Some Fall Pics for Your Viewing Pleasure

Pictures have finally been posted from the last few months. I know I'm not very good at keeping current. Follow the link to see our crazy little man from this fall. You should probably expect to see winter pictures this spring :)

Please can I have a timeout?

During the last month, Drew has become very familiar with the timeout routine. He goes right over to his spot when he know he's been naughty and is told to go to timeout. He sits there his full minute and a half and doesn't cause any problems. I don't think he has had a single incident in the last week which has been an awesome improvement over the prior weeks.

This morning he pushed a button on the phone base - a button he knows he is not supposed to touch and has gotten into trouble many times for touching. We told him not to do it again and he pronounced that he should have a timeout for it. We told him he didn't have to go but if he touched it again he would have to go to timeout. He always gets a warning before being punished so I didn't feel the need to put him straight onto the rug. This wasn't good enough for Drew and he marched over to the rug and sat down saying he should have a timeout. So, I set the timer for 30 seconds and let him sit there for his self inflicted punishment.

About ten minutes later he went back and sat on the rug saying he wanted a timeout. I told him that he was being a good boy today and wasn't in trouble for anything so he didn't have to have a timeout. Well, that wasn't what he wanted to hear. Right next to his timeout rug are a couple two foot tall scarecrow people. He walked right up and pushed one of them over knowing that would get him into trouble. So his little ploy worked and he was in major trouble. Why would he suddenly think that timeouts are fun?!?! Never before has he seemed to enjoy them. I guess he was just missing what used to be part of our daily routine. Crazy kid!!!!

Obsession

Drew has become obsessed with brushing his teeth. He will sneak into the bathroom throughout the day, get his toothbrush out of his drawer, get on his stool at the sink, and stand in the dark brushing his teeth. If we would let him, he would probably be in there at least 15 times a day brushing. I am hoping that he continues to enjoy brushing his little chompers so we can enjoy low dentist bills in the future!!!!

Updates

Well I have been reminded by many lately that it has been a long time since I have posted anything. Sorry everyone. I have just been so sick with this pregnancy that I haven't had an ounce of energy to spend on blogging or really anything else for that matter. Mitch can verify that fact. The poor guy pretty much had to handle packing and moving without any help from me. I would highly recommend not to move when you're in your first trimester. I'm happy to report that it has now been over a week since I have gotten sick, so I'm starting to feel like a normal person again. We are super excited to be expecting our little one in the beginning of April and still can't believe we're actually going to have two kids. Some days I feel like I can't even handle the crazy one I already have so I get a little freaked out about adding another one to the mix. All of your kids are supposed to be different right???? So I can't get another one as crazy as Drew?!?!?!?!?

Speaking of Drew he continues to amaze us every day. The other day he told me a story about something that had happened the day before. An actual story with multiple sentences!! He is talking in little sentences now and we can't even believe how much he knows. I'm always amazed at how he fast he catches on to words. There are so many times Mitch and I look at each other dumbfounded by what we just heard. Drew had also got quite an imagination. He's really been pretending a lot lately which is so fun to watch. I'm not a creative person, never have been. So to watch him make stuff up and act it out is so fun for me to see.

Drew continues to be freakishly strong. He can jump as far as me from standing still. A couple weeks ago I saw him jump and didn't think I could even make it that far so I tried and made it the exact distance he did. I don't even think most kids can jump at this age. I think we might have a long jumper in our future. Also, over the weekend he helped Grandpa M. with wood. Drew would throw pieces out of the truck so Grandpa could stack them. You should have seen us all standing there in amazement as Drew picked up those first pieces and chucked them over the side. He even knew how to adjust his hands to get a better grip if he was having a hard time picking it up. Crazy, crazy, crazy.

Well that's all I have for now. I promise I'll try to be better about updating. Maybe I'll even get some pictures on here which is something I've always been really bad about.

Talk, Talk, Talk

For about the last three weeks, Drew has been a talking fool. He learns at least one new word a day and immediately incorporates it into his daily vocabulary. It seems amazing that all we have to do is tell him a word once and then bam he uses it all the time. It's so fun to see how much he learns every day.

Glorious Bug Bombs

When we got back from our trip to Dallas we arrived home to a house infested by earwigs and other creepy crawlies. Earwigs are so nasty and they have been everywhere in our house. I kill about five at a time which totally grosses me out.

While we were going to be gone for the 4th weekend we decided it would be a good time to try and bomb the house. We got the van all packed up on Friday morning and Drew and I headed outside. Mitch stayed behind in the house and set off three bug bombs. He walked out as the house filled with poisonous smoke and the smoke detectors blaring. Upon our arrival home on Sunday we found no bugs crawling around. It was so great to only see dead little bodies lying around. I love dead bugs!!!

A Week of Firsts

So today Drew got his first time out. He is absolutely driving me crazy. He has suddenly either become possessed or at 17 months has started the terrible twos. It is constant fits and tantrums every time he doesn't immediately get what he wants. If this keeps up I don't think I'm going to make it. Back to the time out - he has been picking at the paint under one of the windows in our dining room. A couple weeks ago he peeled off a big piece of the wall. Mitch glued it back on and then Drew did it again the other day only this time he tore it off. Now part of our red wall is missing. So this morning I was sweeping up some ants I found in the living room (disgusting!!!!) and looked over and saw Drew behind the curtain in the dining room. I immediately knew what he was doing. When I got over there I saw him pulling off little bits of paint from the same spot he took his big piece from. I was so mad because he knows he's not supposed to be doing that and you can tell this by the way he sneaks over there and acts when he gets caught. So I decided he was going to have a time out. On the way over to set him on the stair I see the entry way covered in envelopes which he got into while I had gone outside to get ant killer. Ahhhh!!!!!! I set him on that step and told him to stay there. I think that was the first time he has ever really listened to what I said the first time. He did not move off that step until the timer went off and I explained that he could move again. I didn't think there was any way that he was going to sit there so I was pleasantly surprised that he actually did it.

On Sunday while we were at my parents house Drew had to take a nap so I put him on the porch in his pack n play. He instantly started screaming and crying because he wanted to be in the living room with everyone else. A couple minutes later it got quiet and Drew started to open the door from the porch to the living room. He had escaped from bed. Mitch went and put him back and a couple minutes later he was back out. So that's awesome; I don't' know how we'll travel with him anymore if he won't stay in bed.

This morning I heard a thump from the baby monitor followed by some crying. I got up and went to Drew's room and was met by him opening the door. He is only 17 months old and is climbing out of his crib. Now we have to figure out what to do with him. I wasn't ready at all to move him to a big bed. There's no way that he'll stay in bed and go to sleep at night or for naps. But we can't leave him in the crib and have him get hurt as he climbs out. Since he was born he's been in such a hurry to grow up. I guess we should have known that we were going to have our hands full when he could already hold his head up at birth and preferred standing on your lap in the hospital instead of being cuddled. My goal now is to harness this strength and energy and turn him into an Olympic athlete. I just need to pick a sport. :)

Trip to Dallas

Two weeks ago today we headed down to Dallas for a long weekend. We had such a great time getting to see Heath, Kristen and Ainsley. Since they've moved so far away we only get to see them a couple times a year. I'm glad it finally worked out that we could travel down to see them. The trip went pretty well. Drew did awesome during the long car rides. He read lots of books, played with some of his favorite toys along with some new ones I had picked up for him, and watched some Veggie Tales and Sesame Street. We were shocked when we got home how well the trip back had gone. The only problem we had is that our air conditioning didn't work very well. It would quit after an hour or two and then it wouldn't blow any air. It got pretty hot a few times which become a little miserable. Otherwise the new van worked wonderfully for us. It was great to have so much space. It was nice being able to go back and sit with Drew when I needed to.

I love that Drew has a cousin that's only 13 days older than him. It's just sad that they don't get to play together that often. I have so much fun watching the two of them play together. It's so funny how different they are but how well they play. Drew is absolutely crazy and full of energy 24-7. Ainsley seems to be more laid back and relaxed. It was funny that when they came together and started playing, Drew seemed to take on a little of Ainsley's character and toned the crazy down which was a nice break.

After we got home I noticed that Drew had picked up a few of the things we noticed Ainsley doing. Drew loves, loves, loves milk. He would drink it all the time if we would let him. He's only allowed to have a glass at breakfast, lunch, and supper. The rest of the day he has to drink water - which he drinks a lot of as well. Well, while in Dallas I noticed Drew watching/studying Ainsley. She doesn't drink milk as well during her meals so she gets to ask for the drinks of milk after dinner. Drew watched her do her sign for milk and then her mom or dad would go and get her a drink. Drew would just stare like he had seen Ainsley perform some sort of magic trick. When we got home he kept trying to use the sign he had seen her use in hopes of automatic drinks. It makes me laugh every time. He's so funny.

New Pics

Mitch has updated our photo gallery with new 2009 photo albums. Check them out to see what's been happening in Drew's life over the last few months.

Drew's Favorites

I thought I would update you on a few of Drew's current favorites.

1. Letting us know every time he sees or hears a car, boat or puppy.
2. Riding his car
3. Snacking
4. Playing with cars
5. Reading books
6. Going to the park
7. Helping cook and unload the dishwasher
8. Saying "Grandpa" over and over and over
9. Having conversations on his "phones" - remotes, mouses, etc.
10. Walking around in Mom and Dad's shoes
11. Turning the lights on
12. Crying when his teeth are coming in