Thanksgiving 2011 Part One

What a great long weekend we had!

We spent the first half of Daddy's Thanksgiving break from school in Clarion, where Gula and Pop-Pop hosted 24 people for the holiday dinner.

It was so relaxing and fun to play with "GuGu," Pop-Pop and Aunt Erika. We got to enjoy their new home renovations - beautiful new rooms!

As evidenced above, there was a good deal of marching. All William wants to do is march. "Marching band!" "March wif Daddy." "March wif GuGu." "Playing tuba! Playing drums!"

We had a great time seeing our McCombie Aunts, Uncles, and even little cousins Finley and Isabella, both 1.

Also included in the guests were the Grims! It was really nice to have Nanna, Grandpa, and Uncles Andrew and David there with us, too.

Thank you, Gula and Pop-Pop! We are so thankful for you!

Jingy Bells!

Yesterday was a dreary, rainy, gray day, so during your nap, I pulled out the Christmas decorations. It's amazing what a few trips up and down the attic stairs will bring.

We don't have our real tree yet, but I did put up a mini (3 feet or so) tabletop one. I couldn't wait for you to wake up from your nap to show you everything. When I finally heard rustling on the baby monitor, followed by a little, "Mommy, open door? Mommy, come in," I raced to bring you downstairs. I told you that something special was downstairs, and your eyes were wide as you held my hand and we walked down the steps.

When I plugged the tree lights in, your eyes lit up, too. Christmas is going to be so fun this year! You had so much fun pitter pattering around the house pointing out the decorations. Stockings! "Christmas berries" (garlands)! Wreaths! And your favorites, "Orments!" We have had a few little chats about not touching the ornaments on the tree, but you are being a good boy.

The first thing you did this morning after shouting "OOOOOOH!" when we turned on the tree lights was to start working on your snowman stacking ring puzzle. You are really in the spirit!

I'm just waiting until you remember the holy grail of all Christmas decor: the jingle bells on the front door. You call them "jingy bells" and there must not be anything more exciting in the whole wide world. I've never seen a bigger smile.

This is the earliest I've ever decorated, but Thanksgiving is next week and we will be gone (to both grandparents' homes) so I thought it just might be socially acceptable to put things up now.

I'd say you gave your approval!

"Yittle Boy"

Well, William, yesterday you turned two years old. You are quite literally the light of our lives. Your Mommy and Daddy, grandparents, great-grandparents, and aunt and uncles all love you more than anything in the world.

Yesterday there was a terrible whirlwind of news about our beloved Penn State, and people are already saying that it's one of those things that they'll always remember - where they were when they heard, etc. I tuned in during your nap time, and your Daddy and I stayed up late watching the news and feeling very sad for everyone involved. BUT - a big bit - we still had a great day with our "yittle boy."

(I made up a song that I sing to you at bedtime, which you request nightly and have titled "Little Boy" - but in your sweet 2-year-old lisp comes out as "Yittle.")

In the morning, you asked for a bagel - and lo and behold, and much to your delight - it came with candles on top!

We took your new tricycle to the park on a beautiful, sunny, warm fall morning. I can't get over how big you look in these photos. Our tiny baby is not so tiny any more! (In fact at your pediatrician's visit this morning, the Dr. told me that you're the height of a 32 month old! You are in the 94th percentile for height, and the 48th for weight, which is great!)

Again, at lunchtime, you had candles (this time on your grilled cheese). Who knew that turning off the dining room lights, singing "Happy Birthday" to you, and letting you puff away at 2 little candles would be an absolute thrill. You are such a good boy.

At 1:02 p.m. (the moment you were born), Dad was home for lunch, and we sang to you again.

We picked Daddy up from law school in the late afternoon and took a walk as a family at a pretty park.

We took you out to dinner, and when the waitress asked what you would like, and you said grilled cheese, we let you have it, even though you had the same thing for lunch. Hey, you only turn 2 once. (...and you cleaned your plate of the green beans on the side!)

Our "yittle" pumpkin. We love you to death.

What a day November 9, 2009 was! I'll never forget a single second.

When I put you to bed last night, I was thinking that November 9, 2011 was also a special day. In the happy little world of our family, it was a pretty usual day. I thought about how, in 5 - 10 - 30 years, I would appreciate those usual days just as much as the big, important ones. I'm sure I'll wish I could relive a "plain old day" when you were small, and I'm making sure to savor them now.

You are a pleasure. You tell us that you love us. You beam when you talk about your grandparents. You give spontaneous hugs and kisses. You love animals, tractors, and books. You love snuggling, you love your dog, and your two blankets.

We love you.

Happy second birthday! I can't wait to see what you're like on November 9, 2012.

Two years ago tomorrow

Tomorrow you turn two.

Two years old.

This evening when your Daddy and I kissed you goodnight, I told you that when we saw you in the morning, you'd be a big boy. You'd be TWO! This was the last time we'd see you as a one year old.

We've had the countdown going for a month, with the cute little ticking-off-the-days poster Nanna gave you. But I still can't believe it.

A few photos from your birthday party this weekend. You were such a sweet birthday boy. You opened your presents, with little breaks to play with your new treasures. You loved being sung to, and blowing out your candles so much that you said "again" and we did - everyone sang to you twice, and watched as you excitedly enjoyed your cake.

Today, it was as if something clicked in that amazing little brain of yours, and told you that you were about to turn two. The fabled "terrible twos" are around the corner (or so they say), and you're becoming so independent. Several times this morning you stopped in your tracks as I tried to help you with things, and said "Do by SELF!"

You're speaking in sentences, but they usually have a cute quirk or two. "Mommy Daddy sit down play with Wuhnuh?" (Yes, you're still pronouncing your name as Wuh-nuh.) "Doggy barking outside. Raccoons!" "Daddy home soon? Daddy back soon. Daddy at school." "Mommy say 'damnit!'" (Yes, I let it slip, and you quoted me. I was and still am mortified)...

Last night when I got home from being in Philadelphia all day, you greeted me, unprompted, with "Miss you!" and a big, big squeeze. You are too much, little man.

You're not only becoming a little person in your ability to communicate, but in your adventures and the tasks that you can do "by self" (or at least attempt to do so)!

Today there was a suspiciously silent moment or two, so I peeked around the corner to see this:

Georgia, who you love to lead around the house, ("Mommy, please put weash on Doggy!") was stuck by the bathroom door. I heard running water and chatter. Opened it up, and...

"Wuhnuh washing hands! Wif soap!"

Oh dear.

A few last parting shots...

Your Dad should win a Best Father award for the man hours he's put in lately to keep you, in your marching-band-obsession stage, happy. He turns on the PSU Blue Band, dons a 2-year-old sized plastic fireman's helmet, and marches around the house with you. Our first floor is all open, and a perfect "parade" route. The parade usually begins in the living room. "Instments" (instruments) are chosen - tonight you used a golf club as a drum major's staff - and the march goes on through the foyer, into the kitchen (where I snapped away), and back through the dining room, where the loop begins again.

You tell Daddy to pull your tractor, so he has tied a string to it, and tonight, after this weekend's birthday festivities, also had a trail of earthbound, half-deflated helium balloons bouncing along behind it. The two of you sing, clap, and march around for 15 minutes at a time this way, and you take it VERY seriously. You are very deliberate about marching with your knees up, and barely crack a smile, even when I laugh at every pass.

And did I mention your "marching band hat?" It's an upside-down purple felt Halloween pail.

Oh, little baby. We love you.

Happy almost birthday.

Monkey Jumping on the Bed

Just like in one of his favorite songs!