Stool

Do you recognize this stool? Isaac loves to flip it over like it is a seat. He carried it into the living room especially to be by his new library books and read them. I made this stool in my Jr. High shop class. It is by no means the steadiest stool made, in fact it can be quiet dangerous to your health to stand upon... but for this... it's perfect! It has achieved it ultimate purpose in life!

Isaac the Builder

This fellow could sit and build all day long! In fact, he does pretty much! If he isn't helping me around the house, he is in the living room building with blocks... or reading his ever changing collection of library books. We have added the weekly Toddler Time at our local library into our routine. Our regular teacher was not there this week, we missed her. She usually keeps everyone engaged and interacting. The sub this week.... I give her huge applause for trying! How difficult to step in for an ALL boy toddler class. Not that it HAS to be all boys, girls weren't excluded, it's just that apparently our city is low in the population of toddler girls. A few girls would add calmness and quiet to a room of toddler boys anxious to be out and feeding off of each others energy.

Off to Work

Daddy's Boy

Daddy's Hat

I had to snag this picture. He loves anything and everything that reminds him of Daddy while Daddy is gone for the day. So this hat, was stuck on his head for a while before Daddy came home. He had left it out to dry in the laundry room after coming in from shoveling snow that morning. By the time it plopped off his head, he was sweating and curly headed. But he was happy while it lasted!

Mother Made Me Do It

He doesn't look that thrilled does he? And second of all this isn't even in our kitchen. this has to rate one of the worst pictures I have ever taken. But it was so cute. I put a smock or apron on everyday and it seems like most of day is spent in the kitchen. He loves to sprinkle, stir, taste test, play, whatever I am doing. So I found this little kids apron set at the dollar tree a really long time ago. And this week just seemed to be the week to bring it out. He loved the apron part, but the hat part was not so great on him. He went to show dad, and that is where I snagged this picture. Maybe someday I can have a picture of him in action!

Chili

The temperature on Thursday was to be almost up to 40. That is indeed a heat wave around here. Isaac and I went out in the morning and played outside. The snow on the side of the garage gets the most sun all day, so after a couple days of above freezing temperatures and an afternoon of sun, the snow over there was frozen and very slick. So we took the sled and let Isaac slide around. He loved it. He giggled and giggled. He liked that snow best because his feet didn't sink down so much. He is still not sure what to make of the snow. We had a lot of fun and he came in for a nap. Then we had lunch. Chili. Isaac LOVED it. I was really surprised he did. Seems like something a kid wouldn't like, you know?

Sick Day

I forgot to post this picture... I forgot I even took it. The week Isaac was sick I got really behind in editing my photos. Usually when I take pictures I edit them the day I take them so a backlog doesn't happen. So this one snuck by me without a thought. But it was really cute. He was so yucky. He's usually supper active. But that week he was so bummed, when he was feeling okay he just wanted to sit and watch a DVD. Whenever he got tired he just wanted to be held while I would carry him around during my work around the house. Other times I would just sit in the rocking chair with him until he fell asleep or felt like getting up again. I am so glad he's feeling better now.

Don't You Believe It!

Stephen had to re-shovel all his hard work from yesterday. That's just the way it is when it won't stop snowing. But at least this time it wasn't all 10 inches at once, so the job went much faster. I thought we should get a quick chance to play outside too, so Isaac and I bundled up and followed him out a few minutes later. I had a little experiment I wanted to conduct. In my effort to find fun things to play outside when it's winter (because Isaac loves outside but not so much the snow part) I had an experiment to conduct! I had read in a family magazine that blowing bubbles in the winter was fun because they would freeze as you blew them out on the wand. Great!

Now you see the point in my title right? What a flop! And don't think because it wasn't cold enough! It was far beyond freezing outside. So much so that I rushed Isaac back inside after a few minutes because I thought this ice was melting in his hand and making his hand very uncomfortably wet. It never even began to melt. Next, we're working on the scarf for his face. Not enjoying it too much now, but by the time we went inside today, he wasn't pulling it off anymore.

Wonder

A Sledding We Will Go

We didn't go down a hill or anything. In fact I am very glad we didn't even attempt to do so. You can see in his face he's a little hesitant, but he didn't refuse to sit through a pull around the back yard. The temperatures were unmentionable, but for 10 minutes all bundled up very do-able. He would wince whenever the sled went a little to rock-ily over my footprints. So it was a good thing we didn't try anything to crazy for the little fellow. After that he was content and wanted off. He had to go investigate the shovels Dad was using on the driveway. I want to find a toy shovel for Isaac. I think he'd love it. I used to have some at work for the daycare, but can't seem to find them at any of our stores. I'll keep looking though! Gotta have snow toys!

Trailblazer

Although he is not the one blazing the trail, he does enjoy the path daddy made from our house to the garage. It feels like Little House on the Prairie when they would run a rope from the cabin out to the barn . Isaac was extremely hesitant to go into the snow. After being outside awhile he did try, except always fell over. After that, he just stuck to the trails Daddy had shoveled again.

A Theme

So all these last few posts have a definite theme if you haven't picked up on already: snow! Because... well, frankly, we're surrouned in it. Putting ONE child in his snow gear isn't near as dramatic as a whole classroom. Although, with the temperatures being what they have been it does seem that I keep him outside for a shorter amount of time than what it takes to get him in his gear. Which is just a fact of life I am learning to accept! Better to have a short amount of fun than no fun at all!

Puh-lease!

Mother! Not another picture!

Bumpers

One of my favorite things about the winter has always been snowsuits. Not a fan of the time it takes to put them on... times 25 students in the classroom... time two boots a piece, two mittens to find finger and thumb slots for, buttons on suits and coats.... the number goes into the hundreds. But THIS...

see all that fluffy goodness? All the skin NOT exposed??? I have always relished the fact that as I watched a child fall off the climber... they're okay. I always say to myself: Do you worst! Because really... they're so padded nothing can hurt them. Not even the miscaulcuation of going under the bridge and bopping their head! My job is easier... which it should be because all the energy then has to be redirected into staying warm. While kids enjoying bopping around they can keep themselves warm. But me... I've got to keep up.

2009 in Pictures

It's a large file! I made it for a DVD, so it has so many pictures and music on it. It may take awhile to load or play through. Looking forward to more happy memories together in 2010!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Come Back

I've been away from the computer for a long while. First when we were gone on our "Christmas tour," and this last week because Isaac was sick. He wanted major hugs and cuddles while he was recuperating from a cold. However, he has seemed to recover quite nicely, praise the Lord! All week long I was so nervous we were going to have a repeat of last winter! Right now though, we're just left with a runny nose. No ear infection. No asthma symptoms. No incessant coughing. And back to sleeping through the night (for both of us).

Tonight I knew he was closer to "normal" because he was just having a wonderful time in his bath. Three nights ago now Stephen was giving him a bath and the poor little one just sat there and fell asleep while his daddy was rubbing soap on his back! Tonight he was back to splish-splashing all around. I loved his curls tonight. For some reason they were particularly tight laying all across his head. My camera hasn't been taking great pictures at all lately, so the color is washed out a bit. But the bounce is there!