Expecting the Unexpected

The Projector

2011-12-22T19:27:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, Phoenix noticed the video projector at church. Tonight as we played in the playroom, he pointed out his latest project. Using some of the pieces from his junior Black & Decker work bench, he fashioned together his own video projector. "Just like the one at church," he said. Phoenix calls it his "conjector."

- Posted from my iPhone

Don't Go, Daddy

2011-11-29T21:53:00.001-06:00

Fox's vocabulary is expanding everyday, but even though he can't vocalize everything yet through speech, that doesn't mean that he can't understand you. I learned that this morning after I got Fox up from his crib. As I entered his room, I heard him greet me with the usual, "Dah-unh." He was chipper and ready to get up. I grabbed him, hugged him, kissed him, and changed his diaper.

Usually, I don't leave the house until about 8:20-8:30, but this morning I had to leave by 7:20 for a video shoot. I was glad that I got to see both Fox and Phoenix before I left, but I didn't have my usual time with either of them today. As I carried Fox into mine and Wendy's room, I told both him and Phoenix that I would have to leave early for work, but that I would be back that evening. Immediately Fox's demeanor changed. He suddenly went from happy to sad. He clung to me and wrapped his arms tightly around my neck. He laid his head on my shoulder and wouldn't let me put him down. I was surprised that he seemed to understand everything that I had said, because he definitely seemed depressed that I had to leave the house. I felt bad for leaving, but at the same time I felt good that Fox loves me enough that he doesn't want to see me go.

Here's a picture Wendy took of me and Fox after I told him that I would have to leave early.

Wax On, Wax Off

2011-11-29T19:15:00.001-06:00

Fox has shown interest in the space heater that we have set up in the living room. Tonight he went over to it, turned it off, and for the first time, said, "Awwf." Then he turned it back on and said, "Awwwn." That's the first time he has said either word. He was so proud of himself. Wendy and I clapped for him each time he said it. Then he would try to get our attention each time he turned it on and off. When we looked at him, he would say, "Awwwn." or "Awwf." new developments are always so exciting.

- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Wax On, Wax Off

Just Get the Candy and Walk Away

2011-11-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

By the time our neighborhood hosted their annual trick-or-treating block party, Phoenix was pretty wiped out. Even before Halloween night, Phoenix had taken advantage of the annual tradition on two other occasions. The first was at church on Sunday evening. Our congregation had a Trunk-or-Treat in the parking lot behind the church building. Phoenix and Fox suited up into their costumes and went around to various vehicles collecting candy for their goodie bags. On the morning of Halloween, Phoenix's Day School class went trick-or-treating at a nearby apartment complex for retirees. On the way home from Day School, Phoenix told Wendy that he didn't want to trick or treat anymore. I guess kids can get overloaded with too much holiday fun.

At 3pm that afternoon, Wendy and I met to close on the refinancing of our house. Following the close, I took Phoenix in my car and Wendy took Fox in hers. Phoenix fell asleep on the way home, which was concerning, because we were only about an hour away from the start of the neghborhood trick-or-treat outing. We were scheduled to meet some neighbors and other friends at 5:30 for dinner. I called Wendy to tell her that Phoenix was asleep. We were both disappointed, because we didn't want him to miss out on the fun of dressing up and going door to door. After all, it only comes around once a year.

My plan was to let Phoenix sleep for an hour, then meet up with our friends after dinner. However, Phoenix woke up when I tried to lay him in his bed, so we were able to stay on schedule. And, Phoenix woke up in a good mood, which is always a plus. We got him suited up in his Thomas the Train costume and we all headed off down the street to our neighbor's house.

When we arrived, kids were everywhere. Other neighborhood children were getting a jump start on the festivities and were already knocking on doors and collecting candy. Neighbors were setting up their tables, setting out candy, and tweaking last-minute decorations.

By the time everyone had eaten, it was around 6:30. Darkness was just settling over the neighborhood, so we rounded up the children, passed out glow sticks, opened our candy bags, and went off into the night.

Phoenix and Isabelle rode together in the wagon. Fox stayed in his stroller, with Wendy at the wheel. Sid walked with Brady. Lori pulled the wagon. I was the official photographer. We hit more houses this year than we did last year. At every stop, the children seemed to get more and more excited. Phoenix was a real pro. He would hop out of his wagon, run up to the door, and shout, "Twick oh Tweat." He would get his candy, laugh a little, then say, "Come on Belle." Then, they returned to the wagon and we were off to the next house.

It was so much fun for me to see my children enjoying Halloween. And I couldn't help but laugh at some of the things Phoenix said and did while he and Isabelle went door to door. At one house, Phoenix told Isabelle, "Just get the candy and walk away." At another house, a nice woman knelt down to hand Phoenix some candy from a bowl. After getting some candy from her bowl, Phoenix walked into the house, grabbed some candy from another bowl sitting inside, then came running out the front door yelling, "Let's go!"

In all, we hit up more houses this year than we did last year, which was fun, because it made the experience last longer. Phoenix was disappointed after we finished, but he didn't whine, complain or fuss about it. We all re-grouped at the house where the whole party started (I guess for an Operation: Candy debrief, of sorts) and I went through Phoenix's goodie bag to make sure that no "iffy" looking candy was inside. As I rifled through his candy, I had flashbacks to my own childhood when my mom would literally break up every piece of candy looking for contraband that could harm me or my brother. I never understood how someone could get a syringe into a mini Reese's cup, but that's my mom for you.

I'm glad to report that no tainted candy got into my childrens' candy bags.

Old Baker Farm - Year Two

2011-10-24T20:36:00.000-05:00

It's been a jam-packed weekend, that's for sure. After fun evening at Regions Park for the Pig Iron BBQ, Wendy and I got the kids up the next morning, loaded them into the car, and headed off to Harpersville for a day at Old Baker Farm. This was our second year to attend and I really hope it becomes an annual tradition. I enjoy watching Phoenix and Fox as they search through the extensive fields to find the right pumpkins for the family. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning.

We arrived at Old Baker farm a little after 10am and it was packed. People everywhere. Last year, we didn't experience very large crowds, but we also went to the farm during the first week of October, not the last weekend before Halloween. We were forced to park in a field across the street from the main entrance. Fortunately the walk wasn't too bad, but I was concerned that we would have to wait in some pretty long lines before enjoying any of the attractions.

Unlike last year, I remembered to bring enough cash for admittance, so we had no trouble getting in. The first thing Phoenix spotted after entering was the Tumble Bus. Now, this was my first experience with the Tumble Bus, but I quickly learned that it was a school bus that had been gutted and re-fitted with all kinds of toys little kids enjoy - mini trampoline, zip line, slides, monkey bars, etc. Phoenix wanted to jump in right away. I paid the $2 admission fee and he climbed aboard.

He loved riding the zip line. He would call out to me and ask me to watch him. He would then report on everything he was doing, "Daddy, I climbed the monkey bars." "Daddy, I slid down the slide." I snapped a few pictures of his time inside the Tumble Bus, but it was a bit challenging. The only way parents could take pictures was through the back entrance to the bus. And with all the adults crowded around to get a look at their kids, you had to muscle your way through, like the paparazzi, to get off a clear shot.

I was amazed at how many vendors there were at the farm this year. There were all kinds of arts and crafts available to purchase. There were concession stands set up (including a place to get boiled peanuts, which were awesome, by the way) with all kinds of food. There was even a Civil War encampment, with all kinds of reenactors marching around, or riding horseback.

After the Tumble Bus, we took the boys over to this large, open trailer filled with cotton. Phoenix jumped right in. Fox was in his stroller and I really want him to get out and enjoy the cotton too. Wendy was a bit hesitant to let him join in, afraid that some of the larger kids would injure him. This is when I stepped in to rescue my little guy. I pulled him out of the stroller, took him to the trailer, and let him jump in. He had a blast. He jumped up and down, landing on his bottom each time. He laughed. He picked up cotton. He threw it around. Phoenix came over and wrestled with him for a little bit. They both had fun. However, I had to cut the fun short when Phoenix started throwing cotton out of the trailer. At that point, it was time to move on.

We worked our way down to the hay ride, where passengers were being loaded up and transported to the pumpkin fields for pumpkin extraction. It's a good thing we got in line when we did. There were already dozens of people ahead of us. Wendy and I were both concerned that we would have to wait a long time to get out to the pumpkin fields. You see, I was operating under a fairly tight timetable. I was scheduled to meet my parents around 4:30 that afternoon so we could drive to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-Tennessee football game. Fortunately the line moved fairly quickly and we were amidst the hay bales and on our way to the pumpkin fields in no time.

Both boys loved being in the pumpkin patch. Phoenix immediately found a small pumpkin that was easy for him to carry. He decided that this was the pumpkin he wanted. It wasn't perfectly round like some of the others and it didn't have that bright orange color that pumpkins usually have. It was a little misshapen and bruised, but Phoenix loved it anyway. I asked him, "Wouldn't you rather have a nice orange pumpkin?" But he refused. I was actually proud of him for choosing a pumpkin that didn't look like all of the others; a pumpkin that wasn't as attractive.It reminded me of the little Christmas tree Charlie Brown picked out; a tree no one wanted.

Fox, on the other hand, would go over and stand by the biggest pumpkins in the entire field. He would try to lift them, but then when he realized that he couldn't, he would call out to me, "Dah-unh." I would look over at him and he would point down to the pumpkin at his feet. I wuld walk over, kneel down, and ask, "Do you want this pumpkin?" To which he responded, "Naw." Then he would wander over to another gigantic pumpkin, call out, "Dah-unh," point to the one he picked out, and say "Naw" again when I asked him if we wanted that one. This went on for a while.

We quickly chose 3 pumpkins for the family. We boarded the hay ride back to the main area of the farm. Before leaving for the day, we went to the barn where the boys saw pigs and goats, and I also let Phoenix run around inside the hay maze. After that, we grabbed a bag of boiled peanuts, loaded up our pumpkins and headed back to Birmingham. And I was in time to meet my parents for the Alabama-Tennessee football game, which we all know is the most important part of this story ;)

The Pig Iron BBQ

2011-10-21T20:36:00.001-05:00

Tonight was the annual Pig Iron BBQ, benefiting Children's Harbor. The event is held at Regions Park in Hoover. Each year, local companies sponsor the event and cook up a wide variety of barbecue. Each corporate sponsor is given booth space and company employees decorate their booth along a specific theme.

Wendy and I decided to take the boys there this evening. The event lasted from 5-8. We arrived around 6. We dressed warmly, because the weather turned much cooler this past Wednesday. After entering, we went around and sampled some of the barbecue. There was a large crowd in attendance, so navigating the stroller was a bit challenging.

I was interested in sampling the food, but Phoenix was drawn to the kiddie area, where they had games, face painting, balloon animals, and a bouncy house. Phoenix loved the bouncy house and he walked out of the kiddie area with a blue balloon in the shape of a rocket (thanks to the nimble hands of a bearded clown). Fox received a green balloon poodle. Phoenix also won a little whistle from one of the sponsor booths. They had a little "Finding Nemo" fishing game set up. Phoenix dropped his rod over the wall and pulled up a whistle.

By the end of the night I had eaten 6 ribs, 1 pork sandwich, 2 pieces of sausage, and apple pie with ice cream. I shared some of my ice cream with Phoenix and Fox, and they were very appreciative. Fox kept pointing at me and said, "Dah-unh." That was his way of saying "More ice cream."

Everyone had a great evening, but now I'm so full I can't move. Tomorrow, we're off to Old Baker's Farm to get our pumpkins for Halloween. I can't believe it's been a year already since we went out there.

Take Me Out to the Church Ballgame

2011-10-18T22:55:00.001-05:00

Our church organized a softball team a few months ago. It's the first team we have had in 8 years. Naturally, I signed up. I've really missed playing. Right now our record isn't too bad, considering we have a bunch of new guys on the team who haven't played together before. Currently we are 2-3.

Last night Wendy and the boys came to watch my game. I was extremely excited to have the boys there. I know they are still too young to really appreciate the game, but I have fond memories of watching my dad play church softball when I was young. It's nice to be the Dad and have the opportunity to impress my kids - even if it is only church softball.

Our games are held at Spain Park and there is a playground adjacent to the fields, which was great for Phoenix and Fox. They enjoyed running around on the playground throughout the game. Phoenix didn't see much of the game, but at one point while I was playing the outfield, I noticed Wendy seated on the bleachers with Fox in her lap. He stayed there most of the game, watching everything. Wendy told me later that he was really interested in everything that was happening on the field. Whenever a ball was hit high into the air, he would say, "Whoa!" and whenever he saw me, he would point and say "Dah-unh," which is way of saying Daddy.

Wendy brought Fox over to the dugout a few times so I could talk to him through the fence. He reached his hand up to mine and grunted. I could tell he wanted to come inside to be with me. I was so excited to see that he was so interested in baseball at such a young age. Phoenix came over to the dugout once and said "hey" to me and asked if he could come onto the field. Maybe one day Phoenix will start showing interest in sports, but for right now, Fox seems to be my little ball player.

I'm glad our team had a good night while my boys were there to watch. We won the game 13-8 and I went two for three, hitting two singles. I also caught three fly balls in the outfield.

No Treasure For Daddy

2011-10-17T08:10:00.001-05:00

I took the boys out last night to eat dinner with a good friend of mine and his family. They were passing through Birmingham, on their way back from the beach, and since we don't get to see each other that often, we decided to meet at Habaneros for dinner. My friend has one seven year-old boy and two twin boys, who just turned one a few weeks ago.

Phoenix enjoyed playing with the seven year-old while sitting at the table, and Fox enjoyed eating everything in sight. After dinner, I was taking the boys home when suddenly I noticed that Phoenix had loosened his seatbelt. The belt was no longer laying across his chest. He had pulled the belt up and over his head and it was incredibly slack. I told him immediately to put his seatbelt back into its proper position, but he refused to cooperate. So, I quickly pulled over, got out of the car, and readjusted the belt. I was very firm with him for loosening the belt, and for disobeying me. I told him how important it is that we always wear our seatbelt while riding in the car.

Well, his feelings were hurt because I was firm with him. He pouted in the backseat for the rest of the ride home. He kept telling me things like, "Daddy, you aren't going to get a treasure" (a reference to his Day School where each student gets a treasure at the end of the day for good behavior). He also said he was going to cancel the Disney trip and that there would be no Halloween this year.

When we got home, his mood hadn't improved much. As we climbed the stairs to his bedroom, he said, "Daddy, I'm mad and the only thing that will make me happy again is to see Mimi" (which is what he calls my mom). Of course when I mentioned this to my mom on the phone later, her heart melted. Both boys have such good relationships with my parents and Wendy's parents. I feel very fortunate that we can all live in the same town.

Open. Shut. Repeat

2011-10-10T10:02:00.001-05:00

Wendy had to go into work for a couple of hours this morning to take care of some paperwork, so that left me in charge of Fox for a little while.

After dropping Phoenix off at day care, Fox and I came home and I tried to give him something to eat, but he wasn't interested. The weather is perfect today so I took him outside to the back yard. However, for some reason he didn't want to play on his swing set. He walked around in the grass, tossing his big bouncy ball. He then spent some time talking to Samson through the fence.

Once the novelty of playing in the back yard wore off, he climbed the stairs back up to the screened in porch and spent the next several minutes opening and closing the door leading into the house. That was his favorite thing to do, by far. But he couldn't understand why the screen door wouldn't stay open when he let it go.

He had a great time with the door, and soon he took it up a notch by rolling his big bouncy ball in and out of the house. He rolled it through the back door, then back out again. I had to monitor the screen door to make sure it stayed open.

Sometimes I wonder why we spend so much money on toys for these kids.

- Posted from my iPhone

Oh, the Wonderful Things Mr. Fox Can Do

2011-09-26T21:36:00.000-05:00

As Fox gets closer to his 2nd birthday, his vocabulary is really improving. He is very responsive and will almost always answer Wendy or myself when we ask him a question. I thought I would take a moment and record some of the words he can say and how he pronounces them. So, here is the Fox Translation Dictionary - at the age of 22 months:

Aunt Lori - "RoRo"
Phoenix - "NeeNee"
Daddy - "Dah-unh" (This one is a bit hard to describe. For some reason, Fox chokes off the last syllable in "Daddy" and it makes an unusual sound, like he's trying to sound out a word that starts with the letter "N,")
Mommy - "Mah-Mah"
Wow - "Waah"
Papa - "Papa"
Love you - "Wuh-oo"
Ball - "Bahw"
Bye-Bye - "Bye-Bye"
Juice - "Oose"
Bible - "Bi-boo"
Blue - "Boo"

He also likes to say "Whoa," "Uh-oh," "Oh no," and "Ee I Ee I Oh."

He's also doing a great job of making his animal sounds. Right now, he can tell us what each of the following animals sound like:

Dog
Sheep
Pig (I love to watch him do his pig impression. He puts one hand up to his nose, then makes one brief snorting sound.)
Cow
Duck
Elephant (This really isn't a sound. All he does for elephant is hold one arm straight up in the air, mimicking the elephant's trunk.)
Monkey (Again, this one isn't a sound, but a gesture. He will usually slap his hand to his chest for monkey.)

I'm loving the stage that Fox is in right now. He's still part baby and part little boy. I love this early toddler stage. I'm hoping he will stay my little baby as long as possible, but I realize that those days are rapidly coming to an end. He's already wanting to do everything Phoenix does. He watches his older brother and wants to do everything he does. He's definitely fun to watch.

Football Saturday

2011-09-12T20:31:00.001-05:00

Wendy had to work this past Saturday from 9am-2pm, so it was up to me to watch the boys. When Fox was a newborn, I was a bit intimidated about keeping both boys by myself. Now, I really enjoy it. Whenever I have the privilege of watching both boys, I see it as a challenge. I want to prove it to myself and to the world that yes, I am a capable Dad. I am a responsible Dad. I am a Dad that can handle anything that comes my way, even when there is no Mommy around to assist me.

However, simply watching the boys isn't enough. Anyone can sit around the house and watch two boys play. I need to up the ante. I need to take it up a notch. So, when I'm in charge of the boys, I like to get them dressed, fed, and out of the house. I like to take them places. Saturday morning, that place was the neighborhood playground.

Wendy left the house around 8:30, so once I finished feeding the boys their breakfast, I loaded them in the car and drove to the playground. We arrived at about 9:15 and stayed for about 2 hours. There was already one little girl playing when we arrived. Her name was Lilly and she was four years old. Phoenix immediately introduced himself and the two started playing. They chased each other around the playground, they pretended to be dragons, they ran from "monsters," they built castles with sticks and rocks, and they climbed up the slides and slid down the slides. For a while, Phoenix just referred to Lilly as "Friend," because he either didn't hear her say her name, or didn't want to take the time to learn it. So, he would just run around and say things like, "Hey Friend," or "Follow me, Friend."

Fox, meanwhile, tried his best to keep up with the other two. If they climbed up the slides, he wanted to try. If they ran around to a certain spot on the playground, he ran there too. Mostly he stayed with me, because he's still a bit too little to be climbing on the playground equipment by himself. He really enjoyed the tunnel slide. I held him in my lap and the two of us went down that slide repeatedly. Once we were at the bottom, he wanted to climb back up. He would scurry back up into the tunnel and try to make his way back to the top. He wouldn't get very far, before sliding back to the bottom. He did find a small hole in the slide that he used to play peek-a-boo with me.

Once we left the playground, I decided to run through Chick-Fil-A's drive-thru to buy lunch. Fox was already tired and promptly fell asleep on the way to the restaurant. Once we got lunch, I drove over to my parents' house to watch the Alabama-Penn St. football game.

Mom and Dad actually traveled up to State College, PA for the game, but my brother and I had arranged to meet there where we could all hang out and watch the game. Since Wendy and I don't have cable or satellite, watching live sports is a bit tricky. Mom and Dad graciously invited both Steven and I to watch the game at their house while they were out of town.

The game wasn't until 2:30, but I arrived with Phoenix and Fox around noon. We all ate lunch at the kitchen table while watching the Auburn-Miss. St. game. After lunch, the three of us played around the house. We started off in the kitchen where both boys spent time spinning pot lids on the floor (sidenote: when it comes time to buy Christmas presents for small children, forego the epxensive kids' toys. Just get them some pot lids, cardboard boxes, or paper towel rolls).

After the seemingly-endless fun of pot-lid-spinning wore off, we took the party upstairs to the playroom where Phoenix played with trains. Fox busied himself with opening and closing doors. That child can spend hours simply opening a door, walking to the other side, and closing the door. He then repeats the process.

The one thing I've noticed about children at play (especially my children) is that they don't settle down in one room to play. They really move around the house. They take advantage of every room. It's like a whole new adventure every time they open a new door. Like Christopher Walken in the now infamous "cowbell" sketch, my boys really "explore the space."

Around 2pm, we went out to the front yard to play. We took a few balls with us and we tossed those around and chased them. Then Phoenix wanted to play hide-and-seek in the bushes. Then we went back in to the garage where Phoenix played with cars and Fox played with more balls.

I was watching my time carefully. Kickoff of the Alabama-Penn St. game was at 2:30, and if there's one thing I want to teach my boys, it's that you are never late for the kickoff of an Alabama football game. At 2:30, I changed the channel on the kitchen TV to the Alabama game and I shut the garage door, so they boys couldn't escape into the front yard and beyond. I herded them inside where I could watch the game (and them, of course). Steven and Michelle arrived with their dog Buster right at kickoff, so Buster kept the boys occupied.

We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the football game. Wendy arrived around 3pm, but didn't stay too long, because Fox was getting tired. She soon took him home for a nap. Phoenix stayed with me, Steven, Michelle, and Buster. During halftime, we all took Buster out for a walk and Phoenix got the chance to spend some time with his aunt and uncle.

Steven and Michelle left with about 5 or 6 minutes left in the game because they were meeting friends for dinner out in Trussville. So, that left me and Phoenix. He told me he was hungry, so I gave him a snack of fruit and potato chips and he and I sat together in the kitchen watching football. He asked me some questions about the game, like which team we were cheering for. Alabama was wearing their road white jerseys, so I told him we were cheering for the team with the white shirts. He asked, "Why?" I explained that we were cheering for Alabama, because that's where Daddy went to school and Alabama is "our team." He asked who the team in blue was. I told him that they were called "Penn State." He asked why we weren't cheering for the team in blue (blue is his favorite color). I again explained why we cheer for Alabama (sometimes Wendy and I have to repeat ourselves when answering Phoenix's questions).

In all, it was quite an adventurous day, filled with all kinds of activities. All of us were worn out at the end of the day, but that's the kind of exhaustion that feels really good to a young Daddy like me.

James Got Bruised

2011-09-04T22:08:00.003-05:00

Every night when I tuck Phoenix in, we read three stories. I try to weave in a Bible story every once in a while so he can start to learn and appreciate the familiar stories I learned when I was young. I also want him to have an interest in the Bible and to learn about God's love and Jesus' sacrifice. But instead of jumping right in with the story tonight, I decided to sing the song that lists all of the New Testament books. The song is incredibly simple. It just goes through the names of all 27 New Testament books, but the melody helps children to memorize them. If you are familiar with the order of each book, you know that Hebrews comes first, then the book of James. Therefore, the song goes, "...Hebrews, James..." and continues on through the rest of the books.

Well, Phoenix perked up when he heard the name "James," because in the Thomas the Tank Engine series, there is a train named "James." And Phoenix absolutely loves Thomas the Train. When he heard me sing "James," he looked at me and said, "James?" And I said, "Yeah, there's a book of the Bible named James." Then he got a confused look on his face and asked, "Why is he bruised?" It took me a moment to realize that when he heard me say "Hebrews" he thought I said "He was bruised." Apparently, Phoenix thought James had fallen into some kind of mishap that left him bruised.

Do You Know the Dollar Man

2011-09-04T10:44:00.001-05:00

I've been trying to teach Phoenix the importance of generosity when we attend church. I usually give him a dollar to place in the contribution basket. This morning, Phoenix was holding his dollar, eager to drop it in the basket. However, he gradually grew more uncomfortable and I could tell he needed to go to the bathroom. He didn't want to leave and miss his opportunity to give his dollar. As my mom helped him out of the pew and into the aisle, he kept whispering, "Daddy, don't let the dollar man take it." He then pointed at his dollar and said, "Write my name on it." I couldn't help but laugh when he referred to those passing out the contribution baskets as, The Dollar Man.

- Posted from my iPhone

Punching the Ticket

2011-08-22T22:10:00.001-05:00

I want to teach Phoenix and Fox the importance of attending church and getting involved in Bible classes, ministries, missions, etc. I want them to know that they should do these things not because it will earn them a place in heaven or because they are simply a list of rules that one absent-mindedly follows. Rather, I want to teach them first above Gods love, grace and mercy and that we show our love for him and for each other by attending church, studying the Bible, and serving each other.

One of these teachable moments I have with Phoenix each Sunday is when the contribution basket is passed. I write a check and place it in the basket and I try to give Phoenix a little money that he can put in. I explain that we give our money to help those that are in need.

Yesterday morning I gave Phoenix a dollar to place in the contribution basket. He turned to the front of the auditorium, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the basket. He looked down at the dollar, then at me and asked, "Is this my ticket?"

Dad and I had a difficult time stifling our laughter. He said it in such a cute, innocent manner. However, I couldn't help but think that some people do treat outward religious acts as a ticket to heaven. They believe they won't get to heaven unless they DO enough. I want my children to understand that the work has already been done. Our ticket to heaven was punched thousands of years ago on a hill called Calvary. It's a gift. Now, what are we going to do with that knowledge? Do we accept in humble obedience and submit to God's will, or do we try to continue to live under the burden of Law?

I understand so much more about Gods relationship to us now that I have children of my own.

Letter A Fun!

2011-08-15T20:35:00.006-05:00

It's that time again...school is starting slowly again at our house...and I mean slowly. We are easing into the curriculum for the fall and seeing where I need to scrap certain things and where I need to add certain things. I am very excited to be using the A Beka 3 & 4K Phonics & Numbers curriculum for the Fall with Phoenix. He loves the songs and doing the flashcards. He asked to do that daily. The CD is fantastic and really helps him to learn the letter sounds. Fox likes to hear the songs too, but is more fascinated with the CD player, so sometimes our songs get interrupted.

A Beka Flashcard, it's huge and has a great story about Alexander Alligator on the back and helps him learn how to write the letter A using the story. It's awesome!

The boys woke up to the Letter A Hopscotch waiting for them in the foyer. Phoenix was so excited and did it several times before breakfast. Mr. F just casually walked over them several times laughing and pointing to the pictures of the apples.

Fox loved working with his red apple sorting cards from Letter of the Week (from Confessions of a Homeschooler site). He decided that he wanted a real apple during snack time!

Play time outside! It happened to be a cool day, which meant we got to stay outside longer...YAY for those days...Fall hurry up and get here!

Phoenix is really obsessed with wanting to tell time. So thanks to the Target $1 section (which I love). I found a foam clock and flashcards. The flashcards are great because it has roman numerials on them and regular numbers. He really got into sorting the flashcards.

Also in the $1 Target section...foam shapes. Fox loves these, especially the circles! He rolled them everywhere, until they decided to go under the coffee table.

Phoenix has also really got into cutting with his scissors more...thank goodness...I thought he would never start liking that. He sat and cut contruction paper for a good 20 minutes and loved it. His words were "Mommy that was tough". He likes a good challenge!

At the end of our letter A week, we went on a "field trip" to the Birmingham Public Library. I had not been there in years and had never been to the kids area at all. Wow, it's so nice and has lots of cool things for the kids to play with. They have a huge wooden train that you can go inside of and since both the boys love Thomas the Train this was a huge hit. Fox also loved the magnet board and organizing the shapes. We will definitely be going there again. Phoenix loves going through "the city" and seeing all the tall buildings.

Overall it was a great start to our first week. We had lots of fun and learned some things. I am working on finalizing Phoenix's Five in A Row material and we will start that after Labor Day. We will be doing The Story About Ping first and learning all about China. I love watching my boys learn and most of all I love being their teacher...and their Mommy! Best boys in the world!

Jacuzzi Time

2011-08-06T20:10:00.001-05:00

To say that it was hot today is an understatement. Heat indexes this past week have been in the low 100's. From 7am-12pm today Wendy and I had a garage sale here at the house, so I was feeling pretty grimy by lunchtime. Then, this evening, we got the boys outside to cool off in the sprinkler. Wendy and I worked in the natural area trimming branches while the boys played. Phoenix soon wanted to help us cut the branches, so he joined me in the natural area. Take a wet 3 yr. old, add dirt and grass (and a lot of humidity) and you have a dirty kid. It was soon time for bath.

For a change of pace, I bathed Phoenix in our jacuzzi tub. He wanted to turn on the jets and as soon as I did, the little bit of soap that was in the water got churned into a mountain of fluffy bubbles. He loved it (although he lost his little ship a few times under all the soapy goodness).

- Posted from my iPhone

The Muddy Streaker

2011-07-30T20:02:00.006-05:00

It has been a few weeks since I mowed the back yard - too many weeks, in fact. Today, it was time to tackle the jungle. After eating dinner, I suited up, gassed up the mower, grabbed the lawn bags, and went out into the tall Bermuda.

Phoenix has always loved to help me mow the grass - tonight was no different. He brought his little mower out into the backyard and shadowed me as I cut a path through the grass. It didn't take me too long to complete the work. because I kept the mower on its highest setting. However, Phoenix lost interest in the yard work long before I was finished. Midway through the mow, Wendy and Fox joined us. They went over to the playground and Phoenix joined them.

After bagging the grass and returning the lawn mower to the garage, I helped Wendy empty the large inflatable kiddie pool we bought for the boys. As the water spilled out over the edge, it collected all throughout the mulch surrounding the playground. That made everything nice and muddy. And when Phoenix saw the mud, he immediately wanted to play in it.

Not one to deprive a little boy of his chance to get absolutely filthy, I relieved Phoenix of his shirt and his shorts. And there he stood, in his skivvies, dancing in the mud. Then he dropped down on his bottom and scooted through the mud. When he stood, he looked behind him, laughed, and said, "It looks like I pooped." I grabbed my iPhone and started shooting video and stills of his wallowing. As I filmed, he decided it would be fun to try and get me muddy too. He managed to get his hands on my shirt before I could defend myself. Then he started chasing me through the backyard while I ran backwards, capturing his evil laughter on video.

When it was time to go inside, I knew I was going to have to hose Phoenix down before taking him upstairs. Unfortunately, our house does not have a water faucet in the backyard. I wrapped Phoenix in a towel and took him around to the front yard. I turned on the water while he stood on the sidewalk. I started washing him off. Then I stripped him of his underwear. That was when he decided to make his move. In an instant, he was streaking down the sidewalk, baring his little white bottom for all the neighbors. I tried to be firm with him and call him back, but as I started to speak, I couldn't help but laugh. The neighbors surely think that we are nothing but a bunch of hillbillies.

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Pointy Index Finger

2011-07-16T21:26:00.005-05:00

Although Fox's vocabulary is somewhat limited right now, he has still become quite communicative. He has learned the all-important sign for telling authority figures what it is that he wants - pointing. He has also grown accustomed to his routines. When he wakes in the morning, he has to have his milk. He takes his sippy cup gleefully, then walks around the house with it until it's gone. When he is finished, he usually hands the sippy cup to either Wendy or myself. When he wakes from his nap, Wendy brings him downstairs so he can watch one of his shows (usually something from the Baby Einstein collection). And if we are running behind schedule on his pre-determined routines, he will let us know by pointing at the object of his desire and grunting (actually it's more of a half grunt, half whine). This evening Wendy prepared Fox a dinner of potatoes and green beans. He also ate half of a banana. I was trying to give him the last few bites of his potatoes when he became fussy. I quickly surmised that he wanted down from his booster seat. I unbuckled him, then placed him on the floor. Immediately, he went into the living room with business-like precision, stopped in front of the TV and pointed. It was time for his post-meal entertainment. So, I popped in a Baby Einstein DVD and as soon as the picture materialized, he plopped right down into his personalized easy chair and began watching. That's Fox - a man of few words, but he knows what he wants.

Preschool 2011-2012 Plans

2011-07-13T12:00:00.003-05:00

I have been in deep curriculum planning mode for this Fall. Phoenix and Fox are wanting to learn everything. Fox is picking up on everything and likes to stay busy. My sister & I attended the Homeschool Expo in our state and I was in LOVE with what all I found. It was great to be able to look through different curriculum and spot the things your children would connect with. I got some great new ideas of what to do for him this Fall and have been at work to sit down and get it all scheduled out.

Here is what I have planned out for Phoenix:

BIBLE:
My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God's Word in Little Hearts book
Reading aloud in our Bible Story Books (we have several)

LANGUAGE:
A Beka Letters and Sounds N
A Beka Animal Alphabet Friends Flashcards
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading (phonics portion)
Letter of the Week (Confessions of a Homeschooler-this is a printable curriculum)

READING:
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading
Honey for a Child's Heart (we are working through this list for reading aloud time)
BOB books

SPELLING:
Building Words Pocket Chart (we use this to spell everything, I also use it for small printables)

MATH:
A Beka Numbers & Skills with Button Bear (Phoenix loves this book, it is so colorful)
Kumon Numbers 1-30 Workbook
A Beka Number Flashcards (0-200)
Addition Flashcards (these are printables from 1+1+1)

WRITING:
Handwriting Without Tears (going to wait until P's fine motor skills are a bit better to start this one)

SCIENCE:
Weather & Calendar Chart
Planet Play (which is everyday at our house...I print out whatever I can find on the planets, moon, solar system, stars, etc...P is obsessed!)
Apologia Exploring Creation Through Astronomy (on my wish list of curriculum to purchase)

ARTS & CRAFTS:
A Beka Arts & Crafts with Amber Lamb for 3 year olds
Various Kumon Craft books
Seasonal crafts (from Michaels, internet printables, etc...)
Sensory bins (1 per month)
Painting ( I let him experiment and do whatever he wants)

Here is what I planned out for Fox:

BIBLE:
Bible Story books (we have several)
Noah's Ark-Introducing the animals (Good Old Noah Built the Ark song)
Pat the Bible (he loves this)
Singing Bible songs (he loves music)

LANGUAGE:
Baby Einstein Flashcards
Leapfrog Alphabet Explorer

READING:
Honey for a Child's Heart ( we are working through this list on our reading aloud time)
Picture board books

MATH:
Numbers 1-5 (I use blocks, toys, anmials, printables, whatever and just keep repeating them, we do this a lot throughout the day)

ARTS & CRAFTS:
Sensory Bins
Seasonal Crafts
Tadoodles Crayons & an endless supply of stickers

I am working on figuring out the best schedule for our days. I am excited with what all I have gotten and gone through so far. Phoenix happen to walk in when I had some of his curriculum out (The A Beka Numbers & Skills with Button Bear) and begged to do the worksheets! Finally at 9:30PM I made him go to bed...he wanted to finish the workbook! I hope he is always that way about school!

I am so thankful that God has blessed me with being able to stay at home with the boys. I pray everyday that I can continue to do so. I love teaching them and watching them learn. There is nothing better than seeing Phoenix & Fox get something that Clint & I have been working on teaching them. They are the BEST BOYS IN THE WORLD!!! I am one lucky Mommy!

The Kid's Speech

2011-07-05T09:57:00.001-05:00

Fox is 18 months old now. He's quickly leaving the baby stage and rapidly approaching the toddler stage. There are things I love about the baby stage - listening to cooing sounds, rocking him, cuddling with him in my arms, helping him take his first steps. However, there are things I love about the toddler stage, like listening to him talk.

Fox is not quite to the stage where he is stringing sentences together. He's still working on individual words. But it's fun to coach him on his vocabulary. Admittedly, it's fairly sparse right now. If his vocabulary were a Scrabble board, let's just say his word score would probably be two points or less. I'm working really hard to teach him the word "Daddy." I'll ask him, "Fox, can you say 'Daddy?'" A big smile will spread across his face and he will blurt out "DAH!" I'm proud to say that he has that first syllable down. For some reason the "Dee" part of that word is a big stumbling block.

Wendy and I have been encouraging him to say his name, but so far he's only been able to muster, "Fahs" and I really haven't heard him say that very distinctly yet. He said it to Wendy one day while I was at work. The best he's done in my presence is the "F" sound.

Another word he's working on is "that." when he wants something, he'll point to it and say (in a very crisp staccato), "Daht." He can also say "Go," but that comes out more guttural, like "Guh." When he says "Bye Bye," it's more of a whisper. However, he's got "Mama" down cold.

One recent development is his use of the word "No." I first noticed it during bath time one night. As he was in the tub playing, I asked, "Fox, are you ready to get out of the bath?" I was expecting a verbal response, but to my surprise he shook his head a little, waved his hand from side to side and said, "Nuh." It was so great to get one of the first verbal responses from him to a question he asked. Now Wendy and I will ask him questions, just to see if he says it again.

Mount Up, Boys. It's a Birthday Party.

2011-06-26T17:19:00.000-05:00

Isabelle, Phoenix's and Fox's cousin, turned four this year. Phoenix and Isabelle are about five months apart and love hanging out together. It's hard to believe that four years have gone by so quickly. Last year for Isabelle's birthday party, we all visited Storyville Station in Vestavia for a Princess Party. Phoenix was the only boy there. This year's party was a little more "boy-friendly." Lori, Wendy's sister, hosted the party at her house yesterday morning from 10am-12pm. Guests were treated to pizza, ice cream, cake, and pony rides.

We were running a little late to the party and the ponies had already arrived by the time we pulled up to the driveway. The kids were already lining up to take turns. Wendy and I unloaded the boyos and took them over to the horses for a closer look. Fox would reach his hand out, like he wanted to pet one, but then would draw away when he got closer. Wendy's mom wanted to put Fox on one of the ponies, but he wasn't interested. He never cried or screamed, but you could tell he wanted to observe the equestrian activities from a distance.

There were two ponies. One was black and was appropriately named Blackjack. The other was brown and was named Chip. At first, Phoenix didn't want to ride on either of them because he didn't ahve his cowboy hat. Logically, one must first have a cowboy hat in order to ride a horse. We finally convinced Phoenix that wearing a cowboy hat was not a mandatory requirement for mounting these great steeds. And with that, Wendy and her dad helped Phoenix up onto Blackjack while I grabbed some pictures.

The pony's owner, who, by the way, looked thrilled to pieces to be there (sarcasm) pulled on the rein and off the pony went at the speed of an old man trying to get out of bed after first waking up in the morning. But Phoenix didn't mind the speed (or lack thereof). He was really enjoying himself. They did one lap around the yard and returned to square one. Phoenix hopped off and decided he wanted to ride the brown horse, Chip. After one ride on each horse, Phoenix was done. He wasn't interested in riding either horse again, so he decided to go inside the house to look at all of the balloons Isabelle had for her birthday. He then came onto the porch to play with the balloons that were outside by the front door.

After several more minutes of pony rides and me trying to keep Phoenix from popping all of Isabelle's balloons, the party moved inside so everyone could enjoy pizza, cake, and ice cream. Phoenix wasn't too interested in the pizza, but as soon as heard "cake," he was ready to grab a slice. He pushed his way through the crowd, who were waiting to sing "Happy Birthday" to Isabelle. As Phoenix pushed past his older cousin Parker, Parker said, "Hey Phoenix, we're about to sing 'Happy Birthday.'" Phoenix responded, "I just want cake." Fox, on the other hand, is an equal opportunity eater, meaning that, when there's an opportunity, he will eat pretty much whatever is in front of him. Fox sat with Wendy's parents and enjoyed both the pizza and cake.

When it came time to open presents, all the other children crowded around Isabelle, keenly interested in every single present. Little hands grabbed at the wrapping paper, helping Isabelle rip into the packages. Phoenix, by contrast, wanted me to go outside with him to play "Little Einsteins." It's amazing how independent Phoenix is; he's content to do his own thing, regardless of what his peers are interested in doing. I told Phoenix we could go outside and play after we watched Isabelle open her presents.

Backstory: A week or so prior to Isabelle's party, Wendy and I took the boys out to shop for her present. Phoenix was very interested in picking out just the right present for Isabelle. As soon as we got into the store, Phoenix ran over to the little girls' section and started looking at the clothes. He wanted to get Isabelle something yellow, because he knows that's her favorite color. We let Phoenix pick out exactly what he wanted to buy for her. We left the store with a yellow Minnie Mouse shirt and a pink purse with a picture of a monkey.

Phoenix and I watched Isabelle long enough to see her open the present Phoenix picked out for her, then we went back outside to run around in the front yard. Isabelle was really excited about the present and I was proud of Phoenix for showing such an interest in giving to others. It's a lesson I hope both boys will take to heart as they grow older.

The Pot Lid Spinner

2011-06-14T13:09:00.001-05:00

I'm amazed at how parents can buy all these toys for their children, and yet they are entertained by the most simple, everyday household items. Take Fox for example. He is now 17 months old and he is most interested in taking pot lids out of the kitchen cabinets and spinning them on the floor. He likes to carry them around the house and then he walks up to either Wendy or myself and extends the pot lid to us. That's our cue to take it and spin it on the floor for him. However, he's actually pretty good at spinning the lids on his own. He's developed his own little technique which is a bit hard to describe in writing. He places a hand on either side of the pot lid, and then, in one quick motion, he crosses his right hand over his left. The momentum of him flipping his hands causes the lids to spin. It's actually really entertaining to watch him do this. Whenever he goes over to my parents house he goes immediately to a large drawer under the microwave. He knows mom keeps her pots in this drawer. I know what I'll be getting him for Christmas this year.

Sleepless on Smith

2011-06-04T10:01:00.000-05:00

Consider this part two of my Memorial Day recap, which began with Phoenix's trip to the hair salon and subsequent ice cream cone outing. Once he and I were back at the house, we showed off his new haircut to Wendy, who loved it. She was a bit hesitant at first on the whole "buzz cut" idea, but after seeing it, she realized it was a good choice.

While Wendy watched the boys, I loaded up our Suburban for three nights of family fun at Smith Lake. Now, you might think that 3 nights wouldn't require that much baggage, but if you ARE thinking that, then you don't have two small children. The back of our SUV was jammed. I could barely see out the back window. We looked like a full-scale touring production of some rock band or theatre troupe. It's unbelievable how much stuff you have to pack just for two little people.

We arrived at the lake house around six, which was a relief, because Phoenix kept hawking every few miles if we were there yet. However, he didn't ask because he was tired, grumpy, or in a bad mood. He was simply curious as to the exact location of the lake.

Once we arrived, it was time to eat. Mom and Dad had gone above and beyond when it came to meal preparation for the weekend. It was delicious. After dinner, Phoenix wanted to go down to the boat so we decided to take a boat ride before dark. We strapped both boys in their life jackets and walked down to the boat house.

Fox sat in the back of the boat with Wendy and me. Phoenix sat in my dad's lap and helped him drive. Mom was in the passenger seat. As soon as the engine roared and the water started to churn, Fox froze. His eyes grew really wide and he shifted them from side to side, trying to figure out exactly what was happening. He didn't really turn his head (probably because his little life jacket limited his movements so much).

Fox did enjoy the breeze blowing in his face as the boat raced across the water. It kind of took his breath away. He closed his eyes and smiled a little as the wind whipped around us. We didn't stay out too long, because the air was surprisingly cool and we didn't want Fox to get too much exposure. He had already been showing signs of congestion and we didn't want to exacerbate the situation. Phoenix had already been to the doctor earlier in the week and had been diagnosed with strep. He was on antibiotics and the doctor cleared him for lake activities. Wendy and I were afraid Fox was catching it.

Our fears were confirmed throughout the night. Before bed, we let Phoenix stay up a little later than usual to watch "Up" with my parents. Meanwhile, Wendy put Fox to bed. By the time I finally out Phoenix to bed it was about 10:30. Fox had already been waking up and it was becoming clear that we might be in for a rough night.

We were all sleeping in the downstairs section of the lake house, which has the tendency to be a bit musty. I have never been bothered by it, but Wendy's allergies and my brother's allergies always tend to flare up if they sleep down there. Sometime during the night, Wendy decided to take Fox upstairs to see if that would help him. At about 4:30am, I woke up. Wendy came downstairs to ask if I could switch with her, because she hadn't really gotten any sleep. So I took Fox and tried to rock him to sleep. Finally, it was obvious to me that he wasn't going back down, so I just let him play in the master bedroom until everyone woke up. At that point, mom agreed to take care of him while I went back to bed for another hour or so.

During the day, everything seemed fine. Fox wasn't really grumpy from lack of sleep. Phoenix was ready to go down to the boat after breakfast, so dad and I took him in the boat for a ride on Big Mable. This was the first time Phoenix had really expressed interest in actually riding around in the boat. Last year he was more content to either play inside the house or swim by the boost dock. I was glad that he was showing interest in getting out on the water in the boat.

Dad eased the boat into gear and pulled us gently on Big Mable. Phoenix enjoyed leaning over the edge And touching the water (with me holding onto his life jacket of course). After a few minutes, Phoenix was ready to get back into the water and swim. I think he enjoyed the ride, but I think at his age he is simply more interested in swimming than riding.

Phoenix started yelling for my dad to turn the boat around, but of course Dad couldn't hear him. I told Phoenix that if you are a skier and you want the driver to do something, you have to give him a hand signal. I showed Phoenix how to hold up his index finger and twirl it around to indicate that the driver should turn the boat around. Phoenix stood and gave dad the signal, at which point dad promptly turned the boat around and headed back to the lake house.

The rest of the day was spent swimming around the boat dock with Big Mable and our old family inner tube. Phoenix enjoyed pretending that he was a pirate from the Disney show "Jake and the Neverland Pirates." I had to be Capt. Hook. Then I switched roles and became the alligator trying to chase Phoenix through the water.

It was difficult to get Phoenix out of the water and back up to the lake house for lunch, but I could tell he was getting tired. Plus he was shivering a bit. Although it was Memorial Day weekend, the water temperature was still pretty cool. Phoenix never took a nap that afternoon, which meant an early bedtime, and we were right. At 5:30 Wendy let him sit down to watch a Pixar movie. He was asleep within 20 minutes.

Wendy and I decided to go to bed early because we were so tired from the night before. Wendy, Fox and I were all in the same room, so to minimize the amount of movement/noise that would potentially wake Fox up, I decided to sleep on the couch in the downstairs living room. Wendy laid down in the room with Fox and we were all in bed by 8:30. However, by 10:30 I was up and in the bedroom with Fox and Wendy. I sat in a bedside chair, holding Fox because he was still too sick to get a good night's sleep. Wendy laid down in the bed and tried to sleep. I sat in the chair holding Fox from about 10:30 until almost 3:00 when I finally had to ask Wendy to switch with me. I just couldn't feel the lower part of my body anymore. I slept out on the couch for another hour or so before we were up for good. We decided not to spend another night at the lake house.

Wendy was ready to go home first thing Sunday morning, but I didn't want to rob Phoenix of another opportunity to go swimming. After much arguing.... Uh, I mean healthy discussion, we decided to leave around 4:00 that afternoon, which gave Phoenix another fun day in the water.

By the time we were all packed up and pulling out of the driveway, it was about 4:30. Phoenix fell asleep no more than two miles from the house and slept all through the night. Fox seemed to be very excited to be home once we arrived back at our house. The first night back home was still rough for the Little Guy. He coughed a lot, which would wake him up, but it wasn't as bad as it was at the lake house. He recovered quickly, aim glad to say.

Although we had two rough nights of sleep, we had a good time. We just might not be able to spend the night at the lake house in the future. I think there's some moisture in the air at the house that aggravates our allergies.

Buzz Cut

2011-06-03T08:47:00.005-05:00

Last weekend was Memorial Day weekend, which means a trip up to Smith Lake to kick off the year's boating season. I left work a little early last Friday so Wendy and I could get everything packed and loaded for our weekend with my family at my parents' lake house. However, before hitting the road, I took Phoenix to get a new haircut. Even before Wendy and I had children, I knew I wanted my future sons to have buzz cuts during the summer months. I really love that look. Phoenix, however, wasn't so sure he wanted to get his haircut. I convinced him to go with the promise that if he was good, I would buy him some ice cream. And an ice cream shop just happened to open up a few weeks ago right next to the salon.

I prepped Phoenix for the experience by telling him exactly what to expect. I told him about all the chairs and the big mirrors. I told him step-by-step what the stylist would be doing. I told him that as he sit in the chair he could watch "The Wonder Pets" on my iPhone.

Once we arrived, I carried Phoenix in through the door where the woman behind the counter put our information into their computer system. Then, she looked at us and said, "Now, which one of you is getting the haircut today?" I thought to myself, "Really? It's not obvious as to which one of us is here for a haircut? Just look at my head, then look at my son's and take a guess."

We had to wait a few minutes after signing in, and Phoenix was very well behaved. He didn't try to get up and run around the entire place. He didn't talk loud, yell, cry, scream, etc. He never once gave me a difficult time. When his name was called, he hopped up and followed the stylist over to the chair and climbed up into the booster seat. He flinched quite a bit when she started using the clippers on the back of his neck. I think it tickled him, but I was able to keep his attention on watching his show while the stylist did her work. When he started to get fidgety, the stylist would ask him questions about his favorite shows and movies. We also talked about our upcoming Disney vacation. I think Phoenix did a great job sitting still (for a three year-old) and the people inside the salon loved him. After we paid for the haircut the stylist said, "Bye bye, Phoenix," to which he responded, "Bye bye Tootles." And with that, we were out the door and off to the ice cream parlor for a scoop of strawberry in a waffle cone. Phoenix had been telling me repeatedly that he wanted blue ice cream, but when he saw the strawberry, he chose that flavor right away. And so, we sat together, sharing an ice cream cone. Then, it was off to the lake. More on that in another post.

Farmer Jason

2011-06-01T14:21:00.009-05:00

We love the Hoover Library! They always have such great programs for the kids, especially the summer program. This summer the theme is "One World, Many Stories". We went to the kick-off for the summer program to see Farmer Jason perform. Phoenix was so excited! We sat on the front row and when Farmer Jason started singing, Phoenix got up and started dancing all over the place! Our child is not shy in front of crowds and loved the music!

Even Farmer Jason got tickled watching him! Phoenix couldn't wait to meet Farmer Jason after the show was over with. Fox enjoyed the show too, but only liked the fast moving songs. The slower songs I had to walk around with him to keep him still.

After the Farmer Jason show, the Library had prepared a room across the theater with booths from different countries. Each child got "money" for each of the 5 countries they had highlighted. They got to turn in their country money for a special prize from that country. The United States was giving away patriotic tattoos, China was the Chinese finger trap, Japan was a pretty Japanese fan, Australia was a boomerang, and Mexico was a chili pepper gummy treat! It was cute and Phoenix liked it a lot! Fox even handed them his money and got some prizes too!

We are looking forward to more summer fun at the Hoover Library! We are frequent visitors there anyway, always checking out books at least once a week! I have started a reading log for the boys and am recording the books they have read, which ones they like and favorites to purchase or buy for them when we can. I am glad they enjoy reading so much!

The Insomniacs

2011-05-21T22:04:00.001-05:00

This weekend my parents were gracious enough to take Phoenix and Fox and keep them at their house, giving Wendy and I a much-needed break. We were able to get the house cleaned (somewhat), do a little yard work, and go to the movies. One of the big projects we are working on right now is our garage sale. We have set a date for Saturday, June 11. Our time away from the kids gave us an opportunity to pull items out of the attic and move them down to the garage. I feel pretty good about what we accomplished today. Plus, we got to sleep late this morning.

I called to check in on the boys this morning. Dad answered and his voice sounded a bit more rough than usual. I chuckled and asked how things were going. He said, "Don't these boys ever sleep?" Neither Phoenix nor Fox never do well at my parents' when it comes to naps and sleeping. They just love to play. Mom and Dad are great with the boys and the kids just want to spend as much time with them as possible.

Dad said that he was able to rock Fox to sleep, but then would wake up as soon as he was placed in the crib. And Phoenix never slowed down. Fox didn't fall asleep until midnight, but woke up again at 12:45. Mom got him settled down at 1:15. Phoenix finally went to sleep about 1:30. Wendy and I stopped by this evening before going to the movies and they were both in their PJ's. They had already taken their baths and had their dinner. They were having a great time. Fox was all smiles, playing with pot lids in the kitchen (he loves for us to spin them) and Phoenix was playing a computer game. We told Phoenix before leaving that he needed to listen to Mimi and Papa G and go to bed early and listen to what they said. He told us, "Ok. My didn't do that last night." We laughed and said "We know."

Hopefully they will get good rest tonight. And good luck to Mimi and Papa G.

It's Play Time

2011-05-08T22:47:00.001-05:00

This evening marked the end of construction in the playground set Wendy's parents bought for our boys. We couldn't be more grateful for their generosity. Since both Phoenix's and Fox's birthdays are in the winter, Wendy's parents decided to surprise them with an early Christmas and birthday present - something they can enjoy during the summer months. The plan has been in the works for a couple of months, but it took some time to prep the yard and assemble the play set.

Phoenix knew that his playground would probably be finished at some point this weekend, so it kept asking if it was ready. Even when we were out of the house he would tell us that we needed to go home to check on the playground and see if it was finished.

Well, tonight he stood by and watched as the final bolts were fastened into place and he was so excited that he talked endlessly for about 20 minutes straight as he climbed up the ladder and slid down the slide over and over again.

My parents came over to the house for dinner so they could see the boys enjoy the new playground. Fox was a little hesitant to participate at first. He seemed more content to just walk around in the mulch, looking at it. My parents helped him slide down the slide and he smiled and laughed, but seemed less interested in the swings. Phoenix on the other hand, couldn't have been MORE interested. He played on the set until well after dark. He didn't want to come in to eat dinner. Fox finally warmed up to the baby swing and let both Wendy and me push him for several minutes. I know where these boys will be spending their time this summer.

- Posted from my iPhone

Don't Even Think About It

2011-04-30T21:32:00.001-05:00

Lately Phoenix has been displaying a very defiant attitude. He likes to push the limits, just to see what he can and cannot get away with. Wendy and I find that we are repeating ourselves constantly - "No Phoenix," "Don't do that," "Stop," etc.

Yesterday evening I was playing in the backyard with the boys. Phoenix and Fox like to go out there to play with their basketballs. They will carry them around, roll them, and kick them all over the yard. However, Phoenix also likes to try and throw the balls over the fence. So, there we stood - Phoenix and me. Phoenix picked up a basketball, looked at me and asked if he could throw it over the fence.

"No," I said. "We might lose the ball." He asked if I thought our neighbors would take the ball if he threw it over the fence. I told him that it was probably unlikely, but I again reiterated my decision that he not throw the ball over the fence, because I didn't want to have to chase after it.

Apparently, Phoenix had made up his mind that he wanted to throw the ball anyway. He pumped his arms like he was about to throw it and I said firmly, "Don't even think about it."

Phoenix stopped, looked at his ball, then at the fence, then back at me, and matter-of-factly said, "I'm thinking about it."

Jesus Helped

2011-04-15T13:58:00.003-05:00

Phoenix was playing downstairs in the playroom this morning, along with Wendy and Fox. In his massive collection of toys, Phoenix has Noah's ark, which consists the ark (which separates in half), Noah, provisions, and the animals. When Phoenix spotted the ark, it was in two pieces on the floor and the animals were scattered. Phoenix went right to work, putting everything together and loading up all the animals. Then he held up the ark proudly, looked at the little Noah figure, and said, "Look Jesus, I put your Ark back together." To which Wendy replied, "I think that's Noah." Phoenix thought for a moment and said, "No, it's Jesus." Again, Wendy said, "That's Noah's ark, buddy. It's not Jesus' ark." And Phoenix said, "But Jesus helped!"

I'll Always Be Your Daddy

2011-04-10T19:50:00.001-05:00

Phoenix has a tendency to get a little rowdy during bath time. I don't mind him playing with his toys, but I do mind when he starts splashing water outside of the tub. On several occasions I have been forced to remind him to keep all of the water in the tub. Splash inside the tub. Don't throw water outside of the tub.

Well, last night I had to end bath time early, because Phoenix started splashing water all over me. I told him not to, but he didn't listen. I pulled him out of the tub and started drying him off. Phoenix could tell that I want too happy.

"Daddy, why are you so upset?" he asked.

"Because you were splashing water all over me and I have told you several times not to splash water outside the tub."

"But you're still my Daddy."

I gave him a big hug and said, "I'll always be your daddy,"

I'm not quite sure what prompted him to say that. Maybe he thought that by getting in trouble I somehow love him less, or that he is less of a son to me. I reassured him that I love him even when he gets in trouble, and that I will always love him.

I never understood why my Dad always told me he loved me after punishing me. At the time I thought, "If he really loved me, he wouldn't punish me." Now that I'm a parent I know that the biggest disservice I could do to my children is to neglect to correct them when they've done wrong. Now I understand.

Pizza, Party, Presents, & Puppy

2011-04-09T14:11:00.002-05:00

This past Thursday was my mom's birthday. Last night, Wendy and I took the boys over to my parents house to celebrate. My brother Steven and his wife Michelle came over as well, along with their little dog Buster.

Wendy and I were the first to arrive. Dad was on his way home with New York Pizza at the time. Mom met us out on the driveway and we let the boys play outside. Both Phoenix and Fox love the outdoors and would play outside all the time if we let them. It's so encouraging to see them enjoy the outdoors, rather than beg us to sit in front of the television.

When Dad, Steven, and Michelle arrived, we all enjoyed pizza, followed by ice cream and brownies. Phoenix was content to play in the backyard with Buster and we could see him from the kitchen window running back and forth with the dog. Buster is just the right size dog for a little kid like Phoenix and the two of them love playing together. Phoenix actually wore Buster out. That poor dog finally just laid down to catch his breath. Phoenix kept encouraging Buster to play, but we had to tell Phoenix to wait so Buster could rest.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Fox was enjoying his usual pastime of throwing pot lids across the floor. He stopped for a moment when he spotted Buster's dog food on the floor and tried to sample some. Fortunately, Wendy was Johnny-on-the-spot and no canine morsels made it into his mouth.

Once it was dark, Phoenix finally settled in to eat his pizza. He chased it down with a banana pop.

Phoenix was very excited to help my mom open her birthday presents. After all the presents were opened, the boys played upstairs for a while before bath time. Wendy and I had them bathed and in their PJ's before leaving my parents. We were on the road around 8:45 and the boys were in bed around 9:20. Overall, a later night than usual, but a lot of fun.

- Posted from my iPhone

Da-Dee

2011-03-31T07:09:00.001-05:00

For a while now Fox has simply jabbered and made noises. You can tell he's trying to form words, but as of yet they haven't been too distinct. He manages to say "da da," "ma ma," "nee nee" (for Phoenix), and "nah nah," for "no."

Late last week however, we had a slight break through. It was morning. I was shaving and Wendy brought Fox into the bathroom to see me. Wendy and I talked with him for a little while and then, right before she took him back into the bedroom, he said "da-dee." He finally put it all together. He said it quickly, but he said it. He's only said it a couple of more times since then, but I'm still working with him on that, along with "Roll Tide." :)

- Posted from my iPhone

Greetings

2011-03-14T20:44:00.001-05:00

Wendy had a Thirty-One Gifts party scheduled at our house for this evening. If you haven't heard of Thirty-One, it's a company that sells handbags, purses, totes, carrying cases, and all kinds of different accessories - all of which can be personalized.

Since Wendy was going to be busy playing hostess to a group of ladies, that meant that I was to be in charge of the boys for the evening. Once I came home, Wendy went upstairs to get ready. In the meantime, Phoenix, Fox, and I sat out on our screened-in porch to eat dinner.

By the time dinner was over, the first two guests had arrived. Wendy was with them in the kitchen, going over a few things. When the boys and I entered through the back door, Phoenix walked in to the kitchen. Wendy said, "Phoenix, this is Mrs. Denise and her Mommy," to which Phoenix threw a hand up in the air and responded, "Hello ladies." his tone was so cordial and polite, you would have thought that he was a little salesman in training.

Preschool: A Typical Day

2011-03-11T13:28:00.015-06:00

I have just recently gotten reorganized with doing preschool with Phoenix & Tot School with Fox. I LOVE my boys, I love seeing the excitement in their eyes when they discover or learn something new! I love that it's me that gets to see that and I am not missing it. I am very very blessed to be able to stay home with them. Many people don't get that chance and I am so thankful that God provides for us enough so that I can experience these special moments! I LOVE IT!

A typical day is getting up, getting dressed, eating breakfast and watching one "fun" show, usually Mickey. After that, we start with our pocket letter chart...see below:

I recently purchased two new items for our preschool. Phoenix had requested both of them and so since it was educational, how could I say no...right? The first one is a Table Top Pocket Chart for building words. Phoenix loves letters and spelling and immediately took to this chart.

Fox enjoys doing school too, but just loved scattering the letters about

Swimming in the letters!

Trying to figure out what's so great about this blue box thing brother's playing with!

After we finished the pocket chart, we moved on to puzzles. Phoenix's choice...the kid loves puzzles! We bought these Progressive Puzzles (by Discovery Toys) at a local consignment sale for $3 and he loves them! He worked on these for a bit, doing three of them. They also have the names of the animals on the puzzle too, so he is still learning his letters and spelling.

We also bought this great Mickey sticker book at Barnes & Noble or Target...can't find the link for it, but there are tons of them in each store...I think it may have been Barnes & Noble. Phoenix decided to do the shape sticker pages and matched up his shapes. He did really well at this. He tends to get frustrated if he can't get the sticker to line up just right, but we work past it and he got it done!

Mr. Fox loves music, so we had our old Kindermusik cd playing while Phoenix was doing puzzles and his shape sticker book and Mr. F just sat there with his bunny and listened to the music, it was really cute! The other new thing I purchased for preschool is in this picture below behind the radio. It's our Weather & Calendar Pocket Chart. Since spring is just around the corner and here in the south that's an active weather season I thought it would be a good time to study the seasons & weather. Phoenix really loves getting up and looking outside to see what picture he can put on his 'Today's Weather' section. It is also great because he is learning the months and days of the week.

After all of these "preschool time" which is usually from 9:30ish-11:15ish, we head upstairs and I fix lunch. Fox is my buddy in the kitchen and loves to explore everything! His new favorite thing...the dishwasher!

After lunch it's more playtime for both the boys...I put Fox down in his exersaucer to ready their rooms for naptime, which is usually around 1pm and came back and found him like this! Bless his heart...he was worn out!
Books that we are reading right now are:

My, Oh My---A Butterfly!
On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects!
Oh Say Can You Say What's The Weather Today?
Oh, The Places You'll Go!
Dinosaurs Love Underpants!
Puff, The Magic Dragon!
The Story of Ferdinand
Love You Forever

Tonight, we are having my niece, Isabelle over to spend the night. Phoenix loves his cousin Belle, they are only 5 months apart and are best friends. It should be an interesting evening...I hope we get some sleep!

Bath Time Prayers Gone Wrong

2011-03-07T21:24:00.001-06:00

Every night at bedtime when I tuck Phoenix in, I always say a prayer. I've been trying to teach him how to pray and why we pray. I've also been trying to encourage him to lead the prayer, but so far, he wants me to say the prayer.

Tonight while playing in the bath tub, Phoenix leaned his head down close to the water and began, "Dear God..." I smiled with anticipation. I was hoping that this would finally be the moment when he would lead a prayer and I could listen in. However, he finished his initial thought with, "Dear God, thank you for this stinky day."

Now, I should probably clarify that Phoenix was not in a bad mood when he prayed this prayer. He was not being disrespectful. It's just that, for the past few weeks now, Phoenix has been obsessed with the words, "stinky," "toots," and "poopie." I think it all started when he watched "Toy Story 2" and saw the character named Stinky Pete. This, compounded with the fact that he always sees Wendy and me checking Fox's diaper and talking about his dirty diapers, has led to a complete fascination with everything stinky and poopie. He thinks it's hilarious, and I can't help but laugh from time to time when I hear all the colorful combinations he comes up with. For example, he now refers to me as "Stinky Daddy Poops," or some variation thereof. I'm really looking forward to the end of this little stage. Did I mention he's a three year-old boy?

Operation: Potato Chip Extraction

2011-03-06T21:25:00.003-06:00

Fox is now 14 months old and his little personality is really starting to shine. It's fun to watch how Fox reacts to Phoenix and how the two of them interact with each other. Fox is now getting to the age where he can respond to Phoenix. Take bath time, for example. They've been sharing the bath tub now for a few months. At first, Phoenix could splash Fox without fear of reprisal. Now, things are different. When Phoenix splashes, Fox splashes right back. The two of them go head-to-head in a fierce splash-off that results in a lot of laughter and two very wet parents. Or, take the potato chip incident from the other night.

Phoenix is very territorial when Fox is around. He doesn't want Fox near any of his toys, his food, or his personal space. Wendy and I try to tell Phoenix that Fox just wants to be near him and that Fox just wants to play. But Phoenix doesn't understand. Yesterday Phoenix was in the living room eating a snack and watching "101 Dalmatians." I was watching Fox as he waddled around the house, playing with various things.

Well, Phoenix soon finished eating. He laid down on the floor to watch the movie. However, he unwisely left some potato chips on his plate. Like a bear drawn to the aroma of a campsite, Fox picked up on the scent of unattended snack foods. I watched him slowly make his way over to Phoenix's plate. I kept my distance, just to see how this thing would play out.

Fox stood, hovering over the plate of potato chips. He looked over at Phoenix, who was totally oblivious to what was happening. He was too engrossed in the movie. Then, a certain mischievous smile crossed Fox's face. He let out a little chuckle as he stared wantingly at the salted, crispy snacks before him. He reached his little hand out, but then paused once more to look at Phoenix. Fox knows that Phoenix will lash out when given the chance, so he wanted to ensure that the coast was clear. Sensing that Phoenix wouldn't miss one tiny potato chip. Fox slowly lowered his hand to the plate, grabbed a chip, and popped it into his mouth.

Fox quickly retreated from the scene, like a Navy SEAL extraction team after reaching a mission objective. But like the Lays commercial says, "Betcha can't eat just one," Fox quickly did an about-face and came waddling back over to the plate for a second helping. Fox made off with about three or four chips before Phoenix took notice. That's when the party ended. But chalk one up for Fox in this round of brotherly rivalry.

My Sick Little Valentine

2011-02-15T17:22:00.003-06:00

After coming home from the park, Phoenix laid down for a nap. After only being down 30 minutes I heard him crying and I went in there and he was coughing and said he wasn't feeling good. I took him downstairs and let him lay in his puppy dog sleeping bag and watch The Great Clubhouse Hunt (his current favorite movie). I got him juice and a fruit bar (his current snack of choice). He seem to perk up after that and I kept my fingers crossed that it was just allergies or a slight cold.

Around 10:15pm, Phoenix called out to me from his room and I took off in there. He had a fever (around 102) and was coughing, but it was a very familiar cough we had heard just a few months before that sent us to Children's ER...the croup cough! I quickly got him some medicine to help get the fever down and he asked me to lay down with him, so of course I did. Thank goodness he has a full size bed! After about an hour I was falling asleep and felt a tap on my shoulder...Phoenix whispered, "Mommy, it's time for you to go to sleep." I replied, "Yes, Mommy is trying to go to sleep". Phoenix said, "Mommy, my think it's time that you go back to your room now!" HA!!! I replied, "Sure, baby that's fine with me, good night!" That showed me his fever had gone away.

He slept until 8:40AM this morning and still woke up feeling very tired and not himself and still had that cough. I got on the phone and called the Dr.'s office and got him an appointment for 11:30AM. We got there and he just sat in the chair next to me and drank his milk and we played games on my phone while we waited. When we got called back to our room, he just laid on the exam bed and we read & played his Mickey Mouse Magnet/Game book. When Dr. Anderson (our awesome Dr.) came in I think for a minute he thought he had the wrong room because Phoenix is usually bouncing off the walls. He told Dr. A where he felt bad and sat in my lap while he got his ears checked. Dr. A really thought he might have the flu because he knows my child so well...well enough to know that it takes a lot to keep my little man down. Thankfully the flu test was negative and we went away with some steroids for him to take the next 3 days. As we were leaving Phoenix put his arms around my neck and said, "Thank You Mommy"....I melted!

I love my boys so much and can't stand it when they are sick. Hopefully Mr. F will not catch P's chest cold & croup cough. So far, Mr. F is just cutting 5 teeth and has got drooling and a runny nose.

Valentine's Day With Mommy!

2011-02-15T17:15:00.011-06:00

Valentine's Day 2011....A Beautiful Day! We have been so tired of all this cold winter weather we been getting that we just had to get out of the house. We headed over to the Greystone Legacy park in the neighborhood my parents live in. I love this park. It is a small park, well designed for smaller children and there is never ANYONE playing when we go by. Phoenix loved it and ran around and kept saying, "Mom this is a cool park!". Here are a couple of pictures of our fun day together!

Mr. Fox has learned to wave! He had a blast walking everywhere around the park. He loved picking up the rocks in the playground area...at first he thought they were food and wanted to eat them all...Thankfully he realized they were not very tasty and spit them out and went on playing!

Dinosaur, Hippo & Alligator climbing equipment

Phoenix heading off to try out the slides!

Mr. F loves to swing!

We had a picnic while we were there too. Thankfully MamaC stopped by to help me out for a little bit and the boys were so glad to see her. We had such a fun & beautiful day to play. I enjoy staying home with my boys and I love going on adventures with them and watch them experience new things!

This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!

It's a Good Day for a Cold Drink

2011-02-09T20:24:00.001-06:00

This past Monday I had a short video shoot out in Fairfield. I had to interview state Senator Jabbo Waggoner. Since my nephew Parker has shown increased interest in production, I thought it would be a good opportunity to take him along to teach him some of the basics of video production.

Since my sister-in-law Lori didn't want to make the drive all the way downtown during five o'clock rush hour to pick Parker up after the shoot, we decided just to meet at my house. Lori arrived around 5:30 with Isabelle and Brady in-tow. Isabelle is 3 and Brady is 2. By the time Parker and I pulled up to the house, Phoenix, Isabelle, and Brady were upstairs in Phoenix's room making an incredible mess. Fox was in the kitchen eating dinner.

I walked in the house and could hear the kids upstairs. Phoenix must have heard me come in because he started yelling, "Daddy, Daddy!" I went to the bottom of the stairs, glad to hear that he was so excited to hear me come home. He yelled down, "Belle is here!" and then ran off. He's very close to his cousin and loves to spend time with her.

In another minute Phoenix reappeared on the stairs, this time carrying a sippy cup of juice. He took a swig, then said, "Daddy, it's a good day for a cold drink." I started laughing and said, "Yes it is." then as he climbed back up the stairs he said, "Daddy come upstairs and drink with me."

Sometimes you wanna go where every body knows your name.

The Space Bed Has Landed

2011-02-05T20:00:00.001-06:00

Phoenix has officially graduated from his toddler bed into a regular full-size bed. Several months ago Wendy ordered some space bedding to fit on a full size bed. Our plan was to purchase a bunk bed for him at Ikea. However, that idea was scrapped when Wendy and I decided to stay in Birmingham for our 10th anniversary rather than drive over to Atlanta.

So, plan B was to get our old full size bed out of storage (and by "storage" I mean my parents' garage) and out that in Phoenix's room. Well today we finally made that happen. I drove over to my friend's house to borrow his trailer and then drove that over to my parents' where my dad helped me load up the bed.

Phoenix showed a lot of interest in getting a new bed. I wouldn't say he was "excited," but he wasn't sad to see his toddler bed go away. I think he was most excited about the fact that he could finally use his space bedding with a new full size bed. Then, his space room would be complete.

Once everything was set up, Dad and I escorted him up to his room whe Wendy was waiting. He immediately hopped onto the bed and started pointing out all the planets that are pictured on his comforter.

As I write this, Wendy has just come downstairs from tucking him in. She said he seemed a bit nervous about sleeping in that big bed all by himself, because he kept asking Wendy to sleep in the bed with him. She arranged some pillows on the floor on either side of his bed, just in case he rolls off. I think he'll be just fine. It's just hard to believe that he's big enough for a full size bed. And so we enter a new stage of life.

My Day With Fox

2011-02-03T22:28:00.001-06:00

My mom usually keeps Fox every Wednesday while Wendy works, but this Wednesday my mom was out of town. So, I decided to take the day off to spend with Fox.

Wendy got Phoenix dressed and took him over to Aunt Lori's house so he could play with his cousins Isabelle and Brady. Then, Wendy drove to work. Meanwhile, I sat in the kitchen giving Fox his breakfast. Although I have a lot of experience taking care of small children, I still felt somewhat nervous being in charge by myself. I guess as a parent I'm a little fearful of something going wrong. As a dad, I don't feel quite as prepared sometimes as I know Wendy is. Wendy always knows what to do and how to handle any situation. Me? I'm still searching for the manual.

I'm pleased to report, however, that my day with Fox was great. There were no panic-inducing issues to deal with and there were no baby meltdowns to quell. Fox was in a great mood and was very well behaved.

After breakfast, I took him down to the playroom where he had a run of the place. So often he's competing with Phoenix for toys and space. But yesterday he had his pick of the toys. Wendy and I have noticed that Fox likes to sort. He has a tub full of blocks that he likes to dig through. Most of the time he pours all of the blocks on the floor. Then he will methodically place them back into the tub. His favorite color is green, so he holds the green blocks out, just so he can carry them around.

We played downstairs until about 9:40. Then, it was time for his morning nap. He fought me a little while I rocked him, but by 10:20 he was asleep. I laid him in his crib and then went downstairs to watch some television and pack his diaper bag for our lunch rendezvous with my brother Steven and my dad.

He had a good morning nap. I started to hear him stir around 11:15. When I went upstairs to get him, he was all smiles. I got him dressed, loaded the car, and drove out to the Paw Paw Patch for lunch.

The day was a bit chilly, so I made sure to out on his jacket and toboggan. Dad and Steven had already arrived by the time I walked into the restaurant with Fox, so I placed him in his highchair and dad started feeding him the lunch I packed for him. Meanwhile, I made my way through the cafeteria line for my lunch.

Fox had a great time looking at his surroundings. He stared at the ceiling fans, he looked around at the people passing by, and he craned his neck to see what was outside the window. He also ate a lot: fruit bar, one and a half rolls, some Cheerios, a couple of green beans, his juice, and some of my water.

After we got back home I took Fox out in his wagon for a little stroll up and down our street. We stayed out for about 15 minutes because the temperature was in the low 40s and I didn't want him to get too cold. However, he loved the ride. He closed his eyes and smiled when he felt the wind on his face and he stared at the pavement as it rolled beneath him.

Once our trip in the wagon ended, we went back into the playroom for about 45 minutes before I laid him down for his afternoon nap. I actually fell asleep in the chair while rocking him. I woke up a little after 3:00, then quietly placed him in. His crib. Then I, feeling the full fatigue of being Mr. Mom for the day, crawled into my bed for a nap as well. Fox and I both slept for about 90 minutes. Fox definitely wore me out, but I wouldn't trade that time with him for anything.

Fox's First Birthday

2011-01-30T19:10:00.008-06:00

Wendy is a planner. She likes to start organizing things way in advance. So, when it comes time to plan events for our two boys (birthdays, holidays, etc.), she likes to start talking about it several months ahead. And I like to talk about our plans with her. So, knowing that Fox would be one this year, she and I started talking about when we would have the party, where we would have it, and what decorations we wanted to buy.

Since Fox's actual birthday fell on a Sunday this year, we decided to have his party on Saturday, January 1. New Year's Day. We knew that would be a bit of a gamble, because we weren't sure how many guests would already have plans. We also didn't know how many guests might be sleeping in from staying up extra late New Year's Eve. Regardless, we forged ahead with the Jan. 1 plan. It was really our only choice. We couldn't plan the party any earlier because of Christmas and we couldn't plan it any later, because one of Fox's friends was having her first birthday the very next weekend.

One big thing that concerned me about a Jan. 1 party was the potential conflict with an Alabama bowl game. So, we decided to have the party from 12-2pm. My assumption was that if Alabama was selected for a Jan. 1 bowl that it would certainly be later in the afternoon or early evening.

Little did I know that Alabama would be selected to play Michigan St. in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 with kickoff scheduled at 12pm. I first heard the news while chatting with my dad one evening on the telephone.

"You're kidding?!" I exclaimed.

"Nope."

"Well, maybe we could push the party back a few hours." This suggestion did not go over too well with Wendy, so we kept the time the same.

Wendy's parents were gracious enough to host the party and since Mr. Cotney has a TV in almost every room, it was a good situation. Guests could enjoy the party while keeping a close eye on the game as it developed.

Since the party was on Jan. 1, we had to pick up the cake on Dec. 31 before 4pm. The bakery was closing early for the holiday and would not be open on Jan. 1. When we picked up the cake, the woman at the bakery advised us to keep the cakes in a dark, cool place over night. Refrigerating the cakes would not be necessary. she suggested using a garbage bag. I had never heard of doing that before, but she was the professional. My big fear was that somehow an army of ants would infiltrate the garbage bag overnight and ruin the cake.

Relieved that the cake was ant-free on the morning of the party, the next big hurdle was to ensure that Fox got a good morning nap before the party. This was tricky, since the party was fairly early in the day. We would have to leave for the Cotney's by 11am, arrive by 11:30, and get everything set up by noon.

We were fortunate that Fox got a good morning nap. I was afraid that he would sleep very well and would be cranky during the party. He had been running a fever only a few days prior to the party and by Jan. 1 he was still suffering from a little cold. It was good for him to get some rest. He probably slept for about 90 minutes. After he woke up, we packed up everything and struck out for the Cotney house. Everything moved like clockwork. We arrived and set up for the party. Wendy's mom had agreed to provide the snacks and drinks for everyone, and she had a lot of things already set up by the time we pulled into the driveway. All that remained was to set up the cake and start organizing the presents.

Guests started to arrive right around noon, just as Alabama kicked off. You'll have to forgive me if my memory pertaining to the conversations I had is a bit fuzzy, but my attention was divided between the game and the party (I'm sorry, but I am a big football fan).

The children found their way upstairs to the playroom where Mrs. Cotney has plenty of toys to play with. That kept them occupied while everyone had their refreshments.

Wendy and her friend Holly Church watch the children play.

Our friend Donnie with his little girl Corrine.

Corrine and Fox

The birthday boy enjoys time in the playroom.

Soon it was time to put Fox front-and-center for the presentation of the birthday cake. Wendy and I weren't sure how Fox would react to all the attention for his first birthday party. Since he is a more sensitive child, we predicted that he would start crying when everyone crowded around him to sing "Happy Birthday." We all gathered in the kitchen where Wendy placed Fox into his high chair. Then, she lit the candles and I led the group in "Happy Birthday." He did great. He just looked around at everyone. He didn't cry, but he didn't smile either. He just studied everyone, wondering what was going on.

It even took him a while to notice his birthday cake. He was too busy looking at another little boy who came to his party. We were all telling him, "Fox, look over here," "Fox, it's your cake." "Fox, look at your candle." He finally turned his head and spotted the cake. Wendy helped him blow out his candle, then we waited to see if he would dig in to the cake.

Wendy gave him a little taste of icing to get him started, and that caught his interest. Slowly, he reached out for the cake and scraped some icing off the top with his little fingers. He was very dainty with his birthday cake. Phoenix eventually dug his hand into his cake on his first birthday, squishing the cake between his fingers. However, Fox was content to just gently swipe some icing off the top and eat it that way.

After cake, it was time for presents. Fox was inundated with gifts from generous friends and family. I decided that I wanted to hold him in my lap instead of filming everything with my video camera. Wendy held Phoenix during his first birthday while I took pictures and video, and this time, I wanted to be the parent to hold the child. It's great to film and take pictures of your kids during important milestones, but sometimes the camera can take you out of the moment. It was nice to be more hands-on with Fox.

The big difference between Fox and Phoenix during their first birthdays is that Phoenix sat still while Wendy opened and showed him all of his presents. Fox sat still for only a little while, then he wanted to get up and move around. Before it was all over, I was opening the presents by myself while Wendy and others tended to Fox. Of course I did have some help from Fox's cousin Isabelle and a friend - Caroline.

After the guests left, I finally had the chance to sit down and relax. Mr. Cotney and I enjoyed watching the second half of the Alabama game. It was nice to rest. Following the game, Wendy and I loaded up all the presents and the boys and we headed home. Both Phoenix and Fox fell asleep on the way home. And with that, our month-long stretch of birthday parties and holiday get-togethers finally came to an end. And it was nice to get it all behind us. Wendy and I needed some time to decompress after that.

The Boat Show

2011-01-20T21:01:00.001-06:00

Allow me to set the stage. A few years ago, my dad bought a ski boat; and by "a few years ago," I mean 1978. He bought an American Skier from Correct Craft. I was six months old when he bought it and he bought the boat before buying a second car for the family.

Dad has kept that boat running since 1978 and it has been the centerpiece of my summer childhood memories. In recent years however, the old boat has been limping along, held together by pure will on my dad's part.

I think my dad sees that the end is near for his beloved boat and so he decided to attend the boat show this year down at the BJCC. and he asked me if I would like to take Phoenix and meet him there. I thought it was a great idea.

So, this afternoon Phoenix, me, my mom, and my dad all went down to the boat show. Phoenix was so excited to go. He told Wendy today that he wanted Papa G to buy a blue boat. Later he said he wanted Papa G to buy a green boat. Then he said mommy needed a pink boat.

He and I left the house around 4:00 to pick up my mom. While en route, Phoenix asked, "Where are we?" "What's this road?" "Are we going to the boat show?" "Is this the way to the boat show?" he also kept telling me that he wanted to sit and steer the boats. He especially wanted to see a blue boat.

He asked if we were going to buy a boat. I told him that we were just going to look because boats cost a lot of money. He then responded, "Please, daddy." hard to explain to a three year-old the concept of money and how we don't have much of it.

When arrived at the BJCC and entered the exhibit hall, Phoenix immediately saw a blue boat. He climbed up the steps and walked all through the boat. He sat in the seats, he spun the steering wheel. He looked inside all the compartments. And he did that with almost every boat on the show floor.

We saw some pontoon boats that had little gates that opened to let passengers climb aboard. And this little feature didn't escape Phoenix's keen eye. He wanted to open the gate, step through, close the gate, and repeat the entire process.

We had to watch him carefully because he moved so fast throughout the show floor. We also had to make sure that he didn't try to climb off the boat by himself. We were afraid that in his excitement, he would slip off the slide or fall off the bow.

The boat show was a lot bigger than I first thought. There were two levels filled with all kinds of boats - even large $200,000 boats complete with interior cabin, fridge, bathroom, grill, and stove.

We arrived around 4:30 and stayed until about 7:30. Phoenix didn't stop the entire time we were there. He only stood still long enough to go fishing for trout in a large tank that was set up in the exhibit hall (unfortunately he didn't catch anything).

He finally stopped to eat just before we left.

He had a wonderful time and I'm glad I had the chance to do something so unique with him.

- Posted from my iPhone

No Two Are Exactly Alike

2011-01-19T19:29:00.001-06:00

One of the joys of raising two boys is comparing their similarities and their differences. It's amazing to see certain characteristics that are the same between Phoenix and Fox and yet it's equally amazing to see how different they can be. It's true that no two people are exactly alike, even when those two people are brothers only 2 years apart. For this post I would like to share a few of the differences Wendy and I have seen between Fox and Phoenix.

Fox will not sit still to drink his milk. He is constantly wanting to get up, move around, then come back to his milk later. Phoenix always sat perfectly still until his milk was gone.

Fox does not like to sit still and listen as you read a book. He might listen for a little while, but then he starts to fuss and squirm and acts like he wants down. We do have a couple of finger puppet books that he likes, but that's about it. At Fox's age, Phoenix would listen as you read the story and would reach out to turn the pages.

Fox shows more interest in walking and crawling around the house. He doesn't sit still to play with toys. There are only a few toys that really hold his attention: a helicopter from the movie Cars, a windmill from Thomas the Train, an interactive door frame, bristle building blocks, and a hokey pokey Elmo. He does enjoy slapping the door stoppers around the house and flipping the trash can lid around and around. Most of all, he likes pulling up on things and opening drawers.

Fox will eat just about anything. When Phoenix was one, he didn't show much interest in the foods Wendy and I ate. Fox, however, wants to eat all the adult food on the table. He loves baked potatoes, peas, rolls, biscuits, bananas, spaghetti, oatmeal - just about everything.

Fox is a lot more dependent than Phoenix. He will really cling to me and Wendy and want us to hold him or hold his hand while he walks around. Rarely will he sit by himself to play. He has to be around us. Phoenix could always play on his own with a stack of toys.

I could probably go on, but these are some of the main differences we've seen between the two boys.

I Came, I Saw, I Jumped

2011-01-16T13:57:00.001-06:00

Since we had such cold weather this past week, Phoenix had been stuck inside quite a bit. By Thursday he was a little stir-crazy and Wendy was a little stressed, to say the least. I told Wendy on Thursday evening that she needed to get the boys out of the house so Phoenix could play. So, on Friday Wendy took the boys to the library and then met me and my dad for lunch.

Yesterday we decided to take Phoenix and Fox to iJump out on Highway 280. It's an indoor play place that offers a variety of large inflatable slides and bouncy houses. The last time we took Phoenix (May 2010), he didn't want to play on anything, but this time was different.

As soon as we entered into the play area, he climbed up on the tallest slide and slid down. I think he was surprised by just how fast the slide was, because he had a shocked lo on his face the entire way down. However, he jumped right back up and went down the slide again and again.

While Wendy fed Fox his lunch, I watched Phoenix. The two of us walked around iJump and I watched as Phoenix tried every slide and bouncy house. Two large inflatables were positioned against the back wall which unfortunately prevented parents from looking in to keep an eye on their kids. I watched Phoenix climb the ladder and then disappear onto the far side as he slid out of view. Not being able to see your toddler in such a large place with so many other kids was a little unnerving. Thankfully, I soon learned that there was only one way in and one way out, so even though I couldn't see Phoenix, I knew that he couldn't slip past me without my knowledge.

Wendy walked Fox around the place, since he was too little to play. He enjoyed watching everyone as Wendy pushed him in his stroller. He eventually grew tired of riding, so Wendy took him out and let him walk. He wondered into the arcade room and was totally overwhelmed by all the colors and flashing lights.

Phoenix played for about 90 minutes straight but after that he was ready for a juice break. He was incredibly thirsty. After a brief rest he was back on one of the big inflatable slides/obstacle courses. He went through about three more times before it was time to go home. We knew we needed to load up the boys, because Fox was about to fall asleep in his stroller.

You know, 25-30 years ago, my joy would have been derived from playing on those inflatables myself. Although I now stand by and just watch as Phoenix plays, I couldn't be happier. My joy now comes from seeing him and Fox enjoy themselves.

One-on-One Time

2011-01-08T21:44:00.001-06:00

I had a great opportunity to spend some quality one-on-one time with both boys today. This morning I took Fox to one of his friend's 1st birthday party. Of course that meant that he missed his morning nap, but he did very well at the party. When we arrived he noticed all the people that were there and wasn't sure what to think. He clung to me pretty tightly. After all, he was in a strange place with several people he didn't know. After a few moments he got acclimated to the surroundings and wanted down out of my arms. He walked around the house and explored the area, but he never showed much interest in the toys that were set out for the children. He just wanted to walk. In fact, Fox doesn't show much interest in toys, generally speaking. He's much more content to crawl or walk throughout the house.

It wasn't long before Fox got hungry. I took him into the kitchen where he could have his lunch. I bet Fox spent a majority of his time at the party eating. He had puffs, a fruit bar, apple sauce, juice, some of my pizza, a slice of bread, and some birthday cake. I don't know how he eats so much.

The party wrapped up at 1pm and I strapped Fox's toboggan back on his head and we walked out to the car. The other guests at the party teased me because Fox and I were both wearing toboggans to cover our bald heads. People always say we have the same hair style.

Full and content, Fox fell asleep on the way home. I carried him up to his room and laid him in his bed where he slept for about 90 minutes. While Fox slept, I got Phoenix dressed and took him outside to play. It was about 50 degrees this afternoon; sunny and clear.

We played in the driveway for a long time, bouncing a little hand-held soccer ball. Phoenix would throw or roll it and we would chase after it. I had to warn him not to roll it down the street or it might end up in the storm drain. Of course, after mentioning it, Phoenix had to see what storm drain was.

After playing without the soccer ball, we walked down to his friend's house to play on her swing set. Phoenix went down the slide several times, but spent a majority of the time on the swings. Finally he told me that he was getting cold, so I carried him back to our house so we could warm up.

On the way back I said, "Phoenix, you sure are getting big. Why are you getting so big so fast." Without hesitation he said, "Because my ate up all the food." It really is amazing how fast they are growing, but I'm so thankful for the time I spent with them today.

Fox Dishes Out Some Payback

2011-01-08T10:10:00.001-06:00

Wendy had to run to the grocery store this morning because we are out of several necessities. Plus, the weather report is predicting a heaping pile of snow to hit over the weekend, so the timing couldn't have been better.

That left me at the house with both boys. I gave Fox his breakfast of oatmeal and milk while Phoenix watched "Lady and the Tramp." He loves that movie. He's probably watched it four times this past week. He also likes to pretend that he is one of the dogs from the movie. So, after the closing credits rolled, Phoenix jumped up and began crawling around the house on all fours, barking, sniffing, and licking. I held Fox as we all went around the house.

Then, Phoenix stopped by the baby gate and pretended to get his "paw" stuck. As he was crying for help, Fox wandered over to investigate the commotion (I had put him down to play by this point). Well, Phoenix didn't realize that the spot he picked to play pretend is one of Fox's favorite places to stand. He loves to pull up on the baby gate and stand there. Needless to say, Phoenix wasn't too happy with Fox muscling in. While Phoenix laid on the floor, Fox stood and tried to walk past his older brother. That meant that Fox's feet were all in Phoenix's face.

Phoenix started to push Fox away. Fox stumbled a bit (but I had him by one hand). Even though I had a firm grip on Fox, Phoenix's shove sent Fox off balance. Fox spun around and began to fall on top of Phoenix. As he was falling, Fox spit up on his shirt, the floor, and on Phoenix.

There was a pause as the realization of what just happened sank in on Phoenix's face. Then the full horror manifested itself. "Baby pit up on me!" Phoenix yelled. "He pit up on my new pajamas!" "Get it off, daddy!" "Change into my play clothes!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Fox served up a little bit of payback for Phoenix's bullying.

Hope You Enjoyed Your Trip

2010-12-30T20:48:00.001-06:00

Ever since Dec. 23, Phoenix has been battling a chest cold. He has a nagging cough and a stuffy nose. Wendy and I have limited his activity so it wouldn't get worse. I took him in to see the doctor this past Monday and they prescribed him some antibiotics and cough medicine. His health is improving but now Fox has caught what Phoenix has. So that means that Wendy and I have had some rough nights the past week.

Last night Wendy was up with Fox at three different times and I was up with him twice. The second time I got up with him was a little before 6:00 this morning. Everything was still dark and I was still asleep. As I stumbled out of bed and bumbled toward the door, I neglected to see Fox's large activity cube sitting in the middle of our floor. My right leg banged into it and down I went - straight to the floor like a tree after the logger's axe. I groaned a little and then rose slowly to continue my trek into Fox's room. I expected Wendy to wake up from the racket to ask me what was going on, but she slept through it. My near-fatal injury didn't arouse much concern. On the plus side, I was able to settle Fox down after rocking him for about 15 minutes and he slept until right after 7:00. Let's hope both of these boys are better soon. And let's hope that I can remember to clear away the land mines before bed time.

Keep Your Head Up

2010-12-27T12:10:00.001-06:00

It's obvious that Fox is going to be our sensitive child. I'm constantly amazed how these two boys can be brothers and yet be so different. We can tell Fox "No" in a firm voice and he will burst into tears. That's a complete one-eighty from Phoenix's reactions when he was that age. Another little habit that Fox has is burying his head when he gets upset. If something doesn't go his way, he will lower his head to the floor. And the lower his head is, the more upset he is. And if he starts to crawl along the floor with his head face down on the hardwoods, then you know he's really mad.

- Posted from my iPhone

Sleeping Under the Roof

2010-12-26T22:50:00.001-06:00

Wendy and I have noticed that Phoenix has a curious habit when he sleeps. It seems that every time we go into his room after he wakes up, he is sleeping under his pillows. His head is lying directly on the mattress and his pillows are on his head.

At first I thought that this was nothing more than the result of a restless sleeper. I myself toss and turn a lot during the night. When I was Phoenix's age, I would often wake up in the morning with covers and pillows in complete disarray. However, with Phoenix it seems that he prefers to sleep this way.

Today, for example, Wendy was laying him down for his nap and he started to crawl under his pillows. Wendy said, "No, baby. Put your head on top of your pillows." To which he responded, "My getting under my roof."

Oh well. To each his own.

- Posted from my iPhone

- Posted from my iPhone

That's Four Small Steps For Baby

2010-12-20T22:27:00.001-06:00

Wendy told me that Fox took 4 steps on his own today. Unfortunately, I missed it. I was away in Atlanta on a video shoot. I wish I could have been there to see it. We knew that he was going to walk any day now. He has shown remarkable progress in his coordination in the past several days. Plus, when he pulls up on a piece of furniture, you can see in his eyes how badly he wants to let go and walk on his own. Up until today, however, he just hasn't had the courage. Whenever he would let go, he would just stand there looking at us with a big smile on his face. You could tell that he was proud of himself. And I'm proud of him for taking his first steps. I just can't believe he's already old enough.

- Posted from my iPhone

- Posted from my iPhone

The Polar Express

2010-12-12T16:54:00.004-06:00

Phoenix is at that stage in his childhood development when he understands who Santa is. He's starting to grasp the concepts of Christmas, presents, and the annual visit from Old Saint Nick. One concept that is still a bit elusive to him is the one about keeping the contents of a present a secret. One day, after he and I arrived back home from a few hours of shopping, he promptly told Wendy, "My got you some fuzzy socks, Mommy!" That might be the last time I take him Christmas shopping with me until he's a bit older.

This past Sunday evening, Wendy and I joined her family at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum for a Polar Express train ride to the North Pole. For those unfamiliar with the Polar Express, the event is based on the film by the same name, starring Tom Hanks. The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum runs the Polar Express several times throughout the holiday season. Parents bring their children and everyone boards a train. After a short ride, the train stops at the North Pole where Santa, Mrs. Claus, and some elves board the train to take pictures with all the children. Cookies, milk, and some small toys are passed out to all the passengers. Wendy and I had never taken the kids to the Polar Express and Wendy's parents were kind enough to order tickets for us. It's fortunate that they ordered the tickets in advance, because just days prior to our departure, I noticed on the museum's website that all Polar Express events were sold out.

Phoenix was excited about going to the railroad museum for two reasons: 1) he got to ride on an actual train, and he loves trains (he has several Thomas the Train toys at our house), and 2) he would get to see Santa.

It was extremely cold on the night of our North Pole trip, so we had to ensure that the boys were bundled up tight.

The train hadn't arrived at the station by the time we pulled into the parking lot (another group was enjoying their ride). We were supposed to board at 6:30pm. But that didn't keep Phoenix from repeatedly asking where the train was. To distract him until the train arrived, all of us (Wendy, me, Phoenix, Fox, Wendy's parents, Wendy's sister, brother-in-law, niece Isabelle, and nephew Brady) all went into the museum. We really couldn't wait around outside because it was so cold.

The museum offered Phoenix the chance to look around at a lot of railroad paraphernalia.

Wendy's dad bought the children some glow sticks to hang around their necks, and Phoenix thought that was great. He had to have blue, since blue is his favorite color.

As 6:30 approached, we kept a close watch on the train tracks outside of the museum. It was incredibly crowded, and we wanted to get on the train as soon as possible, and not wait too long in the cold night air. Phoenix and his cousin Isabelle kept wanting to go outside, but I had to remind them that the train wasn't yet at the station. I encouraged them to look out through the window of the train station where they could see if the train was coming. That worked for a little while, then the two of them went back to running around and playing.

Isabelle stops playing for a quick picture. Phoenix keeps vigil at the door of the train station, waiting for the train to arrive.

Finally, in the distance, we heard the train horn blast. Then, we saw the bright lights of the approaching engine. We rushed outside to get in line. Let me just pause hear to say that the good people at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum had everything very well organized. We weren't forced to wait in one big mass and cram into one door. Rather, each passenger was assigned to a particular railroad car and lines were formed outside the designated car. That kept the whole process smooth and orderly.

As we waited on the platform for the other group to disembark, Phoenix kept pulling at my hand, eager to get on the train. Then, he stopped and said, "My have to go potty." Side note: Children that are potty training always have to go at the most inconvenient times. For the past hour I had been asking Phoenix off-and-on if he needed to go. "No," was always his response. Then, right before we board, he tells me he needs to go.

I whisked him up and ran with him back over to the main building where the restrooms were. As we rushed to the nearest restroom, Phoenix was concerned that we would miss the train. I assured him that Mommy and Daddy would not let that happen.

We were in and out of the restroom and back in line before people started boarding. Once on the train, we all found a good section of seats where we could all be together. Wendy and I sat together. Phoenix and Isabelle sat facing us. Sid, Lori, Brady and the Cotney's sat across the aisle.

The train ride to the North Pole only took about 15-20 minutes. Then, out of the darkness came an oasis of bright Christmas lights wrapped around a large house. There were signs made entirely of Christmas lights that read "North Pole," and "Santa's Workshop." And there, illuminated by spotlights, was Santa and Mrs. Claus, waving to the passengers.

We had to wait several minutes for Santa to make the rounds, but he finally appeared in our train car. He was preceded by a couple of elves, who passed out sleigh bells to all the children. When Santa and Mrs. Claus finally appeared, Phoenix hopped up in his seat to get a better view.

The look in Phoenix's eyes when Santa and Mrs. Claus finally made it to our seats was simply magical. He was captivated. Watching him take it all in was a wonderful experience for me.

Here are some additional pictures that we took that night.

The Magic of Christmas

2010-11-30T21:43:00.003-06:00

We are in full Christmas mode at The Till house! Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love seeing the magic in a child's eye, Christmas trees, lights, music, spending time with family, the list goes on and on.

Clint has never been very interested in decorating for Christmas and doesn't really get into the Christmas songs, so I knew I had to pass my obsession on to Phoenix and Fox. Phoenix has caught it and I am so excited that he loves everything! We listen to Christmas songs, read Christmas stories and he loves all the Christmas decorations. All I had to do (way back in early November) is say, "Hey Phoenix, you want to get the Christmas tree out of the attic and put it up?" He dropped everything and told Clint...so up the tree went almost 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and I was thrilled! Phoenix helped Daddy put on the garland and the next day we spent hanging all the ornaments on the tree together.

Fox has really not grasp Christmas yet. He just enjoys the lights and my Hallmark singing Snowman from years ago. I am so excited to share this love of Christmas with my two sons and see the magic of Christmas in their eyes as they get older. Christmas has always been so magical to me and I hope it is for Phoenix and Fox as well.

The countdown begins...25 days until Christmas! We wish you a Very Merry Christmas!!!

A Visit With Santa

2010-11-20T09:53:00.001-06:00

I had to work over the weekend so I decided to take off work on Thursday to enjoy a day with Wendy and the boys. We took them over to the Galleria where they could meet Santa Claus.

Although this will be Phoenix's 3rd Christmas, this was the first time that he met Santa. Wendy and I had been prepping him throughout the week about the tradition and the proper protocol for meeting Santa. It's a lot like the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld. You wait your turn, then quickly run up to Santa, sit in his lap, tell him what you want (medium turkey chili), smile for the picture, then hop down.

The good thing about taking your kids to see Santa during mid-morning on a work day is that there are no crowds. When we found Santa, there was no one else waiting. And when Phoenix saw Santa sitting there, his eyes lit up. He was incredibly excited. I was relieved that he wasn't shy or scared. He went right up to Santa and hopped up into his lap.

I told Phoenix to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas and he whispered "Teh-we-scope,"'which translates, "telescope." That's the number one item on his list this year.

Wendy set Fox on Santa's lap and he just sat there and stared. I was so proud to see both of them sitting there, behaving so well. It was also a bit surreal. After all, it seems like yesterday that my parents were taking my brother and me to the mall to visit with Santa. Now I get to experience that from the other side of the fence.

After the boys had their picture made, Phoenix hopped down and got a coloring book from Santa's bag. Then he was ready to go look at the big American flag that hangs down in the food court. And Fox still didn't understand why we sat him down with some strange bearded old man, but at least he didn't cry. He was just along for the ride.

- Posted from my iPhone

Fox With His Cheerios

2010-11-18T08:47:00.001-06:00

- Posted from my iPhone

A Fistful of O's

2010-11-18T08:20:00.001-06:00

I love to watch Fox eat Cheerios and, believe me, he loves to eat them. Since he is still learning the all important hand-to-mouth coordination it takes to feed yourself, Fox simply plays the percentages. He will grab a fistful of Cheerios and shove his entire hand into his mouth. He reasons that if he adopts this method, it stands to reason that some Cheerios will actually end up in his mouth.

- Posted from my iPhone

Baby Steps to the Elevator

2010-11-17T21:03:00.002-06:00

In addition to Fox's extensive vocabulary of "ma ma," "da da," and "na na," he has become extremely mobile in the past few days. For the past several weeks, Fox has struggled to learn how to crawl. He will get up on all fours and simply rock back and forth. He won't actually move, but he will rock for a while, then collapse back onto the floor. Then he gets mad at himself and cries. Sometimes, he will inadvertently scoot backwards in his attempt to move forward.

However, today, everything finally seemed to click. He will get up on all fours and just take off, crawling toward some object that he has set his sights on. I was pleasantly surprised at just how well he is moving. Tonight, Wendy and I were playing with the boys in the playroom and Fox crawled over to the wall, where he promptly pulled himself up to a standing position. Then he looked back over his shoulder at Wendy and me and smiled proudly.

As he stood there, we encouraged him to take a step. He would let go of the wall and briefly stand there on his own. You could tell that he was concentrating on how to put one foot in front of the other. But before he could make a move, he was forced to grab on to the wall again so he wouldn't lose his balance. Then he would plop down on his bottom and laugh. Then, he would try again. Once, as he stood there, Wendy took his hand and he actually took a step toward her. I don't know if I can officially call that walking yet, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Till 2010 Christmas Cards

2010-11-16T14:07:00.001-06:00

Love Scarlet Christmas Card

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View the entire collection of cards.

Is There Anyone Out There? It's Getting Harder and Harder to Breathe

2010-11-13T10:14:00.005-06:00

The past four nights have been rough here at our house. First, Fox developed some kind of sinus congestion and he woke up at 11pm screaming. I couldn't get him calmed down. With Wendy's help we were able to get him settled back down at about 1am. The next night we were both up with him for a few hours. We took turns. I rocked him from about 3:30am - 4:00am. On the third night I rocked him for about an hour, from 3am-4am. His congestion, coupled with the fact that he is teething, has made for some pretty rough nights.

Last night Wendy and I hosted some friends at our house for game night. We hired a baby sitter to play with Phoenix and Fox in the playroom, while we entertained on the main level. At about 9:15 our party broke up and I went downstairs, got Phoenix, and took him upstairs to get him ready for bed. The baby sitter was very complimentary of both boys and Phoenix wanted her to stay when I told him it was time to go to bed.

I got Phoenix to bed somewhere between 9:30 and 9:45. Wendy and I then watched a TV show and got in bed around 11pm. Around midnight, Wendy heard Phoenix on the baby monitor. She went into his room, thinking he had a bad dream, but soon she was running into our room holding Phoenix. He had a loud, barking cough and was in a lot of pain. He could breathe, but the breaths weren't coming very easy.

He told us that he had a "boo-boo." When we asked "Where?" he pointed to his throat and chest. We tried giving him some juice, but it had difficulty swallowing. Well, I'm no doctor, but when I see that my child is having difficulty breathing, I know that something has to be done. Breathing is pretty important. So, I called "911" and explained the situation to them.

The paramedics arrived and looked him over. He oxygen saturation levels were good and he wasn't dehydrated. They advised us to take him to Children's Hospital. Their diagnosis was croup. They told us they could take him in the ambulance, but they said we could take him in our car if we felt the ambulance would scare him. That's when Phoenix spoke up and told us that he wanted to ride to the hospital in the helicopter. Everyone got a good laugh out of that one. I calmly told Phoenix that they didn't bring their helicopter this time.

So, Wendy took him down to Children's while I stayed at home to monitor Fox. Wendy's Dad met her at the ER. I went back to bed around 2am and Wendy called soon after to tell me they were heading back home. The doctors said that Phoenix did have the croup, so they gave him some Motrin and a steroid shot. When Wendy called I could tell that Phoenix was feeling better because I could hear him jabbering in the background. Later, Wendy told me that our Little Guy had the nurses in hysterics because of the songs he was singing. So, even though he was feeling bad, he still had the strength to ham it up. He also told a cleaning lady, "There are nine planets in our solar system" before naming off each planet.

He acts like he feels better today, but he's still a little hoarse.

Boo Bash

2010-11-01T16:20:00.001-05:00

Last year on Halloween, Wendy and I were moving into our new house, so we didn't have an opportunity to take Phoenix out to trick-or-treat. However, we were quickly initiated into our neighborhood's Halloween tradition. There were kids everywhere. I have never seen such a crowd on Halloween night. So, needless to say, Wendy and I were eagerly anticipating this year's festivities, because we wanted our boys to experience the fun of trick-or-treating. However, for a while we didn't know if our neighborhood would have their big night out on Saturday, October 30 or Sunday, October 31. We were afraid that the powers-that-be would select October 30, which would have been bad for us, because we were already planning to attend a friend's wedding. We were relieved to find out that the neighborhood would indeed, be celebrating on the 31st.

We knew Fox would be too young to understand what was going on, but that didn't stop us from buying him a Halloween costume too. He and Phoenix both went as astronauts.

Our evening began by walking down to our neighbor's house where several friends from church were gathering with their little ones. We all enjoyed dinner together, then set out a little after 6pm. Already there were kids everywhere. Some neighbors set up shop along the curb or in their front yards, boasting large folding tables on top of which sat bowls and bowls of candy. Other neighbors had popcorn machines and drinks. It was pretty incredible.

Wendy's parents joined us so they could watch Phoenix go door-to-door. Wendy's mom ended up holding Fox and I pulled Phoenix and his friend Peyton in our wagon.

Phoenix knew exactly what to say when he went up to the door. He held his bag out and said "Twick oh Tweet." However, he had trouble understanding the fact that we don't eat the candy as we get it. We collect it and save it for later. For the first couple of houses he wanted to eat whatever he received. I think he finally caught on after I explained the whole process to him a few times.

Our caravan of parents and kids went up a half block, then turned right and went all the way to the end of our street. Then we came back. Phoenix received a lot of compliments on his costume and he was really enjoying himself. Fox, on the other hand, seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the activity. He clung tightly to Wendy's mom.

Fox was pretty wiped out after trick-or-treating, so Wendy took him home to get him ready for bed. I, on the other hand, loaded Phoenix up in to the car and drove to my parents where he could trick-or-treat. They thought his astronaut costume was great. They gave him some candy and we went inside where he sat down to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

Party Animal

2010-10-26T13:36:00.002-05:00

Within one week Phoenix will attend three different birthday parties. The festivities started this past Thursday with a trip to Brunswick Riverview Lanes on Hwy 280. His friend Lucy turned 3. Phoenix had never been bowling before but absolutely loved it. He couldn't wait to grab his bowling ball and shove it down the lane toward those pins. It was hard for him to wait his turn, but he behaved very well. At times he would get a little over stimulated and start running around. I had to keep him from running in front of other bowlers in neighboring lanes.

One of the biggest thrills for him was to see his ball come up through the return chute. He thought that was amazing. Of course I then had to prevent him from trying to stick his hands in there.

After bowling, everyone enjoyed pizza, cake and ice cream. Phoenix ended up bowling about 6 frames and was still interested in playing long after the other kids his age had moved on to other things.

Saturday we walked down to a neighbor's house because their younger son was turning 2. Phoenix really enjoys playing down at their house and it was great because the party was within walking distance.

The kids spent time playing in the backyard while the parents socialized. Phoenix did very well playing with the other kids. Sometimes he has difficulties with the concept of sharing, but Saturday was a good day. He even encouraged his cousin Isabelle to come down the slide by standing at the bottom, holding out his hands and saying, "My catch you, Belle."

Playtime was followed by a lunch of hot dogs, chips, and juice. Then we all sang happy birthday to the toddler-of-the-hour and scarfed down some chocolate cake.

Fox spent most of his time sitting in the grass. I think he could have played in the grass all afternoon. He loves the texture and I think he's trying to figure out exactly what it is.

Wendy and I did sit him on some of the smaller riding toys to see how he would react. He didn't get upset, although he didn't get overly excited about it either.

After cake, it was time to whack the piñata. Phoenix had never participated in this party tradition, although he has seen it play out on "Handy Manny." He eagerly waited his turn, then stood up next to the piñata while the birthday boy's mom blindfolded him. I could hear him say, "It's dark in here." Then he took a couple of swings with the bat.

He didn't knock any candy loose on that first attempt, which made him sad. He went over and sat by himself and I went over to encourage him. By the time he got a second turn, the older kids had already knocked some holes in the thing. So, when Phoenix took a swing some candy fell out. He was incredibly proud. And so was I.

- Posted from my iPhone

Halloween: The Dress Rehearsal

2010-10-15T18:33:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I came home to a surprise. There, waiting for me on the front porch was Wendy, Phoenix, and Fox. And Phoenix had decided that he wanted to try on his Halloween costume. Since Phoenix is so interested in space, we decided to buy him an astronaut costume. When it first arrived, he didn't show much interest in trying it on, but today, for some reason, he really wanted to wear it. We also purchased a matching astronaut costume for Fox (except his is the orange jump suit version).

As soon as I got home, Phoenix wanted to walk over to our neighbor's house to show off his costume. Our neighbors across the street have a little boy about the same age as Phoenix and he also plans on wearing an astronaut costume. So, we all walked over to their house and rang the doorbell.

The Daddy answered the door, but Phoenix's friend wasn't home. However, that didn't stop Phoenix from marching right on into the house, all the while asking, "Where's Jason?" His costume was a big hit with Jason's daddy, but Phoenix wasn't able to show his friend. So, off we went to another friend's house. Once again, Phoenix's friend wasn't home, but he marched right on into the house anyway, searching for his friend. He didn't get to show off his costume to any of his friends, but a few mommies and daddies saw it, and he got the chance to play on a playground. We made three stops in all and Phoenix got a good dress rehearsal before the big night. Now we just have to teach him that you don't actually walk in to someone's house on Halloween - you just stay on the porch to receive your candy.

And On This Farm He Had a Pumpkin

2010-10-10T14:32:00.000-05:00

I was never big on decorating for holidays, but Wendy is the complete opposite. Ever since we got married she has encouraged me to decorate the house for holidays - especially Christmas. On repeated occasions she has also asked to buy some pumpkins and other accessories for Halloween, but we never did. I don't even remember the last time that I carved a pumpkin.

Well, now that I have children, my attitude has changed. Phoenix is close to his third birthday and he is at the age when he understands a little more about what certain holidays mean. And he also knows that we decorate the house to commemorate those holidays. Seeing him find enjoyment in decorating the house makes me happy, and I don't want to deprive him of that.

Since Halloween is coming up, Phoenix has expressed interest in getting some pumpkins for the house. Well, we could have gone down to the local supermarket to buy a couple of pumpkins, but why do that when you can create a memorable event around the entire process. For years, Wendy has heard about Baker's Farm out in Harpersville. Not only can you go out to a pumpkin patch and select your own pumpkins, but you can also enjoy several different activities, like a corn maze, hay maze, petting zoo, and hay ride. Children can also ride horses and jump around in an entire wagon full of cotton. We decided to take the boys out there for a morning full of fun.

However, the day didn't start off too well. I sorely underestimated how much the cost of admission would be. They were charged Wendy, me, and Phoenix $10 each. I couldn't believe they would charge a two year-old full price. I was about $5 short, and they didn't take any kind of debit or credit card. I felt embarrassed and ashamed, like I wasn't a good enough father to even afford a day out at the pumpkin patch. Wendy was on her way back to the car to see if we had any loose cash and/or change in the glove compartment when she struck up a conversation with a man who just happened to be the owner of the farm. He asked her if we had picked out our pumpkins (apparently he thought she was on her way out). Wendy, not knowing who the guy was, explained the situation. He said it was no problem for us to enter, and we promised to send him a check the following week (which I did). I was so thankful for his trust.

Once in the farm, Phoenix spotted the wagon full of cotton. He took his shoes off and jumped in with several other children. I shot some video of him walking and jumping through the cotton, but apparently Phoenix thought the cotton was a but overrated, because he didn't stay in for too long. After the cotton, we kept walking down the road until we spotted the horses.

I paid for Phoenix to take a short ride on one of the ponies. He had never ridden a horse before, and I was proud to be there for this important milestone. I helped him saddle up and I stood right beside him as our guide unhitched 'ole Blackie (actually I don't know what the horse's name was) and headed off down the trail at a full gal- well, trot... no, it was more of a... alright, the horse just lazily walked along. But Phoenix had a good time. He kept trying to turn in his saddle to look behind him, to see how far he had ridden. I had to instruct him to hold onto the reins and he did a good job of listening.

Phoenix spotted the hay maze after dismounting from his mighty steed, so I let him loose inside the maze where we chased each other and played hide-and-go-seek. He laughed as he darted in and out between the bales. We did have one unpleasant incident when Phoenix shoved another little boy inside the maze. I grabbed Phoenix by the arm and gave him a firm "talking-to." I apologized profusely to the little boy's mom, and thankfully she was very understanding. However, it is pretty embarrassing when your child doesn't behave in front of other parents. I always feel like the other parents are judging me in those situations.

After a brief snack under the shade of a nearby tree, we finally made our way down to the hay ride pick up area. It was there that a tractor with a large trailer awaited us for our mile ride out to the pumpkin patch. Phoenix wanted to get on right away, but I had to explain that we had to wait until the driver told us it was okay. That's another thing that's difficult when you are the parent of a young child - making them wait and having to explain WHY you have to wait.

We finally boarded the trailer and began our lumbering trek up a dirt trail. I snapped a few pictures of Wendy and the boys as we rode. Phoenix tried to get up and walk around a few times, but Wendy and I made sure he stayed seated. It was getting pretty warm at this point and I was ready to get off the trailer, grab some pumpkins, and go. To put a little icing on the cake of this experience, Wendy noticed that her ex-boyfriend was also riding on the trailer with us. Awesome. What are the odds?

After a little awkward conversation, the trail opened up and we finally caught a glimpse of the Pumpkin Promised Land. We all hopped off the trailer and began our search for three perfect pumpkins. I was surprised at the selection. Phoenix, being the little leader that he is, began dictating to Wendy and me what we should be looking for. He told us that he would be in charge of looking for orange pumpkins. Wendy and I were in charge of finding the white pumpkins (and they did have a few of the latter). It was fun watching Phoenix as he ran around looking for and picking up pumpkins. He really got into the whole experience.

In the end, we came away with three pumpkins. We tried to get one large, one medium, and one small sized pumpkin, to reflect the various sizes of me, Wendy, and Phoenix (we would have gotten Fox a pumpkin, but that would have cost extra and he was too little to know the difference anyway).

Pictures from Nick at Noon

2010-10-03T10:46:00.001-05:00

Dad with the National Championship trophy.

Me with the National Championship trophy.

Nick at Noon Luncheon

2010-10-03T10:40:00.001-05:00

I had a great time with dad today. He and I went down to Tuscaloosa to hear Nick Saban speak at the "Nick at Noon" luncheon. Every Friday before a home game, Saban will speak at the Bryant Conference Center for about 45 minutes. The event is advertised through Tide Pride and you need to purchase a ticket to attend. Dad and I made sure to arrive early so we could get a good seat. Lunch consisted of salad, chicken cordeon bleau, mashed potatoes, bread, and chocolate cake.

Saban arrived at about 12:10 and made some general remarks about the team and the season before opening it up to the crowd for a little Q&A. I actually had an opportunity to ask him a question. It was incredibly thrilling to be able to speak to Coach Saban. I asked him how he is able to motivate the team week in, week out with the locker room speeches he delivers. I asked how he knows what to say to keep his material fresh.

Dad asked him about offensive and defensive strategies - specifically how the offensive line knows their blocking assignments and how plays are called on defense. His answer was incredibly enlightening.

Saban ended by thanking the fans for their support and encouraged all of us to make a lot of noise at the game vs. Florida tomorrow. He is a master motivator. I left the lunch feeling pretty pumped.

Before leaving t-town, Dad and I stopped in at the Bryant Museum to look around. I hadnt been there since I was in college. It was a lot of fun. They had a new exhibit set up to commemorate our most recent national championship.

Dad and I made our pictures next to the national championship trophy.

- Posted from my iPhone

Go Diego Go!

2010-09-28T12:39:00.003-05:00

So Phoenix is really into Diego. It comes and goes and right now, he is in the obsession phase!

He watched an episode on Monday morning called Diego & Alicia Rescue the River Otters. Well, ever since then Phoenix has pretended to be Oscar, the otter and me (Mommy) is Oli, the Otter. We pretend that we are floating down the river and we get separated and go down separate parts of the river because those silly Bo-Bo Brothers are causing trouble again (also from Diego)! Don't worry, Fox is getting to play too, he is Baby Otter and he is safe aboard the exersaucer which cannot tip over (according to Phoenix).

He is so into playing Oscar & Oli that he doesn't even want to leave the house to go anywhere. He also constanly refers to me now as Oli. I am not too sure how I feel about losing my Mommy title, but for now I guess I can be Oli.

Phoenix has such a great imagination. We are always going on grand adventures to far off places and we never have to leave the house! Fox enjoys the adventures too. A post on all things Fox is coming up soon along with pictures of how much he has grown! The boys are so fantastic and I am so blessed to be their Mommy! It's the best job in the world!

Run Away From the Poo

2010-09-28T10:46:00.005-05:00

This past Sunday I had the boys to myself, because Wendy was shopping at the Kids Market consignment sale. I spent Saturday downtown at the annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, so it was nice to spend some time with Phoenix and Fox.

After church I took them to the Hoover Country Club to meet my family for lunch. My grandmother is a member there and she takes the entire family out to eat once a month. The boys behaved well and we didn't have any major incidents.

When we got home, Phoenix spent time playing in the living room while I fed Fox his bottle and his lunch. Then, it was nap time. They were finally settled in at about 3pm. Fox didn't wake up until about 4:40 and Phoenix didn't wake up until about 5:20, which was great. They always seem to take good naps for me, which was a relief Sunday because I was extremely tired. I slept for about an hour while the boys slept.

Since Phoenix didn't wake up until after 5pm, we stayed home from church and played around the house. Around 6:30 I took the boys into the kitchen for dinner. During Fox's meal, he paused and started staring at me. But he wasn't really staring AT me, as much as he was staring THROUGH me. His eyes were fixed in some far off gaze. It was a look of extreme concentration. It was a look that could only mean one thing - there was some action going on down in his diaper.

After Fox broke his trance, I took him upstairs to change him. Phoenix followed. After peeling back the diaper, I reached for a baby wipe. When I turned back, I noticed that Fox had launched a stream of you-know-what into his own face. His expression was a mixture of shock and discomfort. His eyes blinked uncontrollably as he tried to dodge the constant flow of liquid. After my initial burst of, "Oh no!!" I quickly covered the geyser with a baby wipe. Then it was on to #2.

As I was cleaning Fox, Phoenix kept saying, "Let me see that poopie." For some reason, since we've been potty training Phoenix, he's become more curious about examining... uh, you know. He kept saying it over and over while running around the room. Finally I lowered a baby wipe (containing some of Fox's bi-product) down close to his eye level. He took one look at it, gasped in horror and shouted "I run away!" He quickly hid behind the rocking chair. So, I guess the moral of the story is, "Be careful what you wish for." Or maybe it's "Don't pee into the wind." Whatever.

A Very Early Sunday and a Teachable Moment Gone Wrong

2010-09-19T16:44:00.001-05:00

It was a rough night last night. I'm not sure why, but Fox woke up at 3:30am and was not in a good mood. I tried to settle him down, but he kept spitting out his pacifier while I rocked him. I changed his diaper, but that didn't work either. Wendy came in to his bedroom and we gave him some Tylenol. We think his gums might have been sore from teething. The medicine helped and he went back to sleep around 4:30, but woke up at 6:30 ready to be fed. Needless to say, I was pretty tired at church today.

Compounding my fatigue was the fact that Phoenix woke up in a bad mood. Sometimes Wendy and I really have to tread carefully around him in the morning. Any little thing can set him off.

He kept telling us, "I don't need to go to church." I tried to explain that none of us HAVE to go to church, but we CHOOSE to go to church so we can learn more about God and encourage others while we're there. I dont think my teachable moment took hold. However, he did perk up when he arrived at church. He ran right inside and went down the hall, directly to his Bible class.

- Posted from my iPhone

I've Been Working on the Railroad

2010-09-17T19:30:00.001-05:00

Last Christmas, Phoenix received a Thomas the Train remote-controlled engine with track and train table. He also received two smaller tracks with spiraling ramps and bridges. He hasn't played much with the spiraling ramps. Everytime I try to set it up, he knocks it over. Tonight was different. He looked in his playroom closet and asked me to put the track together for him. I got it off the shelf, put it all together, and he has really enjoyed playing with it. Hopefully he won't tear it apart. It took me a while to assemble the whole thing.

- Posted from my iPhone

Train Repairs

2010-09-10T19:18:00.001-05:00

Here's Phoenix as he makes his repairs to his train table. He's installing the new bolts.

- Posted from my iPhone

The Little General

2010-09-10T19:08:00.001-05:00

Last Christmas my parents bought Phoenix a Thomas the Train table. He's always loves playing with it, but tonight he was more interested in repairing the train table. He got all of his Handy Manny tools and went right to work tightening the screws and bolts on the table and hammering the wood and track into place. He even started dictating jobs for me to do. This kid knows how to delegate. He handed me his toy screwdriver and told me to crawl under the table and check all the screws. He supervised. Every few seconds he would crawl under the table with me and inspect my work. I think I met his high standards. Phoenix also had to "replace" all the old bolts on the table with new ones he "bought" from the hardware store. I really think Phoenix will had a job one day as a general contractor.

- Posted from my iPhone

Cold Cold Go Away

2010-09-06T13:04:00.001-05:00

Fox has been fighting a cold for about a week now. He's getting better and his personality is coming back, but the cold has really interrupted his sleeping patterns. He's nit sleeping through the night like he used to. Now he wakes up between 3 and 4 am and when I go into his room, I normally find that he has rolled over onto his stomach.

The cold has also altered his mood (as one would expect). He can go from "happy" to "horrible" in only a few seconds and he's more clingy to Wendy and me (especially Wendy). I look forward to the moment this cold passes so Fox will sleep better (so I can too).

- Posted from my iPhone

Mow Quality Time With Phoenix

2010-08-24T21:55:00.002-05:00

Yesterday after coming home from work, I had to get out and mow the front yard. It's not that I really wanted to mow the yard, but I knew it needed to be done. What I really hate about yard work (aside from the fact that it's yard work), is the fact that it takes me away from my sons. I don't get to spend much time with them during the day, so the hours I spend with them in the evenings are extra special for me.

Since I hated the thought of Phoenix and Fox being inside while I was outside working, I asked Wendy to bring them outside with me. The humidity is starting to die down a little as September approaches, so it was actually comfortable outside. Wendy brought the two of them out to the front yard shortly after I started mowing. Wendy flagged me down to say that Phoenix wanted to mow with me. So, I stopped the mower and he and I walked around to the garage to get his little toy lawn mower. He was so excited. As we walked to the garage, he said, "My helping."

We took his mower to the front yard and set it next to mine. Then, we both turned on the engines and took off down the stretch of grass. At first, he stayed right with me, but it wasn't long before he was veering off into a new direction, creating his own path. He then fell in behind me and we mowed the grass together. Whenever I would stop to empty out the grass clippings, he would stop too and say, "My bag full too, Daddy." So, after dumping my clippings into the lawn bag, I would pick up his mower and empty out his bag. Then, he would crank his mower and we would set off again.

It makes me feel extremely proud to know that Phoenix wants to spend time with me and imitate my every move. As I mowed, I would glance over my shoulder to see him working hard to push his mower so he could keep up with me. His effort reminded me of a poem Wendy once included in a Father's Day card. I can't remember it verbatim, but one of the first lines includes the phrase, "walk a little slower Daddy." The summation of the poem is the fact that as a father, there are little ones always looking up to you. They want to follow your example. They desperately want direction, instruction, and even correction (even if they don't know it). I sometimes think about that poem and my responsibility as a Daddy to two young boys. Everything I know about being a father, I learned from my Dad, so I feel like I've had pretty good training. After all, my Dad always walked a little slower so I could keep up with him.

Preschool with Mommy: Week 2

2010-08-23T12:47:00.001-05:00

Week #2 went great! Phoenix has done so well this week with all of his lessons. He really got into the crafts & art lessons this week. I am so glad he has finally shown an interest in drawing some. My sister bought these Do-A-Dot markers and I borrowed one from her and he loves it!

We concentrated on the Letter Y this week. Our book for this week from the Before Five In A Row curriculum was 'Yellow Ball' by Molly Bang. Phoenix really liked it. Aunt Lori did the lesson at her house and then gave them their lapbooks for the week. Unfortunately we were so busy doing the lapbooks and their lessons we forgot to take pictures.

After nap, Phoenix worked on his letter Y work and also worked on sequencing. These are some of the pictures of what all we did. He had so much fun and I did too! I love watching him learn.

I get a lot of my ideas to coordinate with our book of the week off of a GREAT homeschooling website. It's called Confessions of a Homeschooler. It' a fantastic site and has a ton of free printable information and ideas for preschoolers. Our letter Y focused on the color Yellow and the words Yarn, Yak, Yam & Yo-Yo. All great words. Phoenix really liked trying to figure out how the Yo-Yo worked!

Phoenix did really well learning to sequence. We did pictures of yarn and I showed him how they had a pattern sequence and asked him to name the colors and finish out the pattern and he did it the first time! He definitely got it and wanted to do it again!

The next thing we worked on was putting our numbers in order from 1-10. Phoenix likes to put them in order counting backwards. He likes to "Count down" and then "Blast Off".
He did really well with the number line up and worked on it several times. He really has enjoyed the curriculum.

I feel like we are accomplishing so much using this curriculum at home and I have been extremely pleased with using it. He gets most of the lessons and is now enjoying working on the art lessons and was really proud to show Daddy the work he did with his new marker. He learned how to draw a smiley face with it and he was so proud of it. He loves to draw smiley faces with a regular pen or on his doodle pad. I hope that he enjoys art and hopefully will inherit his Daddy's great drawing ability! Because as you can tell from previous posts...I can't draw! HA!

Next week we are studying 'My Blue Boat'. A book that Phoenix already likes. Our letter focus for next week will be the Letter W and our word focus will be 'Whale'. We already checked out some whale books and a very interesting IMAX film called Whales that we are going to watch. I also thought it might be fun to watch 'Finding Nemo'...my all time favorite movie...Phoenix hates it when I speak whale...I guess I am
already embarrassing him. Oh well!

In the meantime...please check out these websites. I get so many of my printables from these lovely ladies!

1+1+1=1, Raising Rock Stars

Confessions of A Homeschooler

Hope everyone has a great day! Thanks for checking in with us!

The Routine

2010-08-20T21:14:00.000-05:00

One thing I've learned about being a parent is that when you have small children they usually have to stay on a regular routine. They have a scheduled time for just about everything - that includes bedtime.

Phoenix's routine for bed usually includes the following:

After bath, we get Phoenix dressed into his pajamas. Then we read three story books; sometimes four. After finishing the second book, it's important to give Phoenix a heads-up that the final book is coming up. If you finish a book and then suddenly tell Phoenix that it's bedtime, he might not go to bed without some kind of protest. However, if you warn him first, he is much more cooperative.

After the final book is put away, you have to rock Phoenix for 5-10 minutes. Then it's okay to lay him in his bed. But, you're not off the hook yet. It's important to say a prayer with him every night, followed by a bedtime song. The song is always "The Box Song."

Once the song is over, there's one last thing that Phoenix likes before be will settle down. He likes to have a little bit of water. So, you fill up a Dixie cup about half-way and let him drink it. Then he will lay his head down and go to sleep for the night.

And that's our nightly schedule with Phoenix.

- Posted from my iPhone

Spoil-a-Rama

2010-08-19T21:56:00.000-05:00

Wendy was hosting a Thirty-One Gifts party tonight at our house, so she dropped the boys over at my parents' house late this afternoon. After I finished up at work, I drove over there to spend the evening with them and my parents while Wendy entertained at our house.

Phoenix and Fox always have such a great time playing at Mimi and Papa G's house, and my parents don't mind spoiling them.

When I arrived, Phoenix was already playing with his rocket, telling Mom and Dad about his adventures in outer space. He flew the rocket over to the rocking chair and said he was on Mars. Then he would fly back over to the couch and say he was back on earth.

Fox was already getting fussy and so I went ahead and fed him his dinner, then laid him down for a late nap. He was extremely tired and slept for about an hour and forty minutes.

After me, dad, and Phoenix had dinner, Phoenix wanted to play with Mimi outside, so dad and I stayed in to listen for Fox. While waiting, we tunes the TV to ESPN to watch a behind-the-scenes look at Alabama's summer football training camp. During the hour-long show Fox woke up, so I brought him in to sit with Dad and I. My dad has really bonded with Fox and it's fun to see the two of them interact. Fox spent his time gnawing on his hand and a nearby blanket. He also rolled around in my dads lap, looking at the TV, then back at dad, then the floor, then the ceiling fan... you get the idea.

Both boys got to stay up a little later than normal tonight, which wasn't a problem for them. But, around 9:00 I could tell Fox had had enough, so it was time to call it a day. We had a good evening out.

- Posted from my iPhone

Preschool With Mommy!

2010-08-16T21:17:00.016-05:00

Week #2 of preschool homeschooling is going great with Phoenix! We are having so much fun! He is so smart and loves learning new things. Last week we started our "Before 5 in a Row" curriculum and did the first book, "Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?". He loved it and really liked most of the crafts, except the coloring...he hates to color!

This week we are working on a study of Space (in between the Before 5 in a Row stuff) and here is a little peek of what we worked on today! He really did so good and we kept busy for hours. I am a member of "Lapbook Lessons" and I get most of my lapbook print-outs from there. He loves doing lapbooks. While deciding on a space study, I pulled some items off of there, but I just did a google search for most things and found a TON of stuff. Here are the pictures of what we worked on today!
This is Phoenix looking at all the planets. I found this great coloring page and we colored it and then cut out all the planets. He got so excited! This is a picture of him pointing to them and naming them all off.

I then had him put them in order. He knows the order so well! He reminded me that we needed the sun for them to orbit around...duh...Mommy should have known this...good thing my 2 year old son reminded me of it!

I also found this incredible Space Travel Book at "Lapbook Lessons". It was an instant hit with Phoenix and we worked on this for about 30 minutes and went over it again once Daddy came home! Here are some of the pages that we did:

He wanted to name his space shuttle "The Phoenix"

Just in case you can't tell from my lovely drawing...french fries & ketchup is the last one!

These are the people he said would miss him while he was gone...sorry to those who got left off...he was serious about this list...I asked him twice! I guess he thought the rest of you would be okay for those 10 days! HA!

Fox wasn't left out of learning for the day. We flew around the house with Phoenix pretending we were visiting all the planets today! He giggled the entire time! He did work on wooden cube, spinning the gears and playing with the blocks! He had a good day of learning fun too!

Show Off

2010-08-15T22:59:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post (Dirty Times Call for Desperate Measures), I mentioned how Wendy and I took the boys to Barnes & Noble for a little family night out. While we were in the Children's section browsing through the books, a little girl about Phoenix's age came in with her father and sat at a little table close to where Phoenix was playing.

It wasn't long before Phoenix noticed the girl. He looked at her. She looked at him. Then he came over to me and said, "That girl doesn't like me."

I said, "Sure she does. She likes you." He kept his eyes on her. Then he started making noises like an airplane or rocket while "flying" around the area "Superman" style. He did a few laps around her table, ran over to where Wendy was sitting, stopped and looked at the little girl. She kept looking at her picture book.

So, Phoenix did the whole routine again. He would stop every so often to look at her, and every once in a while, she would stop reading to look at Phoenix. Well, this just encouraged Phoenix all the more. He continued running around the store like Superman, making airplane noises (because, apparently 2 year old girls really get into that sort of thing).

Phoenix was disappointed when we had to leave. I told him not to be sad, because that little girl noticed him. I reassured him by saying that the little girl liked him. That seemed to help him feel better.

Wendy and I were amazed that even at 2 years old, children can display that kind of behavior. Plus we thought it was pretty darned cute.

- Posted from my iPhone

Say Cheese

2010-08-14T18:01:00.000-05:00

This weekend marked the 40th wedding anniversary for Wendy's parents. To commemorate the milestone Mrs. Cotney hired a photographer to take family portraits. So, yesterday evening we all met at the studio. Since the photographer was located WAY out in Indian Springs, it took me about an hour to get there from my downtown office.

I was the last to arrive and when I walked in, Lori, Sid and their kids were already getting portraits made. Then, it was our turn. Phoenix did surprisingly well for the photographer, but we only had a small window of opportunity before he was ready to move on to something else. Then, Phoenix's cousins Isabelle and Brady would start running around too. Trying to wrangle those kids was like herding sheep - really fast sheep.

However, I think we did pretty good getting all the kids to sit still long enough to fire off a few shots. Of course Fox just sat there like a lump of potatoes.

The outdoor pictures were difficult because it was so bloody hot and humid. And for some reason we were directed to wear black. Once we wrapped, it was time to continue the celebration at Kobe Japanese steakhouse. Phoenix had never seen the chefs cook in front of him and he really enjoyed it. We had a great evening.

- Posted from my iPhone

Dirty Times Call For Desperate Measures

2010-08-12T19:32:00.000-05:00

Wendy and I decided to take the boys out tonight to the local Barnes and Noble. Wendy was at home with the boys all day, but they didn't have a chance to go outside. It was simply too hot. Temperatures reached about 104 today. Also, Wendy needed a little time outside of the house. Fox has been teething, meaning that he has been very grumpy. Another unfortunate side effect of teething is massive dirty diapers. For some reason, Phoenix has also had some bad diapers today. Wendy has had to change about 12 dirty diapers today. Better her than me. I can handle the occasional dirty diaper, but THAT many messy diapers might actually kill me.

- Posted from my iPhone

Waterfall

2010-08-01T13:08:00.000-05:00

Fox is becoming more interested and more aware of his surroundings. He is taking notice not only of his toys, but of other items throughout the house. For example, he loves looking at Phoenix's growth chart that hangs on one wall of Phoenix's bedroom. The growth chart has an airplane at the top and Fox loves looking at the airplane.

In the last few days, Wendy has started pouring water into Fox's bathtub from a large cup while Fox takes a bath. He has responded by holding his hand up to the water, letting it fall over his hand and trickle down his arm. He studies the water until the cup is empty. Once Wendy empties the cup, Fox gets an incredibly serious look on his face; that is, until Wendy refills it. When he sees the cup again, he kicks his legs in excitement, ready for the next dousing.

- Posted from my iPhone

First Words

2010-07-22T14:22:00.001-05:00

I was working in the office this afternoon when Wendy called me up and said, "Guess what? Fox said his first words!" I was thrilled. He's close to 7 months old now, and up until this point he has been coo-ing and making a lot of squeaking noises. However, today he managed to say, "Maaa-ma." Wendy got so excited she almost woke Phoenix up from his nap. So, Phoenix's first word was "Da-Da" and Fox's first word was "Ma-ma." I can't wait to get home from work so I can teach him to say important things like "Daddy," "Football," and "Roll Tide."

Before Five In A Row

2010-07-16T14:59:00.003-05:00

I am so excited! I just ordered the 'Before Five in a Row' preschool curriculum to do with Phoenix at home! He loves to read and this curriculum is based on using children's literature. The purpose is simply to provide an array of activities for each book that engages him and lays the foundation for further learning. Some of the activities are subject related, such as Bible, science, math, language arts, and art; others are various skills such as learning shapes, sequencing, colors or problem solving, and the rest are centered on specific topics, like relationships, contentment or birthdays. This curriculum is recommended for children (ages 2-4). These are the books that are included with the package (there are 5 that are out of print that I hope to find at the library):

1) Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear, by N.W. Carlstrom
2) Yellow Ball, by Molly Bang (out of print)
3) My Blue Boat by Chris L. Demarest (out of print)
4) The Little Rabbit, by Judy Dunn
5) Ask Mr. Bear, by Majorie Flack
6) Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey
7) Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
8) The Big Green Pocketbook, by Candice Ransom
9) The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown
10) The ABC Bunny, by Wanda Gag
11) If Jesus Came to My House, by Joan Gale Thomas
12) Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina
13) The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss
14) The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
15) The Quiet Way Home, by Bonny Becker (out of print)
16) Play With Me, by Marie Hall Ets
17) Prayer for a Child, by Rachel Field
18) I Am an Artist, by Pat L. Collins
19) Angus Lost, by Marjorie Flack
20) Katy No-Pocket, by Emmy Payne
21) We're Going on A Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen
22) The Red Carpet, by Rex Parkin (out of print)
23) Corduroy, by Don Freeman
24) Jenny's Surprise Summer, by Eugenie (out of print)

Phoenix loves to learn and is just a sponge and soaks up everything we have been teaching him. I am blessed to have such a smart & inquisitive little kid! It's great! I love to teach! I have been reading to Fox as well and he will join us for all our crafts & lessons we will do and I am sure he will have a blast too!

What is even better is that I have two of my best friends and their children doing the curriculum with their children this fall too and we are going to coordinate crafts & activities so the kids can get together and have fun! Learning should be fun! I can't wait!

There's No Place Like Space

2010-07-09T14:45:00.006-05:00

Phoenix is now 2 1/2 years old and is learning so many new things. His biggest obsession is space, planets & the solar system. One of his favorite books we have to read every night is "There's No Place Like Space". He loves this book. I have always enjoyed reading Dr. Seuss books, but this one is my most favorite to read to him.

Everywhere we go, Phoenix will tell people..."There are 9 planets in our solar system", and proceed to name them. Yes, people he has learned Pluto as a planet...don't even get me started on this debate...

We have done all sorts of space crafts and watched all sorts of space videos. We are careful what we choose for him because there is so much out there on evolution and I don't want my child learning that trash! I have found some great Christian websites that have been great for him and some great books as well. I was shocked to go into the Parent/Teacher store and see books that teach Evolution...that wasn't happening when I was in school. We still said the pledge of allegiance and prayed at football games.

This is truly a tough subject for me and it really makes me waiver on sending my child through our public school systems. My children are a gift from God. I want to guard their hearts and minds in all they do. My prayer for them is for them to grow up to be great Christian men and great leaders that make a difference in this world.

We have been having so much fun learning all about the planets and solar system. I think Clint & I have both enjoyed revisiting this subject as it was a favorite of ours when we were in school. We are soon going to create a Solar System mobile using a hanger and some Styrofoam balls. It will be a great craft to do. We are all about creating fun & educational crafts and Phoenix just soaks it up! I get a lot of my ideas for Phoenix on preschool homeschooling sites. I will put some links up to those soon on another post!

You Have to Inch Across the Floor Before You Can Crawl

2010-07-06T21:05:00.004-05:00

It seems that when babies hit the six-month mark things start to develop rapidly. Fox turned six months old July 2 and he really seems to be changing. He reaches for everything now (just see my last post, entitled "The Claw"). When I feed him his bottle, he reaches up and touches my mouth. When I read him a book, he reaches for the pages. When he's on his play mat, he reaches for the toys dangling above him. And when he's not reaching for anything, he stares intently at his hands, desperately trying to figure out what they are, how they work, and how he might coordinate with them so he can reach for things more effectively.

In addition to his reaching, Fox is also starting to go mobile. Granted, his mobility is still severely limited. Mostly, if you lay him down, he manages to kick his legs enough so that he goes around in a circle (much like Curly did when he was really agitated in certain Three Stooges short films). However, tonight Fox managed to roll over from his back to his tummy. In the past he has rolled from his tummy to his back, but tonight was the first time I have seen him do it vice versa. AND he managed to do it while his fist was shoved into his mouth (sidenote: he loves chewing on his hands).

Once he flipped over onto his tummy, Wendy and I could tell that he was trying to get his legs up underneath him so he could crawl. He popped his head up to survey the surroundings (I guess to get an accurate bearing), then he put his head down toward the floor, and with all the effort he could muster, he would try to push his way forward. He managed to scoot an inch or two across the blanket before rolling back over onto his back and whimpering a little. Just that little bit of work seemed to wear him out (kinda like I feel after eating too much at a Fourth of July BBQ).

Anyway, it won't be long before Fox is fully mobile, meaning that I probably won't have any more energy to post on this blog. Or, if I am able to drag myself to the computer, my posts will probably be incoherent and unintelligible.

The Claw

2010-06-26T20:23:00.000-05:00

Fox is really growing. He's tall enough now to sit and play in his Eggs-a-saucer. For the uninitiated, an eggs-a-saucer is a round, wobbly device with a seat in the middle. The child sits down in the seat and plays with all the toys that are affixed to the apparatus. The seat also swivels, allowing the baby to spin 360 degrees.

I had Fox in this little device today and was playing with him. His pacifier was sitting in front of him. His interest in the toys evaporated when he spotted his paci. He simply stared at it and I could tell he was trying to figure out how to get that paci back into his mouth.

I encouraged him to pick it up. Slowly, he reached out with his right hand and started pawing at the paci. He looked like he was operating one of those "claw" games at the local bowling alley where you try to win cheap novelty items.

Well, suddenly Fox's coordination clicked and he snatched the paci. I was so proud of him. He hasn't learned how to pop it in his mouth yet, but I know he will soon. He's pretty brilliant.

- Posted from my iPhone

Your Halloween Assignments

2010-06-20T13:05:00.000-05:00

We've already been talking about possible Halloween costumes for this year. On the way back from church this morning we asked Phoenix for his input. He quickly gave costume assignments to almost everyone in our family.

Me - Handy Manny

Phoenix - Rusty (the wrench from Handy Manny)

Wendy - Felipe (The Phillips head screwdriver from Handy Manny)

Fox - Turner (the flat head screwdriver from Handy Manny)

Aunt Michelle - a donkey

Uncle Steven - a pair of shoes

Grandaddy (Wendys dad) - Stretch (the measuring tape from Handy Manny)

Mimi (my mom) - an airplane

Uncle Sid - Pat (the hammer from Handy Manny)

Papa G (my dad) - Mickey Mouse

Mama C (Wendy's mom) - Pluto

Aunt Lori - a lion

- Posted from my iPhone

Orange Beach Pictures

2010-06-19T19:02:00.000-05:00

Sunday, June 13th was our first full day at Orange Beach. We got up and headed to Gulf Shores Church of Christ that morning and then came back to the condo and ate lunch and then went swimming. We swam a lot! Phoenix fell asleep in the stroller on the way back up to the room. We put him to bed at 4:30PM and he slept until 6:30AM this next morning! Boy was he tired. Here are some pictures from our first day!

Me & Fox lounging by the pool while Daddy & Phoenix were swimming

We headed to the inside pool because the kids were getting so hot outside. We had the indoor pool to ourselves and Phoenix loved playing in there where it was nice and cool.

One Rainy Saturday

2010-06-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

We rolled back in from Gulf Shores around 5pm yesterday, quickly unloaded our stuff, got te boys changed, then made it to church for VBS. (We'll be posting more information about our trip in the next few days.)

This was Phoenix's first VBS and I was sure he would enjoy himself. The children enjoyed crafts, singing, stories, and snacks. Phoenix seemed to play well with the other children, but the biggest challenge was getting him to stay with his class. He was always trying to run off in a different direction.

Today VBS lasted from 10am-12pm and all the children had pizza and ice cream. The church also had inflatable bouncy houses available for the kids, but a massive thunderstorm rolled through and cut the outdoor activities short. Phoenix did get the chance to play a lot before the rain hit and he enjoyed a red, white, and blue popscicle. I got a starwberry sundae ice cream bar (one of my favorites).

Wendy and I promised Phoenix that we would go to the library and check out a few books on space and the solar system. He is in a phase right now where he loves anything to do with space and planets. So, after VBS we stopped off at the Hoover library.

While Wendy searched for books, Phoenix busied himself with some of the educational computer games. He soon learned how to use the mouse to play each game. He learned about shapes, letters and colors. Coming to the library was a great choice on a rainy Saturday.

- Posted from my iPhone

Orange Beach 2010 Part I

2010-06-13T18:37:00.000-05:00

We are having a blast on our beach trip so far. We headed down on Friday, June 11th and got to Mobile around 4:30pm. We stayed in Mobile Friday night with Clint's friend, Tawnya & her husband George. They have two boys, but their boys were spending the night elsewhere that night so Phoenix had the run of the place! He immediately took to the boy's room. They had a great bunk bed with stairs going up to the top level! Phoenix loved it and we told him that would be his room for the night. I was so worried about him staying in a new place that I went in there and stayed with him. I couldn't believe it, but he stayed in there all night and slept great! I was so proud of him. I think he's going to want a big bed when we get home.

Saturday I had a Thirty-One Gifts party for Tawnya and Clint took Phoenix swimming. We had lunch with all of them and then left for the beach. The boys did great! They slept pretty much the whole way over. Phoenix was so excited to finally be there! He really liked his room, he had a king size bed and a TV. Our room was awesome too! I was so nervous the first night we were here but Phoenix & Fox did great! Here are a few pictures from our condo!

Why Being a Parent is the Best Thing in the World

2010-06-06T20:34:00.003-05:00

Phoenix wasn't feeling good yesterday. We went to his cousin Shelby's fifth birthday party, but he just wasn't himself. There was a playground, a water slide, and a bouncy house, but he really didn't want ot play on any of it. He just seemed lethargic. We left the party a little early and he slept on the way home. Then he slept more once we got home. Even after his nap, he stilled seemed tired. Around 7pm, Fox started acting a little fussy, so I picked him up and started walking him around the house. Pretty soon he was asleep. So, I sat down in my recliner while Phoenix watched a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode. Phoenix turned and saw me sitting there. He slowly stood up, walked over to me, and climbed up into my lap. So, there I was, rocking both of my boys, helping to comfort each of them. It was a wonderful moment for me as their dad. It's not every day that I have the opportunity to spend such great quiet time with them and I took full advantage of it.

Pick Up Sticks

2010-05-21T20:05:00.000-05:00

I came home a little early this afternoon because the power was out at my office. So, that gave me some extra time to spend with the boys. I'll be going in to work tomorrow to make up the lost time from today.

As soon as I got home, Phoenix wanted to go outside and play. He spent some time mowing the yard with his little lawn mower, but then became interested on collecting sticks and making a pile. He sure was proud of that pile.

- Posted from my iPhone

Fox's Personality

2010-05-14T08:53:00.000-05:00

Fox is now 4 months old and his little personality is becoming more evident. To the point his has been a very good natured baby. He's calm (except for when he's hungry) and pretty passive. Phoenix is high-spirited and strong-willed, so we're hoping Fox will be our mellow child who cooperates a little better.

Fox can be very serious at times. You talk to him and he can just stare right back at you with his wide, blue eyes. However, he is becoming more responsive. He "coo's" a lot more and will often smile when spoken or sung to. His smiles, though, seem to work on a delayed timer. You can talk or sing to him and he will stare at you at first. Then after a few seconds he breaks into a big, wide, mouth-open smile. It's fun to watch.

I look at both Fox and Phoenix and marvel at the unique characteristics they are developing. Although they're brothers, they can be incredibly different. It's a fascinating hour ey to be a part of.

- Posted from my iPhone

He's Got A Fever, and the Only Prescription is More Cowbell

2010-05-11T14:14:00.004-05:00

It's been a rough few days. Saturday I had to work until about 4:00 so Wendy took the boys over to her parents' house for a few hours. While there, Phoenix started acting very lethargic. He even had a fever. However, by the time I got home, he was feeling fine. No fever. No lethargy. We thought the medicine Wendy gave to him earlier had done the trick. Little did we know that we were simply in the eye of the storm.

Fast forward to about 11pm. Phoenix woke up crying, which was unusual. Usually he settles himself back down and falls asleep again. However, this time his cry seemed different. Since he hadn't been feeling well, I immediately went in to check on him. When I picked him up I could tell his fever was back - with a vengeance. His cheeks and forehead were extremely hot to the touch. I called Wendy into his room to take his temperature. It was 102 degrees. He was crying and telling us that he was thirsty. So, I took him downstairs where I gave him some juice and some icy popsicles to help cool him down.

At about 1:00am I took him back upstairs where he fell asleep between me and Wendy on our bed. The rest of the night was touch-and-go. He would sleep for a little bit, then wake up, wanting some more juice. Since then, he's been having trouble sleeping. The doctor said that this infection will simply have to run its course. Wendy has been diligent about giving him regular doses of baby Motrin and baby Tylenol in an effort to keep his fever at bay. Fortunately, he seems to be getting better. He's not running a fever and he plays around the house like nothing is bothering him. Now, if he would get back on his regular sleeping routine Wendy and I will be a lot happier.

The Official Phoenix Dictionary

2010-05-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

If you ever find yourself trying to carry on a conversation with Phoenix, it's important to have a translation guide so you can understand what he's saying. Here's a few of his favorite words:

YAY - Red
PUPPLE - Purple
SHUGGLE - Shovel
GWEE - Green
EYE-EYE - Outside
YOOK - Look
YOCKED - Locked
BOO - (this one can be tricky and depends on context) Moon, Blue, "Moo" referencing a cow
WEE HIYUP - Real High Up
MY DO IT - I do it
EE-MO - Anymore
STEE-E - Steven (my brother)
QUIME - Climb
INSHY - Inside
FWAY - Fell
QUASH - Crash
AY-QUAME - Airplane
QUANE-KAKS - Train Tracks
PADA G - Papa G (my dad)
SHELL - Aunt Michelle (my sister-in-law)
BEE-BOY - Big Boy
FOSH - Fox (his brother)
CAUGH - Car
POO-BAH - Fruit Bar (what he calls Nutra Grain bars)
RERO - Yellow
RORO - Aunt Lori (Wendys sister)
TOO-BOCK - Tool Box
YIGHT - Light

- Posted from my iPhone

Cake, Kids, Water Slides, and Presents

2010-05-01T20:22:00.000-05:00

Wendy's birthday and her dad's birthday are pretty close together, so each year we get together with Wendy's family for a combined birthday celebration. This year, per our usual tradition, we met at Wendy's parents' house for a cookout. Mr. Cotney fired up the grill and served up chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers. Mrs. Cotney took care of the sides (her famous baked beans are my favorite) and we topped it off with some homemade ice cream and a cookie cake. It was one of those meals that you wish could go on just a bit longer.

What made the day even more special were all the children running around. Isabelle (Wendy's niece) is almost three...

Phoenix is almost 2 1/2...

Brady (Wendy's nephew), is a little over one year old...

Fox is now five months...

...And then there's Parker (Wendy's nephew) who is almost 14.

One of the big attractions for the kids (except for Parker) was the new slip-n-slide the Cotney's bought. Mrs. Cotney also bought swimsuits for all of the children (except for Parker). Phoenix loves water, so he was drawn to the slip=n-slide immediately. Of course, when you're only 2, you don't really understand the concept of "Hey, get a good running start," so Phoenix wouldn't travel very far down the slide. In fact, he just sat there (kind of), waiting for something to happen.

That "something" turned out to be Mr. Cotney, who stepped in to offer the right amount of kinetic energy to get Phoenix moving down the slide. I have to admit, Mr. Cotney had a nice technique when pushing Phoenix down the slide. It was like watching some weird combination of bowling, curling, and shuffleboard.

As the sun set, we all sat around the table stuffed from all the food. I couldn't really move or breathe very well at that point, but I had to muster enought strength to walk upstairs so Wendy could open all of her presents. She received some very nice things and had a little help opening the presents from Isabelle and Phoenix.

It was a great afternoon - one of the best I've spent with Wendy's family.

The Father Who Knew Too Little

2010-04-30T20:32:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Fox will be four months old on Sunday. It seems that he's growing up faster than Phoenix did. I think it's due to the fact that we now have two children and Phoenix usually dominates my time. Don't misunderstand. I don't favor aphoenix over Fox. And I don't favor Fox over Phoenix. But Phoenix has grown extremely close to me and likes for me to play with Jim constantly. That leaves me little time with Fox. I hate to say it, but Im afraid Fox and I haven't bonded like we should. Wendy seems to know so much more about him than I do. She knows his routine much better. She knows what certain sounds mean. She even knows that on a certain stretch of Shades Crest Road, Fox will always sneeze. She told me about that on the way home today, and sure enough, as we drove past the spot, Fox sneezed.

Here's what I do know about Fox

-he likes to suck on his hand
-he eats every 3 hours
-he likes to kick his legs, a lot
-he's growing more and more alert every day.
-he "coo's" a lot more now, as if he's trying to talk.
-he likes the musical star that's part of his Baby Einstein play mat.
-he can reach out with his hand and touch objects that are close by.
-he likes to be bounced gently as you cradle him. It calms him down.
-he likes certain Frank Sinatra songs. They always make hum smile.
-there's a little bunny that he has to have when he's sleeping.

I'm always trying to take mental notes and personality snapshots of my kids because I want to know everything there is to know about them. If someone asks me, "Hey, what's your kid's favorite bedtime story," I want to be the type of dad who can answer, "Well, that all depends on the day of the week, because the book my sons like to read on Tuesday is different from what they like to read on Wednesdays."

Take that Ward Cleaver.

- Posted from my iPhone

A Night Out on the Town

2010-04-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

This evening Phoenix and I were playing in the garage. He jumped into the little car my parents bought for him for his birthday. He looked at me and asked "Where do you wanna go eat Daddy?" I said, "How about we go get hamburgers?" He said, "No. Ham." he then proceeded to drive me to the ham restaurant. I'm really not sure that we ever got to the ham restaurant, because he told me, "Lets go Daddy," to which I responded, "Where are we going?" He said, "Restaurant." I asked which restaurant we were going to. He said pizza. I was relieved. I wasn't in the mood for ham.

- Posted from my iPhone