Super Michael

I know it's been a while since I updated the blog - my apologies.  I've been a little lazy lately.  This morning when we went to church, Michael got to wear his new boots.  He was VERY proud of them and even posed for the cutest picture ever taken of him.  I know I'm biased, but what a cutie!

After church, we went to our standard brunch restaurant, and the waitress gave Michael a blue Tootsie Pop.....and after many, many licks and getting to the center of the tootsie pop, here's what happened:

A few weeks ago, Grammie sent Michael this fun cape to fly around the house in - and he does just that.  He flaps his arms and flies all over the place.....it's hysterical to watch.

Michael started soccer and it's the cutest thing you've ever seen.  He loves every minute of class and doesn't stop running the whole time.  

Yesterday, we went to visit our friends who just had baby James.  Michael taught James how to toot....it was a chain reaction between the two of them and it had us all laughing.

When we walked back to the car, he wanted to carry his backpack like a big boy.......and that's exactly what he's becoming - a big boy!  He climbed out of his crib for the first time today.  I came home from the grocery store and could hear him in the monitor waking up.  Ryan was upstairs and I just figured he'd get Michael.  Next thing I know, Michael is coming down the stairs going "MOM MOM MOM!".  We went upstairs to find Ryan and he was asleep!  My little baby is definitely no longer a baby!

Preschool, Grandparents, Birthday - Oh My!

So much happened this past week, I don't even know where to begin! We'll start with Tuesday, when Michael went to his first day of pre-school. Here's a family picture, just before the dreaded "drop off". Notice, we're all smiles.

At his new school, I don't even get out of the car, the teacher comes and takes him out - and puts him back in the car seat when I pick him up. Needless to say, the first day was TORTURE as evidenced by the picture below. The past two times he's gone, it's been much better. The first day was just hard! Hard on everyone - even I cried!

Then, on Wednesday, I hosted Michael's playgroup for a little Hot Wheels Birthday party. I didn't get any pictures of the decorations, but leave it up to the pregnant lady to take a picture of some of the food!
Then, after school again on Thursday, we went and picked up Grandmommy and Granddaddy at the airport. Michael didn't stop babbling and goofing off almost the entire time they were here.

The big birthday #2 was Saturday and we had a little party - same Hot Wheels decor but this time with many, many balloons.

Here's a pic of Michael blowing out the candles on his cake.....all of the neighbors and some friends came.

This is my new "coffee table" for now. Michael got a train table for his birthday and he is obsessed with it. It frees up a good hour or more every day for me to get done what I need to. He LOVES it and circles it over and over saying "CHOO CHOO!!!". Michael opened so many presents that now, each time we open one to play with, it's like he's opening it all over again and forgot he ever received it in the first place! Here's a pic of Michael and three of his lady friends. Michael doesn't know any boys up here....

On Sunday afternoon, we ventured into the city and that was a crazy adventure. Michael had been 2 for all of 24 hours and boy was he demonstrating the terrible two's right off the bat. The boat ride from the train to the Navy Pier was, well, let's just say - CHALLENGING.

On Monday morning, Ryan's parents came with me to Michael's first gymnastics class and we had another CHALLENGING moment. Don't think I'll ever go back there. :) That night, we opened up one of his presents from Papa - an easel. He sat there and colored with his chalk (thanks Nana and Grand Bob!) and yelled "DRAW DRAW DRAW". He's quite the Picasso.

At the end of the week, we went and had Michael's 2 year pictures made. That was lots of fun and we got some very good pics.

Well that's the end of a very busy week. Michael now has a cold and is being super snuggly and sweet. As "challenging" as this age is, it's the best age yet.

Labor-filled Labor Day Weekend

This has definitely been a crazy, not-so-relaxing Labor Day weekend - but we did it to ourselves.  :)  Its been non stop in every possible way.  Ryan had the day off Friday, and we spent that day taking down our bed in anticipation of the big delivery on Saturday or our new king bed.  Let me just tell you, it takes a while to take down your guest bed, get it to the basement, then take down your own bed and move it to it's new home:  the guest bedroom.  Michael was a big help as you can see in the pictures below.  He discovered a brand new fascination of tools.

We woke up Saturday very excited to see our huge, very substantial new bed get delivered.  There was a small problem.  Once they arrived, we realized our bed was a bit too substantial and didn't fit up our staircase!!!!  AHHHH!  So, they delivered everything but the headboard which has to go to "wood shop surgery" and be broken down a little bit.  We're sleeping on the floor, on our big mattress, in all of our new bedding.....just sans the bed.  We spent all day Saturday and Sunday cleaning house and shopping for Michael's upcoming birthday and bedding.  I managed to squeeze in a few home cooked meals and here's a pic to prove it:

By the time Labor Day actually rolled around, we were literally climbing the walls in exhaustion from our labor-filled labor day weekend.  

Here's a pic of my "almost" 17 week baby bump:

One thing we realized this weekend, we have the next David Beckham on our hands.  Check out this video of Michael handling this soccer ball.  Not bad for a little 2 year old!