Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!  Such a great time and so much good food.  We loved having our parents and Molly over.  There was a little "turkey anxiety," but the bird ended up tasting delicious, and we had no problem filling our bellies.  We have so much to be thankful for this year, and my husband puts it best:  "We don't have everything we want, but we have everything we need."  He's so right, and sometimes I need to be reminded of that.  

 

After dinner and dessert we spent the night relaxing on the couch, checking out the ads and playing with Henry.  Then it was time to get our Christmas on! We played a Christmas song game (compliments of my mother), Henry rocked his Santa jammies for the first time and we watched Christmas Vacation!!!  

24 Months/Two Years Old

Dear Henry,

You're two years old!  Can you believe it?!?  What an amazing year you've had... think of all the places you've been, things you've seen and all the cool stuff you've learned!  Here are some of the highlights as you enter your third year:

1 - You are talk, talk, talking all the time.  A lot of it is your own little jibber-jabber, but you know so many words... more than we can count.  You're stringing words together for phrases, you can give us a few simple sentences, you can count up to 10 (and sometimes beyond), you know most of your ABCs and you LOVE telling us what colors various things are.

2 - You're in daycare... and doing great!  It was a rough start a few months ago, but you've adapted very well and are now "The Mayor" of EduKids.  At least that's what Ms. Pamela tells us they call you, because you walk through the halls waving and saying "HI!" to everyone.  You're little Mr. Popular!

3 - You are OBSESSED with all kinds of big trucks and vehicles:  firetrucks, school buses, big rigs... but especially construction trucks.  You love excavators, bulldozers, dump trucks, backhoes and especially mini-loaders.  Once you've seen a construction site or a lot where these trucks are stored, you memorize it and make Mommy or Daddy drive by whenever you're in the car.  They are currently building the new fire station off of Main Street, and you know EXACTLY how to get there.  Whenever we're in the car, the moment we make that right onto Center you're screaming with glee:  "EXCAVATOR!"  or "MINI-LOADER!"

4 - You also like to read books, work with your flash cards, play with your puzzles and you've started to take an interest in coloring at your little table.  We love playing with you at your kitchen as you whip up various culinary creations for Mommy and Daddy.  Our favorite is the soup you make us with as many ingredients as you can fit in the pot!

5 - You still LOOOOOOVE to eat.  But you're also still a moody eater, eating what you want when you want it.  One night you'll refuse everything we put in front of you, but the very next day you'll eat that exact plate for lunch!  But we're happy we don't have to make you your own meal at night and that you eat whatever Mommy and Daddy eat.

6 - One complaint, and it's in the sleep department.  You still sleep straight through the night, but could you please... PLEASE... sleep in once and a while?!  You sleep in during the week when you need to get up for daycare, but come the weekend you're up at the crack of dawn.  Do you know you're home with Mommy and Daddy those days and just want to get up and play??

7 - You're a sweet, loving little boy who loves his family.  You are DEFINITELY a two year old, with your little temper tantrums and wanting everything on your terms.  You're also becoming Mr. Independent, which can be frustrating for you because there's simply some things you still need Mommy and Daddy to do.

Mommy and Daddy love you with all of our hearts.  Your second year was quite the journey, and we loved soaking in every moment we could with you.

Love,
Daddy and Mommy

My First Gingerbread House

Every time he put a candy on his house he said, "NO EAT!"

What a cute candy cottage!

Christmas Trees

Since my family was in town we decided to take the kids to the Hyatt to see their Christmas Tree display and giant gingerbread house.  The trees were beautiful and it was fun to look at each one decorated in its own theme.  

Fire Truck Party

Sound the alarm!  Henry has been OBSESSED with firetrucks for the last few months and when I asked him (about a bazillion times) if he wanted a Mickey Party (his other obsession) or Firetruck Party he ALWAYS answered with "FIRETRUCK!"  So firetrucks it was!!!  I found a great party package on Etsy that included firetruck invitations, a banner, cupcake toppers, favor tags, etc.  Then I found some other great firetruck themed decorations on the internet to turn our house into Henry's Firehouse for his second birthday party. It looked so cute in our house and he loved seeing firetrucks all over the place.  However, the highlight of the party was taking a special field trip to the fire station.  What better place to go if you are having a firetruck party!?!  I've mentioned before how we walk over there on a daily basis to check out the firetrucks and the firemen always let Henry in to look at them.  They were totally cool with us coming over during the party to see the trucks and equipment so we bundled up the troops and walked over.  The kids, especially the birthday boy, had an AWESOME time there.  The fire chief talked to us and showed the kids all the trucks, let them go in them, and even put on all his fire gear for them.  About 10 minutes after we got there, there was an actual fire call and the kids got to see the volunteers hop in the trucks and ambulance and race out of the station... we couldn't have planned it better!  Henry was in firetruck heaven while we were there.  

The party was perfect and I'm so glad we were able to go to the station.  Henry had a blast at his party and was just so happy.  He got such nice gifts from everyone and couldn't wait to have his firetruck cake and sing Happy Birthday again.  How are we gonna top this for future parties?!?!  

PS...I'm so mad I forgot to take a picture of the food table set up in our kitchen.  We had "fire" themed names labeled on little food tents in front of everything... yes, I'm a dork like that.

"Smokin" Pulled Pork

"Five-Alarm" Beans

"Hook & Ladder"Mac & Cheese

"Hot" Chicken Fingers

"Fire Station" Fruit Salad

"Chilled" Green Salad

"Rescue Water"

"Fire Truck" Cupcakes

"Fire Hoses" (aka twizzlers)

Vintage Fire Trucks

If you remember, last year we had an old Cookie Monster cookie jar at Henry's milk and cookies 1st birthday party. This year we were able to scoop up two more gems of Edward's. I loved having these special pieces for the party and now as a part of Henry's room!

This fire truck painting was from Edward's room when he was a little boy.  My mother-in-law gave it to us after she found out that we were having a fire truck party for Henry.  I spray painted the frame oil-rubbed bronze (to make the shiny silver frame a little less 80s looking... haha) and it now hangs in Henry's bedroom.  It looks perfect in there :-).  

This was also Edward's Fisher-Price fire truck from back in the day.  I love the little bell sound it makes when you pull it.  "Daddy's truck," as Henry says, sits on the shelf in his room along with the other vintage FP toys on display.  

Birthday Boy

Mommy and daddy both took the day off from work to spend with our birthday boy and spoil him rotten!  We started the day with an early doctor appointment for Henry's two-year well visit.  From there we treated him to Tim Hortons for a blueberry bagel and some Timbits, of course.  After a fun morning of playing we decided to get McDonald's for lunch.  It was Henry's first Happy Meal... and boy was he happy!!!  We had a McDonalds picnic in our living room on a blanket.  There was naptime and more playing throughout the day, along with opening presents.  Henry got the Fisher-Price Little People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo, a wooden toaster for his play kitchen, some books and puzzles.  Henry was making us toast with peanut butter right away.  After a great family day we headed over to Grammie's (Aunt Molly had just gotten in from NYC) for some pizza and ice cream cake.  Henry LOVED having "Happy Birthday" sang to him.  We had been practicing it all week so at this point he was a pro at saying how old he was and blowing out the candles.  I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY IS TWO!!!