Like Mother Like Son

He just started playing with stuffed animals and he loves his bears. He's holding his bear we got him from the zoo and he also has a grizzly bear about the same size that he lalso carry's around a lot. He has an Elmo in the car that he gives kisses to in the morning when they are driving me to work and a Tigger that is almost as big as him that is in the house and he snuggles him when he's tired. It's so cute to see him hold the animal up to his shoulder and pat or pet it's little head and talk to it in a high voice. Melts a Mommies heart for sure!

See, See, See and more See

Everything these days is what sounds like a mixture of see and this while pointing. That and if he wants something he points at it says what it is and makes a clicking noise like he is calling it to him like a dog. I'm not quite sure where he got it from but it starts the moment he wakes up. He hears the cat and he points towards the sound, says kitty cat and clicks. He wants his juice - he'll point towards the kitchen counter where his cup is sitting and says juice then starts clicking. Apparently he thinks the clicking noise speeds up the process.

Add sliding to the list of fun stuff!

He's mastered the swing and is now moving on to the slide! He doesn't quite get holding himself up as he slides down yet so we use the buddy system!

Funny Faces

Here are 2 of the newest funny faces Tyler enjoys making. He makes them all the time and usually he then wants to kiss you while making his funny face. He is a constant source of entertainment!

Fist shakes not bumps

Tyler kept screeching in the car and asking him to stop wasn’t working so I finally turned around and scowled at him then shook my fist. He started laughing then shook his fist back at me. Now whenever his gets yelled at he shakes his fist at us. Obviously we’ll have to be careful what hand gestures we use around the house J

Cheesing it up

We had fun hanging out with Aunt Jessica and Cousin Scarlett when they visited. Here we are posing at the zoo. Notice Tyler sound asleep and Scarlett kicking back in her new stroller with her arms behind her head. Me and Jessica were having fun though!

Double Trouble

Look how sweetly Scarlett is sitting in Grandma's arms - then notice how Grandma has a death grip on the faucet because my seeminly sweet looking boy kept turning on the water and trying to drown the counter tops. At least at the zoo they were strapped in - much easier to keep track of that way!

A New Throne for His Royal Highness

Grandma S. got him a new chair and he just thinks he is all that and a bag of chips sitting in it like a big boy. Well sitting, climbing, trying to jump off of it, etc. He sits in it and looks around all smug that he has his very own chair that he can get in all by himself as you can se from his expression in the picture! And yes I know he has Christmas jammies on in the middle of summer but they finally fit him perfectly so we're going with it. I'm tempted to get a few of my snowmen out....

Bubbles Bubbles everywhere

Aunt Livy got Tyler a really cool bubble machine. It was a gorgeous day out so we went out in front of the house and he chased bubbles – it was great fun. Kept him entertained and running around enough so that he took a great nap that day! Thank you Aunt Livy J

Forget the real animals – statues are fun too!

While I realize we went to the zoo to see the real animals we had a lot of fun posing with the statues. This trip we were with Daddy and Tyler was a little more interested in the other kids rather than the animals. Every time I would put him down to walk he would run towards kids with his arms outstretched like he was going to grab them. While we were looking at the tigers Tyler was standing next to a little boy. He had his binky in his mouth and it was attached to his shirt. Tyler kept reaching over and pulling it out of his mouth and letting it drop down. His Mom would put it back and Tyler would take it out again. I had to move him away from the little boy but he kept babbling at him and trying to pat his arm. It was pretty cute.

Zoo’s are tiring

We went to the zoo 2 weeks in a row and apparently the drive to the zoo is very tiring because just as we reached the parking lot each time he would fall asleep. Of course once he napped he woke up refreshed and ready to rock! We had fun with the girls while they visited and went to the zoo while they were here then the next week we went to the zoo with Daddy. The membership has paid off!

Pool Party

Daddy got Tyler his own pool. Grandma R, Aunt Jessica & Scarlett were visiting and the weather was in the 90’s so he thought it would be fun for the kids to play in the water. He got him a 10 foot around and 30 inch deep pool. Grandma R got them floaty’s they could sit in and once the water warmed up a little Tyler loved it! When we first went in and the water was fresh from the hose Tyler didn’t much like it. He would gasp when you put his little legs in the water and cry. Once the sun warmed it up a bit he even would let you put in all the way up to his neck. He also wore a hat and left it on for the first time. I think he realized that it kept the sun out of his eyes.

Kisses

Tyler has a new weapon of choice and it's kisses . When he gets into something he's not supposed to and you tell him no he comes over and gives you kisses then turns right around and tries to get into the same thing he just got told no about. Apparently kisses were his payment and now he expects full access to a no-no item. Oh brother! We've figured out his game but any time someone new comes over they fall into his trap. He gives kisses so he can get closer to someone who has glasses and try to rip them off their face or so someone will pick him up and he can reach something on a higher counter. He's getting smart and sneaky. Pray for us!

Red Neck Pool Party

Saturday it was in the low 90's/high 80's so we went to Auntie Goddess's house (aka Gwen) and swam in their inflatable pool. We joked that it was a Red Neck Pool party because there were about 10 people in their inflatable pool with about 6 flotation devises and talk of using duck tape if one of the smokers popped the pool with a cigarette. A good time was had by all. Tyler enjoyed the pool and all the new people and slept like a log that night!

He's got a hose and he's not afraid to use it

It's been in the 90's and although we have airconditioning you can't be inside all of the time. Great Aunt Debbie taught Tyler about getting stripping down and playing in the hose water. He decided he really liked it! He was easily corralled too since he didn't have any shoes on and where the pavement was in the sun it was too hot to walk. He pretty much stayed in the shade!

Tyler's first bike ride/nap!

We went out and got a bike seat for Tyler. He loves to be outside and the weather has been so nice so we thought that would be a great way for us all to be outside and together and getting exercise. He so nicely "helped" us put it together then after we ate dinner we decided to give it a try. It was about 6:00 and gorgeous out and we both put our helmets on then set him in his seat and put his on. He wasn't exactly keen on putting the helmet on but didn't fight too much. I should have realized then that he was tired! After we did a few loops around the neighborhood to practice we did a larger loop a few times. He was smiling and talking to me when I rode next to them and having a good time. The next time I looked over his little eyes were squinting, then the head bobbing started and I knew he wasn't going to last long. I told Brian and once we got back to the house I ran into get our camera so I could get a few pictures! Priceless!

4th of July

Well he did pretty well considering his bedtime is usually around 7:00 pm. We ended up sitting over at the neighbors house and watching fireworks. We went out around 7:00 and bought a few fireworks. We just got 3 big ones which are my personal favorite. I could do without firecrackers or ones that are on the ground that you can bearly see through the smoke. I'd rather watch the ones that go high up in the air and are pretty. Tyler had fun running around in the fireworks tent with his hands in the air laughing madly (see a theme here?). He flirted with the girls and even patted one on the behind. I'm starting to worry already. Once we got home he continued on that theme entertaining everyone while we waited for dark. He didn't seem to mind the loud bangs at all and pretty much ignored the fireworks - he didn't however like anything that crackled or spun on the ground. When one of those went off he would pretty much try to climb up me. He made it until about 10:15 then gave up. They were lighting firecrackers and everything else not that far away from us and he didn't move once. I made it about another half hour or so then we went in and left Daddy to watch all the excitement. I fell asleep around 11:00 even though it sounded like a warzone around us!

Tyler's newest hobby

This is Tyler's newest obsession. He puts anything fabric (coats, pants, blankets, towels) over his head and walks around like a ghost. Honestly he walks better (straighter and less wobbly) with the blanket over his head. He's got a talent for it - if they need a really short ghost in a movie he'd be a shoe in. He ocassionally runs into walls bounces off then laughs madly. He's only had a couple of boo-boos from it (boo-boo's haha, get it!) and that's when he runs into the corners of our end tables or display cabinet. That's left a few marks. He really likes to put the fabric over his head and walk back and forth between Brian and I laughing like a loon and clapping for himself once he reaches each of us. I figured I better get pictures and write about it because I'm sure it will be something new next week.

And so they meet again

Livy and Alexander came to stay for the weekend. Yeah! We were really excited to see how they reacted to each other this time because even last time they kind of ignored each other most of the time. When they did interact it was mostly Tyler overpowering Alexander and him wanting to get away. They did teach each other a new trick last time though. Alexander taught Tyler how to wave and Tyler taught Alexander how to clap. This time they were much more interested in each other and started to be able to play together a bit. Tyler still is a bit overpowering. He tries to hug and kiss Alexander but he's kind of forceful about it and he wants to pick him up and stand him on his feet. He also pats him but a little too roughly. Alexander definitely stands up for him self more now and I think once he's on his feet they will be able to play together really well. They are like exact opposite twins. Alexander is dark, Tyler is fair, Alexander is mellow, Tyler is a maniac, Alexander can play softly, Tyler is like a bull on steroids. They do have similarities though, they are both very sweet and loving and very happy most of the time. Plus boy do they both LOVE to eat! We gave them a bath together this time and it was hilarious! Livy got them this awesome rubber ducky that quacks and shoots up water. I think she and I might have had more fun with it but that's okay! It gets more and more fun each time we get them together and we got a lot of video this time which was really fun. This visit Alexander taught Tyler to put the toys back into the box, how to use a sippy cup and how to take water over his head like a man. I'm afraid to see if Tyler taught Alexander anything :)

The Beach

We went to the beach for Codie's Baby Shower the last weekend in June. We had a really good time for the most part except that Tyler decided to have his first fever the first night we were there. Towards the evening he was feeling a little warm so I asked Brian to go get some medicine for him before it got too late. I gave him some before he went to bed and thought it would be fine. I woke up later that night and he was on fire. I round everyone up (they were out playing poker) and we tried to find a thermometer but couldn't find one and no stores are open late around there. We ended up putting him in a lukewarm bath and just getting through the night. In the morning he was fine but as the day went on he started getting hotter. We decided to go home after the shower and by the time we got home his fever was 103. I called the doctor who agreed it was probably teething and said to alternate motren & tylenol. Of course both are recalled so you have to find off brands and I sent Brian to find a motren substitute. An hour later he got back with a bottle, he had to go to 4 stores before he found some. We all went to bed because he couldn't have the motren for a few hours and it was 11:00 at night. I woke up a few hours later and he was on fire again. He was 104 so I gave him some motren and he and I took a lukewarm bath. After he got out he was down to 101 and a few hours later his fever broke. It was scary but we all lived through it and he was fine the next few nights. He's just been chewing on everything (even furniture) so I hope his tooth comes through soon!

Milk Drunk

If you know Brian you probably already know about his built in Drunk-o-meter, namely his pinkie. You can tell how much beer Brian has had by how far out his pinkie is sticking. It looks like he may have passed that particular trait down to his son. Near as I can tell Tyler must have had too much milk to drink and is showing the effects in this picture. Don't worry I got some food in him and his pinkie came down!

Coffee Addict Already!

Tyler loves remote controls, phones, cups, pretty much anything you set on the end tables he feels should be his. Brian finally got tired of trying to remember to watch his mug of coffee constantly and trying to beat Tyler back to the table first to pick it up in time before Tyler got it when he didn't remember. He gave Tyler his own mini travel coffee mug and he carries it around with him pretending to drink out of it. After every sip he lets out a satisfied "ahhhhh"! Brian still has to watch his own mug but much less closely and when Tyler trys to get it he reminds him he has his own "coffee" to drink.

Cafe Sip 'n Play gets a thumbs up!

Tyler had his first play date at a Cafe Sip 'n Play and he LOVED it. A girl from work asked if we wanted to join her and her daughter (Alice - the girl he first walked for) for a play date and since it's rainy outside it sounded like a good idea. As soon as we got there and removed our shoes he was off and running full tilt. Since he stays home with Dad I wasn't sure how he would be with the other kids but he walked right up to a few of him and started copying what they were doing. He climbed his first ladder (onto a play house) and slid down the slide like he was a pro. Alice wasn't in the mood to play today but that wasn't a problem as he attracted a new girl right away. Her name was Mia and as usual she was an older woman (16 months just like Alice). She looked like what I image Livy looked like at that age. She followed him around and after about 15 minutes started hugging him. It was adorable. He climbed, slide, read books, pushed carts, strollers and buttons and all in all had an excellent time. The Cafe is about 8 minutes from our house and I see many more visits in our future. He was asleep about 4 streets away on our drive home. :)

The hypnotic magic of Family Feud

I'm not sure what it is, the music in the intro, the lights of the game board or the soothing voice of John O'Hurley but Tyler absolutely adores Family Feud. The boy who won't hold still long enough to get his diaper changed will sit raptly and watch a whole half hour episode, some times 2 in a row. Whatever it is I LOVE it. I can turn it on a few minutes at a time everytime I want to change his diaper or feed him. At night after we read books I'll give him a bottle and turn on a Family Feud I recorded and he will sit and watch it then as soon as it is over... out like a light. It's like a little miracle from God that show - I've now recorded 20 of them.