Playing Around

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video HostingObviously, we are feeling better! Alex wanted to wear his new snow boots for a while, even though they kind of got in the way of his playing. Speaking of snow boots, Praise the Lord I found him some great snow boots and snow pants at the thrift shop the other day--all for under $4.00!! Now all we need is some snow!!

Sick & Tired

Alex hasn't been feeling well yesterday and today. We're having some yucky issues that have resulted in some pretty bad diaper rash. I haven't been able to even say the word diaper without him running in the other direction and starting to wimper--it's really sad actually. So, a few times I have changed the boy's diaper on the floor while he watches a movie to distract him--works pretty well! And one time yesterday he stayed there on the floor and watched the movie for a good half an hour. This afternoon he is doing better, so we may head out after dinner to pick up a few groceries--I think we could both use to get out of the house and get some fresh air!

Merry Thanksmas!

Since this was our year to have Thanksgiving with the Coons we decided to celebrate "Thanksmas" (thanks to Auntie Brenda for the catchy title) and exchange our Christmas presents while we were all together instead of mailing them. We had a great time together over the long weekend. We enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner, a "Christmas Morning", some shopping, a quick trip to Java Jungle, and lots of time to talk, watch movies, and play games. Nana & Papa and Alex enjoyed some quality time together, especially. More Thanksmas pics to come later.

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing????

Let's try the donkey up here for a change.
Hmmmm...what do you think?
Yep, I like it!
(The donkey actually stayed up in the angel's place in Alex's Little People Nativity Scene for a few days. This happens some times, especially when we can't find the angel, for though Alex doesn't play favorites with his Little People, Toby has taken a real interest in the angel and it often goes missing for a while!)

"You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Cry..."

Well, there were definitely a few tears from Alex when Santa came to town this year. We went to Twelve Oaks Mall today to do a little shopping and see Santa. Things went well, the line was short and moving fast, we put in our order, and Alex was in good spirits. Then we started walking up to Santa...and about 3 steps from him Alex stopped...and started backing up! Not a good sign. So, I picked him up and Santa talked really quietly to him and I eventually set him on Santa's knee. I backed up toward the camera as quickly as I could, but not fast enough! Santa was very patient and sweet, but the boy would have nothing of it! Thankfully he gave Santa a smile and a wave before we left, no hard feelings apparently! Well, needless to say, the photos we had to choose from weren't exactly ideal, but they did capture the moment! Merry Christmas!

The Food Group That is Ketchup!

Ketchup has earned it's own category in the food pyramid here at our house. Alex LOVES it! You can put a glob of the stuff on his tray and he would be happy to just dip his finger in it and eat it all by itself. And I have found that on those days when he is being particularly "toddlerish" and won't eat something that I know he loves, a little bit of ketchup on whatever it may be makes the formerly detestable food into a culinary delight!! (P.S. I didn't pose this picture, he managed to get the ketchup all over himself all on his own!)

A smidge of this and that...

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video HostingThe boy who never cooperates on camera actually pulled through yesterday! This video shows just a smidge of many of the different things that happen during mealtime. After he figures out that the flash isn't going to blind him, we have a little bit of peek-a-boo & a failed attempt at using his fork, before the kid actually gets some pancake into his mouth! Of course then he must put down his fork to applaud himself and this big accomplishment, and upon hearing the clapping decides a little bit more banging would be fun. That makes him thirsty so he needs some milk, for which he actually does his signs on camera--miracles do happen! (Jenny Pittsley, you will enjoy how his sign for drink is a little off, and his sign for please has degressed from rubbing hand in circle on chest, to rubbing hand in circle on head, to just tapping head! Oh, well, it works for us!) We finish up with blowing some kisses, more blinking for the flash that never comes, and pointing at his eyes when I mention them! It's like his own video version of "If You Give a Pig a Pancake!"

The Search for the Perfect Hat

I don't know if other mommies out there have had this problem, but there seems to be a real shortage of decent winter hats in this world! At least for toddlers--and I do realize that my kid has a large head, he always has (full of brains I'm sure of it!) but one would assume that hats would come in a reasonable range of sizes and not skip from teeny tiny to elem. kid size! The only ones I did find were obnoxious, for example, the green/grey camo hat was looking pretty good until I turned it around to the front and found a skull and bones on it! Umm...NO. Well, necessity is the mother of invention right? And although I did not invent any new kind of hat, I did try my hand at making one that fits! So, this is one of Alex's new winter hats--I bought a few more scraps of fleece (the remnants are around $1.50 at Joanne's!) so I am going to try a few more---now if we can just come up with a way to keep the kid from pulling the thing off his head in the car!

Caught Red Handed!

Often when Alex hears the mixer going in the kitchen he runs in and wants to sit on the counter and watch it. I always keep his hands away from it, and he knows it's one of those "danger" things he's not supposed to touch when it's going. Well, over the weekend I made some cookies, and sure enough the boy came running to watch them mix. After I turned the mixer off I looked over to read my recipe and after a minute I heard "Mmmmmmm!" The boy discovered the joys eating cookie dough and was quite pleased with both himself and this new treat! I let him get a few licks before I put him down, which he was NOT happy with, but it was bedtime anyway--hence the pj's. Guess a love for cookie dough is just one of those things that comes naturally!

Snack Time

In the mornings I let Alex eat his snack while he watches Little Einsteins. He LOVES this! I found him the other day just chillin' in the chair (Daddy's chair--which Alex thinks is his now) with his foot up on the armrest! What a Goob!
Caught ya!

One Crazy Kid

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video HostingYou just never know what is going to tickle a toddler...one day something is funny, and the next day it's no big deal. Well lately most anything that includes Daddy & Toby gets a giggle!

Slowing Down

How do you know when your toddler isn't feeling 100%....when he slows down and sits still for more than 5 minutes all together! Alex is starting to feel better from this whole viral thing he's been fighting, but it has not been unusual over the last few days to find him curled up on the couch or chair, paci in mouth, cuddling with his blankie. Though I hate to see him not feeling well, I do enjoy the extra cuddles I get (until I look down at my jeans and see spots of dried snot! ew!).

And so it begins...

I found Alex like this in his crib after his nap yesterday. He managed to get one arm out of his shirt before he got so frustrated that the tears came and Mommy had to come rescue him. I guess he really is a toddler!

If the Shoe Fits...

Alex looks much better in Daddy's dress shoes than in Mommy's red ballet flats!
What? Too big you say?
This is Ryan's favorite! The boy was anticipating the flash on the camera and kept doing this squinting blinking thing. We hope this doesn't become his new camera face!

Have a Spooktackular Halloween!!

Though we weren't planning on taking our 1yr old trick-or-treating (didn't seem to be much of a point in it this year!) we were hoping to get a cute pic in this homemade ghost costume---and you know how that goes sometimes....He hated the costume! He loves to drape things over his head and walk around in the dark--why in the world did he hate this costume? I have one answer for that...he's a toddler. Oh, well, we did get a good pic of Toby in the ghost costume. We in the Coon household will be spending our Halloween under quarrantine as the boy woke up with a 101 degree fever and other sickly symptoms I won't describe to you this soon after lunch!! Let's just say he's already in his 3rd outfit of the day. So, if you come by our house and find that there is no light on and nobody passing out candy, I just want you to know that we are not humbugs...we just don't want to be passing out candy with a side of GERMS!!!

Playing with Coasters, Who Needs Fancy Toys?

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Family Fun

Grams is here!

Hangin' Out with Crazy Uncle Matt

The Sun was so bright we could barely keep our eyes open.
Alex couldn't make himself keep his eyes open, so Ryan shaded them for him with his hat!

Oddly enough there was a pet Halloween costume contest in town!

It looks like this lady is carrying a baby, but it's not, it's a hound puppy!

Does he have these two wrapped around his little finger or what?

Mmmm, a sea of chocolate heaven!

Making friends with Aunt Amy!

Vacationing with Grandparents means there are always extra hands to push the stroller.

This is Alex's new game, and he could play it for hours....long after Grandpa or Daddy's arms get tired!


Sharing Grandpa's love for art...
And goofiness!!!

On the way to the airport we stopped to say hi to the ducks and get a little fresh air!
We've had a lot of family visitors over the past 2 weeks: Mom came for a week, Dad joined her for the weekend at the end of the trip, and Matt & Amy came up for the Saturday that both the folks were here! We were crazy busy the whole time! Mom & I canned somewhere around 50 quarts of applesauce, painted my kitchen, went to the pumpkin patch, and generally never sat still for 5 min. all together! When Dad, Matt, & Amy were here we spent the day in Frankenmuth, and really enjoyed the fall weather and family fun! Here are a few pics of the family visit, I think I may have more to post later. Sorry this is so long, but I am having issues with the Slideshow now!!

The Return of the Video

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So, we have finally figured out our video problem and hopefully will be able to post video clips again more consistantly. You may, therefore, be seeing a whole bunch of video over the next few days, as there are some cute ones from the last few months!! This one is a little peek at my big talker!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is Ryan's 28th birthday!! So I pulled out some of my favorite Daddy photos and put them together so you can all see what a great Daddy/Hubby Alex and I are blessed with. Wish you could see the "happy dance" Alex does when Daddy comes home from work--that little dance perfectly explains how we feel about our Daddy!! Happy Birthday, Sweetie...looking forward to spending many, many more birthdays together with you!