Birthday Celebrations

As some of you know, Willie and I celebrate birthdays in a big way. We do not necessarily spend loads of cash but we have always celebrated a birthday week and tried to do whatever the birthday person really wants to do.

On Tuesday (his actual birthday) we made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner, his favorite. We followed this with strawberry jello and cool whip!!! Then on to the gifts. He had quite a load of gifts from the grandparents and friends and it was funny to see him really getting into the opening of them. Throughout the process when we handed him a gift we would ask him, what is this and he would happily say TRACTOR. He thought every gift was going to be a tractor. While there was definitely a tractor thread running through the gifts....obviously every single one was not a tractor. He has enjoyed his new books, trains, scissors (yes I bought him safety scissors), clothes and such.

On Wednesday, his adopted Aunt Tedi took him shopping. He had such fun playing at the train table with her and he got to come home with two new Thomas trains as well as a book all about tractors.

Some intense decision-making as to what trains he "needed".

Since Matthew is such a HUGE tractor nut, on Friday Dad had a mini-excavator delivered to the house. It was delivered during nap time and boy was he surprised to see it. He spent many hours over the weekend on the tractor helping Dad do some much needed landscaping in our yard.

His first ride on the tractor.

Saturday was a big day. We drove the tractor, finished the sandbox and filled it with sand and had about 30 or so people, big and small, over for a celebration. He loves his sandbox and has spent countless hours in there since its completion. I think he had a blast at his party, he ran around and chased the other kids, climbed on the sandbox, ate hot dogs and his favorite...strawberry cake. The weather was GORGEOUS which really saved us because 30 people in the house would not have been fun. This little guy stayed up until 10:30 PM but then went to bed without a peep....which is far from normal.

The finished sandbox, a huge hit to say the least!!

Doing some final work before adding sand.

Enjoying his sandbox.

"Driving"

They even let me drive the tractor a bit.

Running around the backyard with friends at his party.

The cake....he was more impressed with his new tractor than the cake this year!!

My tired but happy boys.

All in all, I think Matthew's birthday week was a success. My little boy is two.....and I am sure the next year will be filled with adventure!

Tractor.....CAKE????

So I am attempting to make Matthew a 3-dimensional tractor shaped cake for his party tomorrow. I have gotten as far as getting the cakes baked and have chickened out. I am waiting for Willie to get home to help me assemble these cakes into the shape of a tractor. Holy Smokes, what did I get myself into?

UPDATE:

Well, the tractor cake DID NOT HAPPEN.

While there are several theories floating about (cake too moist, icing to stiff, etc, etc). We gave up and I resigned myself to making a round cake and just putting a plastic tractor on top. This might have been the best thing because Matthew did not put the tractor down once it came off the cake. He even went to bed with it that night.

Assembling the cake....

Attempting to ice the cake.....a completely futile effort!!!

What we ended up with!! There were no leftovers so it must have tasted good at least!?

Lesson learned.....

Family Snapshot

I am usually the one taking the pics and a friend took this shot so I thought I would put it out there. I am going to try to get some preggo pics up soon as well.

Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet little Matthew

Happy Birthday Matthew

It is hard for me to get my mind around the fact that you turn 2 today. In some ways it seems like you have been a part of our family forever, I cannot imagine our lives without you. You bring joy to my life every single day and I consider you the best gift I have ever received. Your Dad and I thought we had life pretty good until you came along, little did we know that you were to be one of our greatest accomplishments.

I get tired of hearing from people to enjoy this time because it goes by so quickly, but they are so right. You are constantly evolving into a little independent person. A strong, independent little boy is slowly replacing my sweet baby. In my eyes you are not much bigger than you were the morning I met you but you become less of a baby every single day. My firstborn is well into toddler-hood and I know I will look away and you will be starting school, then going off to college. I do consciously try to savor even the smallest moments because I know in a few years you will not want to hang out with Mom as much as you do now.

I decided to give you a verbal snapshot of the boy I spend my time with……

• You are a very determined little man. You do not let much get in your way. While I love to see a trait that is so strong in us displayed in you, I also see the frustration in your eyes when you cannot do whatever it is you are attempting.
• You would spend your entire days outside if I would let you. Rain nor snow nor vicious mosquitoes seem to bother you.
• You love to build with blocks….and of course knock them down and start over.
• You do not like sitting still for much of anything (diaper changing/watching TV).
• You LOVE LOVE LOVE tractors. We seldom make a trek anywhere in the car when you (my little tractor spotter) points and squeals in delight at the sight of a tractor. In fact, your first complex word that you say without prompting was tractor.
• You are pretty enthralled with Bob the Builder….maybe not Bob as much as his tractors.
• You are quite the poser and happily smile for me when the camera comes out.
• You love green peas, hot dogs, ice cream, strawberries, tortilla chips, bananas, yogurt and grapes and I am proud to say that you are not a picky eater.
• You get tickled and laugh with your whole being, which in turn cracks me up.
• You are a snuggler which I LOVE.
• I cannot go outside to take out the recycle or trash without you getting flat out angry that you are not going outside as well.
• You are starting to come out of your shell a little bit and share your love with other people. It makes me so proud.
• You like reading, which of course tickles your reader mama. I caught you reading to yourself on your bed a few days ago and could not quit beaming.

I love you my sweet boy and glad that I was blessed enough to be your mama. I hope you have a very Happy Birthday!

The countdown is ON

We went to the doc today to check on the baby and have an official c-section date of September 21st!!!! We are super duper ecstatic and I cannot wait to find out if this little person is a boy or a girl. My bets are a girl but we shall see.

It is funny how different it is this time knowing we are having a c-section instead of going 2 weeks past our due date and praying every day that my water would not break in the office.....

Here fishy fishy

Matthew completed his second round of swim lessons last month and loved almost every minute. He loves the water and it is my goal to get him in the pool at least once a week. Here are a few pics from our water adventures.

Walking in to lessons with Dad on the first night...

Blowing bubbles.

Kitchen Help

Several months back I taught Matthew to move the chairs from the dining table into the kitchen to help me when I was trying to cook, wash dishes, make lists, etc, etc. This kid is now incapable of walking by the dining room table without moving a chair. In fact, he moves them into the bathroom, his room, our room and the office. Sometimes I wonder why I teach him things because inevitably it comes back to bite me.

It is sweet that he wants to "help" but squeezing soapy water out of the sponge onto the floor is only cute the first 20 or so times.......

11 YEARS!!!!!!

We made it......11 YEARS....and counting.

8-8-98......wow we look young!!

It is hard for me to believe that it has been 11 Years since William and I became man and wife. So many things have happened that I never saw coming but I am proud to say that I would do it all again in a heartbeat.


In honor of this anniversary.....here are 11 Things I have learned in the course of our marriage.

1) Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder.....but you can get away with eating a can of veggies for dinner when the hubs is not home.

2) Men, at least mine, do NOT pick up on subtle hints. If you need him to do something, you must ASK.

3) My big tough guy is not so tough, especially when it comes to watching his little boy explore his world.

4) Jewelry is highly over-rated....just ask the fish in the Guadalupe River.

5) Laughter is absolutely the best medicine....for anything.

6) Enjoy every moment because they are oh so fleeting.

7) Change is good/bad/inevitable. It keeps us on our toes, shows us what we are capable of and makes us who we are.

8) Family is important but so are those friends who love you like family!!

9) He does not generally care what color you want to paint the room, as long as he does NOT have to do it.

10) Money does not grow on trees nor is it worth fighting about. Make a plan TOGETHER and life is good.

11) Marriage is hard work but it is the kind of work that makes you feel good when you look back and see where you have been.

Let's Go RED SOX

In lieu of a traditional summer vacation for various reasons we decided to go see our beloved SOX take on the Atlanta Braves. We decided to go to 2 games and wondered just how smart we were in taking a squirmy almost 2-year old to a baseball game...in 98 degree heat.....150% humidity.....with a 8-month pregnant mommy.

We stayed at a hotel within walking distance of Turner Field. We realize now what a great choice that was, sitting in a hot car in traffic after the game would have been absolutely brutal. The hotel pool was also a life saver, not to mention the cleansing affect of the chlorine. We were some nasty sweaty peeps....

Matthew's first peek at a Baseball Game.

Happy Camper....thus far. Wondering when the promised hot dogs will arrive?

Admiring his Papa....he thinks that guy hung the moon.

The famous "funny smile".

While the first game was pretty easy.....the second game started at 1 PM.....which is sacred nap-time hour. We wondered how that would work and had already come up with a plan for me to head back to the hotel should the meltdown begin. We were pleasantly surprised...Matthew fell asleep in my arms before the game began and slept for about an hour. WOO HOO!!!! Of course when he awoke he was ready to GO GO GO. Thank goodness for the generous space that Turner Field has dedicated to smokers....with picnic tables and shade. We stayed busy and I bribed him with his very first FUNNEL CAKE and real COCA COLA. Talk about a sugar high.

Naptime....thank goodness for Willie's UV Shirt which provided much needed shade!!

The whole (HOT) crew!!

Bye Bye Turner Field

Making the trek back to the hotel.

Cooling off!!!!

Drying off....

All done....now to figure out dinner!!