If you have reader you will see this post, otherwise it is lost somewhere in the abyss of the web. while trying to make some changes on my site, I accidentally redirected my index without realizing that my blog was only located on the index page and not on its own page. Confusing computer talk. Anyway, THANK HEAVENS! for Goggle Reader! It archived all of my posts. So, at least I have access to them somehow and am working on getting them all copied and pasted in a SAFE place! And after all this rig-a-ma-roll, I might be done with the blog as you know it. I feel like it has spread too far beyond my reach - meaning, there are too many of you reading it that I don't know or else am not close enough to to feel like I want to share so much. (Which is why I got into the lost blog mess in the first place!) I am pretty sure you can't leave comments o this post because that is also lost in the abyss. AND, it's nearly 2pm and I haven't showered and my kids have been watching TV all day. I hate today!
I have been in a bit of a sewing mood lately. I have been finishing projects and am so happy whenever I do. I love to see my final products, despite how frustrating some can be. I have posted several of them on my sewing blog: uncrafty. A few more are coming, but they are gifts and I don't want the recipients to see them there first. If you are not interested, here is just a picture of me sewing one night.
This doesn't hardly ever happen! If it did, I would get nothing done. Zeke does help me with pinning though. He also likes to sit in a chair by me while I sew and play with spools of thread, pretending they are people. Such a great imagination.
Hey C - I have a whole pile of stuff you can work on - if you get yours done - ha ha. I hate it when I have waited so long that now the project isn't exciting anymore. Or the pjs I made for Kennedy and "just needed to hem" that are now too small :( Way to go at getting stuff done and fun for the boys to be involved!!!
We had two days of celebrating for our little Hoo Bear. First was just our family on his real birthday and then with just the grandparents a few days later. Like I did with Zeke, a more detailed version with more pics will be up on his site. It probably will not be tonight, as I am trying to get some sewing done while the kiddos are sleeping. Perhaps you are sick of looking at these pictures, but I never tire of seeing the changes. I think next year we'll have to start having him in a little more than a diaper (and hopefully he will be out of diapers).
I tried to make all day on his birthday special. He started the day with "2" pancakes.
Fell in love with his birthday sign somewhere in the middle.
Opened some presents (more of the Little People sets lot I got off of craigslist at Christmas!)
And ended the evening with some present a small ice cream party at DQ. Instead of trying to blow the candle out, he full on stuck his finger in the flame. Not like most 1 year olds do, but more so in an attempt to get the stupid thing out of his ice cream so he could eat!
Party number two was just as thrilling. Alexander was ecstatic to eat his cake. He talked about it all day long. We had some dinner with both sets of grandparents (the soup seemed to be a hit). Next up was some game playing.
As he opened his presents, he had a hard time not wanting to just play. Zeke was very excited to and offered several times to "help" open the presents.
But before that we presented his (terribly decorated!) cake and he tried over and over to blow the candle out with teeny puffs of air.
I absolutely love the #2 Pancake, what a cute idea. I agree with Kiyo, you are so good at taking photos from birth up. I love how the dog was the same size in the beginning and now so much smaller looking.
RE: Celebrating the Hoo by kiyo on
It's amazing to see how much kids change between birth and two. You do such a cute job at documenting that. I love the baseball cake. Did you come up with that idea on your own?
I'm glad he had such a fun birthday. I love the comparative-size pictures--don't stop! What a sweet little guy. That 2 pancake is fantastic. You're such a creative mom.
RE: Celebrating the Hoo by meghan on
i love seeing the changes in the pictures too! i can't believe how cute he is. and i really can't believe that zeke offered to "help" him open his presents...when he wouldn't even open his own birthday presents! happy birthday alexander!
beautiful boy, truly. amazing how much growing up happens in just two years.
RE: He's Two! by natalie on
WOW - the time has flown! He is such a cutie! Happy B-day
RE: He's Two! by Nicole on
Happy Birthday Alexander. I can't believe he is 2 already! What a cutie!
RE: He's Two! by Ruth on
Great photos. I was wondering is the the similarity in poses great planning or serendipity?
RE: He's Two! by Jenny on
Derek says that any unidentifiable eye color is hazel. Also, I want to know how you get your boys to be daddy's boys. Mine are both such momma's boys, which is great sometimes, but awful sometimes when I need a break, and they refuse to go to dad. Luke cried all the way home from Barnes and Noble today, because his dad buckled him in and not me.
Alexander loves the color purple, the letter R and clipping his fingernails. The purple doesn't come into play here, but the other do as he makes a very exciting discovery. A very special thanks to Revlon for making fingernail clippers...
okay, seriously. I can't believe he even recognizes R! I love it - "that's cool mom!"
RE: The Boy Who Loves "R" by Jenny on
I know a lot of people say that any age their kid is at is their favorite, but, for me, I love 1 and a half to 2 and a half. They just are SO excited about every single discovery. Everything they say is hilarious. They are just so cute and fun. I love that he loves R's. So cute.
RE: The Boy Who Loves "R" by meghan on
that was so cute collette! he is way too smart...i don't get it. maybe i need to send claire over a little more often so you can teach her a thing or two! (alexander is not that much older right??!)
ps how are you feeling about all the cookies you ate today?! haha
Here is the rest of my recap of our celebrations. On Friday night we went to a kid-free Valentine's party. We dropped the boys off at Nate's sister's (we watched her daughter the night before and the kids had fun, fun, fun!)
We arrived at the party to see that, no joke, it really was an 80's party and everyone had dressed the part! It was fantastic to see all those side pony tails, double popped collars, and wigs galore. I dressed about the same as I would have in 3rd or 4th grade, including my original charm necklace and rubber bracelets.
Nathan went the rocker route. He was excited about his costume, and rightfully so. He looked great and won the costume contest for men.
Our hosts, Jenny & Derek, even set up a spot to have "dance pictures" taken. Nate is taller than me, but with that amazing hair really towers.
We had fun eating, talking, and playing 80's trivia. You can see how fantastic everyone looked in these pictures. And look for Tina Turner - she was the other costume winner!
Now, on to actual Valentine's day. What a BUSY day! thank goodness our lives don't normally look like this fun, but packed day. It started with Nate's 8am basketball game, quickly switched to his 9:30 food drive and then moved on to a fun lunch with friends at Chuck E. Cheese's. We have vowed to never eat the pizza there again if we can help it. There were later repercussions. Next time we will chow and then go there and play. So, here is some of the fun-ness there.
My favorite part is the sketching thing. It was responsible for the new header and this lovely family portrait.
After all the tokens were gone, the AWESOME pizza eaten and several tantrums thrown, we said goodbye/thanks to our friends and headed to Nate's parents' house. Nate's sister Melissa and her family were here for the weekend and we paid them a little visit.
The cousins played a bit and we hung out for awhile. The clock was ticking closer to our next item on the agenda, so we had to split. After a surprising nap by Zeke on the way home, we woke him up to go to a friend's house to get babysat for a couple of hours. A little party was set up and after a tough time leaving and a sad, still tired Zeke, we left him. Apparently he cheered up and had a great time making valentines and Alexander played with cars.
We just went for a simple dinner at Pei Wei. For a non-sit down/tip restaurant, we like going to Pei Wei because it still has the atmosphere of somewhere nice. And Valentine's was no exception. They actually had someone there passing out flowers to all the women.
Nathan and I enjoyed our dinners and each other's company.
Our post-dinner activity was briefly wandering around Barnes & Noble. Then I snagged the boys and we all went over to our church for a Big Band dance. I danced mostly with Zeke, but also with Alexander for a moment.
He was mostly running laps around the building while Nate followed him. I never got to dance with him because of this. :(
Once the boys were worn out, or nearly so, we went home and put them to bed. We traded some little gifts with each other.
And then watched the very romantic "Knocked Up" while eating some snacks. (Ok, obviously kidding about romantic, but I did find it quite funny.)
It was a very full day. I forgot to write actual cards for anyone in my house...or anyone at all for that matter. Next year, next year.
After seeing Nate's photo from the costume party, Zoey said, "Tell Uncle Nate to not dress up like that again." We went to a work party a couple years ago that Bill said was a 70s party. He wore his Napoleon Dynamite suit and I dressed as a hippy--a very prego hippy, I was a couple days past my due date. Turns out, it wasn't really a costume party. And our costumes were just normal enough that most people didn't get that we were in costume, they just thought we were really strange.
RE: Kiss Me by Rachel R. on
Nate's costume DID rock!! Wow, you guys were busy. Sounded like fun though.
RE: Kiss Me by Wesla on
You guys look awesome! I can't believe you still have your original charm necklace, I loved those!!
RE: Kiss Me by leslie on
Collette, I want you around to document my life for me--you take great pictures. I loved the ones sent via email. Both you and Nate looked awesome in your 80s gear--you both looked so comfortable like that--haha. We must see more dance moves from Nate--he was hilarious too. BTW, the pizza did not make me sick at all--I must have an iron gut.
Looks like you had a busy weekend. The 80's party looked fun. Too bad I missed out. Not so sad about missing out on Chuck-E-Cheese sickness.
RE: Kiss Me by meghan on
okay, so i voted for you! loved the outfit. but it was hard because everyone looked good. and i think i threw up the chuck e cheese pizza that night! seriously...the worst pizza ever. but it was fun to be with you all....
p.s. i want the pictures too!
RE: Kiss Me by kiyo on
Would you be willing to email me the group shots from the party? I'd love to have those.
haha. the sketching is my favorite part of Chuck E. Cheese too! Yours turned out great. Looks like you had a fun weekend. And uh, is it wrong to say that Nate looks really pretty in that first party photo? I think it is....but he does!
