby - picks up baby dolls and talks to them)
Da da doo! (cockadoodledoo!)
Ee aw! (hee haw - donkey sound)
ahah! (monkey sound)
Wick a wee (Trick or treat)
Up (says it over and over as he climbs the stairs, or anything)
Dop! (stop!)
Dee Daw (Ding Dong from The Little Engine that Could)
Owen is learning new words everyday! The sounds he tries to imitate already really impress me!

Songs: Owen loves music and singing. He perks up whenever we sing primary songs, and has also shown approval for Michael Jackson music! He bends his knees and bobs his head in rhythm to any dance worthy tunes.

Stats: Haven't been to the Dr. yet for weight but I'm guessing 26 pounds. He wears a 2T in shirts and 18 month pants - pretty much what Eli wore at this age. He has silky, golden blonde hair that curls up in the back, and blue eyes. I love his chubby cheeks and his award winning smile - four adorable teeth on top and two on the bottom. I also love his smell - I enjoy burrowing my nose in the top of his head as I rock him, or cuddle to sleep.

Potty Time

Elmo, I apologize. I didn't used to like you, and in general I don't usually tolerate Sesame Street in my house. But I was wrong. I don't know what magical powers of persuasion you possess, but today my nearly 3 year old asked to wear his "big kid underwear pants" and at lunch, he announced that he was going to "pee in the potty like Elmo." We've been down this road before with no success. Sure big kid underwear with Lightning McQueen on it is fun to wear, and it's also fun to pee in. No pee has ever been produced in our little kid potty... until today.

After his announcement, I went in to the bathroom with Eli and helped him get situated. He chatted the entire time "Oh, I'm squeezing my tummy. I'm peeing really hard. Oh where's my yellow pee?" I never heard anything so I didn't think he'd gone, but sure enough, he DID IT! He even helped dump it in the big potty and flush! We called Grandma and Grandpa K. and left a message with Grandma and Grandpa B. Eli told them himself "I peed on my potty." What's even better, is that Brad was home for Lunch (a rarity) so he was able to participate in the joy. We high-fived, we hugged, we ate candy.

Later today there was poop and pee in the underwear, and pee on the floor to clean up, but nevertheless, there was a small potty success! I don't know if mine will be the first child completely potty trained by Elmo, but I'm willing to just let the little red guy have it from here. Thanks again Elmo for the positive peer pressure, and thanks Grandma K. for the inspirational purchase!

PS. Elmo, do you have an "Elmo Eats Vegetables" video coming out anytime soon???

Halloween Festivities

This year's Halloween was the most fun I've had for this holiday in YEARS! I have always loved Halloween, getting dressed up, eating candy, carving pumpkins etc - but those years in between childhood and having your own kids can be kind of lame when it comes to Halloween. This year Eli was PUMPED for Trick or Treating - we practiced at home on a daily basis, and even Owen got all excited about knocking on doors, squealing, and getting something tossed in his bucket. We also had fun with crafts and cookies during the weeks leading up to the big day.

On Halloween we got up early, dressed nicely, and headed to the park for family pictures. Both of my kids made a scene because Eli wanted to go down the slide, and Owen wanted to jump in the pond, so hopefully we managed to get some good shots out of the chaos (a friend was the photographer - she was so nice about the theatrics!). Following the photo shoot, Owen fell in the parking lot and got a bloody mouth and fat lip. Then we went to the ward (church) sugar fest, aka party and Trunk or Treat (you go from car to car getting candy), then we got dinner, then we went home for some good old fashioned door to door Trick or Treating! We went much longer/farther than I anticipated, but the kids had a BLAST. The weather was just right, there were hordes of kids in costumes roaming the neighborhood, and it was just such FUN. We could NOT keep Eli from going into people's houses though... he would knock, they would open the door, and IN he'd go! We'll have to work on that for next year...

On Sunday Eli had to be sent out of nursery early due to unfriendly behavior - I had to carry him flailing and screaming out of the building, then back into the building when I realized Brad had the keys, then back out of the building. It took all my muscles and crisis negotiation skills to get him into his carseat... I took him home, fed him real food, banned sugar for the rest of the day, sent him to his room with a movie for a couple hours... and he finally came back out a normal child. Talk about a sugar crash! I guess his little body wasn't used to all that junk! If there's one thing I would "re-do" about Halloween if I could, it would be to have everyone give out dried fruit, nuts and whole grain crackers instead of candy! Well, that and I'd take away all the "evil-scary" decorations and costumes. =)

And now for the festivities in pictures.

Crafts and Cookies

Pumpkins

Costumes and Candy

*For the record. The boys were Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat. I bought the monkey costume when Eli was a baby, and my mom made the yellow outfit - I made the tie, belt and hat. I spent an ENTIRE day making that hat too... Eli was so excited about it and loved modeling it.... until Halloween. He REFUSED to wear it. I finally got it on his head for a quick picture, and that was it. By the end of the night he'd taken off the tie too, so most people thought he was a Jedi or a karate kid. Oh well. =)