LONG NAPS

One day during Dennis's nap he was tossing and turning with an occasional grumpy whine. I thought that maybe he was done with his nap- but when I went in there he showed no interest in getting up and even kept his eyes shut. I rubbed his back and he curled up along the bars of the crib with a slat right in front of his eyes. I noticed that he just wanted it darker. So I wedged his blanket over his eyes and he slept for another good hour. So, I decided that he needed an eye mask to keep it dark enough during naps. Here are a couple of pictures of it. I am sure that he would never let me put it on him as he was going to sleep but once he is deep in a slumber we sneak in and put it on his eyes. *works like a charm* (notice that he is positioned with a slat infront of his eyes)

As you can see there is a slight tear where the elastic connects to it- this happened during the night last night. I found it in the morning around his waist!!! We didn't put it on him last night either- so that was ALL his doing. Funny kid.

She's got moves

I thought Dennis had some good moves until I saw this girl. SO FUNNY.

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Head, Toes & Nose

Valentine's Day FUN

Story told by Dennis.
For Valentine's Day, I took my mom and dad camping. They let me drive a little bit- but I was too tired. We didn't get to bed until 9:00pm. Mom and dad had trouble finding wood in the dark and the fire wasn't starting. But, mom finally just went to bed with me and got hot dogs in bed... so romantic. Here is where we slept. It was nice and cozy laying in between mom and dad. I couldn't have asked for anything better. I was so happy to wake up right in between them!

We got up and looked for more wood (much easier during the day). My mom made me wear the mittens... I didn't like that very much at first because I couldn't pick anything up. But then when I took them off- I just wanted them back on because my hands were so cold. Thanks grandma for the cool mittens. At first I was wearing my shoes but my feet got wet from the snow.

So then my mom made me wear my boots. I don't love my boots. My feet never stay in them. So I fell. a lot.

At this point I was stuck sitting on the log. I couldn't walk or pick anything up! Torture!

At least I was warm by the fire.

Isn't my mom a diva? We could totally be Abercrombie models in this next pic.

My dad is a stud too. That's wear I get my good looks from. I can't wait to grow a beard longer than his.

I got to walk around with a little help.

Buster loves bacon grease.

Mom loves smores.

I helped dad go get water and got to sit in the big boy seat without a carseat! ... but I was so tired that I fell asleep. really hard. Dad says I was snoring. I'm so embarrassed.

The Dogs slept in the van... I bet they were cold.

Mom decided to cut the camping trip short. She is a pansy sometimes. So I told her that I would drive her home.

This is where our tent was. It snowed a lot compared to when we first set up our tent. It got pretty cold too. But Dad and I were ready to tough it out. Maybe mom will be tougher next year.

I was totally exhausted when we got home.

Thanks for such a great V-day mom and dad! We will have to do it again next year.

xoxo

bumps, bruises and buster loves

Dennis seems to be accumulating a lot of bumps and bruises recently. Just yesterday he had a great fall. Ryan had gotten up on a dining room chair to put the curtains back up that Dennis had pulled down and in the mean time Dennis was copying what daddy was doing and climbed up onto a chair. Unfortunatley the Chair was still pushed into the table, so when Dennis wedged his body in between the table and chair he pushed the chair over backwards... or forwards according to Dennis who face planted right onto the corner of a metal air intake on the base of the wall. Check out his huge egg. It is elevated about 1/4". Dennis LOVES Buster and gives him hugs ALL the time. Buster really enjoys it... as you can see in this picture Dennis is almost riding Buster and yet Buster just sits there. Whenever I tell Dennis to, "hug buster" he does and Buster always moves into position.

independent

Defying Gravity

It's time to try defying gravity

I think I'll try defying gravity

And you can't pull me down

(wicked)



Dennis had a fight with gravity this past weekend. With a rug burn on his forehead, a black eye, and a bruise in the middle of his forehead people start to wonder about our parenting techniques. What color are those eyes anyway? they keep changing... but into what?

Some things this little guy is into these days:

- He has 2 molars on top and 2 halfway on bottom- plus the next two in front to make 4 front bottom teeth (whatever they are called). Interesting the order that they come in.

- He likes to put toilet paper in the toilet and flush. Whenever I hear the lid- I know that's what he's up to. One day I wasn't sure if it was going to flush it was so full of paper.

-He has loved, for a long time now, throwing away his diapers. We have finally trained him not to play with the garbage- so it is once again in its usual place by the refrigerator. And, the other day after he ate some string cheese he threw away the wrapper without any prompting. YAY!

-He can walk down SMALL steps like a big boy without holding onto anything.

-He loves to color.

-He loves the feel of rain or snow on his face.

-He loves to lift things up... even if they are bigger or heavier than him (he is very strong).

-He tries to reach the light switch and doorknobs. He will push stools, chairs, and his booster seat over to them in order to help his reach. It is quite funny to see him go for the light switch- they are very high in our house-sometimes he is a good 4 feet short and he still reaches with all of his might.

-He says mama and Dad. sometimes. Most of the time its just aaah.

-He loves to hit and hug our dogs. usually one after the other.

-He is getting very good at carrying 3 or 4 things in his hands at once.

-He has a new fascination with falling asleep with his glow worm.

-He hates sitting in a grocery cart - unless it has a steering wheel.