Sleddin'

Dane got a sled for Christmas. He wasn't too terribly excited when he saw it, he had no idea what it's really for. We've tried to explain it and since Christmas we've not really had enough snow and it's been sooooo cold. Today we woke up to another inch or so of snow and it's 37degrees right now!!! PERFECT. We're so excited to get out there! (I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth)

Here's some pics that Brad took of Dane in the kitchen trying the sled out with the goggles that Brad bought him. He loves those goggles. Got them at Adams Ski Shop along with a face mask. He should be all set for some winter-fun!

Dinner

Cooking dinner with a 2 year old is no easy task! Dane insists upon dragging any chair he can get his hands upon over to the counter to "help" Well, Lately he drags a chair all over the house getting into all sorts of things that he shouldn't. I'm entertaining the idea of removing all light weight chairs from the house for the time being, because the word "No!" apparently holds absolutely no meaning anymore. But I digress......... back to dinner. Tonight we had stuffed shells. I stuffed the shells with a mixture of cottage cheese, garlic, spinach, mozzarella, and 1/2lb sausage 1/2lb turkey. I thought it turned out pretty good. Dane was in charge of stirring.

Lil' Casanova

A couple weeks ago before all the parties started we taught Dane to say "Hi Ladies" and then to give a wink. The funny thing is that he says it and then along with the wink he says "Boink!" I guess he can't say the word wink. Here's the video, cracks me up everytime!

Christmas Fun

On Christmas Eve we went over to visit with the Peterson's. We had a great time. We love and appreciate each one of them. They have been a big part of our lives, esp since Dane was born. Tim & Brenda have been great stand-in grandparents for Dane and I know his grandparents in heaven are really happy to have them do it.

Dane set out some of the sugar cookies he'd made and milk for Santa.

Christmas morning. Dane gets a bike!

and a helmet of course, Safety 1st! :)

Dane also received some clothes, 2 truck books and a Curious George movie. Grandma Longshore got Dane a sled. We're anxious for the snow to return so we can try it out. He's really gotten quite good at opening presents and I love that he opens everyone of them with enthusiasm!

A Christmas tradition. Every Christmas we head over to my family's at 10am for brunch and gifts. The party was at my older sister Trena's house this time.

Here's the sisters, Me, Trena & Randi

Pretty & Sweet

Today's sunrise. Beautiful.

On a totally different note, Tuesday after dinner Dane and I made sugar cookies. I was too covered in flour/sugar/frosting and sprinkles to get pictures of the actual events but I was able to get a picture of the end result. Now I'm usually the one who's alittle on the anal side but Brad was having the worst time letting go and having fun. He was worried about the mess Dane was making and trying to make the cookies actually looking pretty. I just gave Dane the sprinkles and let him go to town. Yeah, it was messy, but he had a blast and the cookies are cute. We're leaving a few out tonight with some milk for Santa. We think he'll appreciate Dane's creativity.

First Snow

Dane was so excited to wake up to snow Saturday morning and we were excited to get him suited up so we could play in it. Last year he was just 1 year old during winter. We found him this cute snow bib/coat combo at Babies R Us on the clearance rack. It's a 3T but fits great. He threw a major fit when we were trying to bundle him up, but once we got outside he loved it!

Here he is all bundled up.

We started a snowball fight and he thought it was great! In this pic he'd just got done hurling one at me. I love this picture, even though I cut the top of his head off. He just looks so happy :)

We also built a small snowman. The snow was perfect for rolling, it packed so easy. We found sticks for arms, rocks for eyes and a carrot for his nose. Dane's holding his "hand" in this picture.

Zoey has always loved the snow. She ran circles all around us. She loves to be in the middle of a snowball fight!

Most people know, I hate snow. I hate being cold but I put my feeling aside to watch Dane have a good time and I ended up having a good time too. I do not have the proper snow gear though. I think I could use some snow pants. I know with Dane I'll probably be out in the snow alot more this year. I hear he's getting a sled for Christmas and Brad's eager to pull him behind the fourwheeler!

"Santa likes boogers"

While I was working yesterday I knew Brad and Dane were going to head to the Springfield Mall to finish up alittle Christmas shopping. On one hand I was hoping they would stop to see Santa, on the other hand I didn't want them too, cause I didn't want to miss it! When I got home from work Dane was outside helping Brad work on the snow fence and I bought him back inside with me when I came in. He was talking alot about the day and I asked him what he did. He says...."Santa like boogers!" Funny. So I gathered they must have seen Santa.

Brad came in later with the picture. So cute.

Brad said he thought Dane may be a nervous nosepicker cause he was picking his nose the whole time they were in line! So Brad had told him that "Santa doesn't like nosepickers." Must be why Dane said "Santa like boogers." Never fails, even on the worst day Dane can make me laugh.

The "Poser"

A couple months ago Dane found a really old disposable camera that I'd forgotten we'd even had. So I showed him how to use it, and let him take pictures of whatever he wanted. He loved it! Now, Anyone who has or has had a 2 year old knows that they seem to go through this phase on not wanting to get a picture taken and that's the way he was. If you got out the camera, he'd make a face or run away. Well, He had so much fun with that camera that he wanted me to pose for pictures, then he wanted me to take his picture as he posed and PROBLEM SOLVED. Now Dane loves to have his picture taken and he likes to pose for them. Brad took these pictures a couple nights ago.

Then he starts to pose.

Then he asked me to join in the posin.

Evening Antics

My older sister got Dane big boy underwear for his birthday. 7 pairs of Thomas the Train underwear. They are so cute. Dane tried them on last night for the 1st time and we died of laughter. Be prepared to giggle..................

I can't believe my baby has on big boy underwear!! He's running around the house in them right now. He also just peed on the potty again. What a big boy! He hasn't #2'd yet today and we keep stressing the fact that he NEEDS to tell us ASAP if he needs too. Not really wanting to scrap that outta his underwear!

Office Party

Saturday night was our annual office Christmas Party at Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus. We had a good time. Here's Dane opening his presents from Doc & Cindy. I missed taking a pic of the expression on his face when Doc handed him his presents, but it was so cute. He didn't know he would get a present, and he was shocked! He seems honestly so thankful in his expression. Now, That's what Christmas is about, the pure joy on a child's face. I'll never forget the look on his face. The innocence he has in being so young, that he never thought about getting a present at a Christmas party.

He got a guitar! and he played it all the way home, and all morning!

Dane found a friend too. He's been eyeing Marna's daughter's across the table and I guess he decided that he like Jaime. So he crawled under the table and up into her lap. He came back a few minutes later and said "Mom, Talkin to a girl." Then he went back to her. He pretty much stayed there the rest of the evening. Too funny.

I had my friend Michelle take our photo. She did a great job! Somehow she managed to get Dane to smile, he's usually not so good with that and pictures. Dane loves Michelle and her husband Chuck, he talked about them all the way home.

Had to take a picture of my dessert. Lemon Cream Cake, it was delicious. I get that every year

Dane Sings

Dane's really been into singing lately. His favorites are from the Laurie Berkner Band. She plays on Noggin (nickjr) in between cartoons. I've been thinking about buying him one of her CD's to listen too in the car, but I'm not really sure that's such a good idea!

Yesterday (Dane's birthday) we just had a low key dinner at home and afterwards we put a candle in one of the last cupcakes. We started to sing him happy birthday and he sang along this time.

Notice how raspy is voice is.....he woke up with a cold. What a bummer.

Dane's 2!

Well, Today is Dane's 2nd birthday. I'm having mixed emotions. The last 2 years have been amazing, but they have gone so fast. He's grown alot and learned so much. I am truely blessed to be able to call him mine. I've never had so much fun before, he makes me laugh everyday.

I'm posting a pictorial recap of the last 2 years, just a few of my favorites.

Here's is Dane at the hospital, just one day old.

7lbs 6oz

20inches

Dane @ 4months

Dane @ 6months

Dane @ 9months (learning to walk with Dad) I also love this pic cause of the 2 new teeth on the bottom, looks like a cabbage patch kid :)

Dane @ 1year with his Christmas present

Dane @ 18months

Happy 2nd Birthday Dane!!

Love You.

Tree's up

We skipped putting a tree up last year when Dane was only 1 cause we knew he wouldn't be able to stay out of it. Truthfully, I really wanted too, but Brad didn't. He said Dane would just pull it over. So this year I was really excited to get it up, it changes the feeling in the house. Dane hasn't really messed with it at all. When I was decorating it, he came in and said "Wow Mom, good job!" He wanted to do alot of touching that night, but he hasn't messed with it since.

Party Time

We had Dane's 2nd birthday party Sunday night. It went really well. He didn't take a very big nap that day, only 1 hour so I was alittle concerned he would be alittle cranky. There was so much excitement, he was fine. He loves playing with all his cousins and he must have been wore out, he slept in till 8 today. Dane's party theme was tractors & dirt.

Here's the party invite.

My wonderful nephew Kelvin and nieces Cat & Mari came over in the morning to help me set up tables, entertain Dane, make the food, and decorate the cupcakes. They were so much help. I love them so much.

We made dirt pudding with worms and placed it the bed of Dane's dump truck. Then we arranged the "dirt" cupcakes behind with tractor equipment. I think it turned out so cute.

After dinner, which was beef-n-noodles, mashed potatoes, rolls, & cheese ball we opened presents. Dane was great at it, here he is throwing the box open.

Tim & Brenda got him a tool set that came with these goggles. He loves them, plus the hammer which he's been all over the house "fixing" things with! :)

My favorite part of the night was when everyone joined in singing Dane happy birthday. He had this expression of shock and wonder on his face the whole time. It was like he couldn't believe that everyone was singing just for him. So precious.

Finally getting to eat a cupcake, he'd eye-balled them all day and kept saying "Cake time now?"

Which happened to be one of the first things he sayed this morning too.

AHOY

Dane thinks he's a pirate. Not sure where that came from, but it's so cute! and yeah, He's getting ready to pick his nose at the end of this clip. If Dane's finger isn't in his nose, something's wrong.

Getting things ready for his 2nd birthday party today. My beautiful nieces Cat and Mari are coming over this morning to help me decorate and entertain Dane while some last minute cleaning is happening.

It's so bitter-sweet to think he's a little boy and not a baby anymore. Can't wait to see his reaction when he wakes up from his nap and all the decorations are up and cupcakes decorated, he's gonna be so surprised!

Downtown North Pole

Friday night we headed to downtown Bellefontaine to see the North Pole. It was alittle lack luster to say the least. We thought he'd get to see Santa, but instead he saw Mrs. Claus. Yeah, that's right, Santa wasn't there, only his wife. That's ok, she was really friendly. He did get to decorate a sugar cookie with sprinkles afterwards, he really liked that. They also had a reindeer, a horse drawn carriage, and a live nativity scene.

Here's Dane with Mrs. Claus

We met up with Sean, Jen, Taylor and Lincoln and then went to dinner afterwards. If you look at Dane's hands, you'll notice that he has one brown glove and one gray one. Somewhere between the house and Bellefontaine (10miles) Dane lost his other gray glove. We stripped that car down looking for the other glove with no luck. Weird that I happened to have one brown glove in my purse :)

Bucket Head

Dane decided the bed of his dump truck is a helmet and was wearing it around the house last night and again this morning. He's so silly.

People might be curious about my broken camera since I'm still posting pictures. It works, I just have to remember to hold the flash up with my finger before I take a picture. It's alittle irritating but it does work and we wanted to do alittle research on new camera's before we bought another one. We know which one we want now, it's just a matter of letting go of the money. I fell in love with the Canon SX20.

Beach Boy

Dane informed me that he was going to go get his "beach" hat. We've never taken him to the beach before so I wasn't even sure he knew what a beach was. Apparently he does. He also insisted on finding his sunglasses to wear to the beach. I think he may be on to something though, I would love to headed to a beach somewhere!!