January 31

Today began with Will waking at 5:30 and not going back to sleep. Needless to say, it was a pretty miserable morning with a boy who was too tired for his own good. About the only thing that would cheer him up were some nibbles of Cap'n Crunch off of Daddy's spoon. Here's to a long nap!

January 30

I had the day off today and took advantage of my free time! After cleaning the upstairs, I went down to Percival landing to take some pictures before picking up Marc. I took some pictures of the dock, as well as some new growth emerging from the planters. Maybe spring isn't too far away after all! Marc and I saw "Slumdog Millionaire," which was a fantastic flick. We picked up Will, then met Sarah and Sophie at the mall for some playtime.

January 29

Lately, Will has taken an interest in putting on his own "Big Boy" diapers. He tries to put them on himself, and does pretty well until it comes to pulling them up over his bum - that's when Mom and Dad step in to help.

For some reason, however, Will isn't content with wearing just one big boy diaper. Today I told him that I wasn't going to help him past the first diaper, if he wanted more, he'd have to do it himself. I thought that maybe he'd lost interest since they prove to be a bit challenging for him. Obviously, I was wrong about that!

January 28

Today I had to stay home from work so that I could take Will to Dr. Gilmer's office. Nothing like taking a whole sick day for an appointment that lasted all of 60 seconds...literally. All she had to do was check Will's tubes and, thankfully, they were a-okay. I did use my morning to get some grading and planning done, so that was nice!

I wanted to get a picture of some really cool doctor scopes, but these were the only two in Dr. Gilmer's office. I could of sworn there were more last time. There was a bunch of junk around these scopes that I had to crop out...too bad I couldn't get the tubing out of the picture. Oh well!

January 27

There was snow on the ground this morning...yuck! Though it wasn't much, it made for an icy commute. Thankfully the snow turned to rain by midday. I've already had my fill of snow this winter, let's hope we don't get much more.

Today at school was one of the "highlights" of 5th grade social studies - our Colonial Williamsburg simulation. The kids have a great time and it's nice to see them so excited about learning.

Couldn't decide between these pics today...though the from my car is blurry, it appeals to me for some reason.

January 26

Grandpa paid us a surprise visit this evening Will couldn't have been happier! Will impressed with his burgeoning vocabulary several times. Highlights from the visit:

• Upon hearing Grandpa blow his nose in the bathroom, Will exclaimed, "Grandpa farted!" (I'll take the blame for him knowing that word.)
• "Don't say that, Grandpa!" after hearing Mommy remind Grandpa not to say certain words in his presence.

It's always nice when Will gets to spend time with his family!

January 25

Today I spent the day in Seattle celebrating the arrival of my first niece, due in April. My mom hosted a lovely shower and Michele and Jeff received lots of great gifts for little Mikaela. It was great to be able to visit with all of the ladies in our family. A nice way to spend a Sunday!

January 24

We were fortunate enough to have another sunny day around here, so Marc went golfing with Eric, Bubba and Dave for the day. Will and I met Becky, Hannah and Sydney at the Children's Museum. It was pretty crowded and Will must have picked up on the energy there because he was completely out of control - running everywhere with little regard to who or what was in his path. He didn't want anyone else (Hannah) getting to any toys before he did. (Yes, I'm full of pride.) After nap, we met Marc and the boys at the Ram for a late lunch. It was nice to spend some time catching up with old friends. Will thoroughly enjoyed giggling with Uncle Bubba.

January 23

(picture of cork from wine bottle)

Tonight Sarah, Becky and I started off the weekend with dinner and a movie. We met at Casa Mia for some food, wine and conversation. We watched "Revolutionary Road," which was a fantastic, albeit depressing, movie. It was nice to spend time with the girls. When I got home Marc had me watch video of Will running around with a "big boy" diaper on his head. Apparently, that's the sort of thing that guys do when Mommy isn't around!

January 22

Grandma Jordan bought Will a few books with accompanying CD's for his birthday. Will's favorite song right now is "The Wheels on the Bus" and we have the pleasure of listening to it over and over and over again. Seriously - we have to have it on repeat because he gets upset if another song comes on. He loves to have all three of us dance to this song. Mommy and Daddy are getting quite tired of it, especially since the singing sounds so Debbie Gibson-esque.

January 21

(Again, taken with my old Powershot...so not in focus!)

If only putting a towel over our head could be as entertaining for us as it is for a two year old, the world would be a much happier place. Seriously, Will was just running around and giggling with sheer joy tonight. The humor of a two year old!

January 20

(Taken with my old Canon Powershot and man how I miss my camera! Cheryl and I traded cameras and hers is on the fritz! Hopefully I'll get my camera back this weekend.)

Momentous. Hopeful. Inspiring. I don't yet have the words to express my feelings about today's Inauguration of Barack Obama as our President. This is a new beginning for our country, one that will hopefully restore our reputation in the world and in faith in government. Will is too young to understand the significance of this event, but his future and world view will be forever shaped by our historical choice in Presidents. I am so excited for Will's future!

January 19

Another Sunday, another day getting ready for the week. We did go to the mall again today to try to find Will some new shoes. Though we weren't successful with the shoes, I had fun shopping for my new niece, who will be born in early April. I always have fun picking out clothes for people with baby girls, since I never get to buy pink. This little outfit caught my eye and I knew it would be perfect for a spring baby. Plus, the matching socks were too cute!

January 18

Sunshine! Marc spent the day golfing with Bubba, Dave and Eric. The fog finally burned off late this afternoon and Will and I spent some quality time in the backyard. He had a great time swinging and running around. This is a photo of the sunlight hitting the moss on our old apple tree.

January 17

We started today like we do many weekend days, with a trip to the bakery. Will was so excited to get a chance to ride his new bicycle we could hardly contain him as he ran out the door. Today Will had to hold his new lunch box (full of Little People and trains) as he "pedaled" down the street. After a yummy breakfast of bagels and croissants, we ran errands for the rest of the morning. This afternoon, Will and I went to Becky's to help celebrate Sydney's 100 Day Party while Marc did some more finishing work on the kitchen. It is the project that never ends!

January 16

Friday! Marc and I kicked off the weekend by getting a sitter and going out to dinner. We went to one of our favorite places, Swing, and had fantastic food and wine. Their mashed potatoes are the greatest I've ever eaten and their filet mignon is equally as good. Marc thought he'd be adventurous and order something different. Unfortunately, he realized that lamb just isn't his thing. We ended our meal with coffee and creme brulee. It was nice to relax while eating instead of worrying about how many cheerios are ending up on the floor, or when a meltdown might occur. Unfortunately, my cameras was dead, so I had to wait until we got home to take a photo.

January 15

We finally got Will's "Thank You" cards mailed out today. It's been 3 weeks since Christmas, but better late than never, I guess! During one of the snowy days leading up to Christmas, Will made this Christmas tree using his little hand prints and thumb prints. I scanned it in and had Costco make the cards. I think they turned out pretty darn cute! I decided to photograph them so that we have a copy of one...after all, Mom and Dad don't get written thank yous! The best part is that Marc wrote out all of the cards...gotta love that!

January 14

There is one meal we can always count on Will eating and that is Aunt Lauri's spaghetti. I always have some on hand in the freezer for those nights when I just don't have time to cook a proper meal and we don't want to eat out. Will likes his spaghetti with rotini noodles and a generous helping of "sprinkle cheese," which he, of course, must put on himself.

January 13

With Christmas and Will's birthday less than two weeks apart, we've had an explosion in our Little People population. They are, by far, the favorite toy at our house right now. Each night, Will insists on bringing his Little People upstairs to 'watch you' while he sleeps. We have to hold him up next to the shelf above his changing table while he carefully arranges his friends for a good night's sleep. No, we are not allowed to help in an attempt to make this process go quickly. Are we being played, or what?

January 12

Our furry kid relaxing with us at the end of the day. Poor Chewie doesn't get enough attention from us anymore. In spite of her demotion in the household two years ago, Chewie has learned to live with her brother. Though she is rather indifferent towards him, Chewie is accepting of Will's "gentle" pats and the occasional horsey ride. Now if we could only get her to keep quiet in the early morning hours, we'd all be happy!

January 11

Today started with a trip to the bakery - more of an excuse to get Will outside on his trike, really. Marc and I shared a delicious quiche while Will devoured his favorite croissant. We spent the day getting ready for the week ahead - doing laundry, cleaning the house and grocery shopping. We also did some returns at the mall, which is always a great place for Will to blow off steam. He was ran around playing on the toys like a crazy man today! (Even gave a smooch on the back to the boy he had been playing with - too cute!)

January 10

Today Will had his first haircut. We went to Jack and Jill's, which was a great place! Will picked out the white police car and eagerly climbed inside of the chair. Once the hairdresser fastened the smock around his neck and began spraying his hair with water, Will just wasn't sure what to do. He sat in the chair for the duration of the haircut with a dazed and confused look on his face. Maybe he was mesmerized by the tv screen in front of him, but I think he just didn't know what to think of it all. Marc and I felt a bit foolish when we first walked in, seeing as how Will doesn't have that much hair. In the end, we were surprised at how much hair she was able to cut off of his head. Of course, we saved some of his precious little locks!

January 9

Friday! The first full week of school after two and a half weeks off and I'm exhausted! Two nice surprises awaited me when I arrived home - Marc had cleaned up the house during his lunch break, and the crock pot of soup that I had put on this morning. It is so nice not having to worry about getting dinner ready. I always feel so guilty spending time chopping onions and garlic, when I should be spending time with Will. The crock pot was certainly a good choice for a lazy Friday...too bad the soup wasn't really that good. Oh well, can't win them all!

January 8

Over the last two days, we've been inundated with rain - 6.44 inches in 48 hours. Needless to say, our sump pump worked overtime last night. The rain stopped by this morning, but the ground was so saturated that the sump pump still had work to do.

I have no idea why our sump pump is connected to our bathtub drain, but it is. (The joys of living in an old house, full of idiosyncrasies.) Each time the sump pump cycles on, a small amount of water flows up into our tub, then drains back out. I think the dirt deposit comes from the first spurt of water, as I'm sure the pump accumulates dirt over the course of the year. Each subsequent water flow shapes and carves the dirt into interesting shapes and patterns. I think it is neat to see our little landforms develop and change with each cycle of the sump pump.

For the record, Marc couldn't believe that I was taking pictures of the dirt in our tub today. But, when he saw the final product, he was actually surprised at how neat it looked.

January 7th

Today is Will's 2nd Birthday. Marc and I can't believe that we've been parents for two years! Not because we lament the fact that Will is growing up, but because we simply can't believe how fast it has gone. We both agree that we enjoy being parents of an "older" child much more than we do a newborn.

We started our day with Will getting a kick out of the streamers hanging in his doorway - he ran around the upstairs landing, scrunching them in his hands and playing with them. I took the afternoon off and brought mini cupcakes to daycare for Will to share with his friends. After, Will and I spent some time at Wind Up Here, where he picked out a red firetruck as his complimentary birthday surprise. Once Marc was done working for the day, we headed to Red Robin for a birthday dinner. Will was so excited to get his ice cream sundae and, this year, he did not cry when the crew sang to him. (I did request that they forgo the clapping, which I think helped.) Marc and I let Will dive into the sundae as he saw fit and this was one of his first bites. Will doesn't ever get ice cream, so I'm sure he thought it was a fantastic treat. Of course, once we felt like he'd had enough, we quickly finished off the rest of the sundae so that he wouldn't overdo it on the sugar. Finally, we came home so Will could open his gifts. We went simple - a book, floor mat/puzzle, and a pattern block puzzle. (What did you expect from a math teacher?) All in all, a pretty good birthday for a little dude and his proud parents.

January 6

Tonight Marc finally caved and decided to get something for Will's birthday tomorrow. While I agree that he certainly doesn't need anything, it is his birthday! Tonight I will also hang streamers outside of his bedroom door so that he can wake up to something special on his birthday. I have a friend who has always been given breakfast in bed on her birthday, even when she was young. I'd like to start some fun birthday traditions with Will, but breakfast in bed will certainly have to wait. Plus, I don't know that I'm that ambitious in the morning hours. I think that decorating his door would be a good start, though.

January 5

I was a good Project 365'er today and captured quite a few moments on film so that I'd have a few to pick from - our Papa Murphy's pizza dinner, some of my cookbooks from meal planning for the week, etc. However, when we were reading Will his bedtime story tonight, he just couldn't get enough of Maggie. As we turned each page, he'd ask, "Maggie?" then put his hands over his mouth and simply giggle when he found her. Not a "ha-ha, that's funny" giggle, but a coy, sheepish "I love that little girl" giggle. Seriously, Marc and I tried hard not to laugh, but we couldn't help it. It was just too adorable.

January 4

Will the Builder!
It's his Birthday!
Will the Builder!
Yes it is!

We celebrated Will's 2nd birthday today and Marc and I were thrilled with how it turned out! Will had a great time with his friends, Sophie and Hannah, as well as his cousin Henry, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. We had kept the decorations a hidden until Will was napping and it was so fun to see his face light up at the sight of his Bob the Builder "birday cake." Upon seeing his cake, Will immediately wanted to have some. He accomplished this by taking a fork off of the table, stretching his little arms up, and swiping some frosting off of the side of the cake. Will did this, in fact, several times until I smartened up and removed the forks from the table.

Will was happy to receive numerous gifts - including an "Eddie" farm, "Eddie" construction set, "Eddie" race car set, ride on bulldozer, and a new tricycle. As I was going through all 187 pictures from today, I realized that there were so many of them with Will and his trike, at different times throughout the day. He must really like it!

Will was so excited for us to sing "Happy Birthday" to him and loved blowing out the candles. I'm sure that the highlight of the day for our big guy was actually eating the cake. Will could hardly sit still in his highchair as I was cutting it and the minute I put the plate on his tray, he couldn't put the cake in his mouth fast enough. He was in heaven!

As most of the guests departed and the party wound down, Will sat on the living room floor playing with his Little People. At one point, we all listened to him singing "Happy Birthday" to Eddie, his new car, and himself. Seriously..."Happy Birthday to Will!"

The best part of the day was listening to Will sing, "Good night, Bob the Builder. Good night, Bob the Builder. Good night, Bob the Builder. Good night, good night, good night," through the monitor as he was falling asleep. Obviously, our little (big) boy enjoyed his 2nd birthday party.

January 3

I couldn't decide on just one photo today, so I've got two. Today's big event was a surprise visit from Grandpa Daily. Marc was out getting a haircut and buying Will's trike when I heard a knock at the door. I looked outside, saw Gene's car and couldn't believe it. When I opened the door, he said, "I'm here a bit early." Yes, he was early - a whole day early! Poor Grandpa! I called Marc and he quickly returned home to visit with his Dad. Will was still napping, but finally woke up about 45 minutes after Gene arrived. I snapped the first picture as Will was getting an initial glimpse of the construction goodies that Grandpa brought for him. (Will always has the rosiest cheeks when he wakes up and I'm happy to have captured that in the first picture as well.)Grandpa brought Will a bunch of "construction" props - "Bob" work gloves, electrical tape, ear plugs, etc. The second photo is Will's real hardhat, complete with face guard. He LOVED Grandpa's presents!

January 2

A sweet little picture of Will taken at the Children's Museum today. I love the way the light catches in his eyes...though I have to admit I didn't even notice that until I got the photos uploaded to the computer. This picture was pretty dark straight out of the camera, but it came out nicely after a bit of tweaking. Today Will had a lot of fun in the construction area of the Children's Museum - even going so far as to put on "Bob's" vest and safety goggles. They were helpful while he painted wood and drove the truck. This was taken while he was a bit upset with other kids for moving the rocks out of the dump truck. Naturally, he wanted them inside the dump truck.

January 1

A new year, a new undertaking - Project 365. I decided late tonight to at least start this project so I had to find something around the house. As I looked around, this sticker caught my eye. What better way to commemorate the start of 2009 than to think about the hope that this man will bring to our country and the world in a mere 19 days. Plus, Will likes to shout "Bock Omama" when he sees it. :-)