Happy New Year!

Easter

Cole got a set of trucks, sidewalk chalk, a Mr. Potato Head, and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD for Easter.

Daddy showed him the DVD.  He was more interested in the eggs in the basket before this.

"Hey, there's Mickey and friends!"

Next best thing was Easter grass.

Mr. Potato Head majorly freaked him out when his arm came out of socket.  Jonathan's parents were video chatting and saw his facial expression and how he wanted NOTHING to do with the potato man after that (he has never liked potatoes to begin with :).

I am glad we got a picture after church and it came out pretty well.  We were color coordinated, but not on purpose:).

Our friends, the Summerlins, came over after Cole and Tessa (their daughter) took naps in the afternoon.  We feasted on ham, green bean casserole, three cheese potatoes, and rolls.  I was pretty happy with the carrot cake, too.  I made it with whole wheat flour and it was very moist and delicious.  Anyway, we had a great time talking with them and getting to know them better!  They also had no family in town for Easter so it was nice to share that with them.  Tessa and Cole played well alongside each other (she's a year older and a girl, so Cole followed her a lot). They have a 2.5 week old, too, named Lyla and she was so sweet and tiny.  You forget how little your kids started out and she was bigger than Cole at birth by a little bit!  Cole really took an interest in Lyla when he noticed her and he would squat in front of her carrier and just stare at her.  He even sat in my lap to watch her and tried to rock her carrier and touch her.  It was suprised how instinctual he was that he shouldn't be rough to her.  I understand that when we have another baby he probably won't always be loving and gentle once he is used to a little body around, but it was so cute to watch him.  Anyway, it was great and we had a very nice Easter in Jenks.  We even both exercised and I got a run in.  It was hot out, though!  I started perspiring as soon as I walked out the door!

Happy Valentines Day, 2010!

My two Valentines!  How I love them!

Even when they have yogurt goatees (pretty handsome with facial dair-y).

Watching Olympics and waiting for dinner guests.

Touching the Valentine's pancake I made for him.  I honestly didn't think he'd eat it.

But he did.  Over half of it.  Breakfast is not his favorite meal anymore.  Actually, since he had a double ear infection this past week he is just starting to eat more again.  That is the only reason we took him to get his ears checked.  No cold symptoms, no fever, no nothing but complete ridiculous fussiness and wouldn't eat.  But, he is recovering.  We love you, little man! 

The Christmas Post

The aftermath of the blizzard left drifts of snow that came up to Jonathan's waist in places.  Here's out our front door.

Here's Cole after opening presents eating a blind bead thing....they were promptly removed from the area.  They are normally tied up every morning to prevent this...

Cole looking at the snow.

Playing with toys...almost none of them are Christmas toys here.

His new stacking set.  We wanted to get him a tall one like Pop-Pop and Grandma have.  He likes it.  See the look of mischief as he is about to knock it over?

Watching Santa's present...Mickey Christmas movie.

Wearing the jacket that Uncle Chris got him from the Ronald Reagan library in California on a recent trip out there.  It is much too big for him, but it will look cool when he can wear it in a year or so.

Cole is in between coat sizes that we have for him here.  His black one he cannot wear if he has a couple layers or a sweatshirt beneath, so the green one comes out.  He was very impatient to get on with the show and go "sledding."

Cole and myself "sledding."  He really enjoyed it.

I quickly discovered there was no way to push the sled as you can see the snow is up to my mid-calf here.  I had to pull it and pull it on the side of me because my leg prints were so deep that a tipping sled was imminent if I directly behind me.

By far Cole's favorite part of the experience (aside from getting warm inside) was going down this huge drift by the truck.  I kept picking up the container and putting it at the top of the "hill" and letting it slide down (in a controlled fashion of course).

And finally, the straw that broke the camel's back...sitting in snow.  "It's Cold..."

IT'S COLD!!!

Jonathan shoveling snow.  A neighbor let him borrow the shovel.  He was doing it with a little narrow shovel for digging trenches.  We will be getting a snow shovel soon:).  The neighbors here are really nice, by the way.  A couple came down and brought us goodies and introduced themselves the other night.  Very nice.

Jonathan shoveled the driveway and as you can see the pile went halfway up the mailbox.  This is serious snow for Oklahoma.

The favorite Christmas toy, aside from the wagon from my parents, seems to be this shape sorter.  He can really only get the circle in consistently, but he does it well and he will probably pick up on more shapes soon!

Trains and Blizzards

Daddy got out the train and Cole just LOVES IT!  He was completely mezmerized and it got him too excited to eat dinner!  This was before his nap this afternoon.

Just after his nap this afternoon. 

Watching the train with Daddy.

Snuggling with Daddy in complete contentment.  He seriously wouldn't eat dinner after this.  He just wanted to sit and watch the train.  It was so cute!

We are in the middle of a blizzard here.  Our front porch looks like this.  More pictures to come tomorrow.  We plan on "sledding" in our back or front yard...maybe even the street...no one will be driving too much:).

Our office window.  Many of the windows on our house look like this, but the North side is the worst...Merry Christmas!

Bass Pro

Right after Cole learned to feed himself Sunday (note the outfit change) we went to Bass Pro Shops which is just a really nice store to go to this time of year.

Watching the remote control cars.

Watching Slot Cars.

Riding 4-wheelers.

Cole's First Santa Experience...FAIL

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves, but like most toddlers Cole's age he was absolutely terrified of the jolly old man.

Unsure..."Mommy, who is that and why does he look so weird?"

"Mommy, don't leave me with this guy!"

"Mommy, it is NOT good enough for you to sit on his lap next to me!"

"Ok, I am no longer in contact with St. Nick, but I am NOT going to look cheerful AT ALL!

"Get me away from Santa!"

He actually freaked out as I walked back toward Santa after reviewing the horrible and overpriced mall photos.  Grandma took these and they were better and cheaper (free).

Cole had the worst nightmare he's ever had that night.  We are pretty sure it was from Santa.

Cole's reward for pure terror...his first carousel ride.  He actually really loved it, despite the unsure look on his face.  He cried when we got off because he wanted back on.

Halloween 2009: Cole's 1st Trick or Treating Experience

For Halloween this year we went to our good friends Erskine and Brooke Brooks house.  They offered to host a dinner and we brought all the vittles.  Homemade spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread, and dessert.  It was good food and fellowship.  We took all our toddlers trick-or-treating after that.  They were the cutest little group of rotating melt-downs I have ever seen:).  It was so hot and all the kids had such warm outfits that they were either half-unzipped or half naked at one time or another.  A fleece fireman costume in 75+ degree 90% humidity is just not comfortable.  The humidity was stifling.  I meant to add that to the post originally.  This is why we had a half-naked fireman...If you look at the picture of where he is holding the huge candy bar, you can see his shirt was open in the bottom:).

Cole with the pumpkins.

Our little fireman!

He and Kylee had the most innocent/confused looks on their faces.

Cole and the girls.  It was impossible to get a picture with all 3 of them looking.

The Brooks family: Erskine, Brooke, McKenna.  They are about to have a little boy, Camden.

The Forte family.

The Goins family: Will, Nicole, and Kylee.  She is a month younger than Cole but way bigger.

Cole got candy and he was kissing at someone in this picture.

Full-sized candy bars!  YES!

The dessert I made.  Triple Chocolate Trifle.  It was pretty good.

Cole earlier this week in his fireman shoot.

Total cutie.