Happy Love Day

We had a great Valentine's Day. We kept it very simple. Flowers and art projects. For our big date we took Connor to the park. He loved the swing and went higher than ever. Here's a video:

 

Swing Time Video

 

We played kickball and chased Connor. Again, very simple, very fun. When you love the people you're with it doesn't matter what you're doing--it's gonna be great.

 

Then we headed off for a romantic dinner. We wanted to go somewhere special, somewhere romantic with candles and music. Oh wait, that's right -- We have a wild one year old. Ok, Jason's Deli here we come!! Connor even got in the Valentine's Day mood and created an olive ring.

 

All kidding aside, it was a great day. I love this family!

 

Mr Potato Head

It's 1015pm so that means its time for one thing and one thing only...

Dress Connor up as Mr Potato Head!!

Having a Ball

Today Connor got to hang out with Brynn, one of the three little girls Becca watches. From time to time. Brynn and Connor used to take turns pushing each other down, but that has changed to kissing and hugs. We say, "Connor, can you be so sweet and give lovin'?" and he hugs and kisses us and little girls.

Tonight Connor got to hang out at Sports Authority, his favorite place. Do you know why? That's an easy question with an easy answer: Because they have balls! All shapes and sizes. We tear that store up! Connor is awesome at throwing and kicking--we might have a sports superstar on our hands. We play with every kind of ball in the store and also ride the skateboards, climb in the tents, etc. Then we play golf on the putting green. Cheap thrills and I can only imagine the employees love it when we come in.

Dinner was pancakes and key lime pie. Something of a change from our usual meal, but we are hooked on key lime pie. Becca has mastered that dessert and I make the pancakes. Not a bad combination.

Playtime

Here is a video for the day. Connor is going to watch these videos one day and realize his parents were crazy. Not just normal crazy, but cuh-RA-zy crazy. I'm not sure who has more fun with his toys sometimes, Connor or us...

Video:
Mommy and Connor Playing

Sunday Night

This weekend we went to 3 different grocery stores. We did not buy any groceries. In fact we need groceries as I type this.

Grocery stores are fun to hang out in. Central Market and While Foods staff encourage free sampling and pick up the things Connor tears up. Win win.

We also had Connors playmate all weekend which was fun. Makes me feel like we are ready for a couple more!! It's gonna be great!

Night Time Schedule Connor-Style

Dear Connor,

I’m writing you to tell you about something. I want you to know there is this thing out there in the big bad world, this thing that exists in the lives of most babies, this thing that many parents believe in. It’s called bed time.

However, you somehow think that 10pm is a great time to chase the dog, read books, splash in the toilet, play basketball in the street, and go down the slide in the backyard. I hope you are having fun!

And then, finally, you pass out around 1030pm. Fall asleep for 30 minutes, wake up and want to eat, then really pass out, sleep hard for a few hours, then crawl on my head around 2am, and sleep there for the rest of the night.

Well there's something else I want you to know: I actually support this schedule!

 

BLOG IS BACK!

Here's a video from last night... Connor's Newest Game

Yeah buddy! Blog is back. Bigger and better… Get excited! I'm sorry to have kept so many of you waiting. The hiatus is over and the blog is back!

First a disclosure: If you used to read the blog and found all of my lovey-dovey Connor musings about how sweet, funny, smart, cute, ad infinitum somewhat excessive, then get ready to hear a lot more of it. Truth is I am even more in love with this kiddo than two months ago!

Since DECEMBER 14^th a lot has happened. All of it good. The holidays were wonderful—we were in Ohio and saw eight inches of snow, eight games of Catan, and almost eight movies. We made it back and then celebrated with our Houston family and San Antonio family, also really great trips.

Then Becca somehow went from a super-part time job to three nanny jobs, and another in the works. It’s been a huge blessing. We started watching a little girl overnight about once a week and she’s very sweet and friends with Connor. Becca is, needless to say, amazing with all of these kiddos. It’s been nice having extra kids in the home! Here's an idea...

I will be moving positions here at work in the next couple weeks. My new schedule is  ten hour works days but only four days a week. I’m excited to start having three day weekends which translates into more time with little buddy.

So, speaking of little buddy… Connor has grown leaps and bounds. He has several new words (mama, horse, several animal sounds) and can sign about ten words. He can climb and run and make us laugh so hard. He is also eating like a champion and grew an inch over night.

He is sleeping in bed with us (I know, I know, we all have opinions, but who cares!!??) still and it’s GREAT! At least once a night I wake up and he’s laying on my back. His grandpa calls it sleeping in a pile, which is what they do in the book Where the Wild Things Are. So yes, we sleep in a pile. Don’t you know there’s nothing better than snuggling your baby all night?!

**

This week I built a playscape in the backyard.  It’s got a tree house thing, slide, swing, and ladder. Connor loves it. We also spend hours and hours in the front playing at night. We have all these Christmas lights up, a big street light, and house lights. It’s perfect in terms of lighting. The cars in the neighborhood are infrequent and the ones who do come through are cool. I constructed a big sign that says CHIDLREN AT PLAY that I put up. Anyone who defies my sign and doesn’t slow down is met with my threatening stares! But that rarely happens. And I’m not really that threatening…

What else? I don’t know. Lots of laughing and visits with family and friends. It continues to be the best experience of my life.

Oh yeah, and we are ready for another one!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some pics from the last two days. Connor has learned several words in sign language and is rapidly learning new things. He's a baby Einstein.

He also is playing the harmonica and the penny whistle. Baby Mozart!

Tonight we heard some symphony play Christmas music... Now it's time to read books and he brings you books!!

One Year Continued...

 

a few things i’ve fallen in love with (about connor) in the last year...

some are things i never knew existed. some are things i hoped for and came true...

**

the way he will snuggle with you and how good he smells

how he will bring you a book and sit down to listen

the face he makes when getting out of his car seat

his breath, mouth, little teeth

the little steps he takes and jumps up when he falls down

how he throws food on the ground, even when i already said no

his obsession with getting dog food

his obsession with getting to the toilet

how he has made so, so, so many people smile when they see him. strangers of all shapes and sizes light up when he runs around and smiles at them

how he loves piano, guitar, and dancing

naked time when he runs wild and naked through the house

the way he has said "ball" more than any other word

how i started praying again because of him

how he can say "mooooo" for cows and "meeooow" for cats

how he never gives up holding the toy when playing with macy. he'll fall down and crash and
get dragged around before letting go of her toy during tug of war

his laugh

how he tries to climb up my legs when he wants to be picked up

the smacking noise when he eats

AND EVERYTHING ELSE HE DOES IN BETWEEN THESE THINGS!

 

 

 

 

One Year

I do intend to write a b-day blog for Connor but my computer ended up in San Antonio in the wake of the post party madness!

For now I will say this: I could never have asked for a better year from Connor. He has given me more than I could have ever asked for and more than I ever knew existed. Happy birthday son!!

Almost One

ANIMAL SOUNDS VIDEO!

Check out that video above. Connor has learned to do the sound for a cow, dog, kitty cat, and we are working on ducks. He's a smart cookie.

Tonight we went to the bounce house after work and then worked on birthday decorations. Then Mimi and Poppi (Beck's parents) to spend the night and play Ca-TAN!

We are so excited about his party. I'm so happy to have so many people that we love and that love Connor in one place to celebrate him. I never imagined I'd be so excited about a birthday party.

I guess the truth of it all is that this little monster has made this the best year of my life. So I hope he has an awesome party. 

Hot Mess

Wild day if hiking, napping on a cliff, j del, and target. This kid is a hot mess.

Spelling?

Peek a boo Video: Click Here

On second thought, how do you spell "Peek a boo" anyway? That was a video from last week at J-Del. That's Jason's Deli to the uninitiated. Or you can also call it "Jason's", "J's", "the usual", or "that place where we go five times a week." Those all work just fine.

Connor has been a wild terror this week in terms of sleeping. We put him down at 10 or so. When we get in bed with him around 1130 he acts wild, banging his head into the wall, crawling on my head, bopping me in the arm. Any and everything. But you can't get mad because he does it all so that he can snuggle and that's the best thing in the world.

Today we met for lunch (he had Brynn, his little playmate/girlfriend with him) and played at chic-fil-a. Maybe you spell peek-a-boo like chic-fil-a. Actually, I have no idea if I'm spelling either of those things correctly.

Oh yeah, if you're reading this you're probably getting excited about this saturday. Well you should be, since there will be more baby ducks!!! Just like last time...

Goodnight sweet prince

These are from Friday night. Might be my favorite pictures.

This is why we have Connor in the bed. Moments like these...

Smarty Pants

Tonight I took Connor to the bounce house. He didn't seem super interested. Then we went outside and plate in the grass and rocks. He loved that way more. Last night we hiked down a river bed. Maybe he's becoming a nature, outdoorsy type.

Then we had bath time. That hair... He was a hot mess.

During bed time routine becca said go get a book and we can read. He walked across the room, got a book, came back and set down. We were beaming with pride. Smart baby!