Baby Sister...

It's been a long time since our last post, and that is primarily due to the fact that we have been very busy preparing for the arrival of Myles's baby sister.

Myles is very excited to announce that his sister, Grace Lillian Irene, arrived on Sunday, October 10. (10/10/10 - pretty easy to remember.) Myles is fascinated by his little sister and is somewhat frustrated that he is not permitted to pick her up and carry her around at will. "I do it!" Despite his enthusiasm and confidence, Mommy and Daddy suspect he is not quite ready for that level of care-taking.

Myles has yet to decide whether to change the name of his blog and include Grace, so we will keep our reader(s) posted on that matter.

Taking a good, close look:


Can I get away with "beeping" her nose?:


"Beep-beep!":

Green Meadows Petting Farm

On Friday, September 3rd, Myles took Mommy and Daddy to Green Meadows Petting Farm. What a fantastic place! The admission price included a pony ride and a hayrack ride and Myles thoroughly enjoyed both!
The farm had ducks, chickens, goats, bunnies, kittens, cows, pigs, turkeys, donkeys, llamas and more. There were lots of baby animals, many of which you could pick up and/or pet. Myles found that very exciting. He just kept running from one end of the farm to the other.

However, the kitty barn was definitely a favorite!

You could actually milk this cow if you were so inclined. Myles, however, was not.

It was a very fun way to spend a Friday morning and a great way to start off the weekend! We will certainly be going back in the future - maybe this fall to get a pumpkin!

Meeting Lillian Rose

On Friday, September 10th, Myles's cousin, Lillian Rose, was born. Myles was very excited to meet her! Her arrival was delayed a few hours, so Myles and Daddy got to hang out at Uncle Dan and Aunt Tiffany's house and play for awhile, which both of them really enjoyed. He also got to have lunch at McDonald's with Grandma and Papa T. and cousin Cole. When we went to see Lily at the hospital, Myles showed her several of her new toys and squealed with delight when she cried. He was sad to have to leave and told her "Bye, bye baby." He shows signs of being a great big brother!

Always Busy

As these pictures demonstrate, Myles never has trouble finding something to do. We had a lot of soda left over from Myles's birthday party and we keep them in our utility closet. The other day, Myles took each and every can out of each and every open box and carried them one at a time to the kitchen table. He was very careful to line them up so that each soda can was with its own kind. Then he sat down to play with them and mixed them up a bit. Let me tell you, Mommy never minds picking up that kind of mess. It kept him busy for at least 1/2 an hour!

Boating Fun

Last Saturday, Mommy, Daddy and Myles spent the day visiting our friends at their cottage and cruising around on their pontoon boat. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed every minute. Here is a picture of Myles sporting the Barbie life jacket that he borrowed for the ride.
Myles had a blast with his friends, Lauren and Morgan, and they were so good playing with him. What a wonderful way to end the summer!

Big Boy Bed Time

For quite some time now, Myles has been climbing in and out of his crib at will. So, Mommy and Daddy decided it was time for a big boy bed.
Myles moved into his big boy bed on August 21st and he was so very excited about it! He jumped around and couldn't wait to crawl up on it. Myles's big boy bed was also Daddy's bed when he was a little boy, so it is extra special. Myles has been sleeping in his big boy bed for more than a week now and he is doing a great job - he has not been getting out of bed at bedtime and he hasn't fallen out once. As one of his birthday presents, Aunt Jenny and Uncle Mike gave Myles some sports ball sheets to go with his new quilt and he loves pointing out the different types of balls on them. He is very proud to be such a big boy and his parents are very proud of him as well!

Birthday Bash

Myles's dinosaur themed 2nd birthday bash was held on Sunday, August 15th. The weather was perfect and Myles had a wonderful time. He had about 45 guests, both friends and family, help him celebrate. (This picture was obviously taken before the party started.)
The party was primarily held in the backyard, although most kids played with toys inside for awhile as well. Myles had his pool, water table and new sprinkler beach ball out for the kids to play with as well as his bubble mower, bubbles, basketball hoop, bag toss and new soccer ball and net. Cousin Cole was also nice enough to share his bounce house for the party, which was a big hit. Everyone kept very busy.
After a lunch of burgers, brats, hot dogs, dinosaur shaped PB&Js, chips, fruit and veggies, the cake was served. Myles had to sample a bit of the frosting first, of course.
As usual, Myles enjoyed his cake immensely. We actually think that he ate some cake in addition to the frosting this time! Must have been to honor the occasion.
After a brief nap and a snack, it was time to open the large number of gifts that Myles received. Grandma and Papa T., Gramma and Papa A. and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Mike were able to stay for the gift opening. Myles was very excited about each one of his gifts and played with each and every one of them after opening them before moving on to open the next gift. It was so fun to watch him enjoy all of his presents. He is a very loved (and spoiled) little boy! What a fun, fun day!

Birthday Boy

On Thursday, August 12th, Myles turned two years old! Since his big party was scheduled for Sunday, he opted for a quiet celebration at home with Mommy and Daddy.
After dinner, Myles enjoyed a birthday cupcake - well, at least the frosting from a birthday cupcake.
Mommy and Daddy gave Myles a Mr. Potato Head for his birthday. Myles immediately recognized this toy as a result of his diligent study of the Toy Story movies. Once he saw it, he immediately said, "Tato Head."
Mr. Potato head was a big hit right from the start and has provided hours worth of fun ever since, making it a great toy for both Myles as well as Mommy and Daddy.
We can't believe it has been two years since Myles came into our lives. He is such a joy and keeps us laughing daily! We thank God every day for our beautiful little boy!

Another Birthday Party....

Today, it was the 3rd birthday party for Myles's buddy Jason - also in the neighborhood. Jason and his parents, Jeff and Christina, threw a legendary party. It was baseball / Brewers themed. Brewers cake, Brewers colors, Brewers gift bags with each child guest's name on them, ballpark food (hot dogs, brats, nachos with cheese and peppers, popcorn, etc.). Really great ideas and executed with incredible care. Like we said before, the pressure is really on for a good birthday party in this neighborhood - tough acts to follow.

Myles mans the door while his good pal Lucas rings the bell of the playhouse.

Myles follows the lead of the older boys and finally succeeds in climbing up the slide of the huge inflatable jumpy thingy in the yard.

Myles puts a hurtin' on a Brewers-themed cupcake... well, at least on the frosting portion of it...

What a great party! Thanks, Jason, Jeff and Christina!

Fun in the Sun

Myles and Mommy went to a zero depth pool this morning and Myles was absolutely thrilled! As you can see, he didn't hesitate to run right in! It was a beautiful morning and we had so much fun!
We were planning on hanging out with friends, but unfortunately, several friends were sick today so it ended up just being the two of us. We hope our friends will be able to join us next time. We did happen to run into Myles's babysitter and her kids, so Myles was pretty excited to see them.
The pool had a cool slide that Myles loved going down, but unfortunately Mommy didn't get any pictures of that as she was busy monitoring Myles's "waiting his turn" technique as well as his "move out of they way when you are done" skills. Maybe we can get some good shots of that next time.
Myles loved laying down in the water and by the end of our visit, he was dunking his whole face in the water. Each and every time he did it, he squealed with delight and was very proud of himself! Mommy was pretty impressed and enjoyed every second!

Partying with friends...

This weekend was the weekend of the birthday party in our neighborhood. Myles had to miss his friend Tyler's 2nd birthday party on Saturday because he was recovering from a brief illness, but he was back up today for parties for Colton (2) and the joint birthday party for brother and sister Mason (1) and Madelyn (3). It was a very fun day with neighbors and friends. Of the pictures below, two were taken by me on my mobile phone. The other two were taken by a neighbor and friend, Amy S., who has a really nice camera and is a very good amateur photographer. You guess which are which, it won't be difficult.

Myles enjoys one of the many party favors at Colton's party.


Myles goes for a ride with the birthday boy, Colton. I guess Colton's Harley-Davidson trike is just a bit cooler than the pink scooter Myles borrowed.



Here, Myles takes a break from terrorizing the playground to do his impersonation of a catalog model for a couple of shots.



Let's just say that our neighbors have set a high standard for birthday parties. Myles has a lot to live up to when he joins his pals at age 2 in a few weeks.

Night on the town...

We hadn't been to La Estacion, our favorite local Mexican restaurant, since Myles's first birthday more than 10 months ago, so we went last night. You may recall (or can look back to 8/12/2009 to recap) that Myles really enjoyed our last visit, fell in love with a young waitress and gripped her hand with both of his hands, pressing her hand to his chest, and wouldn't release her for a very long 90 seconds or so. This time, he used a chip to spoon the better part of a small dish of salsa into and around his mouth, chest and lap, and continuously smiled and shouted "Hey!" and "Hi!" to every server or patron who passed by our table. He ate a good hunk of quesadilla and was very well behaved. We don't get out very often, but last night made it seem like we should. What a fun time!

Ready for Summer Fun

Myles broke in his new swimming pool today and had an absolute blast! Gramma and Grampa A. came for a visit and Myles sure had fun playing with them. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed every moment of being outside!
Gramma was even nice enough to take a bite from one of Myles's water balls, which as you can see, thrilled Myles.
Myles climbed from one end of the pool to the other over and over again! It sure will be fun in our backyard this summer!

Myles traveled to North Carolina with Mommy and Uncle Dan for his cousin Anthony's high school graduation over Memorial Day weekend. He was such a good little boy! He did great on the plane rides and slept really well in the hotel - the first time he had ever stayed in a hotel. He got to meet his Aunt Marty and his cousins for the first time, which he was really excited about. Aunt Marty gave him some of his favorite toys, Matchbox Cars, so he kept very busy playing with those during his visit. Grandma and Grandpa T. were also there, so he enjoyed spending time with them as well. It was a short, but wonderful trip! Myles missed Daddy and was sure happy to see him when we returned home on Sunday afternoon! Next time, he will have to come along.

Knees of Summer

Sorry we haven't posted anything for those of you who happen to check in from time to time. It's just been a typical few months of fun times. Myles is a very typical boy, into everything and pretty much fearless. Couldn't resist snapping this shot while swinging at the park this evening. Those bruised and battered legs are worth more than a thousand words about how he's enjoying his summer - very actively. Myles is in daycare with a couple of boys that are both a couple of years older than he, and he really tries his best to keep up with them. He doesn't let a few bumps and bruises slow him down. As it should be.

Little Drummer Boy...

Not much of a story here, just a picture I really like. We visited some friends last weekend, and our friend Chris plays drums. Myles was getting a little restless and on the edge of a tantrum after dinner and announced repeatedly, "Home! Gabba!," meaning he wanted to go home and watch "Yo Gabba Gabba!" Chris saved the day by letting Myles play the drums. Myles really enjoyed it. Much like Myles's action on the piano at home, he's surprisingly gentle, not pounding away but carefully testing the various sounds, tapping each drum head and each of the cymbals in succession. He sat there for about 20 minutes, which is a tremendous attention grab for a 19-month old.

Fun at Daycare...

A couple of days per week, Myles spends a few hours at an in-home daycare with a nice woman named Angie, her youngest boy, and just one or two other kids, depending upon the day. Judging by his reaction when we drop him off and by his smiles when he hears certain names, we can tell that he really enjoys his friends there and all of the activities that come with it. In addition to little field trips to the zoo or just the store, they also have a nice, big, fenced-in yard where the kids can play, and Myles really enjoys getting outside. They sent us a few photos of Myles in action. It's fun and funny to see a glimpse of what he's up to when Mommy and Daddy aren't around. It's also very comforting to know that he's enjoying himself.

First, it was very important that Myles have boots and snowpants for the winter, because the boys that live in the daycare home love to be outside. It turns out that Myles does too, and it is often a struggle to get him to come back inside.
Myles is very fond of the newest addition to Angie's family, a baby girl. She is just a few months old, and Myles always makes sure to point her out to Mommy or Daddy when we pick him up, pointing and smiling, "Baby! Baby!" He also likes to make sure the baby has plenty of blankets. Here they are together on a recent field trip to a local horticultural conservatory.

It looks like Myles really enjoyed the sights to be seen there.

Is it Spring yet?

Well, not quite. However, 53 degrees and pleasant is about as good as it gets for early March here, and that's what we had yesterday. Daddy was sick on Friday and Saturday, which forced us to cancel dinner plans with friends on Friday and also a visit from Uncle Dan, Aunt Tiff and Cousin Cole on Saturday, not wanting to get everybody sick. Major disappointment. Sunday was a new day, and we decided to take advantage of the decent weather with a trip to the zoo.

Myles really enjoys the chance to get outside and run around. It's a great place for that, as the walking paths are pretty well hemmed in by rails and fences, and Myles is allowed to go pretty much anywhere he can. The weather was nice enough outside to enjoy some long walks around the paths through the zoo. Myles, throwing out shrieks of delight, started chasing one of the free-roaming peacocks and was very frustrated when we had to stop him from doing that. We put him back in the stroller so he could get a controlled look at it, which he enjoyed. Myles also really enjoys many of the indoor exhibits, and this time he especially enjoyed the aquariums, spending approximately 20 minutes running around and pointing out the various "seesh." Before heading home for lunch, Myles took one last long walk outside, stopping to climb on whatever railing, bench or snow heap caught his attention. It was great to be outside, and we're really looking forward to Spring.