Quick Summer Pic update

Summer has been busy so here is a sneak peek at what we have been doing.

There was a wedding!

(some pics are mixed in)

Momma was prepared with suckers for the wedding!

There is a lot of just playing around and entertaining each other!

He wanted to do his hair too!

This is our Deer in Head lights look!

Yeah I am the man!

This is to show later Girlfriends down the road!

LOVE LOVE those eyes!

And waterpark!!!

I will work on posting water park pics!!!

well over due blog!

I haven't posted in such a long time.....

But, I want to start posting on a regular basis again...

Because well... Daniel is super entertaining these days so why shouldn't everyone get a chance to partake in the daily or atleast weekly laughs!

Like...

Daniel has learned how to open the fridge on his own!

The first day was cracked eggs on the floor, along with grapes pulled out, and cheese bitten off into pieces. And of course oranges bitten into, several oranges bitten into... Everyone said he was attempting to make me breakfast... Omelets I suppose with a side of grapes?

2nd morning he got out applesauce opened it up, and then opened up my balsamic vinegar salad dressing poured it into the applesauce jar and proceeded to get a spoon and stir! guess he didn't like it because a lot wound up on the floor! So what was he trying to create??? No one has yet been able to tell me yet! And all this was before coming and climbing in momma's bed of course still before 8 am!

Needless to say we now have a lock on the refrigerator door!

Here are some pics from his 2nd Birthday Party, but they are posted in reverse order....

This is Daniel after the party on the way home... He was tuckered out! He played hard!

He was so excited!

This boy wasn't spoiled rotten or anything!

He loved his cake and blew out his candles all on his own!

He loved the foam pit!

Me Daniel and Susan at his Bday party at ASI gymnastics!

At Main Street Arts Festival! Daniel wouldn't take his fingers off my excuse me HIS turkey leg!

The night of his bday we went to Chuckey Cheese for Dinner! He had a great time!

From Momma and Gramps Daniel got his room changed into a big boy room!

Big Boy bed and all! TOY STORY!!!

Potty Time

Not Potty training...
I wish!
:)

Daniel has learned to throw things into the potty!
First my facewash which was lodged pretty tightly...
Good thing it was the old one!

Second was a rubber ducky - the firefighter one!
Guess he thought the fireman needed more water?
Gotta put out the fire!

Wonder what's next...

the story will continue!

Bragging on my Baby!

Well when it comes to the saying, "they grow up so quick."

These past weeks I have seen a new maturity and personality in Daniel.

He has just grown so much in some of his activities.

It started off with him.... Gargling!

All out took a drink of milk put his head back and GARGLED!

I know it doesn't seem like much, but well I found it very entertaining!

It had me laughing for a nice Lil bit, which of course he found hilarious, momma laughing that is.

He in many ways is growing up.

He finally has learned to put his food back on his plate, rather than dropping it on to the floor.

This has taken time, but he now does it without any prompting.

He just automatically uses a plate!

Momma's floors aren't so sticky anymore!

I found a new babysitter!

Well that is for about 2.5 minutes!

He is finally able to have the attention span to watch TV for well only minutes.

But, if you have seen Daniel in action...

Than you know 2.5 for him to spend in one place is amazing!

The most touching thing was this...

My best friend Jennifer's mother passed away, and Daniel and I went to the funeral together. I know Sue would have wanted him there.

This was only the second funeral I had been to since my Mom, and this one hit closer to home.

So to say it was emotional was putting it lightly.

During the opening portion we all stood for a prayer, and as my head was bowed and eyes closed.

I felt Daniel put the palm of his hand under my chin, and he lifted up my face to his. When I opened my eyes he just gave me the "Mommy it's gonna be OK" look, and then he leaned in and gave me a big slobbery Daniel kiss.

Now whether that was Divinely inspired I knew Daniel knew what I needed at that very moment.

He had never done anything so sweet and much needed as it was at that moment.

I saw my baby boy so very clearly at that instant, I saw just the preciousness of him.

How blessed I am to have him as my son, he was truly picked especially for me.

Life is Keeping us busy!

It's been harder and harder to find time to blog lately!

Daniel keeps me ever so busy these days, from chasing him around the house, to eating me out of house and home!!

That boy can eat like a teenager, or at least I imagine. But, I don't look forward to finding out.

Daniel learns and grows so much every day! His vocabulary grows constantly. He may say the words once to tease you and then won't say that one word again for a week. But they are there, and that's what matters.

He is so smart, you can just see as he plays with certain toys how the wheels are just turning and he is trying to figure out exactly what and how to do a particular task.

He can tell you where his ears, eyes, mouth, and feet are. He still gets tripped up on the nose! But, you have to make sure you ask him where his eyes are last because.... Well I laugh everytime he pokes himself in the eye. So once he gets a laugh out of me he keeps doing it to get another laugh, which I must oblige. So there are a lot of eye pokings and laughing going on in our household.

Can I say my best recent buy was a.... Child Gate! No more turning on the dishwasher! Lordy that was getting tiring, my dishes were getting washed multiple times daily!!!! And now I may actually get to keep up with my tubaware and their lids!!! That will be a treat!

We have been amazing lately, and couldn't be that way without all our friends and family. I am greatful for all of them and all they mean to me.

Here are a few pics to keep everyone updated!

We went to eat lunch with Ryan at Fuzzy's Taco's!

Yummy!
Daniel and his puter! Now leave Mommy's alone!

My ever growing big boy!

Us at the Ringling Bros Circus

Daniel loves setting off the alarm, and he knows exactly what he is doing!

NYC!!!

Well it's been a few weeks since our amazing trip to NYC, but we are still trying to catch up. It was such a sur-real experience it was just truly a blessing and just what we needed.
Let me just catch you up on the importance of this trip...
When I was around the age of 4, my mom took me on my very first airplane ride. Just her and I flying to see family that I had never met.
I met my Great Aunt Blanche, and my cousin Jayne.
This was my airplane ride, and something that my mother and I did. I remember for years always hearing the stories, and us talking about going back to visit.
As time went on this idea of going back just got pushed back between being crazy busy and just occupied with life.
So the fact that I was able to go back to NYC for the first time in 25 years and it be Daniel's first flight it brought back feelings of what my mom had to be feeling. Yes, I was slightly older but to be able to show off your child, and want to see this famous city with them. All I can say was it, was awesome!

Our flight was very early in the morning, which worked out pretty well. By the time the plane got flying Daniel was ready for a nap! But we had the sweetest seat mate she didn't mind Daniel's lack of personal space. That boy will just get up in any ones face if you turn for one second! But he sure is cute doing it.
So Daniel did fantastic! He slept the whole flight, had a chicken wing on lay over, and then again slept the whole flight from Atlanta to NYC.

We got to NY and met up with my old sorority sister, Veronica and her daughter Haley. Haley is only 2 months older than Daniel, by the time we were leaving the airport they were already trying to hold hands from the strollers! Gotta love kids!
On our way home we stopped by the beach, and it was beautiful. You could see Connecticut from the beach. We proceeded to go to Veronica's home, which lucky her is only 15 min from the beach!
That night we had the most scrumptious meatball pizza! Got love those Italian's!

Thursday we got up and my cousin Jayne came over. Even though I had not seen her in 25 years it was just like no time had passed! We caught up and I got some genealogy work that she had been doing. We tried to tie some lines between the families and she helped me put some of the stories I remember my mom telling me, she put the pieces together. O and found out I am a distant cousin of James Caan! The guy from the Las Vegas Show, loved him on that, and also from The Godfather! Anyways, we went to lunch had awesome Greek food and had great company!
That night Veronica, Dave, Haley, Daniel and I went to eat at Vincent's.... Can I just say the most amazing Italian food you will EVER eat in your life! Holy cow! I didn't know it could be so good, and Daniel loved their ravioli and Ziti. One tip do not order the Hot Marinara sauce, I had to drink some of Daniel's milk - not from a sippy cup. But, man it was amazing.
So Friday Veronica, Daniel and I ventured to the big city! We rode the train out, which we missed the first train - this should have been a hint on our timing skills! So we got some bagels and then caught the next train. We headed into NYC and got our tickets for the double decker tour buses and was set out to get on one. Just about then the rain started coming down. We knew we weren't gonna melt, but also knew that we couldn't be on top of a bus with no roof and raining with Daniel. So we scurried over to a restaurant and got a bite. Delicious food, and perfect timing. So we decided to work on getting back on the bus. But, first we took a long long walk down the city so I cold find and see the LDS temple in Manhattan. It was a long walk but worth it. We got to talk to a few missionaries and take a look at some of the meeting house which was in same building as temple.

So after this venture we set out for the double decker we catch on one, and well lets just say our tour guide was in full Yankee mode. I still can't get over the difference of Yankee's and Texans. Well some Yankee's. The buildings are just absolutely beautiful I had never seen anything like it. Such history and just breath taking views. And who knew Central park is apparently ginormous!
We got on the subway and ventured down to China Town!!! It was a world of it's own!!!! It's called let's make a deal, and well this girl isn't use to that. They were like name your price and you could say a dollar, and they were like 5 dollars and the original price is like 40... Pretty close right? Daniel was so good and such a trooper. There are pics of him in his stroller and you can tell he was so over China Town. But it was all good. The shops were great. So we decided we better head in, get souvenirs and then catch our 630pm train, since after 630 trains are only every hour instead of every 30 minutes. Some how we missed that one, and then we planned the 730 and couldn't get out of town and to the station quick enough so we missed that one too! So we hung out at the train station for an hour snapped a shot of NYC finest for Daniel's daddy and then finally caught the train and made it home later than sooner, but man it was so awesome!

Saturday we wake up and can't decide what to do... So in a hat we put our choices. Going "IN" - into the city, going "out" - to the Hampton's, stay in and go swimming, or go to the beach. So we drew.... "IN" it was. So we loaded up and headed back In-to the city! Places we visited on Day 2: Rockefeller Center, FAO Schwartz, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Central Park, Grand Central Station, and watching dancer's in the street.

Sunday: We decided after 2 days in the city with a "heat wave" we needed a relaxing day in. So we lounged around and played in the pool. But for this Texas girl I learned water in NY does not warm up like water in the lone star state! But it was a great day lounging and hanging with great friends! The kids played so well together!!!

Monday, our last day of vacation we had one more thing to check off of our list... Back to the beach was the plan. We went out and learned that well we don't know how to put up a beach umbrella so it won't blow away. After the third time I think we finally got it... Let's me just say one more time, I like my water for swimming to be 80 degrees??? I thought I could handle cooler, but well this girl wouldn't get past her knees the water was soooo cold! Daniel got about ankle high and was good to stay at that depth.
After a few hours at the beach we packed up and headed home, and got the ready to head home.

We said our sad goodbye's to good friends, and made plans for another trip next year!

I will say this of all the wonderful sights we saw and great experiences I will say the best part of the entire week was having a full solid week with my baby boy. We get so caught up in work, and with sometime crazy work hours I feel like I barely see him. But having this one on one time with him made me appreciate him so much and just helped me reinforce just how WONDERFUL my son is!

Happy Fathers Day!

I am thankful for my Dad, and all that he does.

He and I never were close, but after the passing of my mom he has really been there for me!

From bringing me sprite when I was nauseated when I was pregnant, to picking me up milk for Daniel. He always makes sure I have plenty of botteled water, and calls and wakes me up EVERY morning.

I am proud of him in many ways. I am proud of his preserverance in a difficult time, for being my rock when I was barely surviving. I am proud that he is a veteran, and served our country in Vietnam. I am grateful for how much he puts up with me. And I am proud of just how great of a father he has been and still is.

So, I am greatful for the relationship we have formed.

I am thankful at how much he loves Daniel. I am thankful that Daniel is getting to know his Gramps.

Being a child that never had a single grandparent, I am so happy Daniel has him - a wonderful grandfather.


I also want to express my gratitude for Daniel's father...

I am greatful that Daniel has a father that has taken responsibility and loves him, and wants to spend time with him.