2.13.2011

Bday dinner with the Staggs

Terry and Margie had us over Friday night for our (Jarrod and myself) birthday dinner. It’s so much fun to see Stratton and cousin Archer interact. I have a feeling once Archer gets mobile they are going to be some kind of trouble!! Right now Archer just wants to grab Stratton and touch him and Stratton isn’t too sure about all that. . .

 

Archer is such a cutie!

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Nan and Pa got Stratton a Valentine surprise!

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Books! He immediately wanted to read!

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Reading about Tractors is serious!

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Archer and Stratton with Pa

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2.02.2011

It's February?!

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Um. . . so wasn't it Christmas yesterday?! I think I missed something {like, the month of January!} because it just does not seem like it could really be February already!! We have been so busy!! We had another snow, a couple of weeks ago, however I was sick and Jarrod was working like crazy so we didn't get out in it! And Stratton has had an ear infection in the past week. Other than that we are doing great! Just staying super busy as always!

I have some pictures I need to upload of Stratton enjoying one of my all time favorite treats (one I thought was lost forever!) which just came back into my life this past week. People from NE Arkansas will remember the Cookie Factory in the old Indian Mall?? Well those same folks have set up shop in the Daylight Donuts shop and guess what?? They have COOKIE POPS!! Remember those?! They were my favorites! And I had no shame being 20 years old carrying a cookie pop (with a big blue smiley face iced on it) through the mall!! Anyway "Cookies N' More" opened Saturday and Jarrod went and got me one {that will keep him on the "good" list for awhile!} and I went back yesterday! ha-ha! They are so good! It's the glaze they use on them, I think it's just heavenly!! And I want to support them so they don't go out of business!! I think Stratton is a fan, too!! He loved it!!

I also just figured out how to design my own blog backgrounds!! I knew just enough html from college to make me dangerous and I finally figured it out!! I am really proud of myself, especially since I didn't ever do well in my computer programming classes! I am trying to learn more about custom blog design. It's something I am really interested in, but I don't have a lot of time to spend playing with it and I think that is the key, the more you do it the better you are and more creative you can be! Maybe someday!!

You might find this interesting, too. . . I am working with a girl from London (yes, England) designing her wedding monogram and save the dates. What's so cool is that she works for a huge marketing consultancy (I didn't even know that was a word?!) in London called "Prophet" [google prophet.com- it they do stuff for really big companies in England and all throughout Europe] Her name is Anni and she is Indian (as in from India) and is getting married there in July!! Pretty neat, right?!! She was google-ing custom monograms and up popped my blog, she liked what she saw so she emailed me and we have been working together for a few weeks now! I am just about to wrap the project up!

That's all for now. I know you came for pictures and I am sorry I don't have more for you! I will try to do better this month!

1.14.2011

18 Months

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Really????  As I sit here typing this post, I am still not ready to deal with the fact that my BABY is a year and a half. It just doesn't seem possible!!

Here are his stats from his checkup today today! It looks like he has finally started to slow down a little! Whew!! WEIGHT: almost 27 lbs (70%)| HEIGHT: 33.5 inches (85%). He is wearing 18-24 months pants still (he's so skinny that some of these are still too big in the waist! but they are started to get a little short, will this ever not be a problem for us??), 2T tops, size 7-71/2 shoes and size 4 diapers still. He has 13 teeth and puts them to good use. He is a fantastic eater! We have found that he doesn't like the texture of some meats, but other than that he will eat just about anything. His favorites are Cheese (prefers Colby-Jack!) and loves fruit (strawberries, blueberries and LEMONS!! seem to be a big hit) and he absolutely loves french fries (which he only gets when we eat out and there aren't better options!). He has recently figured out the difference in Milk and Juice. And will let me know when I try to pass milk off to him after he asks for "juice". He is getting way too smart. 

His teachers tell me that he is very outgoing and outspoken at school (my child?? No?!) when they ask them questions he doesn't give the other kids a chance. He likes to confidently (and loudly) proclaim the answer! They tell me he is doing great on all his words, even better than most of the older kids! He knows so many words. . .even ones we don't understand yet! I think it's so funny when he is trying to tell us something and we can't understand him. . he looks at us like we are complete idiots. (I know this is only going to get worse. . .haha).

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He is still all about TRACTORS!! He has 6 or 7 John Deere dvds and we are wearing them out!!  And even though we got him a battery powered four wheeler for christmas, his transportation of choice is still his John Deere tractor ride-on! He also really like Mickey Mouse (or just "Mouse" as he calls him). He doesn't seem to care about any other characters yet. But he doesn't watch much tv other than "TRACTOR!!". . .  which is what he says (ok, more like screams) as he points to the tv! Oh, and he can turn the dvd player on and play his dvd if you don't watch him!!

Stratton loves animals. He shows his affection for Taki quite frequently! And she is a really good sport about it! I think she has gotten tired of running from him, she'll just lay down and let him do pretty much whatever he wants to now! It is funny when he tries to play with her. He will try to throw her a ball and of course she just sits there! It makes him sooo mad! He has tried to get her to "ride" his tractor. He will stand by it and pat the seat and say something that sounds like "kitty, kitty". . . too cute. I think she likes him too. If you were to ask her she would deny it, but I think she enjoys having him give her attention all the time! He also likes to watch and play with Sadey. But she is just a little too rambunctious to let them play together. He really likes to talk to her when she is in the kennel in the house. He will just sit there in front of her and let her lick his hands and thinks it's so funny.

Patting the seat, trying to tell Taki to "get on!"

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Talking to Sadey (and I think she's talking back. . )

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This is a long post, and I have left out a million more details about all the things he is learning and doing! He surprises us daily with his growing knowledge and curiosity! There are things I miss about him being a "baby" but those sweet hugs and kisses he gives definitely make up for the craziness and chaos that we now find ourselves living in!!

Stratton's first ASU Basketball Game

I know some of you [ok, probably all of you] reading our blog get tired of me telling you how well behaved and good in public my son is. . .well he IS! We took him to his first ASU basketball game and he did excellent!! He didn't fuss or cry or act out once! He seemed memorized by what was going on on the court. He didn't know what to think of the Mascot "Howl" a huge stuffed Red Wolf (uh, who can blame him??) and he also really like the cheerleaders and dancers. . . just like a man. He caught on to when to clap really quickly,m too. I was surprised at how well the game kept his attention. I really didn't know what to expect, but I am glad we decided to try it. We had such a good time and can't wait to take him to another game! We are planning on taking him to the Globe Trotters in February now, too! 

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1.10.2011

First Snow of 2011

We woke up to about 2-3 inches of snow this morning! And since daycare was closed and Jarrod was told to show up at work with a bag packed for 7 days, I got to stay home with Stratton today. I thought he might sleep late like he did over christmas. . .nope. He was ready to go at 6:45am. He played and ate breakfast and about 9am he started saying "nite-nite" so I laid him down and he slept for about 45 minutes- no long enough!! He was a mess today! My house looks like a tornado has went through it! He did really enjoy playing in the dog kennel we let Sadey sleep in it, in the house last night since it was so cold.

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He thought the snow was something else! I kept most of the window blinds up and he kept going to the windows saying "oohh!" or "wow, snow!"

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About 2pm he started really wanted to go out. He kept saying "SIDE!". It didn't help that all the neighborhoods kids were playing out in it and he could see them! I didn't really want to get him out in it, since he already has a cold, so we patiently (ha-ha) waited for Jarrod to get home. . .

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He got home about 4pm and we went out for about 10 minutes. Stratton didn't know what to think at first. He didn't really act like he liked it, but when it was time to come in he didn't want to go!! He wouldn't keep his gloves on so he little hands were freezing!

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Trying to catch a snowball!

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Not so sure. . .

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Get me up!!

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He liked walking the streets, just not in the snow!

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Going to check the mail before coming in.

And obviously, Jarrod didn't have to go anywhere this time! I was not looking forward to him being gone all week!

12.29.2010

Stratton's First Movie!

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We took Stratton to see the Yogi Bear movie today. Back a few months ago when Jarrod and I were at the theater seeing a movie there was a poster advertising for the Yogi Bear movie, and Jarrod said "I think I know what Stratton's first movie is going to be!". It came out the week before Christmas, but we were in Branson and this was the first chance we have had to go!! I didn't get any pictures because we were running late (as always) and it was raining! We had thought we would go to the 2:30 showing but Stratton (and Jarrod) was still taking a nap. So, we ended up going to the 4:30 show. I knew he wouldn't sit through the whole thing but he did better than I expected! At the beginning the surround sound took him by surprise, he was looking behind him to see what was going on! He sat in Jarrod's lap for a good 30 minutes straight watching before starting to get a little restless, then he sat in the seat between us till about 30 minutes before it was over, then he started getting really restless and wanting down so he and I went out to the bathroom and then stood by the stairs in the theater. We actually stayed for the entire movie! It wasn't that great of a movie (not that I really expected it to be) but I think Stratton enjoyed most of it. He would get distracted when it got to the slower parts, but for the most of it he was really into it! I think it will be awhile before we try it again, but I was really proud of him!

As soon as the movie was over we ran to Wendy's and grabbed a bite before heading straight to church! In church tonight Stratton was blowing kisses to our friend Carla and flirting with her. Matt (her husband) started acting like it made him mad and Stratton just thought that was so funny! He's always been a social baby, but lately he has started really eating up attention!

Jarrod's mom is coming tomorrow afternoon to pick up Stratton. He is going to stay with them until Saturday. I have so much to do while he is gone- take down all the christmas decor, clean house (using my new Bissell sweeper steam mop), take back & exchange some christmas gifts, give the dog a bath (that's another story all together!) and figure out where we are having our New Year's get together and find something to cook for that!

I can't believe tomorrow is Thursday! Why does vacation time go by so fast?! I am not ready to go back to work!!

12.28.2010

Hanging out at home

I am off this week (yay!) so Stratton and I have been taking it easy and having lots of fun at home! He has been so good! I was afraid after the crazy weekend he would be nothing but trouble but I haven't had to spank him once. . .yet. . . He has actually been sleeping later than usual. I don't know if he is just really worn out or what, but it sure is nice!

Yesterday my mom and dad came to town to run some errands and we met them for lunch (late lunch) and then they watched him while I ran to Kroger to get some much needed groceries! Then when Jarrod got home we went to TaMolly's for supper.

We are planning on taking him to his first movie this week sometime. Jarrod is off for the rest of the week starting on Wednesday so maybe we can catch an early show since I don't think we will make it through an entire movie!

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He thinks Moo (his current fav stuffed animal) wants to ride!

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his new "surprised" face!

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A new day, a new bruise! That's why we call him Bruiser!

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He is SO his father's child!