A Ride on Thomas the Train!

On Friday afternoon Daddy, Mommy, and Anderson went to A Day Out With Thomas. There were so many fun Thomas the Train activities! There was a bounce house, model train room, petting zoo, trains to play with, and of course a real train ride pulled by Thomas himself. Anderson's best buddy Brody was there with his parents too! Here are some of our favorite pics from the day.

Daddy & Anderson at the model trains

Anderson getting his Thomas Sticker (temp tattoo)

Petting the Rabbit

Thomas pulling the train into the station!

Mommy & Anderson (blowing his train whistle)

Brody & Anderson

Daddy & Anderson

Mommy & Anderson

View from the train

Brody & Anderson being silly on the train ride.

Anderson just had his ticket stamped!

Fire Truck Fun!

Today our playgroup went to Frisco's Fire Safety Town for some fun. When Anderson woke up from his nap this afternoon, I told him we were going to go see a fire truck. He was SO excited and I've never seen him so anxious to get his shoes on and get in the car. As soon as we arrived at the FFST, he immediately began pointing at the fire truck down the hall that was in his view and begging Mommy to go to the fire truck. He just couldn't wait to go see it and explore. When the time finally came for us to let the little ones inside the fire truck, Anderson was in Heaven. I really think he would've stayed in that fire truck for hours. He loved driving the truck, pushing all the buttons, having Mommy open and close the doors. The whole works! After the fire truck fun and some more exploring, he and his friends got new fireman hats, which Anderson was thrilled about. Even tonight as we were talking about our day before bed, he was still wearing his new fireman's hat. I asked him what his favorite part of the day was today and he was silent for a moment before clearly saying "fire truck". It was so wonderful to see him so happy!

Just a cute story.

I really should post more little stories like this. They happen so often with a toddler!

Last night around 3am, Anderson was having trouble sleeping, which is highly abnormal. Usually, it's 7:30 bedtime and not a peep until 7 or so the next day. Well, his sleepy whining turned into crying and calling "mommy" after 5 minutes or so. I went up there and did my normal "checks": no fever, no wet PJs, no poopy smell. All seemed to be fine. I gave him a sip of water, laid him back down, turned on his music box and was stroking his hair helping him calm back down. A minute or two went by and he was very silent so I thought he was drifting back to sleep. Well, all the sudden he sneezed. I remained quiet. Anderson, however, spoke up wide awake and clearly said "Bess you li budee" (Bless you Little Buddy). Poor guy was just waiting on Mommy to say what she always says after he sneezes and when I didn't he just took it upon himself. I wanted to laugh out loud because it was so stinking adorable and funny. However, I quietly just told him it was still night-night time that he needed to go back to sleep. I left the room then smiling to myself. I fully expected him to protest my leaving, but instead, he just laid there. I watched him on the video monitor on and off for the next half hour or so (pregnancy insomnia) and he continued to just lay there with his little eyes glowing in the screen as they would slowly open and close as he tried to sleep. No crying, just laying there. I wanted more than anything to know what was going through his little mind as he laid so quiet and still.

Videos!

In an effort to make up for lacking in the video posting department, here are 4 videos of Anderson playing tonight! The funny thing is that all of these "episodes" occurred within about 15 minutes. I think saying Anderson is a busy boy is an understatement.

Shapes and Colors

Night Night Puppies!

Phone Calls

"If You're Happy & You Know It" ~ toddler attention span style

Latest Baby News

We had a 28 week sono today and everything looks fantastic. Baby Boy 2 is still in fact a boy. He's measuring about a week ahead in size and weighs almost 3 pounds. He's hanging out head down already (I think I literally felt him turn on Sunday!!) and I am now getting used to some hefty kicks in the upper part of my belly.

Here are the sono pics from today.

Profile

Profile with hand near nose

Face looking right at us and a fist.

Puppy Love

Anderson has many, many new best friends ~ his stuffed animals. His new passion is taking care of them. Mainly, putting them to "night-night" and then telling them to "wape up" and ripping their blankies off. He loves to put them all into his crib, get inside with them to play, and then throw them all out.


The other day after waking from his nap, not only did all of his stuffed animals and blankies get put into his crib, Riley happened to walk into the room as well. Poor Riley ~ she knows by now what's about to happen when Mommy bends down and scoops her up. She turns into one of Anderson's best friends, only softer. Here are a few pics of Anderson's fun with Riley in his crib. I know for a fact that if we would allow it, Anderson would be in toddler Heaven if Riley could only stay in there when we turn the lights out at night!


Riley's such a sweet dog. Poor thing has no idea that we're about to bring home yet another one of these loud, rough, little people that loves to smother her in hugs and kisses!



Yes, that's Riley's poor little face peeking out from under the mountain of cotton and a 26 pound toddler treating her like a pillow.







Awww. Such a sweet boy and the best dog.



Posing for Mommy.

Going in for a kiss!

Before bathtime having another party in his crib with Roscoe, Puppy, Moose, Chick, pillow, and blankies.

Happy New Year!

We are back from our whirlwind tour of Texas over the Christmas holiday. After visiting Lubbock and San Antonio via lots of driving and a long flight experience for Anderson and I in the middle, we were ready to be home! Although, unpacking all those suitcases and finding room for all of our fabulous new gifts was a challenge! Our goal was to be completely finished by the 4th, when Reese goes back to work, and I think we'll do it! We had so many wonderful times over the Christmas season- too many to recap! However, I will post some of my favorite pictures from this past month.


This is one of those shots that you could never capture if you were actually trying. :) Riley and Anderson love each other so much- it's adorable.

I love the look of determination on Anderson's face as he decorates his Christmas cookie. After we made these, we had to continually hide the cookie tin because asking for a cookie became a multiple-times-per-day occurrence!

We had some friends over to play one day and they brought their newest addition. Anderson immediately took interest in saying hello to the baby and bringing her his trucks to play with. I just hope this friendliness towards babies continues over the next 6 months!

This year we put this Santa out in the front yard with the lights. Anderson began asking daily to go "ou-side" to see "Ho Ho Ho". He would go out and give him five, stand by him, wave, etc. We were a little worried to put him away once Christmas was over!

Anderson is in that stage where he is beginning to enjoy posing for pictures. In fact, he became so used to posing in front of various Christmas trees that whenever we would tell him that we wanted to take a picture, he would immediately go stand in front of whatever Christmas tree was around!

This picture captures what happens multiple times per day around here. Anderson is a typical toddler who gets frustrated easily. Hence, the frustrated expression. The hand raised is Anderson's adaptation of the sign for "help". We're trying to teach him that when he's frustrated to just ask for "help please" instead of crying, so it seems we are making some progress.

This is Reese with our niece, Kate, and Anderson at the bowling alley. I think this is such a cute picture of the kids, both old and young!

Our family on Christmas morning!

On our first morning in San Antonio, Anderson promptly walked straight over to one of the presents with Thomas the Train paper on it and just started opening it. He knew by now that those wrapped things had fun stuff inside and that he wasn't waiting on everyone else to take their places in the living room!

Anderson was a present passing-out pro! He loved delivering the presents to whoever Mommy and Daddy told him it was for. If it was a big one, his new expression was "Heavy!"

Overall, we had a memory-filled Christmas this year! Thanks to all of our family for making Christmas so wonderful for us all!