Home At Last

After an extremely long vacation (only because we began to miss Nathan), we made it home this morning at 6:30 a.m. I don't know how Steve does it, but he's able to drive all night in silence as Nathan and I snooze the whole way home. Nathan woke up around 3 a.m. so we let him stretch his legs and run around Walmart. He stocked up on a few new toys. How could we tell him no when he was being such a good little traveler? He picks up toys off the shelf and says, "I buy it." As far as he is concerned, the buying process consists of handing the cashier his toy, then getting it right back. He doesn't realize the whole money issue yet.
He wore his white Adidas shell toe shoes in, but they were uncomfortable with the feet in his night-nights so we took them off. Then I left them setting on the bag carousel at the register. I guess I'm not the most attentive person at 3 a.m. Luckily, I keep a stash of shoes at home at all times. 

We are still settling in, so I figured I would just save the long vacation post for after Paw-Paw arrives at our house tomorrow night. I haven't had a break from playing "road" since we got home this morning, so when Paw-Paw takes over Nathan duty I'll have time to share the past couple of week's activities.

Home At Last

After an extremely long vacation (only because we began to miss Nathan), we made it home this morning at 6:30 a.m. I don't know how Steve does it, but he's able to drive all night in silence as Nathan and I snooze the whole way home. Nathan woke up around 3 a.m. so we let him stretch his legs and run around Walmart. He stocked up on a few new toys. How could we tell him no when he was being such a good little traveler? He picks up toys off the shelf and says, "I buy it." As far as he is concerned, the buying process consists of handing the cashier his toy, then getting it right back. He doesn't realize the whole money issue yet.
He wore his white Adidas shell toe shoes in, but they were uncomfortable with the feet in his night-nights so we took them off. Then I left them setting on the bag carousel at the register. I guess I'm not the most attentive person at 3 a.m. Luckily, I keep a stash of shoes at home at all times. 

We are still settling in, so I figured I would just save the long vacation post for after Paw-Paw arrives at our house tomorrow night. I haven't had a break from playing "road" since we got home this morning, so when Paw-Paw takes over Nathan duty I'll have time to share the past couple of week's activities.

One More Nate Fix

When I said I would gladly drop Nathan off with in Minnesota on the last post, that was just my sleep deprivation talking. It's hitting me now how long we'll be away from Nathan. I sure am going to miss him. I know a few other people who are going to miss seeing his daily antics published on the blog and the regular Skype conversations. He's addicted to video chatting.

I am exhausted, but I couldn't leave the last post as a negative one. (Just so you know, it took one night of laying down the bedtime law for Nathan to quit his night time roaming.) Here are some pictures of Nathan over the past few days being his usual cheery self. He is way too funny.

Nathan found some Easter eggs loaded with money. I always used to like finding money in my Easter eggs as a kid... all the way up through college with paper money. Those were some good Easters. 
I guess I didn't get a picture of Nathan's Easter basket, but it was an airplane shaped basket loaded down with Matchbox cars and helicopters and airplanes.
Monday was "warm" by Rapid City standards. The entire city was at the park on our first "warm" day after having weeks of blizzards.
It's always funny to see how everyone is dressed when we have our first decent day after weeks of snow. All the moms at the park show up in their skimpiest summer clothes trying to act like it's not cold at all, even though the wind is still blowing ridiculously. 60 degree weather is not sundress or shorts and tank top weather. Yes, it's warmer than 10 degrees, but it's still not warm enough for summer clothes.
This is the sign that Nathan has reached his playground max.
Tuesday was another nice day so we headed back over to the park.
Nathan has gotten good at climbing the bars.
Climbing is totally his thing right now.
I can't imagine where he's seen this done before. This is how Nathan thinks you talk on the phone. This way, or by holding the phone open on speaker.
You can imagine how many rocks Nathan brings home with him after each trip to the playground. You can also imagine how dirty his bath water is after each trip to the playground.

That's it for a while. Check back in a few weeks for another Nate Update.

One More Nate Fix

When I said I would gladly drop Nathan off with in Minnesota on the last post, that was just my sleep deprivation talking. It's hitting me now how long we'll be away from Nathan. I sure am going to miss him. I know a few other people who are going to miss seeing his daily antics published on the blog and the regular Skype conversations. He's addicted to video chatting.

I am exhausted, but I couldn't leave the last post as a negative one. (Just so you know, it took one night of laying down the bedtime law for Nathan to quit his night time roaming.) Here are some pictures of Nathan over the past few days being his usual cheery self. He is way too funny.

Nathan found some Easter eggs loaded with money. I always used to like finding money in my Easter eggs as a kid... all the way up through college with paper money. Those were some good Easters. 
I guess I didn't get a picture of Nathan's Easter basket, but it was an airplane shaped basket loaded down with Matchbox cars and helicopters and airplanes.
Monday was "warm" by Rapid City standards. The entire city was at the park on our first "warm" day after having weeks of blizzards.
It's always funny to see how everyone is dressed when we have our first decent day after weeks of snow. All the moms at the park show up in their skimpiest summer clothes trying to act like it's not cold at all, even though the wind is still blowing ridiculously. 60 degree weather is not sundress or shorts and tank top weather. Yes, it's warmer than 10 degrees, but it's still not warm enough for summer clothes.
This is the sign that Nathan has reached his playground max.
Tuesday was another nice day so we headed back over to the park.
Nathan has gotten good at climbing the bars.
Climbing is totally his thing right now.
I can't imagine where he's seen this done before. This is how Nathan thinks you talk on the phone. This way, or by holding the phone open on speaker.
You can imagine how many rocks Nathan brings home with him after each trip to the playground. You can also imagine how dirty his bath water is after each trip to the playground.

That's it for a while. Check back in a few weeks for another Nate Update.

Night Terror

Steve and I are taking a 10 day vacation next week and I was a little worried that I was going to miss Nathan terribly. Not the case anymore. This vacation can't get here fast enough. I will gladly hand Nathan off to Oma and Opa. I just want to sleep. Nathan's big boy bed is causing major problems now. Nathan is still loving the bed, but Steve and I are not so sure about it anymore. This bed provides Nathan with way more freedom than needs. Steve and I can expect to see Nathan by our bed at least once or twice each night. Let me tell you, when you're sound asleep the last thing you want to hear is "uhhhhh, Mommy, Mommy" at 3 a.m. As if getting up and putting Nathan back to bed a couple of times each night isn't bad enough. He wakes up at 6:20 a.m. every morning. We still have Hank's kennel out in the garage. Maybe I can lock Nathan in there at night. Just kidding...but only because I don't want to get in trouble.

Aside from our bedtime troubles, Nathan has been his usual self. Just playing and laughing and getting into trouble. Here he messing with the lamp again. I don't know what his fascination is with lamps, but he's definitely got one.

Night Terror

Steve and I are taking a 10 day vacation next week and I was a little worried that I was going to miss Nathan terribly. Not the case anymore. This vacation can't get here fast enough. I will gladly hand Nathan off to Oma and Opa. I just want to sleep. Nathan's big boy bed is causing major problems now. Nathan is still loving the bed, but Steve and I are not so sure about it anymore. This bed provides Nathan with way more freedom than needs. Steve and I can expect to see Nathan by our bed at least once or twice each night. Let me tell you, when you're sound asleep the last thing you want to hear is "uhhhhh, Mommy, Mommy" at 3 a.m. As if getting up and putting Nathan back to bed a couple of times each night isn't bad enough. He wakes up at 6:20 a.m. every morning. We still have Hank's kennel out in the garage. Maybe I can lock Nathan in there at night. Just kidding...but only because I don't want to get in trouble.

Aside from our bedtime troubles, Nathan has been his usual self. Just playing and laughing and getting into trouble. Here he messing with the lamp again. I don't know what his fascination is with lamps, but he's definitely got one.

Birthday Boy

I don't know how this happened, but my baby boy turned two years old yesterday. Where did the past two years go? I guess time really does fly when you're having fun. 

We didn't have a formal birthday party for Nathan, but I don't think he minded. We didn't go all out like we did last year. Now that was a birthday to remember!
Last year, we took this poor kid to Wall Drug for the day. Tell me what kid wouldn't want to hang out at Wall Drug in a 'coon skin cap for the day?
Nathan started the birthday celebration the night before the big day. He received a package in the mail from Paw-Paw and Lady. He would have been completely happy with just the California Raisin they sent that used to be mine when I was a kid. I think I got it in a box of cereal or a Happy Meal or something. Anyways, Nathan liked playing with it while we spent time in Georgia, so Paw-Paw and Lady sent it to him.
Then Nathan was surprised when I pulled out another gift for him. An Atlanta Braves baseball bobble. He was completely content at that point.
Then I pulled out one more box from the package. He was ecstatic when he saw his very own Peyton Manning bobble. It was over from there. There was nothing we could give him to top the "Meyton Manning" bobblehead. He carried him all over the house for the rest of the night and must have even thought about during his sleep. The next morning, the birthday morning, he walked into our room and stood at the side of the bed. When we opened our eyes, the first thing he said to us was, "Meyton Manning" with a smile on his face.
Nathan and I went to the Air and Space Museum to look at the airplanes. That is one of Nathan's favorite things to do.
It was really, really windy so Nathan had to hold his hood up.
When Daddy came home from work, he and Nathan played outside together. Nathan just wanders up and down the block and Steve just follows him.
After playing outside, Steve and I took Nathan to Chuck E. Cheese. Nathan had so much fun and Steve and I had so much fun watching him.
We sent Nathan up to dance against the blue screen. He didn't know why he was dancing, but he doesn't turn down an opportunity to dance.
Steve and I cracked up watching Nathan dance on the big screens.
Giving his buddy Chuck some knuckles.
Nathan laughed and yelled, "I dive fast!" 
Finally, Steve let Nathan help shoot baskets after I reminded Steve that we were there for Nathan's birthday. Nathan was so excited, "I shoot a bastet!"
Nathan helped Steve play skee ball. Nathan tried a new strategy.
Anyone who knows how heavy those balls are and has seen Nathan's pitching arm, knows this is a dangerous combination. Steve was trying to coax him down.
This picture is for no reason other than to show off this kid's rat tail, a close cousin of the mullet. 
Judging by these next three pictures, I would say Nathan had a pretty good time hanging out with his mom and dad on his birthday.


Nathan isn't a big ice cream and cake person. He's more into just blowing out the candles, so we just stuck the candles in a cupcake and let him blow them out. A little on the ghetto side, but he didn't mind. We'll make up for these ghetto birthday parties when he's old enough to know better. 

Birthday Boy

I don't know how this happened, but my baby boy turned two years old yesterday. Where did the past two years go? I guess time really does fly when you're having fun. 

We didn't have a formal birthday party for Nathan, but I don't think he minded. We didn't go all out like we did last year. Now that was a birthday to remember!
Last year, we took this poor kid to Wall Drug for the day. Tell me what kid wouldn't want to hang out at Wall Drug in a 'coon skin cap for the day?
Nathan started the birthday celebration the night before the big day. He received a package in the mail from Paw-Paw and Lady. He would have been completely happy with just the California Raisin they sent that used to be mine when I was a kid. I think I got it in a box of cereal or a Happy Meal or something. Anyways, Nathan liked playing with it while we spent time in Georgia, so Paw-Paw and Lady sent it to him.
Then Nathan was surprised when I pulled out another gift for him. An Atlanta Braves baseball bobble. He was completely content at that point.
Then I pulled out one more box from the package. He was ecstatic when he saw his very own Peyton Manning bobble. It was over from there. There was nothing we could give him to top the "Meyton Manning" bobblehead. He carried him all over the house for the rest of the night and must have even thought about during his sleep. The next morning, the birthday morning, he walked into our room and stood at the side of the bed. When we opened our eyes, the first thing he said to us was, "Meyton Manning" with a smile on his face.
Nathan and I went to the Air and Space Museum to look at the airplanes. That is one of Nathan's favorite things to do.
It was really, really windy so Nathan had to hold his hood up.
When Daddy came home from work, he and Nathan played outside together. Nathan just wanders up and down the block and Steve just follows him.
After playing outside, Steve and I took Nathan to Chuck E. Cheese. Nathan had so much fun and Steve and I had so much fun watching him.
We sent Nathan up to dance against the blue screen. He didn't know why he was dancing, but he doesn't turn down an opportunity to dance.
Steve and I cracked up watching Nathan dance on the big screens.
Giving his buddy Chuck some knuckles.
Nathan laughed and yelled, "I dive fast!" 
Finally, Steve let Nathan help shoot baskets after I reminded Steve that we were there for Nathan's birthday. Nathan was so excited, "I shoot a bastet!"
Nathan helped Steve play skee ball. Nathan tried a new strategy.
Anyone who knows how heavy those balls are and has seen Nathan's pitching arm, knows this is a dangerous combination. Steve was trying to coax him down.
This picture is for no reason other than to show off this kid's rat tail, a close cousin of the mullet. 
Judging by these next three pictures, I would say Nathan had a pretty good time hanging out with his mom and dad on his birthday.


Nathan isn't a big ice cream and cake person. He's more into just blowing out the candles, so we just stuck the candles in a cupcake and let him blow them out. A little on the ghetto side, but he didn't mind. We'll make up for these ghetto birthday parties when he's old enough to know better.