Pumpkin Pie

Christmas Picture Fail

We failed big time at Christmas pictures this year. Sadly, this is the best we have. Matthew enjoyed ripping wrapping paper off the gifts. Santa brought him a kitchen with all the matching accessories - even a shopping cart.

Here he is trying out his new cookware.

We spent Christmas Eve at the Graffe's where Matty got a play food set. Christmas Day we spent at Mom and Dad's where Joshua made an awesome breakfast for all.

We did manage to take a family photo at a portrait studio this year, so at least we have that. Here's to next year with more pictures!

Christmas Fun with Aunt Jackie

This first picture has nothing to do with Jackie, but it's pretty cute. Matthew has been asking for specific snacks lately either by name or by pointing. The other day he asked me to "ope" the fridge and chose this lovely cucumber as his early morning snack. Fine by me!
Daddy taught Matthew how to say "boots". He of course had to try them on as well.
This one is for Mag-m. Here you are chatting with the Matt man.
Nothing says Christmas like a boy in a stocking!
Reading with his aunt. Two of his most favorite things!

Aunt Jackie gave Matty a keyboard for Christmas. Theses videos are way too long to enjoy so just check out the first 3 seconds and you're good to go.

Matthew says "applezoz"

Thanksgiving

This year Joshua began what I think will be a tradition for years to come: Wear your craziest holiday sweater to Thanksgiving dinner. Oh what fun to be silly together and thankful for family!

As we shared our most thankful lists before bed I couldn't help but break down in tears missing my family. Life is full of choices and we are forced to make decisions constantly. While I do not regret the decision to live here in WA, my heart longs to be in California with those that I love.
Here is my sweet (and not yet growing - sorry people!) family. I am so thankful for my two boys.
Aunt Jackie managed to escape the photo opportunities, but she did come down to spend the holiday with us. She brought Christmas a bit early with this awesome reusable cup and other fun Starbucks treats.

Today we are going to brave the crowds and see what this Black Friday is all about. Jackie talked a lot about the 4:00 opening times, but here it is 9:00 and she is still in dreamland. :) Do you think there will be anything left at 4:00PM?

Nap update

So Matthew did in fact go down for a nap this afternoon. Hooray! About an hour and a half in he called, "Mommy?" like he usually does when he's ready to get up. When I went yo pick him up, instead of raising his arms and saying, "Up?" as usual, he swatted at me. So I left thinking I would very soon hear screaming. Nope. I just checked on him and he is back out again. Hmm, maybe I should be making dinner instead of blogging ...

"Like Homies and Gansters" and "Stuck"

I once had a student we'll call M. He asked me if boys crossed their legs. I told him yes, many men find it comfortable to cross their legs and demonstrated the usual "guy" style. He nodded in agreement and asked, "Like homies and gangsters?" From then on anything deemed "ghetto" is referred to as like homies and gangsters.

For example, Matthew's jeans. We have been doing a lot of switching between cloth and disposable diapers (darn the rashes!) and therefore need two sizes of pants. Get them wrong and you have a half naked boy on your hands.
These actually do fit quite nicely, but Matthew has discovered that he can take them off himself. Uh oh.
Matthew has also been learning words that begin with an s-blend: snake, snack, sticks, and stuck. Yes, he is playing with a girly pink stroller. He loves to push that thing around the house. Sometimes empty, sometimes with blocks, books, or shoes. He was attempting to put himself in and ask his friend to push him. Oops.
Speaking of pushing, he has tried to push all of our furniture around and in many cases succeeded. He told me he was stuck on the kitchen cart, but I think he meant the kitchen cart was stuck as he could no longer make it move.

My sweet little man is in his crib talking to himself and avoiding his afternoon nap (an unhappy habit that has been going on for about a week.) He has decided that he doesn't need a nap, however, come 6:00 and he is out like a light. Great! Wrong. He takes a nap and is wide eyed and bushy tailed by 7:30 when little boys should be getting ready for bed. Perhaps the eight new teeth coming in have something to do with this crazy schedule. Time will tell.

Just like Daddy

Matthew's vocabulary is expanding rapidly - like 2-3 words every day. Some of my favorites are "Dackie" (Aunt Jackie), "rackoo" (cracker), "baby" (at every child under 15), and "backoo" (vacuum).

He usually is more adept with his vacuuming skills. I think he was rushing to keep up with Daddy. I love it when my fellas help out!

Ahhh... Mornings with Matthew

Apparently Duckie needed his morning caffeine fix too. Thanks Matthew.

Joshua's 33rd Birthday

So for my 33rd birthday Erin wanted to bake me a special cake. A carrot cake shaped like a pumpkin. We also had bible study that night and it was our turn to provide the snack. Before we headed out the door, Erin was quick to snap this shot. The cake was delicious and everyone enjoyed it.

The group gave me a singing card, which Matthew has been enjoying all week. He has even created some new dance moves. Watch him teach some of those moves to you in the video.

Tom's Farm

Today we ventured out to Tom's Farm at the suggestion of Fiona.  It was awesome!  We all enjoyed the music, shopping, and sights.  Matthew liked it even better than Disneyland.  

We started off at the petting zoo where there were baby goats, piglets, and chickens.  Adorable!
Next we went into the furniture store (where I found my next couch - leather with dual recliners) and Matt threw a tantrum.  
Then we rode the train into the wilderness, through an Amish style bridge, and back.  Matthew refused to sit still until we started moving which reminded me once again how nervous I am for Wednesday's flight.
Finally, we rode the carousel where Matthew made his parade debut.  He waved at everyone all the way around and thought he was the star of the show.  "Weeeeeee!"

What a fun day.  Thanks Fiona for suggesting and Aunt Beth for treating!

Park Fun

We took the two cutie boys to the park on Saturday.  Caleb enjoyed running, climbing, and sliding.  Matthew preferred sitting in the Club House.  Caleb tried it out for a minute or two.

Caleb giving his cousin kisses.
Matthew giving his cousin kisses.

Anniversary Message

Big Boy Haircut

Matt and I went out shopping this morning and went for an impulse buy.  There was a children's haircut store next door with fun car chairs and bubbles. So we went in.  Matt had fun for about 10 seconds and then she started to touch his head.  He then proceeded to scream his little head off and attempt to cling to me while she worked her magic.  I don't know about the style for his hair - it kinda just sticks up since he has so much body.  And it probably wasn't worth the $15 I paid, but hey, he looks handsome anyway.  Oh yeah, the Harry Potter-like scar on his nose is from a face plant into the table at IHOP a few days ago.  Nice.

Disneyland!

We decided to splurge this year and take the fam to Disneyland.  It's a pretty special place for us since Joshua and I spent many fun times there while we were dating and our first apartment was all of about four miles from there.  We have been back once since moving to WA but thought this time Matty might enjoy the park with us.  He was actually not such a happy camper all day.  After the plane ride and drive to the hotel he decided midnight was a great time to play.  And then cry.  And cry some more.  He ended up sleeping from about 2-5 (that means half the hotel only slept from 2-5 ...).  He was tired and mostly ambivalent toward all things Disney.  Oh well, we got three for the price of one tickets so I suppose it was ok. 
Jackie got her favorite Disney beverage - the mint julep.
Daddy and Matty rode the carousel and Dumbo together.  Matt still thinks horses say "moo". Whatever.
Once he was out, he was out.  He snoozed through the very loud fireworks show and the long walk back through the crowds to the hotel.  

My mom came and picked up Matt and Jackie so Joshua and I could enjoy an early anniversary night together.  We headed straight for the hot tub to soak our tired tootsies.  Then, we went for a late night bite and another old favorite, Mimi's Cafe.  It wasn't the same as we remembered.  Boo.  After sleeping in and having breakfast in the Circle of Orange (another popular date spot) we came to rescue my mom from the littlest Hardwick.  

It was a lovely birthday with the most birthday wishes I have ever had (thanks to the Disneyland pin).  Although I still say I am 29 and holding.

CA Fun

(This picture is supposed to be at the bottom, so read the captions there.)
Joshua left us this morning to head back home.  Here are a few (and only a few because lately I stink at remembering to use the camera) pictures of our weekend.  We went to visit our old church, Rock Harbor.  Service was awesome ... I always leave there feeling convicted and encouraged.  Here is Ua with his long time pals Tracy and Kaitlyn.
Hanging out with the Graham Fam at Mom's house.  
Matthew took a short break from screaming and slapping his Grandma to "help" her with her studies.  He had to put his glasses on to look studious while scribbling in her book.  

Tonight we met up with the Hedley's for their weekly pizza night.  Matthew had a tremendous amount of fun driving the video game car and picking the olives off of everyone's pizza.  He must have been seriously worn out because he was fast asleep before we pulled out of the parking lot at about a quarter to seven.  I better hit the hay too since he will likely be up half the night ...

Toys toys toys

I bought some glove puppets for my class at school and Matt loves to play with them when he visits my classroom. He made his own glove puppets at home. :)

Nothing like a cup of coffee in the morning ... Ok, so I had to be creative with his cups because his protein powder is supposed to mix with 8-10 ounces of liquid and our sippy cups just aren't big enough.

Matthew spent a day with a new friend and she passed along his two new favorite toys - a vacuum and a phone. He can't get enough of either one!

If gloves make good puppets, why not shoes?

When little boys play in the laundry

They choose Mommy's underclothes to walk around the house with and then sit and play peekaboo!
Nap time today had an interesting pose ...

Matt loves reading his books.  I wish I had kept my big mouth shut and let you enjoy his reading in silence.  Sorry, no do overs this time.

Goodbye Summer

My mom has been begging for current pictures, so here is yet another batch from our summer of fun.  Matthew has got the walking thing down and has moved on to climbing.  He just hoisted his little leg up onto the fireplace ledge and carried on with one of his favorite activities (still) - drumming.  He only has on one shoe because he brought it to me just moments before his climb and lifted his foot for me to oblige.
Another shot of my dirt-eating darling.
I decided it was high time we "moved in" to our house and hung up a few pictures and decorations.  This one is my favorite antique store/Goodwill/linen closet combination.
I also crocheted something I wanted to keep.  Matty likes it too. :)
Joshua got a new attachment for his yard tool and hacked away at our monstrously overgrown yard.  This picture does not do justice to the mammoth pile of tree limbs that he lopped off with that bad boy.

So that's it for summer, I guess.  We will be spending the first few days of fall back in so Cal (just can't get enough of my family!).  Joshua is taking one last getaway before he starts back to school.  I started back to work teaching kindergarten one day a week.  It's a pretty unique situation and I am so thankful that it worked out.  I am also teaching dance classes this year, starting with ballet.  I am anxious to see what this old body can do!

Big Day

What a day! My little man has discovered that he can walk all by himself (although he prefers to crawl if he is already on the floor). He also made a big step toward potty training - he signaled to me that he needed to go, so I put the potty in front of him. After a bit of hesitation, he aimed and fired! No luck for #2 yet. I think he is holding it in. We'll get there soon I'm sure.

Summer Fun

Here's a quick update on the happenings around the Hardwick house this summer. Matt is such a boy and adores playing in the dirt. He must also enjoy eating it, because he always does.

Kitchen "toys" are still a big hit. Here is my little guy cooking up some fun.

We started the early steps to potty training. He is kind of freaked out by going pee in the potty, so he covered himself with his diaper and that helped a bit.

I found this drum at the Goodwill which is just perfect for Matt. He plays way too rough for a toy drum. He also practices his standing and squats while playing, although no walking yet. Sheesh. What a slow poke!