Rock Star Status

*Photo Disclaimer - I know its not the best picture, but it was taken quickly from the front passenger seat *

Drew is starting to like his sunglasses again. I'm glad so he stops breaking mine while playing with them, but for another reason....he looks so darn cute!

He puts them on all by himself (example above) every time I ask him if he wants to be a rock star?!? He almost immediately puts them on his face (under his ears) and looks around at his surrounds, waiting for everyone to notice him.

I just keep telling everyone, I'm just letting him practice for the paparazzi are around when he's older!

38 Years

I don't know if they'd say the 38 years have been long or short, but regardless.....Happy 38th Anniversary Mom & Dad!!

Stealing Kisses

Most of the time, when mommy asks for kisses and hugs my requests are granted. But, at times, I have to take my lovin' when the opportunity arises.

Wordless Weds - Driving Grandpa C's Car

Zoo

Last weekend we visited a zoo at a near by park. It was Drew's first time at a zoo (even though he's been to a local petting zoo before). As we strolled through the park to the zoo's gates, Drew had no idea what was in store for him. He got excited when a squirrel crossed our path and I told him, just wait buddy!


Once we got through the gates, I took him out of his stroller and he realized what we were looking at through the fence, he got so excited. At the moment he realized he was somewhere new and different it was a whole new world for him to discover.

Drew loved running from exhibit to exhibit to see what was next. I tried to keep him at each animal to at least make the animals sound, but once I started to explain about the animal, he was off to see what was down the line.

He had a wonderful time! I love to watch that wonderment and discovery in his eyes.

Optical Illusion

Doesn't it look like my son grew into a huge kid over night? Well, he has but not this big!

I was cleaning out a closet the other day and came across this stroller that my niece Ally used to play with (she may even play with it again if she rediscovers it). My little helper Drew was near by and spotted the same thing at the same time.

I took it out of the closet, opened it up and was reaching for a stuffed animal and before I could stick the puppy in the stroller, Drew was backing into it to sit down. At that point, I went along with it and hoped the material would hold Mr. Drew. Sure enough, it did and we went strolling through the house giggling.

Once Drew hopped out of the toy stroller, we tried to show him he could put things in it to push around, but he didn't like that at all! He wanted to push the empty stroller around and when he felt it was time to put something in the seat, it was him. Once he figured out how to sit in it by himself, of course he was looking for someone to push him. It was too funny to watch!

Nice & Cozy

I searched everywhere for a bathrobe for Drew. I was looking since he started to walk, but was out of luck tracking one down in his size. The only one I could find in kid clothes stores was 0-9months. I was looking (at the time) for something in the 18month size range, so I was out of luck.

Then one day last week I received one of those emails from companies trying to have you buy something from them with sales and all that propaganda. Well, I feel for one of them and checked out the website. I have purchased from this company in the past, so I took a chance and checked out the kids stuff.

Jackpot!! I found a kids bathrobe in a 24 month size that I had to have for Drew. I ordered it and had his name put on it too. I'm excited too since they have bigger kids sizes once he grows out of this one.

It arrived the other day and I couldn't wait to put it on him! Once I did, I snapped those must have photos. Drew strutted around in his new bathrobe while he brushed his teeth. What a big boy!!

Mural Update - Slow & Steady

Not too much is new in the mural department. I'm slowly working on the door frame details, two coats of paint on every detail takes a lot of time. With vacation coming up, I hope to have some time to paint. It would be nice to have it done, so I can sit back and enjoy my finished master piece!

Wordless Weds - The Wind Effect

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Its the most wonderful time of the year.....vacation! I know some say back to school is the best time of the year or the holidays, those are indeed good times, but I enjoy vacation!

Our vacation starts Friday 7/23 at 5pm. We are off for two weeks. This year, we cannot afford to go to Virginia to see Zack the first week, but we have things planned to do around the house. There is yard work, house cleaning and of course relaxing to do!

The second week, we will have Zack in Massachusetts. His mom is bringing him up to us for the week. We have little things planned but our big adventure is to spend the day at a state park beach in CT, stay over and then visit Mystic Aquarium and Seaport the next day. I can't wait to see Drew's reaction at the aquarium and I know Zack will have a wonderful time too.

So, bring it on! I'm so ready!!

Happy Boy

I love to hear the belly laugh of a happy 15 month old little boy! There isn't anything like it!!

Big Rig Day

What a wonderful day we had yesterday! I took my little boy to the local "Big Rig Day" which included the town's utility trucks, fire trucks, police cars, ambulance, tow-truck and construction vehicles. It was free to the community too.

I took a half day at work and picked Drew up from day care and headed to the park. Grammie was with us too, which I know she enjoyed watching Drew explore all the vehicles.

Once we got into the park, Drew couldn't take his eyes off all the big trucks. They were all lined up with other kids hoping in and out of the cabs, honking horns and having a wonderful time. He couldn't wait to get out of his stroller to explore.

We started off with the firetrucks and worked our way through everything. He loved sitting in all the driver seats, moving the steering wheel and pretending to drive. Drew also enjoyed sitting in the back seat of the Firetruck and looking all around. When he was placed in the back of the police card, I told him this is the only time I want to see him in the back of the police car. The officer laughed (I'm sure he was hearing that one all day).

After I brought Drew around to each vehicle, I let him pick and choose what he wanted to visit again. He kept going to the Firetrucks and the ambulance. He loved walking between those vehicles and checking out the entire rig.

I am so happy I took him this year. I can't wait until next year to do it again!!

Wordless Weds - Professor Drew

Mastering the Spoon

We have been practicing these days on a lot of things. We've worked on blowing kisses, we've worked on finding our noses(including daddy & mommy's) and most of all, we've worked on using a spoon.

Its not an easy task for Drew right now, but he sure enjoys eating his favorite foods with the spoon. I figure save the the favorites for home, strip him out of his clothes and let him have at it to practice, practice, practice. He's getting better with holding his spoon, but still holds it on the tip of the handle. We try to show him to hold the middle of the handle, but its no good. He'll do what he wants and I don't want to fight too much with him.

But, he'll get it one of these days, but in the mean time, he can make a good mess. And, that's what toddlers do best!!

He Works Hard For the Money!

My son discovered a new toy this past week. He loves to carry it around, hide things inside and just this morning, tried to use it to climb on things.

Yes, he discovered an igloo lunch box. He loves caring this thing around the house. My FIL even said to let him carry into school to see everyones reaction. I haven't done that yet, but I have been tempted.

We've showed him how to press the top button to open the lunch box and then close it, but he still needs a little help with that process. But, he loves putting his toys inside, carrying the lunch pale around and then asking for us to open it for him.

Toot Toot - All Aboard

Drew's Grandpy found an adorable, pop up school bus for the back yard. It was a yard-sale bargain that was found one morning by mistake. Those are the best finds if I say so myself!

Once Grandpy got home from making his Saturday morning rounds, he found Drew and myself in the back yard after our morning walk. Grandpy approached us, all proud, and "assembled" this massive, walk-in bus for Drew. And when I say assembled, I mean just opening up the bus so it can stand-up, nothing really to it!

It was so fun to watch Drew run right up to the bus, move aside the little cloth door and walk right in like he knew it was his. Its a good thing the bus is cloth because every time he walks in and out, he bonks his head on the top of the door. No matter, Drew just continues to do what he was doing like he meant to do it! We put a little wooden chair inside so he can sit and drive the bus too. He loves to move the little steering wheel and make his vroom, vroom sound while I make the horn sound, honk honk here comes Drew!

What a fun little find that will generate hours and hours of fun in the back yard. And during the cold months, inside too. I love yard sale bargains!!

The Innocent Man

A very interesting novel. I love the way John Grisham captures his audience with his thrill seeking, page turning writing style. This time, he was writing about a true story that took place in a small town in Oklahoma in the early 70's.

A trouble young man and a friend were found guilty of a crime they did not commit. Ron was found guilty because of his troubled past and tricky police work. His friend Dennis was found guilty because he would occasionally bar hop with Ron, so to the police he must have helped in the murder and rape of a young women in Ada, Oklahoma.

Its fascinating to see how police forge evidence to what they want it to be when they are pressed to find a suspect and convict the person, no matter what the evidence says. Eventually the truth comes out at the end, but not until years have passed and Ron is almost executed for this horrible crime. Both men spend over 15 years in prison and were freed with no apology from the state or police.

This is definitely an interesting page turner and has you thinking at times, did he do it? But, you have to listen to the evidence, no matter how badly you need a conviction!

Wordless Weds - Looking for the right one!

What's Out There

Drew, I see something out the window.....

A little someone hops off the floor or runs over to the window to see what his mommy sees.....

I ask him what's out there?

I'll hear, oooooo and see him pointing to what ever he wants outside. If birds are hanging out on the lawn, he'll tell me "irds". The other day I heard him report an "earl" was running across the lawn. I've also been told the "og" across the street is running around in the neighbors yard.

Sometimes, there is nothing exciting to report, but Drew finds something to tell me is out there. He'll get excited, stand on his tippy toes, and point and pound on the window. And if he were to see someone he knows pull up outside, he flashes a great big smile and points. He loves looking out the windows to discover what's outside.

Summer Love

Summers are lovely, there are so many things to love about this season. Lets count the ways.....

• Fresh Strawberries

• Ice Cream

• Watching Drew play in his sprinkler

• Sandals

• Pedicures

• Sunny days are longer

• Vacation
  

Happy Birthday Jeff

Today is Jeff's turn to have a birthday. Every year, I always here that I'm still older (by 8 days). But, he turns 31 today and he has to work late. Yuck!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!