31 posts in 31 days

I managed to post as many times as there were days in this month. That's crazy. But then, it has been a CRAZY month. Based on the past few days, I doubt it is going to slow down anytime soon, either. Between work and keeping Garrett entertained, things are just insane around here. We go for walks, go to the pool, go for bike rides, play outside, play inside . . . go, go, go!! But it's great. I can't believe tomorrow will be June. The start of hurricane season. Joy of joys. God willing, it will be as calm as the past 2 seasons. So goodbye May.

Tagged

I knew sooner or later it would happen . . . someone finally tagged me!! (Thanks Steph!!)

4 Jobs I have Had in my life:
Bussing tables at a steak house
Working at UM's academic development center
Environmental consultant for 6 hellish months
Research assistant for a phytoplankton ecology lab (my final). . .

Good thing I don't have to list more than 4, I've only EVER had one more!!

4 Movies I have Watched More than Once:
Last of the Mohicans
Ever After
Cars
Finding Nemo
(First two are mine alone, 2nd two are usually enjoyed with G-man! Although I will admit to watching them after he has run off to play)

4 Places I’ve Lived:
Loveland, Colorado
Galion, Ohio
Miami, Florida
and Homestead, Florida

I love where we are now quiet a bit . . . our neighborhood has such a small-town feel, with all the conveniences of living near a big city. The beauty of South Florida without the fuss of Miami.

4 TV Shows I Watch/Watched:
Bones
24
Biggest Loser
Eli Stone

4 Places I have been:
Costa Rica
St John, USVI
Roswell, NM (Brad ACTUALLY has friends there, no we did not go to see aliens!! Its actually beautiful there!!)

4 People who email me regularly:
Jess
Lisa
Mom
Dad

4 of my Favorite Foods:
Pizza
Ice cream
Baked Ziti
Beer (MAN, I really miss beer this pregnancy. I never even liked the stuff before I had Garrett. Go figure).

4 Places I'd like to visit:
Australia
Paris
Hawaii
South Africa (bring on the shark diving!)

4 Things I’m looking forward to in the coming year:
Welcoming baby #2
Finally getting a 2nd car after almost 6 months now with only one.
Watching Garrett become a big brother
Spending time with family when they come to meet baby #2!

4 Friends I’m Tagging:
Kaycee
Leanne
Sidney
Jill (Yes, I know Steph tagged you too and you are uber busy. But I only know so many people with blogs, and you can kill 2 birds with one stone. We miss seeing posts, woman!!)

Playgroup Party (5/28)

We had Garrett's party with his playgroup on his actual 2nd birthday. When people would ask how old he was, he would proudly say "2!" We celebrated with Garrett's little friend Kelly, who is 2 on the 10th of June. Good times had by all.

Using the big-boy swing

Kelly in her cute dress

That's a watermelon rind, which he WILL eat if you don't provide him with another piece of watermelon!!

Bonnie and Kelly

Off to the potty!

Yummy Ice Cream Cake (I did the lettering and Clifford)

Off to play!!

And with that, Garrett is two. I was talking to my boss on the way home, glanced down at the clock and it was 12:55. Amazing how fast the time goes. We came home, and took Nana, Grandma and Aunt Stephie to the airport. Garrett loves to see the airplanes when we go to the airport. Back to the usual grind here now. I spent Thursday working and doing fun things with Garrett. We played in the rain and then spent 5 hours at the pool. He's such a busy boy!!

Enjoying family (5/27)

We spent Tuesday evening outside just hanging out as a family. Brad showed Garrett how to use the awesome new baseball glove Aunt Stephie got him for his birthday. He loves it (of course). Then we tried to get some nice pictures because we had four generations here. Garrett had a blast playing outside (as usual!)

Baseball with daddy

Definite out take, but I couldn't resist including it!

Memorial Day/Neighborhood birthday Party

We had Garrett's birthday party for our neighborhood friends on Memorial Day. It was supposed to be a friends/neighbors party, but I did not actually remember to invite our friends (sorry guys!). Too much going on and not enough time!! Here's a boatload of pictures and some explainations . . . I took somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 pictures in the past six days!

Garrett had loads of fun with the balloons when I brought them home in the morning.

"Birthday Cake!"

Garrett loved his "Cifford shirt" Aunt Stephie and Grandma brought.

Wow, these shorts have pockets!

The birthday crowd, and Garrett mingling

Watching Lisa feed baby Logan his bottle (Jess on the left, Nana on the right)

Playing with Xander while his Daddy, Chris looks on

"Arshall!"

Wrestling with Mark.

Sharing my new train with the Crider clan (Thanks Grandma C!)

X will always be my best bud!

3 Generations . . . Brad's mom, sister and Grandma

Grandma C with baby Logan (who isn't as much of a baby anymore!)

More fun with X

Doing a little hand dance and singing during his "Happy Birthday" song.

Hugs for Randon after opening presents

Opening presents

Daddy, Mow! (From May 25th)

Garrett loves to mow . . . Brad has carried him on his back when he mows the yard for at least a year. Garrett's getting too big for that, but last week we discovered he likes to push his mower behind the real mower too. So he and Daddy did that on Sunday. Garrett had a BLAST! He alternated between pushing his mower and helping Daddy with the big mower. He even tried the big mower all by himself (it was off of course!).

My Baby will be 2 tomorrow!

I can't believe Garrett is going to be 2 tomorrow. It seems like just yesterday he turned one. He wasn't walking, and didn't say much of anything.

As we role into his second year, I can't help but reflect on the MAJOR milestones he has reached this year. He has a bunch of wonderful friends in our neighborhood that he loves and who play with him regularly. He can swim with his floaties on with no assistance. He can skip/gallop, can say nearly everything and anything, and is potty trained. He can count to 3 (forward and backward), loves to put money in his "money puppy" bank, adores his puppies, and manages to have a kind and loving heart along with the most insanely rambunctious soul. Trains, planes, and automobiles are his favorite things. Mowing with his dad is his absolute favorite activity in the world. He knows lots of opposites, and a whole slew of animals. He is an outdoorsman by nature--rain or shine, he would much rather be outside. TV is so not his thing, and he would rather dance and sing a song than watch TV any day of the week.

We had a birthday party for him with our neighbors yesterday, and that was a blast. I was remiss in inviting most of our non-neighborhood friends, and for that I apologize. Pictures and details of that one to follow. Its been a roller coaster year, and it seems like it has just FLOWN by. My big thing right now is that I can not BELIEVE he is potty trained before his second birthday. It just boggles my mind, because it just happened and its just too cool not to have to deal with diapers.

So happy birthday, little wild man. I'm glad we made it through year number 2. On to year three!

Saying the funniest things.

"Garrett HOLD IT!" Right before he peed, after being dry for 3 hours at the church nursery.
"Bad guy!" Regarding robber-type character in the back of a police car in one of his books.
"Garrett keep it!" . . . When I tried to take away something he was helping me clean with.
"Silly daddy" While not overly witty, it was just cute.

Major PT success

For the past 3 days, Garrett has been accident free and in undies for the entire day (save naps). He still can't figure out poop, but he has been to the zoo, on multiple shopping excursions, and more. AND his Grandma is here and he is still successful. Go Garrett! I am so proud of him!!

Who needs a Roomba . . . .

when you have Garrett. He just figured out that he can push the Dyson, and now he would prefer to vacuum all day long.

Catching up on photos.

In case you haven't been able to tell from my other posts, Garrett has been absolutely nuts the past few weeks (or has it been months!). We are finally getting a bit more of a routine lately, in that he takes fairly regular naps and can be CONTAINED in his room by me telling him to close his door. Beyond that, our routine is GO GO GO. This is how I found him sleeping tonight when I check on him. Even when he goes to bed, he can't just chill. He has to have books to read, and he tries his hardest not to let evil sleep overtake him.

I think I have posted numerous times how crazy he is in the pool. Today he kept jumping in without his wings on and even managed to make it back to the side a few times on his own. But I definately had to fish him out. This picture from a few weeks ago shows how nicely he is swimming with those wings . . . he just does his thing, and really doesn't care if you are there or not . . .

Last, but not least, I finally remembered to take a picture of Garrett with Laura, my midwife. Picture on the top is from a week and a half ago, picture on the bottom is from 6/12/2006. Here we come 2nd birthday . . . I can't believe how big he is now, or how little he was then.