Little Red Wagon

Tony found a red wagon with real tires...it was being sent to the dump. He decided to bring it home and try to fix it up. It was all rusted anywhere there was metal...the frame, the "hubcaps", the handle, etc. and the bottom was flaky plywood so Tony cut and fit a new piece in.

Tony saw potential and with a little help from me (I painted the base and touched up the lettering) the wagon looks almost as good as new and Cole loves it! The rails come off and with some greasing it now steers well and is a great addition to our camping stuff for Cole. I guess one man's trash really is another man's treasure! Below are some after pictures...as usual, I didn't take a before picture so you will just have to trust me when I say it was in rough shape! Way to go Tony...you worked hard and it came out great!

Wordless Wednesday...Safety First

Note the baby buckled in :)

Friday's Fun Facts

I decided that this Friday's Fun Facts will be frequent things Cole says. I stole this from a fellow blogger who has a son born almost exactly a few months after Cole. So, with that said, here we go...

- "noooooo" It is so cute when he says it because he drags out the "o" for so long and it is often accompanied by him putting his hand up as you would to say "stop."

- "papa" and "mamie" (grammie)

- "mama" and "dada" I think it is so cute that he still calls us this.

- "bu" (Buster...my parent's dog)...this also means bus which is often accompanied by "ding ding" because he was at a meeting at school with me one day and watched all the kids ring the school's bell as they were leaving :)

- "tint" (Trent...my brother)

- "'mon" (come on...when he wants you to come somwhere with him)

- "choo choo"....he also says "ding ding" soon after because he knows the sound of the bell on the train.

- "done"

- "bir" or "boo bir" (blue bird)...he uses them interchangably and usually signs bird at the same time :)

- "cap cap" (clap clap) he uses this when he wants you to clap for him...usually after he plays his guitar :) He also uses this when he is scaring away squirrels or chipmunks or birds (!) from our feeder.

- "monk monk" (chipmunk) I think this is my favorite right now...it sounds so cute and even Tony and I have found ourselves calling them monk monks :)

- "down" he usually says this with such strength in his voice it is cute

- "tole" (Cole) He often says this when he wants us to know it is his turn or something belongs to him or that he can do it without our help...often times in this latter case we hear "nooooooo, tole" and get a hand gesture for stop :)

- "ba" (his pacifier)...he gave it this name and it stuck. This is also what he uses for "sheep" :)

- "banbet" (blanket) His favorite he was given in the hospital...an afghan.

- "roar" (lion lovey)

- "ngng" (earrings)...I really like this one too. He has a hard time saying it and nobody but Mommy knows what it means and the face he makes while saying it is priceless. He likes to have me pick out my earrings in the morning while he looks at the ones that look like balls and he likes me to lean into the container I keep them in and say "hmmm"...too cute.

He is talking more and more each day. He even said a few 2-3 word utterances (he makes his SLP Mommy proud!) People used to comment on how quiet he was but today I got my first "he sure is talking a lot" comment...wahoo!

Love ya little man...you make me proud!

Poll Results: One Gift to All

I am not surprised (and am pleased) that most people picked happiness for their "one wish for the world." Everyone is happy with different things and I just believe if everyone was happy then our world would be a much better place.

Food for all would be the second choice for me. The thought of someone suffering hunger hurts my heart. Third choice for me would be financial security for all. The fact that some have more money than they could spend in their lifetime while others work 3 jobs to try to make ends meet makes me sad. Health for all would be my fourth choice. I have a brother who struggles with his health daily, as most of you know, so I know how much health would mean for him and my family. It came fourth though because I think money can buy health in a lot of situations and food is essential to having health. Finally, money, happiness, and health don't matter if you aren't happy...so that is why happiness is my number one choice! Why did you pick what you did?

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's day to the man who started this family...Papa. Papa I am sorry you have not gotten the chance to know Cole as well as we all would have liked. He shares your love of tractors, the outdoors, and dogs. He will know you through us...Happy Father's Day to my Papa who is now in heaven watching us from there...

Happy Father's day to the man that my husband says I "put on a pedestal" and I think it is safe to say so does Cole...my Dad and Cole's "Papa." Words cannot describe the love and respect I have for this man. I don't think he ever will realize how remarkable he really is...Happy Father's Day Dad/Papa!


And finally, happy Father's day to the man I knew would be a great father the moment I met him. His youngest brother was born just a month after we started dating and Tony was great with him from the start. He is such a hands on Dad and Cole loves his Dada so much. Some of my favorite moments are watching the two of them together. Happy Father's day to a great husband who is an amazing Dad. Love you hun/Dada!

Yogurt beard :)

Just had to blog about what a great weekend we have had so far. I am sad to announce that I did not remember my camera this whole weekend! So no pictures...just the story.

We went breakfast and then headed on to strawberry picking on Saturday with my parents and it was so much fun. Cole ended up going back to the car with "Papa" while the woman picked strawberries. I went back to check on them at one point and they were dancing to music from the car and playing peek-a-boo and Cole had obviously eaten a ton of strawberries (as evidenced by his strawberry-stained shirt and face.) We then headed home and got an icecream (Cole LOVED the cone) and Cole took a nap while I individually froze and then used my Foodsaver to freeze some strawberries. My grandmother says this helps keep them from sticking together by freezing them individually first...I hope they taste somewhat the same later...we shall see! We were then up again and off to Grammie and Papa's for a tractor ride and swim in the pool.

Today, I got to get up early and go grocery shopping (heaven going at that time!) and came back with intentions to head to church but the little man had other plans. We heard the train whistle so it was off to the train station for a train ride, walk around the station, sit in and drive the antique car, see the railway exhibits and feed the goats! Cole hasn't stopped talking about how the goat ate the food out of his hand by licking it :) Now Cole is off to visit the in-laws while I get a momen to catch up on chores, get ready for a big event this weekend and make some chocolate dipped strawberries! Could the weekend get any better?!

Quote of the Day....so True!

This was the quote of the day on my blog...

Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life. – Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC)

20 Months!

I cannot believe you are 20 months now Cole! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you. We love watching you grow and learn. You are the light of our life and we thank God every day for you!

Here is what you are up to:

- You weighed 31.7 lbs. with your clothes and shoes on at your last Doctor's visit (last week.)
- You still LOVE to be outside.
- You still LOVE to eat (some of your favorites right now are hummus, cherries, fruit snacks, pretzels, and chocolate pudding.)
- You have dropped your morning bottle...you still have one in the afternoon.
- You are a size 2-3T and a size 7.5 shoe.
- You love to read and still like to read to us :)
- You have started a routine where you ask for milk or water before bed...Mommy should have never allowed this habit to form!
- You will play in your crib until you fall asleep and often will do the same in the AM until Mommy and Daddy come in and get you (what a blessing!) Sometimes we don't even realize you are awake you are so quiet!
- You are asserting your independence more. You have started saying, "no" and putting your hand up to let us know you want to do something on your own.
- You love to be a helper. A favorite thing to do is laundry with Mommy.
- You continue to practice drinking from a cup and are getting better.
- You now tell Mommy when you are "poopin" :)
- You still love your "duck duck" towel.
- You still love your "ba" (pacifier) and "roar" (lion blankey) but you only get your "ba" for nap and bedtime now and will sometimes still put up a fight over this.
- You have started tantrums. Your last one lasted 40 minutes!
- You still love to help Mommy pick out earrings in the morning and the way you try to say "earrings" is so cute...it sounds nothing like it!
- You love making tents with blankets.
- You love playing quitar and ask us to "clap clap" for you :)
- You like to work out and stretch with Mommy.

Oh little man. There is so much more I could say. Words will never be able to describe the love I feel for you and the joy you bring to my life. Thank you so much for being you.

Mom Monday

You Know You're A Mom When....

- Eating an apple for you now consists of eating only the peel (what your son doesn't eat!)
- You no longer eat in the car not because it is too messy but because your son notices when you are eating and wants you to share!
- You are now a proud member of the Railway Village :)
- You have become great at negotiating (if you eat two more green beans you can have the pretzel...lol.)
- You continue to get so excited over the little things and your son looks at you like you are crazy (e.g., you clap and praise him over and over when he says, "Cole and Mama" because he put three words together AND he said his name correctly!
- Your husband and you have a conversation with each other in which you speak in your son's language and you both think nothing of it and laugh about it too!

Mowing with Dada

Children's Museum

On April 17th we took Cole to the Children's Museum as it was a rainy day. It was so much fun. Thanks Daddy for suggesting it! We will definitely go back. Here is the day in some pictures...

Where or Where...

...Does the sweet little boy in this picture go lately?

Since we came back from camping over Memorial Day Cole has gone into major meltdown mode to some extent most days. Today was no exception. I was home with Cole when he did not want to come in for lunch. He melted. Kicking, screaming, hitting, etc. I put him in time out. He reached out for me for a hug then pulled away. He did this repeatedly the whole meltdown. He followed me around once time out was over screaming and hitting (time out for hitting) and then just screaming and crying. Finally, no joke, 40 minutes later he calmed down and drank a half a Yo Baby Smoothie. Then he played for a bit and it was nap time, which is where he is now. Sigh... we are finally seeing the tantrums and my little boy who does whatever you tell him and listens so well is gone. If they continue at this extent I am not sure what I will do. I have worked with kids with behavioral issues and have had the patience of a Saint with them but when it is your child, the emotional piece that kicks in brings it up to a whole other level. I already had to close my eyes and pray at one point during the tantrum. Sigh...it pains my heart too. I can just see it in his eyes that he is just so worked up he doesn't know how to come down from it and there is nothing I can do :(

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for music. It is amazing how powerful it can be in so many ways. In church, the music lifts me up and helps me hear and see things at a whole other level. It also can move me to tears. Music brings my family together. Music was one of the first things that connected my son to me and my husband. From very early on we played music on my belly. Tony made a mix of songs for his IPod for when I gave birth to Cole. Tony sang at the top of his lungs one day while I was pregnant and Cole kicked so much when he heard his daddy singing. Cole loves music now. You can often find our family singing, strumming the guitar we got Cole or dancing to music. Music is amazing. It reaches my soul, it makes me laugh, smile, and cry. It brings back memories. It brings my family together. I am thankful for music.

So Cute...

Kate, who runs two (and now three!) blogs I follow and who I gave the Trendy Blog Award to for both blogs, now has a Giveaway Blog. Kate is such an amazing person who has been through so much and has shared it all with others and shown amazing strength through it all. She simply amazes me. Anyway, she is giving away a $25 gift card to a boutique that has the cutest stuff. The above picture was one of my favorite outfits but there is so many other things I love too. Check it out!

Go here to enter to win!

Poll Results: Would you...

This is a tough post for me...would you give up your life for your unborn child?

Prior to having Cole I did not realize the extent of the love you can have your for child. It goes beyond description. Back when I was pregnant I would have said that I would absolutely have given my life for Cole as I knew how much he meant to both Tony and I and I knew Tony would be a good father. However, now that I have Cole, if I am fortunate to become pregnant again, I do not know what my answer would be. I now have Cole to think about. He loves his Daddy but he loves his Mommy just as much and to have him lose me for a brother or sister...I don't know. I also know the love I felt for Cole while pregnant with him and to have to decide to give up the child for my life...so tough. I pray I am never faced with this decision. How did you all come to your decisions?

Mom Monday

You Know You're A Mom When...

- Chores are actually somewhat enjoyable because you get a lot of laughs out of watching your son help you :)

- You spend a warm summer night under a comforter in the "tent."

- You think you have patience until you spend three days in a row dealing with major meltdowns lasting for around 20 minutes!

- You now enjoy mowing the lawn because it allows you a chance to get in some exercise.

- You have more pictures of your son than you do of your husband and you who have been together since you were a freshman in high school!

Do you have anything to add?

Trendy?

A reader of my blog, Katie, gave me this award! My first blog award! I know they are a dime a dozen so it is really nothing special but it is my first one! Plus, I didn't know aside from a few people, that people follow my blog regularly other than family. I am honored that people actually find my life interesting enough to follow regularly...lol. My blog started after my cousin, Heather, started one. I was getting married and thought it would be a good way to have family be able to follow the wedding planning. Then I got pregnant and I documented my pregnancy (mostly for me because I am horrible about keeping a record otherwise) and now I document life with my son (again because I am horrible about keeping track otherwise....you have no idea how horrible....just ask my Mom!) I really would like to put some of my important posts like my pregnancy into a book. My friend Ruth started the painstaking process of printing her posts but that is too much work for me. I wish I could just get it into a book somehow but the cost of doing some of the online ones are so expensive! Anyway, I digress. Back to this award. Thanks again Katie for the award and thanks for following!

Now what I am supposed to do is list my top 10 trendy blogs so here they are and a link to them if you are interested:

- Hope in My Pocket
- When Hello Means Goodbye
- Beyond the Binky
- Dollar Store Crafts
- Project Open Arms (a private one so no link)
- MayDayGirl (another private one so no link)
- Thoughts and Whatnots
- Way Out West
- Jaxon and Brady's Journey
- Our Life in Pixels

Now I am supposed to let them know I am giving them the award and then they are supposed to pass the award on to their top 10 trendy blogs. Enjoy everyone!

Allow

There is no controlling life.
Try corralling a lightning bolt,
containing a tornado. Dam a
stream, and it will create a new
channel. Resist, and the tide
will sweep you off your feet.
Allow, and grace will carry
you to higher ground. The only
safety lies in letting it all in-
the wild with the weak; fear,
fantasies, failures, and success.
When loss rips off the doors of
the heart, or sadness veils your
vision with despair, practice
becomes simply bearing the truth.
In the choice to let go of your
known way of being, the whole
world is revealed to your new eyes.

This was read in my Tuesday night yoga class. I asked the teacher to give me a copy of it because it spoke to me so much. I read this over and over again and each time, it sinks in a little more.