He's on to us...

We've been trying to get video of JJ dancing and singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider", but every time we take out the camera, he stops what he is doing! He has decided that like momma, he'd rather be the one taking the pictures. So, he stops dancing and tries to take the camera away. I made the mistake of letting him have it-once. He turned the camera around to look at the back of the camera like we do when we are taking a picture. So, I don't think this is a "no pictures" sort of thing. He just sees the camera and wants to play with it. After this interest dies down a little, we'll catch him. Hopefully we'll be able to post him doing Itsy bitsy and/or dancing (disco was a favorite the other day-unfortunately a RuPaul song).

In the mean time, we hope everyone has a Happy New Year! I hope we can all look back on the year that has been and see the blessings we've had in our lives-even the trials are blessings because we can learn so much from them.

Merry Christmas!

Drumming! Paper rolls are more fun than the gifts!?

Merry Christmas!

Since we won't have Ally with us on Christmas day this year, we decided to do gift exchange this weekend. We did save a couple of gifts for JJ to open on Christmas day, but we figure that since that's not what Christmas is really supposed to be about, doing gifts before Christmas works out quite well. So yesterday we opened gifts...Ally seemed to really enjoy her gifts, with JJ it was like pulling teeth to get him to unwrap anything! It was definately an interesting day!


other uses for blocks...
Camp Rock "Room on the go" (lamp, pillow, blanket) and jammies from Poppa Henry

Playhut from Poppa Henry

Tator tot no more

This week we were told that JJ is ready to transition to the next class at daycare. The group he is in now is called tator tots (not really babies, not quite toddlers). I guess we view this as a bit of a milestone since it was such a tansition for him to even start daycare. Typically, after 5pm, any tots still there go to the infant room until they are picked up (so they can let staff go home as the kids thin out). He's been so bored and really doesn't like going in there so we discussed him going into the toddler room at those times instead. He did this for the first time on Tues. Apparently, the teachers are thinking that he is also getting bored in the tator tot classroom and that he would really enjoy being in the toddler room. I can see this. He loves to play! The toddler room is more active with more activities to do and the kids are more advanced in their playing skills. He will transition to one nap a day and they will start having him practice using the potty (seems ready for both). Those will be the only major routine changes other than the move itself. He's been off the bottle since our trip to Ohio, so that won't hold him back in there. I guess he's all ready to go! Now Mom and Dad have to get used to the idea. Gotta admit, it's a transition for us too. Mostly because it proves how quickly they grow up. To quote Trace Adkins, "You're gonna miss this..."

Fun with JJ

Yesterday, JJ discovered the fun he can have with a light up bouncy ball. He repeatedly whacked it on the wall to make it light up. It was a bunch of giggles.

Today he got his first haircut. Yes, I have some of his hair to put in his baby book. He did very well sitting still and was not scared of the trimmers at all. He was curious about them and tried to turn his head to see what she was doing, but otherwise they didn't seem to bother him at all!

While visiting with JJ's auntie Monica, we discovered that he likes to play guitar. They had a small acoustic guitar that he was strumming on (along with a full size drum set that he and his sister both enjoyed!). To encourage a love for music, we decided to go ahead and get him a guitar. We found one that has strings to strum as opposed to just buttons like so many of the toddler guitars out there. He actually strums it and uses the little whammy bar! He even started to headbang while playing it. Uncle Tony would be so proud! We took a little video of this too. (My running commentary about the guitar's features is actually me describing it to grandma on the phone....)

I think we are mighty lucky. All this fun and good naturedness is occuring in spite of a continuing (or maybe a new...) ear infection in both ears and some monster teething (gotta love those molars). Don't get me wrong, he has his cranky moments, but overall he's weathering it like a trooper!