Fun Fun Fun and Funny Stories!

So, we've been busy lateley. Cole has been playing hard and learning lots! He knows what he wants and he knows how to tell us about it. :) Here are some pictures of some of the fun things we've done lateley and some of the funny things that have happened.

I'm cute, loud, hillarious, and learning LOTS!
17 months old today!

So, I've been feeling a lack of creative outlet in my life. Consequently my family has eaten all sorts of strange made-up recipes - some work and some don't. I figured I should channel my creative energies into something I knew I was a little better at...

Cole has been learning colors and shapes and is really excited about it. He loves to watch Baby Einstein to see the animals and the different colors and shapes in the puzzles and toys. I'm trying to help us watch less TV and do more activities, so I came up with making a flannel board of shapes for him to play with and learn from. (I also had in mind something we could take to church that would keep him busy for a few minutes;)). I worked really hard making the shapes all the same general size. I even broke out a compass my dad gave me and my rusty geometry memories and made most of the shapes circumscribed in the same size circle. (I know, I'm weird.) It was fun and a lot of work. I couldn't stop with just shapes, so I made a car and a truck, a train, an airplane and a helicopter (Cole's favirite things to point out as we drive). Then I made some fruit shapes because he's so crazy about fruit (and there are pictures of fruit on the Baby Einstein video...) Anyway, long story short, I had a lot of fun and was really excited to make something for Cole. I gave the shapes to him yesterday to keep him busy while I worked on dinner and it worked for about 5 minutes... I was a little discouraged, but 'ya know. He's 17 months old - I should have expected that. This morning though when he woke up he ran into the living room yelling "shapes, shapes, shapes!" I know this sounds dumb, but it made me feel special that I'd made something he liked enough to scream about it. :) He played with them off and on throughout the day and this afternoon after play group he named every one of the shapes without help. He knows some of the colors too and can name all the fruit and the things that go. :) What a smart little guy!

We went to play group at our friend Ryan's house today. It was so fun! Ryan shared all his toys and we had fun snacks! There were a lot of new friends to meet too! Thanks Lisa for having us all over! We're looking forward to seeing everyone again next week.

Cole is learning to wash himself. Every time he takes a bath or a shower he washes his own tummy and neck (the theory is to wash his hands really well). Now he's learning to wash his hair. We think he never did it before because for a long time he couldn't reach the top of his head.

This morning before we went to our play group, Cole and I had to go outside. We've been cooped up in the house for such a long time that it felt good just to play. He loves our playground (ghetto though it may be). He loves the slide and to climb through the tube to the other side. Unfortuanteley this time we found a new hole in our tube - right next to the grafitti. I guess we'll have to find a new playground, but for today, he was happy as could be! :)

We got an early Valentines package in the mail from my mom and dad. Cole opened each part a piece at a time and was in heaven! He was most distracted by the peanut butter cookies (even after eating Hershey's kisses and M&Ms). Here he is eating the most important part, the chocolate on top.

We also got an early Valentines package from Tyler's mom and dad. (We're so lucky our parents keep us in cookies and candy and all the fun stuff!) I wish we had pictures. Cole's favorite part was the packing peanuts which we spent a lot of time tonight and probably will again tomorrow loading into his dump truck then dumping them out.

THANKS GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS! WE LOVE YOU TOO!

HAPPY VALENTINES!

Cole and Tyler LOVE to wrestle! After dinner they decided to go at it in the living room. We think Cole drank too much milk and Tyler turned it into a milk shake. Poor Cole was caught in the act of sharing his milkshake with Dad's face... It was soooooo gross, but so funny. Poor little guy! He got over it fast because he got to take a bath with Dad (one on his most favorite things)! They both cleaned up pretty well. :)