How We Celebrated

Balloons

Andrew's first train ride at the zoo (awake).  Look at their nervous faces...

It's a real steam engine and we sat in the car right behind the engine.  It was really loud but we got the full effect!  We hear the train whistle from our house so to be right next to it was really loud.  And I didn't realize how loud it would be when they let the steam out.

Opened presents

Kinnie was the helpful big sister.  It was fun to see her so excited for him throughout his whole special day.

Daddy and his little golfer.

The new train set!

Looking at the candles...

Pushing the cake away because the candles are scaring him...

Crying because of the candles.  I guess the 4th really did have a bad impact on him.

Distracting himself while Kinnie blew out the candles for him.

At least he still ate it.

Tornado Sirens

This is what it looks like when tornado clouds move in and the sirens go off.  Just so you know... This is what it looked like a few weeks ago when the sirens went off (5 minutes after I got the kids in bed).  So we set up some beds in the storage room.  There wasn't a tornado near us but it definitely looked threatening.  It happened during the College World Series and they had to evacuate the stadium as a precaution.  I really hope one never touches down while we are here!  As cool and ominous as the clouds look, I wouldn't mind if we didn't have to experience one.

TWO

I can't believe our baby boy is 2!  He has filled our family with joy and happiness.  He is our sweet, playful, happy, sensitive, and strong-willed little boy.

• You are your sister's best friend and playmate.  Whatever Kinnie is doing, you need to be doing too.  You stand by her side and are finally able to keep up with just about everything that she does.  You think she is the funniest thing around and laugh the hardest at the silly things she does.  You love to dress up with her and play with baby dolls.
• You have started saying so many things.  Each day you say something new.  You are always sure to say "ank you mommy" when I help you with something.  The other night as you were going to sleep I went to check on you because there was lots of loud thunder.  I walked in your room and you sat up quickly and said "wha dat mommy?"  I told you it was thunder outside and you said "I see mommy!" and wanted to look out.  You repeat everything in the form of a question and your new favorite phrase is "I do it." 
• You love to pretend to be a doggy still.  And you just recently started to pretend to cry like a baby.  It cracks me up because I feel like you should still be my little baby.
• You love tractors, trucks, buses, planes, diggers, garbage trucks, and trains.
• You have started going potty on the toilet.  I don't like this because I don't know if I am quite ready to potty train you!  I am sure it is happening because you are determined to be just like Kinnie.  You are so proud of yourself when you go and I can tell you feel like a big boy.  
• You have a little move you do where you march but you go up on your tippy toes and then put your heal down and you do it really fast.  I call you my little tap dancer because I bet if you were wearing tap shoes it would sound pretty good!
• You loving saying bye to people.  Sometimes the person you are saying bye to doesn't realize you are trying to tell them bye, and you get really sad.
• You insist on having your binky and you love your belly button.  You still call you binky your "be" and are very very attached to it.  You seem to find comfort in your belly button.  Whenever you are tired or watching a movie or relaxed in your car seat you have a finger on your belly button.  
• Your favorite toys right now:  your bike that you ride around the house really fast, your fire truck and all of your cars, the farm tractor and train set.

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Friends, Food, Fun!

We had a lot of fun at a BBQ at our friends house.  The kids played while the adults ate the good food and talked.  I LOVE the 4th of July.  The weather was perfect, it wasn't too hot or humid.

Eating the grub

Kinnie tried out the sparklers.  She was very cautious if you can tell.

Waiting for Landon to start our fireworks.

This is what Andrew did to hide from them.  I did not put my arm there.  He grabbed it and covered his eyes for the rest of the time.  Some neighbors were doing bigger fireworks and we went to watch. We could also see a firework show just across the river.  Andrew decided to just close his eyes for about 30 minutes.  He was not asleep...just keeping his eyes closed.  Sad but cute!

Overall we had a wonderful 4th of July!  I am so grateful for the freedom that we have and for those who have fought and sacrificed their lives for this freedom.