Catching Up

Yea, yea...the USUAL!

  

Any free time I get goes to these guys!

So I thought while I have a moment before I go to a seminar class (so that I can get my one hour upper level elective course out of the way) that I might try to do some catching up, well at least start the post and probably finish later. I apologize in advance that this post probably won't flow real well.

Bryce is definitely fitting the stereotype of the terrible two's, though he's still not quite "terrible". I will admit we're having a difficult time finding the best form of discipline for him, nothing seems to work! AND I won't even get into the battle of getting him to sleep in his own bed...again.

Then we're having another bath battle. Once again he is hating his baths...apparently he doesn't like the water getting in his eyes. We have tried everything to keep water from getting in his eyes but usually he will fight us and end up getting it in his eyes anyways. So I've just given up trying not to get it in his eyes and hope he'll just learn to deal with it...soon!

We usually give him a bath every other day, and for the past month he cries the entire time! Sometimes as soon as he comes home he wants in his" jammies", because he thinks once he's in his "jammies" he's safe from taking a bath. I guess that could be why most of our recent pictures he is in his "jammies".

Then he's learned the phrase "Don't want to!" and he sure uses it a lot.

"Bryce, pick up your toys!"

"Don't want to!"

"Bryce, eat your dinner!"

"Don't want to!"

"Bryce, let's brush your teeth."

"Don't want to!"

As for eating he's definitely in that stage where he's too busy to eat. However, when I do get him to sit still long enough to eat, he will eat just about anything...even asparagus...but still no mashed potatoes!

 

Now he's started telling me that HE is the boss! I haven't figured out where he's getting that from! 

Right now he's at the fun (and frightening) stage where you don't know what he's going to say next...he definitely keeps us constantly laughing!

Bryce's Third Christmas

Wow! It's so hard to believe it really was Bryce's THIRD Christmas...and with each Christmas the magic of Christmas gets even better.

First things first...he had to go tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. This was only our second Santa photo since I didn't feel the need to have one taken when he was a newborn, however to be honest I now regret that decision. Either way...I have yet to get a screaming Santa photo (that we all love to keep for future blackmail) as he has been cooperative both years!

Loving on his "Der Der".

Early Christmas at my Grandparents' house.

Dressed for an Ugly Sweater Party.

 

 

Since Daddy had to work Christmas Day (again), we again made a special request for Santa to visit our house a night early so that Daddy could share in the excitement. Santa fortunately obliged and we woke up to find the presents he left on the morning of Christmas Eve. 

 Bryce's very own laptop!!!

 Oh my...a basketball goal!!!

A new horse!

Powertools!

Loving the safety goggles provided in his tool kit!

We spent the evening of Christmas Eve with Nic's Dad's side of the family. Below is Nic's grandparents with 4 out of 5 of their Great-Grandchildren.

 Christmas Day was spent with my Mom's side of the family.

New OU recliners from Granny.

Cool new tricycle...which he can't quite reach the peddles on but it should be perfect for this summer.

 Four generations.

2 Year Check-Up

During the first week of December we took Bryce in for his 2 year old check-up. Thank goodness this check-up did not require any shots, just a flu mist.

Here are the stats for my little guy.

Weight: 27 lbs (36%)

Height: 33.5 inches (23%)

Head: 50.5 cm (89%)

For the first time they also "measured" his body mass index, which was 17 (61%)...whatever that means.

I sure hope that big ol' head of his means he's going to be a petroleum engineer! ; )

As one of my previous posts stated, at his second birthday we converted his crib to a toddler bed since he was climbing out of his crib...needless to say we have not been able to keep him in his bed since. Right now our only option is just to lock him in his room but that is just torture to me...I don't know what we're going to do now...

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

Yep, I've got some catching up to do...going all the way back to Thanksgiving.

Naturally the Christmas tree was put up the weekend of Christmas and you can bet that Bryce was a big help!

  First he thought his horse was a great addition. He was so proud!

Then we had to make sure we had a good look at the ornaments.Thank goodness for shatterproof ornaments!

Finishing touches.

 

At last the tree topper...the Angel.

The finished product...with our star decorator!

Happy birthday yesterday to my little guy!

So yes, my little guy had his second birthday yesterday. Along with his second birthday, this week he graduated from the crib and we converted it into the toddler bed. I planned on doing this on his actual birthday, but after he climbed out of his crib two mornings in a row, then the next night climbed out of it in the middle of the night I felt we could not wait any longer.

Such a proud boy!

Since Daddy worked yesterday on Bryce's actual birthday we had his party today. However, Bryce and I still partook in a little bit of birthday celebrating. 

We started the morning with some crafts. You'll have to ignore the knot and bruise on his head, he got that while he was over at his Aunt's house this week. He just couldn't have this birthday with out a bruise on his head. Thank goodness we have already taken his two year old pictures.

We went to Chick-fil-a for lunch and had our nap, then we got to have a little bit of birthday cake!

Blowing out the candles!

 Of course what's a birthday without a present!

So the big party was today! Some of our friends and family made it to celebrate with us. We decided to do a fire truck theme since Bryce is obsessed with the woo woo's! Reasor's made the cake, but I made the cupcakes!

Despite the high temperature today only making it in the 40's (after  being 76 degrees yesterday), the kids still chose to play outside. Since they were outside anyways, Nic decided to blow up the little used bounce house we bought for $25!

The ball pit continues to be a big hit!

Cake time!

 Getting ready to blow the candle out!

 Success! He's so proud of himself!

He discovered the balloons and popped a few too!

 The presents!

 

He kept saying how cute the clothes were! I wonder where he gets that from!

Oh how he loves Hotwheels!

Tonka truck!

A guitar!

Wow, how different was his party this year compared to last year. He was such a big boy and so independent! He is officially no longer  a baby, but indeed a toddler! However, he will always be Mommy's baby!

I have to admit...I couldn't resist photoshopping that big ugly bruise off of his head for this picture...or at least fading it some.

The end of an exhausting, but great day!!

Fall Activities

So aside from work, school, and life...what's been keeping us busy??

Well, we've been painting pumpkins...

And carved Bryce's first jack-o-lantern...

We began building Bryce's birthday present...

 And finished it!

 

 

All worth it!!